Joseph Frost (1783-1857) Joseph Frost was born on 04 Jul 1783 in Ashburnham, Worcester, Massachusetts,…

This first post in the series finds Floyd still on American soil. Floyd was inducted…

This first post in the series introduces you to our sixteen female ancestors who were…

Peter Holland McCall (1800-1867) Peter Holland McCall was born in 1800 in Glade Hill, Franklin,…

Thomas Leland Estes (1896-1968) Thomas Leland Estes was born on 28 Mar 1896 in Castana,…

As we have seen in earlier posts, women fought to gain full voting rights, missed…

This is the third post in our series on women’s suffrage. In the first post…

We are related to the Estes of Estes Model Rockets Nearly every week, a mystery…

George Lyon (1662-1694) George Lyon was born on 16 Dec 1662 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts,…

This past week was a continuation of the study of the probate for William McCall’s…

William Riley Estes (1833-1880) William Riley Estes was born in 1833 (or so) in Callaway,…

John Borden (1729-1801) Two hundred and eighty-seven years ago, John Borden was born on 12…

Camp Wakanda and more The 14th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of…

Elizabeth Baldwin was born on 11 Apr 1771 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut as the…

Ole Knutson Aldahl (1814-1890) Ole Knutson Aldahl was born in 1814 (probably), but we don’t…

Farm and Falls The thirteenth page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of photos…

Most days of most lives are “ordinary.” But, our ordinary is likely very different than…

Nimrod Charles Canterbury (1778-1844) Nimrod Charles Canterbury was born on 10 Apr 1778 in Wilkes,…

Jacob B. Meyer (1836-1887) Jacob B. Meyer was born on 22 Feb 1836 in Hettingen,…

Things were probably getting pretty dull and routine on the SS America. Floyd didn’t have…

Adam Boyce (1787-1874) Birth Adam Boyce was born on 25 Jul 1787 in Londonderry, Rockingham,…

Boating and Iowa The 30th page of Sally’s photo album included pictures of boating and…

Halvor Stemson (1835-1927) Halvor Stemson was born on 14 Feb 1835 in Nes i Hallingdal,…

Edward Morris (1688-1769) Edward Morris was born on 09 Nov 1688 in Roxbury, Suffolk, Massachusetts…

Margaret A. O’Donnell (1836-~1865) Margaret A. O’Donnell was born in 1836 in Kentucky as the…

This is how much beer they normally pour. The Program for the 2016 Rochester Craft…

Remember that letter that Arthur wrote to his brother Floyd back in late January? The…

It is an exciting day when the mailman brings me a box containing books that…

Lucky for me, someone else already did my genealogy I’m really am interested in my…

My latest book, “The Aldahl Family,” is now available. Nearly all my time in 2020…

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a planner by nature. I like to…

Loved Ones and Friends The seven page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of…

Priscilla (1768-1851) Priscilla was born 29 May 1768 in New York. But, we don’t even…

Who is this child? The photograph was part of a collection of photos originally owned…

Our German ancestors are challenging. The language barrier, changing political boundaries, and lack of records,…

A photo of the old family farm came up in email conversation recently. That led…

People and camp The 37th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of photos…

Tuesday had Floyd and his comrades up early. The guys still didn’t know exactly what…

Floyd’s 11-year old cousin Donald James Phillips wrote a very newsy article. His account of…

When we last left Floyd, he was asleep on board a Norfolk & Western train…

Sarah Everett (1644-1677) Sarah Everett was born on 12 Apr 1644 in Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts,…

Samuel Camfield (1645-1690) Baptism Samuel Camfield was born about Oct 1645 in New Haven, New…

It’s official! 2016 is here and with it comes the official opening of Family Past…

Collaboration Beer Dinner  Forager, Surly, Fulton and Toppling Goliath I just attended my first collaboration…

Floyd’s uncle Clarence Arthur Phillips wrote to Floyd who was still in France. Clarence was…

Margaret Fitz Randolph (1744-1833) Margaret Fitz Randolph was born on 01 May 1744 in Essex,…

Daniel Harris (1653-1735) Daniel Harris was born on 16 Jul 1653 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut,…

Pierce Brownell (1781-~1802) Pierce Brownell is one of those ancestors who can frustrate his descendants….

Bertha Auguste Henriette Kluender (1848-1936) Bertha Auguste Henriette Kluender Aschbrenner. Bertha Auguste Henriette Kluender was…

Camping is always an adventure… especially when raccoons are around! Camping with Raccoons is a…

John Frost (1754-1822) John Frost was born on 03 Jan 1754 in Sherborn, Middlesex, Massachusetts,…

Hollywood and Family The 24th page of Sally’s photo album featured photos that were sent…

Bertha H. Stemson (1877-1968) Bertha H. Stemson was born on 05 Mar 1877 in Newry,…

Washington D.C. The 42nd page of Sally’s photo album takes us back to Washington D.C….

