On April 8, Ruth and Leo Zanger from Quincy, Ill., who have been married for 59 years, welcomed their family's latest addition. The birth of their 47th great-grandchild, a baby boy named Jaxton Leo, is indeed a milestone worth celebrating, as he becomes the couple's 100th grandchild.
"The good Lord has just kept sending them. We could start our own town," kidded Leo in an interview with The Quincy Herald Whig.
"There's always room for one more," added Ruth.
The Zanger's eldest child, Linda, is 58 years old, and their youngest, Joe, is 31 years old. Jaxton Leo, the 100th grandchild, belongs to Austin, one of Ruth and Leo's 53 grandchildren. If it's hard to keep up with the numbers, the family rely on Donna Lane, one of the couple's daughters, who is the family historian, according to the Inquistr.
Donna keeps track of every birth record, wedding record and even the contact numbers for each member of the family so that she can update them or advise each other if there are get-togethers. It's a task she says she loves doing.
"(Other family members) always say, 'Since you already have all of the phone numbers, can you just text (or call) them and let them know about whatever the event is?' shares Donna in the Whig report.
It was actually Donna who announced to the family that Jaxton is the 100th grandchild. Jaxton's own parents wouldn't have even known.
The close-knit Zangers, who all live in Quincy and nearby towns, often celebrate birthdays, milestones and holiday celebrations as a clan. Because of this, parties at their house usually include 50 pounds of ham or 10 turkeys. Sometimes, they even violate fire codes because of the number of attendees, according to a report from Fox 13. In order to prevent this from happening, the Zangers will sometimes set up parties at the church hall.
"We enjoy all of the family get-togethers," said Leo, and when someone marries into the family, it can be quite an adjustment in the beginning. Jaxton's mother, Ashleigh, admitted she had a hard time memorizing all the names.
"It's a very busy family, but we enjoy being around each other," said Daniel Zanger, one of the sons.
"I expect there will be more. It wouldn't surprise me any because there are a lot of young families there yet that are just getting started," said Leo in an interview with Today.
"Birth is a miracle and to have a new one is just a wonderful thing," Leo remarked.
