Dear Lili,
One strange fact of our family history is that had it not been for three major wars you and I would not be alive today. All three wars had a direct bearing on the circumstances leading up to our births, and had it not been for any one of them neither you nor I would have come to be.
The American Civil War
The first major war that led to our existence was the American Civil War. You may recall that in a previous post I told you about your great-great-great-grandmother, Margaretha Reis, nee Bitzermann. Before she married your great-great-great-grandfather, Michael Anthony Reis, Margaretha was briefly married to a Civil War veteran, one Count Adam Begonski originally from Silesia, Poland, who led the 69th NY Regiment during the war as a Colonel. Begonski died soon after the marriage of war-related injuries, and Margaretha subsequently became remarried to Michael Anthony. Michael and Margaretha Reis had a daughter, your great-great-grandmother, Emma Reis, who when she grew up married your great-great-grandfather, Henry John Kotz.
World War I
The second major conflict that led to our births was World War I. Before she married your great-grandfather, John William Kotz, your great-grandmother Esther Adele Kotz, nee Johnson, had been married before to a Harold Blakeley, a Sergeant in the U.S. Army’s 69th Regiment. Harold, however, was killed in action the day after Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, when Esther was just 22 years old. After they married, John and Esther Kotz had a daughter, your grandmother, Gertrude Marie Kotz, who went on to marry your grandfather, Philip Del Vecchio.
World War II
The final war that caused us to be born was World War II. Although Poppie and Nonnie grew up within about 25 miles of each other (Poppie in Newark, NJ and Nonnie in New York City), it wasn’t until the two were stationed overseas during WW II that they found each other. After the war broke out, both Poppie and Nonnie enlisted in the military and both were stationed in England, where they eventually met and fell in love. The couple went on to get married and had a son, your father, Anthony.
Life is strange. War is a terrible human tragedy, yet had it not been for these three wars, we wouldn’t be alive today. I often wonder, due to the unique circumstances of our family history, how many lives came to be as a result of war, and how many lives that could have come to be never did.
La forza del destino!
Love always and forever,
Your Dad 8)
tony-and-liliana-delvecchio.com 
Hi I hopey. you get this because this was posted in 2011 but any way my name is Bernadette Nevins. I’m not sure who you are but my great grandmother was Margaretha Reis and my grandmother was Caroline Reis Emma’s sister. I would love to hear from you bnevins2@gmail.com
Hi Bernadettte! I had to look that up on the Internet, but I think that makes us third cousins (mutual great-great-grandparents (Michael and Margaretha Reis). I take it you have been doing some genealogical research like I have. Let me drop you a line via regular email. What you found on this blog is about all the information I have about our great-great-grandparents. I’d be interested in any new information you might have.
Best,
Cousin Tony
Hi Tony, So glad you wrote back. Margaretha and Michael were my great grandparents so that may make us second cousins once removed. I think you have more info than I do but I do have some different information I couldn’t find Margaretha’s last name . I have her death certificate and it is blurred. I also have Michael’s (Anton) death certificate. I will look through my things and see what else I have. I’m in NY where do you live? This is so much fun every time I find a new nugget of info. I have some stories that have been handed down, not sure of the veracity but stories none the less. I met your grandfather (?) about six months before he passed. He told me some stories but they weren’t quite right according to info I have but he was a great guy and it was fun. I have a busy weekend coming up but I’ll get to that paperwork as soon as I can. Let’s stay in touch Cousin Bernadette
Hi Bernadette,
I see. Michael and Margaretha Reis were my great-great-grandparents, so yes, we’re second cousins once removed. Complicated!
My mother was very clear on Margaretha’s maiden name, Bitzermann. I guess you read my other post to my daughter with more specifics on that lineage.
I was able to get a lot of information from my mom before she passed, but there are still gaps, of course. I’d love to hear any stories that may have been handed down to you about the ancestors. (By the way, I learned to take my Grandpa Kotz’s stories with a grain of salt. I think he was one for telling tall tales. Ha Ha)
I grew up in New Jersey but now live in Tokyo, Japan. I’ll drop you a line on your regular email with my address there.
Look forward to hearing from you!
Best,
Cousin Tony
Hello Everybody!! You are my family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am Jacqueline Anne Kotz, daughter of John William Kotz, Jr. who was the son of John William Kotz, Sr. and Adele Cokely. I just found out about you today!! From Carol (carolezig56 on Ancestry.com). It is going to be such a thrill getting to know you. I am an only child and have always felt lonely, but now I have real live family members to converse with and get to know. Woo=Hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And with all this wonderful information contained herein I am going to get busy and fill in the blanks on Ancestry. Take care all, I love you already, Jaci.
Hello Tony, I am one of your long lost cousins. Jack, John William Jr. was my father. I left a comment yesterday but it seems to have disappeared so I will wait for your reply via my normal e-mail address. Would love to talk w/you, so very happy to have found you. Take care, I hope we can write soon, Love Jaci.
Hi Jaci!
No, sorry, you didn’t disappear. When someone posts a comment on this site for the first time they have to be approved by the admin (that’s me). Was just busy with my university classes the past couple of days, end of term approaching kind of stuff.
Anyway, this is really great! So you’re Uncle Jack’s daughter? Long-lost cousin is right! Well, nice to meet you, cuz! This site was set up for the purposes of a family reunion (with my daughter — long story) and it appears to have worked its family reunion magic for a second time (though not with my kid, Lili). I’ve also met another of our relatives here — Bernadette Nevins, who is our second cousin once removed. She is a great-granddaughter of Michael and Margaretha Reis, nee Bitzermann, who are our great-great-grandparents; the Reis’ daughter, Emma Reis, our great-grandmother, married Henry John Kotz, and became the parents of John William Kotz, Sr., our grandfather. Got all that? LOL
Hey Jaci, let me drop you a line via regular email. I have about a million questions for you, naturally.
Meantime I’ll send you a Facebook Friend request, as I see you’re on there like me. I must warn you, however, I’m very political on the lefty side. Ha Ha
Take care, cousin,
Best,
Tony