My husband's father was Charles Harold NOSTRAND. He was born June 7, 1933, and died June 6, 1996 in Flushing, New York. He married Winifred Carole Bleishock. Apparently Charles's father was born a VAN NOSTRAND, but dropped the "Van" because of contention in the family. I'm not sure of his father's name, but it may have been Harold. Either Harold, or Harold's father came from Austria.
Charles apparently also had a very tulmultuous upbringing, and would not talk much about his family. What I do know is that he had a biological sister (probably older than him) whom I believe left home while he was still there, and two step-siblings from his father's second marriage.
HIs mother's name was Helen. I don't know what his biological sister's name is/was. I don't know if his father remarried because of divorce, or if his mother died. My MIL thinks she remembers him saying that his mother died, and then his father remarried. She said any time she would ask questions about his family, he would end up weeping, so she didn't get much out of him. What I do know is that he cut off all communications with his family, so his children never got to know their relatives on the Nostrand/ Van Nostrand side.
Charles had issues with alcohol, and I suspect so did his father because of his declaration that his childhood was horrible.
If any of this sounds familiar........if anyone has ever heard somewhat similar stories to do with their Van Nostrand, or Nostrand branch, please let me know. That branch of the family is a virtual mystery.
