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

Hannah Tolman (1642-1729) Hannah Tolman was born on 27 Jul 1642 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts…

Lucretia Brownell (1799-1857) Lucretia Brownell Johnson. If I had a time travel machine, Lucretia is…

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

Joshua Wolcott (1708-1753) Birth Joshua Wolcott was born on 15 Jun 1708 in Wethersfield, Hartford,…

As August began, Floyd found himself learning the routine of life on board the USS…

“Spell it Kümmel or Kuemmel, but pronounce it Kimmel.” Wausau Daily Herald, 14 September 1934…

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the armistice was…

This toddler is outside on the farm. The photograph was part of a collection of…

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

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

George Leifheite Miller (1830-1921) George Leifheite Miller was born on 14 Oct 1830 in Nassau,…

These girls are possibly not all from the same family. They may be granddaughters of…

Jonathan Rockwell, Jr. (1711-1784) Birth This is the 305th anniversary of the birth of Jonathan…

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

Trees and Friends and Friends in Trees The eighth page of Sally’s photo album featured…

One of Floyd’s brothers wrote him a letter and signed it “Balsy.” Comparing handwriting and…

Yesterday was the 7th annual lefse making day for my family. Lefse is a big…

Camp and Damsels in Distress The 23rd page of Sally’s photo album continues to show…

Edward Hall was born on 18 Jul 1727 in Wrentham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, as the second…

Most of the people in this picture have been identified. There is just one question…

Live Y’ers The 27th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of photos taken…

Knut Olson Aldalen (1787-1851) Knut Olson Aldalen was born in 1787 at the Aldahl farm…

I have been asked on more than one occasion why I am so interested in…

James W Huleress “Hugh” Fawcett (1848-1935) James W Huleress Fawcett was born on 12 Aug…

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

Elvira Mary Palmer was born on 06 Aug 1837 in New York as the first…

Glimpses of Our Trip to Laona, 1920 The fourth page of Sally’s photograph album was…

Catherine Elisabeth Orth (1825-1897) Catherine Elisabeth Orth was born on 16 Mar 1825 in Holienroth,…

Ervin Anklam Wedding plus The 25th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of…

After a very early wake-up call, Floyd left from Newport News, Virginia, on 31 Jul…

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

Arthur Guy Phillips was 24-years old, love-sick for his gal Florence, and perhaps feeling unappreciated…

Vacation Drinking What better time to drink than on vacation? On a recent trip to…

Guttorm Hillson Wenaas (1828-1913) Guttorm Hillson Wenaas was born on 17 Dec 1828 in Nes…

The War was over and Floyd was back in Illinois, right? WRONG! He celebrated his…

Elizabeth Plumb (1669-1747) Elizabeth Plumb was born on 01 Nov 1669 as the first child…

Margaret worked hard to make pancakes for everyone… but where did they all go? Based…

Robert Fitz Randolph (1712-~1803) Birth Robert Fitz Randolph was born on 19 Jul 1712 in…

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

I really don’t want to be older than I already am, but I sometimes wish…

We are back! If anyone happened to notice, we were offline for a while. After…

DC and a Trip Home The 43rd page of Sally’s photo album featured pictures taken…

This past week has been especially rough for many of us. Lucky for me, my…

Nathaniel Collins (1641/42-1684) We haven’t been this far back in time for a while. It…

I get pretty excited these days when I find a new branch on the family…

The Court set the rate for liquors, diets, and lodging When searching for some Virginia…

Marian in California and Miscellaneous Shots The 36th page of Sally’s photo album included many…

Still excited from his wedding on Wednesday, 8 January 1919, Arthur wrote a lengthy and…

Joanna Friedericke Streich (1824-1906) Joanna Friedericke Streich was born on 08 Nov 1824 in Dobberphul,…

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

The Meyer Family book is now available.

Gertrude wrote a letter to Floyd on the 1st anniversary of his departure for service…

In the last post in this series, we saw a letter that Gertrude Lovin Boyce…

Tuesday, 23 July 1918 was the day that Floyd left Camp Hancock in Augusta, Georgia….

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

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

John Bennett (1786-1837) John Bennett was born on 04 Apr 1786 in Orange, New York,…

Genet Boyes (1754-1845) Genet Boyes was born on 25 Aug 1754 in Londonderry, Rockingham, New…

It’s official! I have become approved as a member of the Daughters of the American…

Thomas Holmes (1744-1776) This birthday post was originally published in April 2016. Later, while working…

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

Margaret Olga Aldahl (1902-1972) Margaret Olga Aldahl was born on 21 Jan 1902 at home…

Thomas C. O’Donnell (1810-1894) I think the O’Donnell family might be fascinating. But, because of…

Kristi Knudsdr (1807-1884) Knudsdr, Knudsdtr, and Knudsdatter are three ways that her name was written….

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

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

Joanna Lyon (1690-1765) Joanna Lyon was born on 26 May 1690 in Milton, Norfolk, Massachusetts…

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

Samuel Russell (1733-~1801) Today is the 283rd  anniversary of the birth of Samuel Russell. Born…

Floyd Boyce Phillips (1891-1971) Floyd Boyce Phillips was born on 07 Dec 1891 in Aurora,…

This week we remember Frieda Lemke who was born 135 years ago today. Henriette Clara…

Elizabeth Partridge (1688-1768) Elizabeth Partridge was born on 07 Oct 1688 in Hatfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts,…

Alice Rosalie Fehlhaber (1880-1970) Alice Rosalie Fehlhaber was born on 10 September 1880 in the…

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

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

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

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

Jane Elizabeth Cornell (1853-1942) Jane Elizabeth Cornell was born on 17 Jul 1853 in Grass…

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

In observance of Thank Your Mentor Day, I am writing about the importance of having…

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

Mildred Holland (1779-1854) Today is the 238th anniversary of the birth of Mildred Holland. She was…

Eau Claire Dells and parade The 31st page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection…

In this seemingly obligatory letter, Guy Phillips wrote from Canada to his son Floyd who…

Old Folks, Relatives, Soldiers, and the Clover Dairy Farm “Meditating” “First Lesson” “Prairie Schooner” “Old…

As our class reunion approached, a wise friend who now resides far away decided that…

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

Amelia A. Brace (1844-1926) Amelia A. Brace was born on 22 Mar 1844 in Akron,…

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

Thomas Holmes (1710/11-1796) Oh Wow! Studying Thomas for this birthday post has certainly unlocked another…

Ebenezer Billings Jr. (1683/84-1760) Lieutenant Ebenezer Billings Jr. lived in Colonial America. During his 76-years…

This is the second post in our series on Women’s Suffrage. The first post introduced…

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

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

Nearly every week, a mystery is solved or some interesting twig (or nut) appears somewhere…

John M Meador (1734-1824) Birth John M. Meador was born on 14 Jul 1734 in…

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

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