Christian Oleson Rukke (1805-1874) Christian Oleson Rukke. Christian Olseon Rukke was born to Ole Thorson Tollefsgardie…

A guest post by Joel. leg·a·cy/ˈleɡəsē/ nounnoun: legacy; plural noun: legacies the long-lasting impact of…

With the holidays behind me, I’ve been slowly getting back to working on my McCall…

There are so many places on the internet that may have information about your ancestors….

Joseph Johnson (1676/77-1739) Birth Joseph Johnson was born 339 years ago today, on 09 Mar 1676/77¹,…

Johann Carl Friedrich Lemke (1845-????) Johann Carl Friedrich Lemke was born on 22 May 1845…

Georg Adam Stadler (1804-1864) Georg Adam Stadler was born on 08 Dec 1804 in Mörtelstein,…

Silence Hickock (1713-1795) Silence Hickock was born on 19 Sep 1713 in Waterbury, New Haven,…

Christian Bennett Christianson (1874-1961) Christian Bennett Christianson was born on 28 Sep 1874 in Udolpho…

Last week, as I recovered from Thanksgiving and started thinking about Christmas, I was able…

Albert Phillips wrote a long overdue but very lengthy letter to his brother Floyd, who…

Sally and friends The 28th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of photos…

Hannah Miner (1671-~1708) Birth Hannah Miner was born on 21 Apr 1671 as the third…

Mary Jane Frost (1825-1915) Mary Jane Frost was born on 05 Feb 1825 in Dorchester,…

Ragnild Torkjelsdtr Ofstedal (1816-1880) Ragnild was another ancestor without a precisely known birth date, so…

Björn Christianson Rukke (1841-1932) Björn Christianson Rukke was born on 11 Nov 1841 on the…

Mary Loker (1680-1767) Mary Loker was born on 03 Aug 1680 in Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts,…

I am quite humbled to have been nominated and beyond thrilled to have been selected…

There was a man named John Farris… Nearly every week, a mystery is solved or…

John Thomas Estes (1856-1947) Birth and Youth John Thomas Estes was born on 07 May…

Asle Embrickson Torset was born in 1775 in Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway (Nørde Torset) as the…

Included in a mess of loose photos in a box at my parents’ house that…

An Assortment Ice. Sally. Elizabeth Lemke and Sally Aschbrenner. Aschbrenner swimming, from left, Elsie, Fred,…

Hope Borden (1747-<1810) Hope Borden was born on 28 Oct 1747 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode…

I am very excited to announce that my book “The Christianson Family” is now available….

It is another happy day for me – another project is completed! I received my…

When Bennett and his son Merlin hear a strange scratching sound inside the granary, they…

Roseanna Fuller (1759-1844) Roseanna Fuller was born on 16 May 1759 in Amenia, Dutchess, New…

Farewell to Washington and Back to Wisconsin The 46th page of Sally’s photo album includes…

Philip David Krueger (16 Oct 1990 – 24 Jul 1992) 24 July 2017. This is…

My time for family history was limited this week and will likely be non-existent next…

Snow and Golf Sally (second from right) and friends enjoying winter. Sally (back, far left)…

Stengrim Halvorsen (1799-1870) Halvorsen or Halverson? It depended on who was keeping the records at…

This picture was included in the Margaret Aldahl and Bennett Christianson photograph collection. Who are…

John Webster (1718-1800) John Webster was born on 22 Apr 1718 in Plainfield, Essex, New…

No athletic ability passed down to me I have never given much thought to athletics in…

Taylor Webster (1748/49-1802) Taylor Webster was born on 18 Jan 1748/49 in Essex, New Jersey….

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! According to my Ancestry.com DNA test, I am of 6% Irish…

Jorand Christiansdtr Rukke (1841-1906) Jorand Christiansdtr Rukke was born on 08 Apr 1838 in Nes,…

Warren Steele Doss, a “cousin” from the McCall side of the family helped with the…

Elizabeth Bowen Morris (1661-1743) Elizabeth Bowen was born on 26 Jan 1660/61 in Roxbury, Suffolk,…

Madison, Dells, Kids The 21st page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of photos…

Timothy Johnson (1792-1871) Timothy Johnson was born on 28 Jun 1792 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut,…

Most days of most lives are “ordinary.” But, our ordinary is likely very different than…

Peter Morris Cornell (1829-1892) The search for Peter Cornell started fairly early in my adulthood…