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

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

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

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

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

Rebecca Hallett (1675-1730) Rebecca Hallett was born on 31 Aug 1675 in Astoria, Queens, New…

Robert Boyes (1743-1803) Happy 273rd Birth Anniversary to Revolutionary War soldier, Robert Boyes. Robert Boyes…

Katherine Hartshorne (1682-1759) Katherine Hartshorne was born on 02 May 1682 in Middletown, Monmouth, New…

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

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

Frederick Wilhelm Aschbrenner (1839-1935) Frederick Wilhelm Aschbrenner was born on 14 Feb 1839 in Hansfelde,…

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

While Floyd was in the middle of the Atlantic on his way to the war,…

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

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

Who was Virginia Best? I was struggling last week with one of the descendants of…

Let me help! Whether you want a quick look at your family tree or you…

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

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

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

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

This photo fell out of a box one day. It has no label other than…

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

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

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

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

Eliezer Fisher (1663-1733) Eliezer Fisher was born on 08 Jul 1663 in Dedham, Massachusetts, as…

Hallstein Nilson Haugveie (1796-1891) Hallstein Nilson Haugveie was born very late in 1796 in Hemsedal,…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Step into the long, lazy days of 1940s and 1950s summers in southern Minnesota, where…

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

Zachariah Miller (1791-1869) Zachariah Miller was born on 01 Apr 1791 in New York. The…

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

Another storybook is available. It is an often told story from the Christianson family.

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

As their departure grew nearer, Floyd and his fellow soldiers were issued equipment, inspected, examined,…

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

Bernhard Richard R Krueger (1873-1927) Bernhard Richard R Krueger was born on 18 Nov 1873…

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

To the War and Back Nearly every week, a mystery is solved or some interesting…

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

Ingerid Torleivsdtr Imré (1796-1887) Ingerid Torleivsdtr Imré was born about Mar 1796 in Hemsedal, Buskerud,…

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

Gertrude Lovin Boyce  (1865-1957) Gertrude has made it easy for us to know about her…

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

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

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

Thomas Fawcett (1747/8-~1822) Today is the 268th anniversary of the birth of Thomas Fawcett. He…

Jerusha Bennett (circa 1811 – 1849) Happy Birthday Jerusha! We know you had a birthday…

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

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

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

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

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

Who is this man? UnidentifiedMan-03

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

Frederick A Helmut Aschbrenner (1874-1968) Frederick A Helmut Aschbrenner was born on 03 Aug 1874…

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

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

After several days on the boat, life was probably getting a bit monotonous. Floyd reported…

Peter Christianson Paaverud was believed to have been born in 1697, but an exact date…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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…

Bernard Meyer was born on 26 Apr 1809 in Germany. His name has been spelled…

This is the fifth segment in our series about women’s suffrage. In the first, you…

2013. SocialICE. Last night we attended our seventh annual SocialICE. This is the eighth year…

Mary Stolp (1871-1915) Mary Stolp. Mary Stolp was born on 06 Apr 1871 in Sandwich,…

DNA and your family history A relatively new addition to the list of tools that…

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

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

Wilhelmina Mathwich (1817-1899) Wilhelmina Mathwich was born in 1817 in Hansfelde, Posen, Prussia. There are…

Jacob W. Phillips (1781-1847) Jacob W. Phillips was born on 27 Sep 1781 in Claverack,…

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

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

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

Sunday at Camp Stuart might not have been very exciting. There was probably a great…

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

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

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

Scenes and People The 40th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of photos…

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

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

Hooray! After months and months of effort, the Phillips book has finally been published. Though…