Keeping the spirit of our ancestors alive through stories, photos, and historical study.
Our Families and People
Albert Alvedo Phillips Aldahl Alice Rosalie Fehlhaber Amelia A Brace Aschbrenner Barbara Mary Meyer Barebo Engebretson Torset Bennett Nils Christianson Bertha Auguste Henriette Kluender Bertha H Stemson Caroline Hilson Charlotte Johnson Christian Bennett Christianson Christianson Estes Fawcett Floyd Boyce Phillips Frank Palmer Miller Frederick A Helmut Aschbrenner Frieda H Lemke George Leifheite Miller Gertrude Lovin Boyce Guy Allison Phillips Harry Allen Lawrence Fawcett Helen Lucina Baldwin James W Huleress Fawcett Jane Elizabeth Cornell John Thomas Estes Krueger Lars Olson Aldahl Leona Catherine Miller Lona Iona Fawcett Lucretia Brownell Marathon County Wisconsin Margaret Olga Aldahl Mary Jane Frost Miller Oliver Selam Boyce Philander Baldwin Phillips Selma Cornelia Aschbrenner Thomas Leland Estes Timothy Johnson WWI Zelpha Lou McCall
Elizabeth Baldwin (1771-1810)
Elizabeth Baldwin was born on 11 Apr 1771 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut as the…
Happy Birthday Katharina Barbara Muench
Katharina Barbara Muench was born and baptized on 04 Mar 1810 in Obrigheim, Neckar-Odenwald-Kreis, Baden-Württemberg,…
An Icy Family Legacy
A guest post by Joel. leg·a·cy/ˈleɡəsē/ nounnoun: legacy; plural noun: legacies the long-lasting impact of…
Happy Birthday Betsey Holmes
Betsey Holmes (1800-1860) Betsey Holmes was born on 01 Mar 1800 in Stonington, New London,…
The Miller book is here!
It is another happy day for me – another project is completed! I received my…
Happy Birthday Gottfried Friederick Draeger
Gottfried Friederick Draeger (1821-1899) Gottfried Friederick Draeger was born on 12 Jan 1821 in Dobberphul,…
Going back 102 years to 18 October 1915
Most days of most lives are “ordinary.” But our ordinary is likely very different than…
Why study your family history?
I have been asked on more than one occasion why I am so interested in…
Happy Birthday Mary Loker
Mary Loker (1680-1767) Mary Loker was born on 03 Aug 1680 in Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts,…
13 August 1918 Letter from Cousin Donald
Floyd’s 11-year old cousin Donald James Phillips wrote a very newsy article. His account of…
Lefse – A Family Tradition
Yesterday was the 7th annual lefse making day for my family. Lefse is a big…
Nimrod Charles Canterbury
Nimrod Charles Canterbury (1778-1844) Nimrod Charles Canterbury was born on 10 Apr 1778 in Wilkes,…
Happy Birthday Timothy Johnson
Timothy Johnson (1792-1871) Timothy Johnson was born on 28 Jun 1792 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut,…
25 July 1918 Traveling by Train
When we last left Floyd, he was asleep on board a Norfolk & Western train…
Margaret O’Donnell
Margaret A. O’Donnell (1836-~1865) Margaret A. O’Donnell was born in 1836 in Kentucky as the…
Meyer Book is ready!
The Meyer Family book is now available.
Sally’s Photos – Page #12 – Cars and Farm
Cars and Farm The 12th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of photos…
Read my new storybook, “One Day They Tied Gilbert to a Tree”
Step into the long, lazy days of 1940s and 1950s summers in southern Minnesota, where…
SocialICE is nice… ice or no ice
2013. SocialICE. Last night we attended our seventh annual SocialICE. This is the eighth year…
Happy Birthday Thomas L. Antrim
Thomas L. Antrim (1686-1732) Thomas L. Antrim was born on 30 Nov 1686 in Northampton,…
Glory Days – The Pride That Baffles My Modern Mind
With the holidays behind me, I’ve been slowly getting back to working on my McCall…
Sally’s Photos – Page #43 – DC and a Trip Home
DC and a Trip Home The 43rd page of Sally’s photo album featured pictures taken…
Happy Birthday Halvor Stemson
Halvor Stemson (1835-1927) Halvor Stemson was born on 14 Feb 1835 in Nes i Hallingdal,…
29 July 1918 Final Inspections
As their departure grew nearer, Floyd and his fellow soldiers were issued equipment, inspected, examined,…
Happy Birthday Abraham Bennett Sr.
Abraham Bennett Sr. (1715-1777) Abraham Bennett Sr. was born on 06 Jun 1715 in Fairfield,…
The Aschbrenner Family book is finished!
