Gazlay Family History
 

Family HistoryFamily History - Dorothy _____


Key:1.“+” before a child’s name indicates the child has their own entry in the next generation.
 2.“born xxxx” indicates the child is under 18 years of age so the birth date is not shown.
This family history features Dorothy _____ and eight of her descendants down to the fifth generation.


First Generation
1. Dorothy _____,1 born ca. 1890 in Slovokia (parents not determined).1 Dorothy married, ca. 1918, Albert Gottschling1 (born ca. 1878 in Germany, parents not determined1, 2).

Dorothy emigrated in 1914 from Slovokia.1

Albert emigrated in 1914 from Germany.1


Child of Dorothy _____ and Albert Gottschling:

+2i. George Gottschling, born 1 June 1921 in New Jersey; died February 1987. Married Harriet Jane Truland.

  1. U.S. Federal Census, 1930, New Jersey, Essex County, Verona Boro, Enumeration District 7-617, Sheet No. 12B, family of Albert Gottschling (52, Germany, painter, house, first married age 40, immigrated in 1914); wife Dorothy Gottschling (40, Slovokia, first married age 28, immigrated 1914); son George Gottschling (9, New Jersey).
  2. U.S. Federal Census, 1950, New Jersey, Essex County, Verona, E.D. 7-352, Sheet No. 5, George Gottschling, 29, New Jersey, salesman, auto parts, sales and service, retail automobile; wife Harriet J. Gottschling, 27, New Jersey; daughter Anne K. Gottschling, 2, New Jersey; son George W. Gottschling, 1, New Jersey; father Albert Gottschling, 76, Germany, Sep[erated], painter-paper hanger, interior decorator.
Second Generation
2. George Gottschling2 (Dorothy1), born 1 June 1921 in New Jersey;1, 2, 3 died February 1987.1 George married, 1946, Harriet Jane Truland9 (born 10 September 1922 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, the daughter of Nira Melbourne Truland and Harriet C. Leonard;3, 4, 5, 6 Harriet died 7 September 1997 in Sun City, Hillsborough County, Florida5, 7, 8). Harriet is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia.7

The following biographical sketch is compiled from both published and family sources.4, 9

Harriet was born in Newark, New Jersey, the youngest of four children of Nira and Harriet (Leonard) Truland. As a child, Harriet was an avid swimmer, and she used to swim in fishing ponds. Her mother told her not to swim in a fishing hole because it was dangerous, but Harriet did it anyway. One day, diving into the murky water, she cut her knee on an old broken milk bottle. She left a bloody footprint all the way home, in the house on the hardwood floors, and up the stairs. She wrapped her knee in the only bandage she could find. When her mother discovered her, her mother didn’t know whether to kill Harriet or laugh when she saw her youngest child had wrapped her bloody knee with a sanitary pad! As a result of her injury, Harriet walked with a brace on her leg for years.

Family lore suggests that during her childhood, Harriet swam with her older brother John and his friend Johnny Weissmuller, Olympic champion (1924 and 1928) and actor (Tarzan and other roles). The friendship seems improbably given their age differences; Weissmuller (1904-1984) was 15 years older than John, and another three years older than Harriet. Harriet was said to have gone to the Olympic trials (year unknown) but was disqualified when it was learned that she had been paid to teach children how to swim. Perhaps she met Weissmuller at an Olympic trial. He was known to have attended the women’s 1928 Olympic tryouts that were held at Rockaway Playland Pool, New York.

Harriet attended several schools, including Barringer High School, in Newark, eventually graduating in 1940 from Verona High School. She married her high school sweetheart, Arthur J. Anderson. When Arthur joined the Navy early in World War II, Harriet entered college and also did her part to support the war effort by working in an ammunition plant. The work was described as like the cartoon where a person tests bullets on a conveyor belt by hitting them with a hammer. Her job was so dangerous that she was the only one working in a small testing room.

After Arthur was killed in action in the War, Harriet wanted to join the Navy, but the doctor took one look at her knee brace and said she couldn’t join. She decided to come back and try to enlist in the Marine Corps, having removed her brace. A different doctor that day had her jump on one leg and then the other, and she said if he had her jump one more time on her injured leg she would have fallen flat on her face. But her enlistment was approved, and she became a Marine.

In the years following, with successive marriages to George Gottschling, Edward May, and Frank Medley, Harriet lived in various places, including her native New Jersey, Alabama, Colorado, and eventually Florida, where she settled with her last husband, Earl Tilden Johnson. Her last job was executive secretary with a western food chain (her boss was killed in a plane crash). In retirement, Harriet enjoyed square dancing, tap, Hawaiian and aerobic dancing, and was on the local synchronized swim team.

While in the Marine Corps, Harriet befriended Lieutenant General Carol Mutter, the first woman in the Marine Corps to be promoted to the ranks of both major general and lieutenant general. Years later, General Mutter honored Harriet’s memory by conducting her funeral at Arlington National Cemetery.


Children of George Gottschling and Harriet Jane Truland:

+3i. Anne Kathleen Medley (born Gottschling), born 8 May 1947 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. Married David Emil Nester.
+4ii. George William ‘Bill’ Medley (born Gottschling), born 3 May 1948 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey; died 30 October 2018 in Maryland. Married Doris Jo ‘Jodee’ Gazlay.

