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

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

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

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

Guy Allison Phillips (1866-1940) Guy Allison Phillips was born on 13 May 1866 in Clarence,…

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

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

Getting started with your family tree – tips for the young and young at heart….

Betty Hall (1768-1848) Betty Hall was born on 05 Jul 1768 in Uxbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts,…

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

Thomas Fawcett (1795-1865) Thomas Fawcett was born on 16 Feb 1794/5 in Frederick, Virginia, as…

A rare photograph from Friday, 16 May 1919, shows Floyd posing with a colleague named…

Zelpha Lou McCall (1866-1900) Zelpha Lou McCall was born in July 1866 in Callaway County,…

Mary Loverin (1792-1884) With the help of a family bible, an application for an 1812…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Margaret Miller (1676-1764) Today we remember Margaret Miller who was born 340 years ago. She was…

Margaret Spike (1781->1855) Margaret Spike was born on 16 Mar 1781 in Saratoga, Saratoga, New…

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

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

Norman Arthur August Krueger (1904-1980) Norman Arthur August Krueger was born on 22 Nov 1904…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It is always exciting when my overnight house guests bring a stack of things that…

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

Friedericke Stroede is largely a mystery. We know her name but little else. Even so,…

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

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

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

Rochester Craft Beer Expo – 2017 We are just a couple weeks away from the…

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

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

Samual Christopher McCall (1833-1922) Samual Christopher McCall was born on 18 Jan 1833 in Franklin…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Joseph Baldwin (1751-1844) Joseph Baldwin, signature Birth Joseph Baldwin was born on 13 Sep 1751…

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

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

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

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

The Meyer Family book is now available.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Welcome! This blog will offer musings on the favorite pursuits of genealogy and drinking. Combining…

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

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

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

What to do with all that beer? A couple months ago, during an extended weekend…

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

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

Torkjel Johannesson Ovstedal (1772-1838) Torkjel Johannesson Ovstedal was born in 1772 on the Ovstedal farm,…

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

Caroline Hilson (1863-1940) Today is the 153rd anniversary of the birth of Caroline Hilson. Birth…

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

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

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

Hiking, Kids, and Madison The 20th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of…

Carl Friedrich Fehlhaber (1803-1885) Birth and Marriage Happy birthday to Carl Friedrich Fehlhaber who was…

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

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

Barbara Mary Stadler (1844-1904) Barbara Mary Stadler was born 172 years ago on 23 Aug…

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

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

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

When my parents recently gave me a pretty box full of miscellaneous stuff, I was…

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

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

Costumed, Water, and Winter Hiking The 19th page of Sally’s photo album featured photos of…

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

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

Clara Christine Elsabe Freese (1859-1943) Clara Christine Elsabe Freese was born on 29 Jun 1859…

Barbo Eriksdatter Lostegaard (1807-1899) Barbo Eriksdatter Lostegaard was born on 09 Feb 1807 in Gol,…

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

The Lodge The 41st page of Sally’s photo album contained photos of Sally at a…