It is an exciting day when the mailman brings me a box containing books that…
Happy Birthday Margaret Olga Aldahl
Margaret Olga Aldahl (1902-1972) Margaret Olga Aldahl was born on 21 Jan 1902 at home…
Patience Harris
Patience Harris (1683-1777) Patience Harris was born on 15 May 1683 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut…
3 August 1918 Still on the Water
It’s good to know that Floyd was confident in the ability of the gunners, destroyers,…
Ragnild Torkjelsdtr Ofstedal
Ragnild Torkjelsdtr Ofstedal (1816-1880) Ragnild was another ancestor without a precisely known birth date, so…
31 July 1918 – Shipping Out
After a very early wake-up call, Floyd left from Newport News, Virginia, on 31 Jul…
Suffrage – Our Female Voters
This first post in the series introduces you to our sixteen female ancestors who were…
Jane Russell
Jane Russell (1818-1900) Jane Russell was born on 27 Jun 1818 in Frankfort, Herkimer, New…
Eliezer Fisher
Eliezer Fisher (1663-1733) Eliezer Fisher was born on 08 Jul 1663 in Dedham, Massachusetts, as…
Happy Birthday Engebret Asleson Torset
Engebret Asleson Torset (1814-1885) Engebret Asleson Torset was born on 16 Jul 1814 in Nes…
Sally’s Photos – Page #15 – Wood for Breakfast
Wood for breakfast The 15th page of Sally’s photo album featured photos of family and…
Fawcett Family History
It’s done! It’s done! It’s finally done! I’m happy to announce that I have completed…
Happy Birthday Sarah Everett
Sarah Everett (1644-1677) Sarah Everett was born on 12 Apr 1644 in Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts,…
Sally’s Photos – Page #38 – New friends and new sights in Washington
New friends and new sights in Washington The 38th page of Sally’s photo album featured…
DIY Beer Tasting
What to do with all that beer? A couple months ago, during an extended weekend…
Crooked Pint Ale House
“Friendly staff. Nice beer selection. Filling food. And just down the road from home.” That…
Happy Birthday Mary Jane Frost
Mary Jane Frost (1825-1915) Mary Jane Frost was born on 05 Feb 1825 in Dorchester,…
Happy Birthday Elizabeth Plumb
Elizabeth Plumb (1669-1747) Elizabeth Plumb was born on 01 Nov 1669 as the first child…
Happy Birthday Bernard Meyer
Bernard Meyer was born on 26 Apr 1809 in Germany. His name has been spelled…
Sally’s Photos – Page #20 Hiking, Kids, and Madison
Hiking, Kids, and Madison The 20th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of…
Sally’s Photos – Page #42 – Washington D.C.
Washington D.C. The 42nd page of Sally’s photo album takes us back to Washington D.C….
Craft Beer Makes Me Live in the Moment (…yeah, and I like barrel-aged beer)
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a planner by nature. I like to…
Suffrage – The Path to Voting Rights
This is the second post in our series on Women’s Suffrage. The first post introduced…
Sally’s Photos – Page #18 – Scenery, Family, and a Wedding
Scenery, Family, and a Wedding The 18th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection…
Collaboration beer dinner
Collaboration Beer Dinner Forager, Surly, Fulton and Toppling Goliath I just attended my first collaboration…
Happy Birthday Georg Adam Stadler
Georg Adam Stadler (1804-1864) Georg Adam Stadler was born on 08 Dec 1804 in Mörtelstein,…
Sally’s Photos – Page #03 – Old Folks, Relatives, Soldiers, and the Clover Dairy Farm
Old Folks, Relatives, Soldiers, and the Clover Dairy Farm “Meditating” “First Lesson” “Prairie Schooner” “Old…
20 January 1919 A Letter from Arthur
Still excited from his wedding on Wednesday, 8 January 1919, Arthur wrote a lengthy and…
Sally’s Photos – Page #34 – Gals and Farm and Family
Gals and Farm and Family Sally Aschbrenner is in back row, third from left. Elizabeth…
7 December 1918 A Birthday Abroad
The War was over and Floyd was back in Illinois, right? WRONG! He celebrated his…
Sally’s Photos – Page #02 – Transportation, Scenery, Extended Family, and School
Transportation, Scenery, Extended Family, and School The second page of Sally’s photo album featured a…
Cpl. Floyd in France – 1 June 1919
It is always exciting when my overnight house guests bring a stack of things that…
Happy Birthday Frank Palmer Miller
Frank Palmer Miller (1874-1925) Frank Palmer Miller was born on 12 Feb 1874 in Big…
Happy Birthday Joseph Frost
Joseph Frost (1783-1857) Joseph Frost was born on 04 Jul 1783 in Ashburnham, Worcester, Massachusetts,…
Man in Margaret Aldahl Christianson photo album
Who is this man? UnidentifiedMan-03
Happy Birthday Margaret Miller
Margaret Miller (1676-1764) Today we remember Margaret Miller who was born 340 years ago. She was…
Happy Birthday George Brownell
George Brownell (1711-1800) George Brownell was born on 21 Jun 1711 in Little Compton, Newport,…
Boat Rides for Thomas Leland Estes
To the War and Back Nearly every week, a mystery is solved or some interesting…
Happy Birthday Stephen Bacon
Stephen Bacon (1677-1766) Stephen Bacon was born on 21 Aug 1677 in Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts,…
11-14 August 1918 Words from a Worried Mother
While Floyd was in the middle of the Atlantic on his way to the war,…
Happy Birthday Josiah Fuller
Josiah Fuller (1729/30-1797) It has been verified that Josiah Fuller is in our family tree,…
Asle Embrickson Torset (1775-1852)
Asle Embrickson Torset was born in 1775 in Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway (Nørde Torset) as the…
Happy Birthday John Borden
John Borden (1729-1801) Two hundred and eighty-seven years ago, John Borden was born on 12…
Happy Birthday Thomas Borden
Thomas Borden (1682-1745) Thomas Borden was born on 13 Dec 1682 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode…
John Webster
John Webster (1718-1800) John Webster was born on 22 Apr 1718 in Plainfield, Essex, New…
National Drink Wine Day – February 18
My brother-in-law brought to my attention, via Facebook, that today is National Drink Wine Day….
