Jeff Rinscheid was born in Pittsburgh, Pa, in the late 1950's, son of Louis Rinscheid and Mary Jane Whetstone. In the early 1970's, Jeff's dad became actively involved in sorting out his ancestry (who came from the 14th century family farm Germany in the late 1800's), but Jeff, like most genealogists, didn't share his dad's interest till 10-to-15 years later. When his dad died in 1995, Jeff picked up the mantle and began actively working his mother's ancestry - which came from Bedford County, Pa, just a generation prior.
Through happenstance and the wizardry of the 'net, Jeff met several cousins who were also consumed in the dig for their roots, and has now become one of the persistent crew who are seeking the clues to the "Bedford County Wertz Brothers".
When not sneaking off to traipse through cemeteries or hole up in old Courthouses, Jeff is married, works as a manager at Lucent Technologies in New Jersey, and has one son, three step-children, 8 step-grandchildren, two dogs, one cat, dozens of teddy bears, hundreds of CDs, thousands of record albums, and enough sporting equipment to divert one's attention from the fact he's more nerd than athlete.
Nerd or not, Jeff's whit, analytical skills, and sense of humor (just ask Rhonda), coupled with a solid dedication to our family research make him a cousin well worth keeping track of. If your Wertz line is tied into the Bedford County branch of the family, Jeff is a wealth of knowledge and insight. (Jeff contributed this month's profile of George Wertz) Jeff from all of us Thanks.
