The Pohlman family immigrated from Germany to the United States in the late 1800s, settling first in Ohio near Cincinnati. They were part of the second wave of German immigration and came to pursue the American Dream. The family later moved to Indiana and the father, John Pohlman, joined the Marine Corps and was stationed in California, where he met and married his wife. They had four children and lived in southern California before retiring in Rancho Cucamonga. Some family members remained in Ohio while others moved to Canada.