Great Grandfather HENRY COCHEMS lived in the town or village of Kochem (or Cochem) on the Moselle River in Germany, a tributary or estuary of the Rhine River. He was of the Catholic faith, attended the village school and was religious to a high degree. He was of spare build, fair-haired, 5 feet 10 inches tall and wore no hair on his face. Born to him and his wife, who died at an early age (possibly 45 years old) were 3 girls and 5 boys. There seems to be no information about the girls but the boys were named ANTON, HENRY, JOSHEPH, PETER, and MATHES (NOTE: probably in error-- Names likely were Peter Joseph, Henry, John, Peter, Anthony, Anna Mary and Gertrudis Mattes). The home was a 2-story stone house built on a 30 x 60 foot lot approximately 600 feet from the banks of the Moselle River. There were three bedrooms in the second story. The first floor, besides living rooms and kitchen, contained instruments for wine-making and barrels. Wine for the family needs was produced annually. He was a locksmith and blacksmith by trade. He lived to reach the age of 87.

(the above information was given to my father -- Edward Cochems -- by his cousin Henry Cochems who was a youngster of about 8 or 10 at the time.)

Grandfather PETER COCHEMS married Anna Lavan who was also born in Germany (August 2, 1850). They had 5 children - ANNA, EDWARD, OSCAR, MAMIE and ELLA - born in Chicago. They came to California and lived in a socialist community called "Olivenheim" in San Diego County; later moving to Twin Oaks. Grandpa took his own life by drinking a poison. He was despondent over ill health. I remember the funeral services were held in the large parlor of the big white house on the hill. Grandma died September 9, 1924, at the age of 74, following an operation. She was living at 903 West Pine Street, Santa Ana, in a house built by Uncle Oscar and Papa, especially for Grandma Cochems. She is buried in Fairhaven Cemetery. Mother and I used to put flowers on her grave, and I still do.

ANNA COCHEMS married a man by the name of McNichol. They had 3 children, namely, Oscar, Hugh and Olive. Aunt Annie was the first of the 5 children to pass away.

EDWARD WILLIAM COCHEMS (my father) married Emma Glaser in Chicago October 15, 1902. They had one daughter, Adeline. Edward Cochems was born October 13, 1874; died July 31, 1949 at the age of 74. He was a photographer (self-taught) of considerable prominence.

OSCAR COCHEMS married Lillian Eggleton. Their children are: Edwin Roy, Florence Cochems Hare, Evangeline Cochems Sands (deceased), Russell Charles, Merlyn Oscar, Robert Allison, and Jack.

MAMIE COCHEMS married Ed Fairchild and they had one daughter Pearl who was killed in an automobile accident. She had no children. Aunt Mamie died October 6 1966.

ELLA COCHEMS married Walter McKean who predeceased her and then she married Bert Peck. She passed away ________________.

Grandfather Peter Cochems' brother JOSEPH had 3 boys and 2 girls, namely, WILLIAM COCHEMS, who operated the Vienna Bakery in Santa Ana on East Fourth Street. He married Jessie who worked in the bakery with him on June 5, 1922, when he was 42 and she was 36. Cousin Billie passed away October 3, 1938, at the age of 59. Their home was at 720 French Street. After he died, Jessie moved to another home in Santa Ana. She died July 26, 1961, at the age of 75. She was living at 2043 French at the time. Mother and I used to visit her.

HENRY COCHEMS was a tin-smith and operated a tin-smith shop as part of the McFadden Hardware for years. His wife was Sadie (we called her Aunt Sadie) who was a very heavy set woman of jovial nature, as I recall. I always liked to visit "Aunt Sadie." I remember she had a large mulberry tree in their back yard. They also had a large framed picture of Kochem Castle hanging on the wall over the piano. They had no children.

MARY RAMER, another of Joseph Cochems' children, was living in Santa Ana with her family, consisting of Andrew, Charles, Catherine and Clara, when we moved to Santa Ana. We met our cousins for the first time. Clara used to visit us at 407 East Pine Street and I have a picture showing us working with the Ouija board. Catherine married Bill Mang and Clara married a man by the name of Wing, and later, after her divorce, she married Fred Faber who passed away. Clara worked all of 40 years in the County Sheriff's office here in Santa Ana. She is now retired. Charles, I understand, is a dentist, and I don't know where Andy is or what he is doing.

GERTRUDE MATTES I never knew but she also lived in Santa Ana. Clara said she passed away some time ago.

Tony, who lived in San Fernando and worked for an oil company, has also passed away.

Peter Cochems was born in Cochem, Germany on Feb 28, 1845, the son of Henry Cochems and Anna Maria Goebel. He had 4 brothers (Anthony, John, Henry and Peter Joseph) and 3 sisters (Gertrudis, Anna Mary and Margaret). Peter died in San Marcus, May 12, 1912.

Henry Cochems was born Aug. 18th, 1807, in Cochem, Germany, and lived 87 years. He was the son of Peter Joseph Cochems and Anna Gertrudis Heuschen. He had 4 brothers (Josephus, Conrad, Peter Joseph and Jacobus) and 3 sisters (Margaretha, Gertrudis and Margaret).Henry died in Cochem.

Peter Joseph Cochems was born Jan 6, 1777 in Cochem. He was the son of Peter Nicolai Cochems, and Anna Margaretha Fridericks of Ediger, Germany. He had two brothers (Joannes Josephus and Joannes Petrus) and one sister (Anna Gertrudis). He died between 1840 and 1847.

Peter Nicolai Cochems was born Aug. 22, 1738 and was the son of Johann Peter Cochems and Maria Magdalena.