Who Do You Think You Are USA - Helen Hunt - Genealogists' Forum

kiterunner · #1 26-02-13, 07:33

Tonight on BBC1 at 23:35 (a little bit later than last week).

Shona · #2 27-02-13, 11:27

Did anyone watch it? I found the part about her Bavarian Jewish roots interesting, but it left me wanting more detail.

Helen's great-great grandfather William/Wolf Scholle emigrated from Bavaria in 1845 and settled in New York before heading to San Fransisco duing the Gold Rush to make his fortune - he became a millionaire - in the clothing trade.

I noticed that as well as William Scholle, Levi Strauss and the Lehman brothers also invested in the Nevada bank - though little was made of this. The Strauss's were a Bavarian Jewish family, as were the Lehman brothers (Henry Lehman emigrated from Bavaria in 1844).

Levi Strauss (came to the USA in 1847) also left New York for San Fransisco during the Gold Rush and made tough canvas work clothes for the gold miners. The miners liked the durability of the clothes made by Levi Strauss, but they were too rough. Strauss then used 'serge de Nimes' to make the clothing - this is where the word denim originates.

I wonder whether there were deeper connections between the Scholle family and the Strauss family. Was William Scholle selling Strauss's denims in his shops? The Lehman Brothers started out in the cotton business. How were they connected?

Didn't like the way she said Scholle, though - 'showllee'.

#3 27-02-13, 13:51

I recorded it and am looking forward to watching it.

kiterunner · #4 27-02-13, 15:47

I found her Botoxed forehead too distracting!

Shona · #5 27-02-13, 16:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiterunner

I found her Botoxed forehead too distracting!

So true - I had more wrinkles on my forehead as a baby.

Vicwinann · #6 28-02-13, 04:34

I found both her voice and her personality irritating and annoying, but I did find the bits about the suffrage of women in the USA very interesting.

Janet in Yorkshire · #7 28-02-13, 15:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicwinann

I found both her voice and her personality irritating and annoying, but I did find the bits about the suffrage of women in the USA very interesting.

Missed that bit - it must have been on after I fell asleep. When I came too, I was totally disorientated because it was a completely different programme and so at first it didn't make any sense!

Jay