Happy Birthday Robert Boyes
Robert Boyes (1743-1803) Happy 273rd Birth Anniversary to Revolutionary War soldier, Robert Boyes. Robert Boyes…
Happy Birthday Jorand Christiansdtr Rukke
Jorand Christiansdtr Rukke (1841-1906) Jorand Christiansdtr Rukke was born on 08 Apr 1838 in Nes,…
Happy Birthday Joseph Johnson
Joseph Johnson (1676/77-1739) Birth Joseph Johnson was born 339 years ago today, on 09 Mar 1676/77¹,…
Sally’s Photos – Page #01 – Farm and Family
Farm and Family Sally’s album starts in about 1920 when she was a teenager. Her…
Happy Birthday Emilie Friedericke Luise Draeger
Emilie Friedericke Luise Draeger (1850-1910) Emilie Friedericke Luise Draeger was born on 12 Oct 1850…
Joy cometh later in the afternoon
Joy cometh later in the afternoon – helping an adoptee connect Nearly every week, a…
Genealogy Book Award
I am quite humbled to have been nominated and beyond thrilled to have been selected…
Going back 347 years to 15 November 1670
Most days of most lives are “ordinary.” But, our ordinary is likely very different than…
Happy Birthday James W Huleress Fawcett
James W Huleress “Hugh” Fawcett (1848-1935) James W Huleress Fawcett was born on 12 Aug…
Happy Birthday Joanna Lyon
Joanna Lyon (1690-1765) Joanna Lyon was born on 26 May 1690 in Milton, Norfolk, Massachusetts…
4 August 1918 A Day of Rest At Sea
Like in 2019, August 4th in 1918 was a Sunday. It was a day of…
Sally’s Photos – Page #39 – Washington and Niagara Falls
Washington and Niagara Falls The 39th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of…
Happy Birthday Gertrude Lovin Boyce
Gertrude Lovin Boyce (1865-1957) Gertrude has made it easy for us to know about her…
Read my new storybook, “The Little Driller”
When Bennett and his son Merlin hear a strange scratching sound inside the granary, they…
Jane Calvin
Jane has been in our family tree for quite some time but her surname has…
Happy Birthday Jerusha Bennett
Jerusha Bennett (circa 1811 – 1849) Happy Birthday Jerusha! We know you had a birthday…
Happy Birthday Pierce Brownell
Pierce Brownell (1781-~1802) Pierce Brownell is one of those ancestors who can frustrate his descendants….
Happy Birthday Caroline Hilson
Caroline Hilson (1863-1940) Today is the 153rd anniversary of the birth of Caroline Hilson. Birth…
Sally’s Photos – Page #22 – Spider Lake and Camp Wakanda
Spider Lake and Camp Wakanda The 22nd page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection…
Happy Birthday Lona Iona Fawcett
Lona Iona Fawcett (1902-1973) Lona Iona Fawcett was born on 28 Jun 1902 in Sac…
Happy Birthday Carl F Fehlhaber
Carl F. Fehlhaber (1845-1922) Carl F. Fehlhaber was born on 11 Feb 1845 in Posen,…
Maimed and Murdered
Nearly every week, a mystery is solved or some interesting twig (or nut) appears somewhere…
Going back 75 years to 13 December 1942
Most days of most lives are “ordinary.” But, our ordinary is likely very different than…
Hallstein Nilson Haugveie
Hallstein Nilson Haugveie (1796-1891) Hallstein Nilson Haugveie was born very late in 1796 in Hemsedal,…
Sally’s Photos – Page #32 – Family Woods and Water
Family, Woods, and Water Elizabeth Lemke, front and center, and friends. Selma Cornelia Aschbrenner. Philip…
Happy Birthday Jacob B Meyer
Jacob B. Meyer (1836-1887) Jacob B. Meyer was born on 22 Feb 1836 in Hettingen,…
Vaccines and No Nothings
Nearly every week, a mystery is solved or some interesting twig (or nut) appears somewhere…
Happy Birthday Margaret Spike
Margaret Spike (1781->1855) Margaret Spike was born on 16 Mar 1781 in Saratoga, Saratoga, New…
Philip – Still Loved and Never Forgotten
Philip David Krueger (16 Oct 1990 – 24 Jul 1992) 24 July 2017. This is…