  1. Social Security Death Index (SSDI), Rootsweb (website). Gottschling, George, no. 144-16-0546; born: 1 June 1921; died: February 1987; last residence: Parsippany, Morris [County], New Jersey.
  2. U.S. Federal Census, 1930, New Jersey, Essex County, Verona Boro, Enumeration District 7-617, Sheet No. 12B, family of Albert Gottschling (52, Germany, painter, house, first married age 40, immigrated in 1914); wife Dorothy Gottschling (40, Slovokia, first married age 28, immigrated 1914); son George Gottschling (9, New Jersey).
  3. U.S. Federal Census, 1950, New Jersey, Essex County, Verona, E.D. 7-352, Sheet No. 5, George Gottschling, 29, New Jersey, salesman, auto parts, sales and service, retail automobile; wife Harriet J. Gottschling, 27, New Jersey; daughter Anne K. Gottschling, 2, New Jersey; son George W. Gottschling, 1, New Jersey; father Albert Gottschling, 76, Germany, Sep[erated], painter-paper hanger, interior decorator.
  4. Women Marines Association, Volume 1, by Pamela Wood and Turner Publishing, 1992. Page 90, entry for Harriet (Truland) Anderson-Medley-Johnson. The entry provides brief vital and biographical information.
  5. Social Security Death Index (SSDI), Rootsweb (website). Johnson, Harriet T., no. 144-12-2981; born: 10 September 1922; died: 15 September 1997; last residence: Hillsborough [County], Florida.
  6. U.S. Federal Census, 1930, New Jersey, Passaic County, Clifton City, Enumeration District 16-91, Sheet No. 19B, family of Harriet Truland (39, New Jersey, widow); daughter Mary Truland (13, Pennsylvania); son John Truland (11, New Jersey); son Leonard Truland (9 7/12, New Jersey); daughter Harriet Truland (7 6/12, New Jersey).
  7. Cemetery Record, Arlington National Cemetery (military website); Johnson, Harriet A., born: 10 September 1922; died: 7 September 1997; US Marine Corps; Court 4, Section MM, Column 4, Niche 2.
  8. Email from Helen Anderson Rickard Glass to Lee Gazlay, various dates in March 2014, providing information about her brother Arthur J. Anderson, his wife Harriet, and other relatives.
  9. Email from Bonnie Medley Atkinson to Lee Gazlay, various dates in November and December 2012.
Third Generation
3. Anne Kathleen Medley (born Gottschling)3 (George,2 Dorothy1), born 8 May 1947 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey.1, 2 Anne married David Emil Nester (born 21 October 1944, parents not determined2). Their marriage ended in divorce in ca. 1971.3 Anne was adopted by Francis Mertin ‘Frank’ Medley.

Child of Anne Kathleen Medley (born Gottschling) and David Emil Nester:

+5i. Cynthia Anne Nester, born August 1969. Married Lee Haskin Sjoberg.

4. George William ‘Bill’ Medley (born Gottschling)3 (George,2 Dorothy1), born 3 May 1948 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey;1 died 30 October 2018 in Maryland.4 Bill married, 16 August 1969, Doris Jo ‘Jodee’ Gazlay (born 30 July 1948 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, the daughter of Robert Bush Gazlay and Doris Margaret McGregor; Jodee died 7 July 2015 in Manahawkin, Ocean County, New Jersey5). Their marriage ended in divorce. Bill was adopted by Francis Mertin ‘Frank’ Medley.

Child of George William ‘Bill’ Medley (born Gottschling) and Doris Jo ‘Jodee’ Gazlay:

+6i. Timothy Craig Medley, born 24 November 1972 in Orange, Essex County, New Jersey. Married Jori Dionne Pearson.

  1. U.S. Federal Census, 1950, New Jersey, Essex County, Verona, E.D. 7-352, Sheet No. 5, George Gottschling, 29, New Jersey, salesman, auto parts, sales and service, retail automobile; wife Harriet J. Gottschling, 27, New Jersey; daughter Anne K. Gottschling, 2, New Jersey; son George W. Gottschling, 1, New Jersey; father Albert Gottschling, 76, Germany, Sep[erated], painter-paper hanger, interior decorator.
  2. This is publicly viewable information found in various public information repositories, people finding websites, and/or social media.
  3. Email from Bonnie Medley Atkinson to Lee Gazlay, various dates in November and December 2012.
  4. Ancestry.com (website), Truland Family Tree, George William / Billy / Gotschling Medley, born: 3 May 1948 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey; died: 30 October 2018 in Maryland; spouse: Doris Jo / Jodee / Gazlay.
  5. Obituary, Atlantic City Press, Atlantic City, NJ, McWalters Doris ‘Jo’ (nee Gazlay), died 7 July 2015, age 66, of Manahawkin. The article provides brief biographical details and the names of her two sons, their wives, two brothers, and three grandchildren.
Fourth and Fifth Generations
5. Cynthia Anne Nester4 (Anne,3 George,2 Dorothy1), born August 1969.1 Cynthia married, 7 August 1993, Lee Haskin Sjoberg1 (born June 1967, parents not determined1).

Child of Cynthia Anne Nester and Lee Haskin Sjoberg:

 7i. Hamilton Sjoberg.

6. Timothy Craig Medley4 (George ‘Bill’,3 George,2 Dorothy1), born 24 November 1972 in Orange, Essex County, New Jersey. Timothy married, 25 April 1996 in Shelby, North Carolina, Jori Dionne Pearson (born 20 December 1973 in Shelby, North Carolina, the daughter of Gary Curtis Pearson and Bonnie Faye Morrow).

Children of Timothy Craig Medley and Jori Dionne Pearson:

 8i. R. Fletcher Medley, born xxxx.
 9ii. I. Finlay Medley, born xxxx.

  1. This is publicly viewable information found in various public information repositories, people finding websites, and/or social media.