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For most of my life, I have lived in a small town as well. I grew up in Hilton, NY, which is a suburb of Rochester. Hilton was founded in 1813, as a subdivision of Parma, an existing town. .
One of the most notable aspects of Hilton is the yearly Apple Fest, which is generally held during the last weekend in September. Here, local vendors come together and sell various foods, crafts, there are many games, and of course, every kind of apple imaginable. This tradition was formed because of the history Hilton has with apples. It was one of the more prominent apple producing towns in the early settlement years, and has continued to be to this day. .
I myself was born in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1983, and then was moved to Albany, NY. My parents, John and Loron Oster spent most of their lives in Albany, although they did live elsewhere. My mom was born in Colorado, and went to college there before moving to New York to attend nursing school. My dad was born in Rochester, and then moved to Albany for a job working for the state government as an environmental lobbyist. We moved back to Rochester in 1986, when my dad's father was diagnosed with cancer. .
In looking at research that my father has done, I come from a mostly German family. However, a small part of me is English, Jewish and Dutch as well. All of these different backgrounds have contributed to my family in various ways.
My father's parents are both German descendants. Their names are Jack Oster, and Pat Curtis Oster. They were both born in Rochester. My Grandfather Oster's parents (my great-grandparents) came to the U.S. in early 1900's and settled in upstate New York. .
My Grandmother's mother moved here from Nazing, England in the late 1800's, and my Grandmother's father moved to the United States from Germany around the same time. They met on the boat to Ellis Island, and since my Great-Grandfather Oster was a very smart man, he had learned to speak some English in college.