Tennisson Family History & Genealogy

Alexander Tennisson was born in Lithuania. His father was Lithuanian, and his mother was German. His father died when he was young. When Hitler came into power, he offered homes and jobs to any ethnic Germans who would return to Germany. Alexander and his mother went to Germany to take advantage of the offer. Alexander was in the German army when he was captured and held as prisoner by the Americans. He had been a translator, as he spoke several languages. After the war, he married a young woman named Eugenie. He studied to become a Methodist minister. He also taught school. One of his former pupils who had emigrated to the United States contacted Alexander and urged him to emigrate, as well. In 1952, Alexander and Eugenie arrived in the United States as displaced persons. Eventually, they moved to Michigan, where Alexander served as pastor for a small church. Later, he became a door-to-door salesman. Alexander was an advocate for exercise and physical fitnessl Well into their 80s he and Eugenie took daily walks. They lived very frugally. Every day they had oatmeal for breakfast, and for lunch they had lentil soup with dumplings made from leftover oatmeal, fried potatoes and a small amount of meat. Every day they gave thanks for what they had, and they prayed for all the people in the world who had less. In the late 1970s and early 1980s Alexander and Eugenie hosted small church gatherings at their home in Stephenson, Michigan. The couple never had children of their own, but they were very interested in young people and encouraged their friends' children to read the Bible and pray. Eugenie had diabetes and eventually lost most of her sight. She went to live in a nursing home in Menominee, Michigan. Alexander died in 1989, and Eugenie died in 1990.