Sabra Billings (1751->1840) Sabra Billings was born 265 years ago and lived in a volatile…

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

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

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

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

George Brownell (1711-1800) George Brownell was born on 21 Jun 1711 in Little Compton, Newport,…

Gals and Kids and Relatives The sixth page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection…

We have come to the end of the WWI journey for Floyd Boyce Phillips. After…

Friends and Animals The ninth page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of photos…

Archilles James Linville (1825->1900) Archilles James Linville was born in Mar 1825 in Virginia. He…

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

Ludwig Stolp (1824-1894) Ludwig Stolp was born on 13 Mar 1824 in Rehe, Nassau, Germany,…

This is the sixth installment of the series on the 19th amendment. Thus far, we’ve…

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

Johann Krueger (1841-1911) I was just texting with a friend earlier this week about how…

Stephen Bacon (1677-1766) Stephen Bacon was born on 21 Aug 1677 in Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts,…

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

Gals and Farm and Family Sally Aschbrenner is in back row, third from left. Elizabeth…

Bennett Nils Christianson (1902-2000) This week of each year is always a little tough. For so…

Friedrich Samuel Aschbrenner (1810-1885) Friedrich Samuel Aschbrenner was born on 19 Oct 1810 in Posen,…

Cars and Farm The 12th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of photos…

Coming off my high of getting to spend a day at the Minnesota History Center…

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

Jim loved just about every dish his family made—except for one: sauerkraut. Based on a…

It has come to my attention that thus far this blog has covered all ancestors…

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

Patience Harris (1683-1777) Patience Harris was born on 15 May 1683 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut…

Marta Knudsdtr Horvei was born in about July 1789 on the Horvei farm in Voss,…

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

Selma Cornelia Aschbrenner (1904-1983) Happy Birthday Sally! Selma Cornelia Aschbrenner was born on 07 May…

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

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

Ragnild Bjornsdtr Skolt (1809-1900) Ragnild Bjornsdtr Skolt was born on 04 Jul 1809 in Skolt,…

Thomas Borden (1682-1745) Thomas Borden was born on 13 Dec 1682 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode…

As part of a variety of refreshments we provided at an 80th birthday party this…

Rochester Craft Beer Expo – 2016 We are only a few weeks away from the…

Engebret Asleson Torset (1814-1885) Engebret Asleson Torset was born on 16 Jul 1814 in Nes…

Transportation, Scenery, Extended Family, and School The second page of Sally’s photo album featured a…

State Historical Society of Iowa Nearly every week, a mystery is solved or some interesting…

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

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

Betsey Holmes (1800-1860) Betsey Holmes was born on 01 Mar 1800 in Stonington, New London,…

Johann Friederick Streich (1784-1852) It is amazing that we know anything about Johann. He didn’t…

February 12th is National Plum Pudding Day! Happy National Plum Pudding Day! Plum pudding with…

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

Frank Palmer Miller (1874-1925) Frank Palmer Miller was born on 12 Feb 1874 in Big…

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

In the first in what will become a regular series of birthday remembrances, I’m taking…

Birgit Nilsdtr Lostegaard (1843-1887) Birth Birgit Nilsdtr Lostegaard was born on 23 Feb 1843 on…

Floyd’s youngest brother, Charles, then age 20, was working on the farm in Canada when…

Emilie Friedericke Luise Draeger (1850-1910) Emilie Friedericke Luise Draeger was born on 12 Oct 1850…

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

Can you imagine not knowing where your son was or whether he was safe? Gertrude…

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

Words cannot express how thrilled I am to announce that my book, “The Estes Family,”…

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

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

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

Convert your old media to digital… Before it is too late! Restoring old media may…

This wedding portrait of a young couple was taken at Austin Photo Studios in Austin,…

Birgit Tolleivsdatter Uppsata was born on 29 Sep 1760 in Ål, Buskerud, Norway. Uppsala has…

Peace talks were just beginning in Paris and people back home were thinking about Floyd…

Gertrude Lovin Boyce Phillips had to send two of her sons, Albert and Floyd, off…

After a short night of sleep in a real bed, Floyd woke up to his…

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

Gertrude spent time thinking about her faraway son, Floyd. He was missing the Sandwich Fair,…

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

Charlotte Johnson (1820-1904) Charlotte Johnson was born on 14 Sep 1820 in Genesee, New York,…

Washington and Niagara Falls The 39th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of…

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

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

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

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

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

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

Not only did Floyd have to miss celebrating his birthday and Christmas with his family,…

Coralee is almost ten—smart, curious, and always ready for fun. When her parents leave for…

Wood for breakfast The 15th page of Sally’s photo album featured photos of family and…

With the new year comes new adventures. I’m completely retired now and have officially launched my…

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

John Bacon (1721-1775) It seems quite appropriate to celebrate John Bacon’s birthday on Memorial Day….

On a recent vacation to the Black Hills of South Dakota, we discovered that besides…

Leona Catherine Miller (1899-1976) Leona Catherine Miller was born on 26 Aug 1899 in rural…

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

Edmund Brace (1797-1884) Edmund Brace was born in 1797 in Connecticut. Where? When? To Whom?…

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

As the boat got closer to Europe, danger increased. Floyd didn’t share much detail though….

Roy, the oldest of the Phillips brothers, penned a letter to his brother Floyd who…

John Loverin (1762-1843) It has been written that the most interesting parts of a person’s life…

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

Carl F. Fehlhaber (1845-1922) Carl F. Fehlhaber was born on 11 Feb 1845 in Posen,…

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

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

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

From her hospital room in Aurora, Florence Manning wrote to Floyd. Florence was the fiance…

Like in 2019, August 4th in 1918 was a Sunday. It was a day of…

Though the actual fighting stopped in November 1918, it took another six months of negotiations…

Girls and Relatives The fifth page of Sally’s photo album contained shots with friends and…

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

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