There was a man named John Farris… Nearly every week, a mystery is solved or…

Coolidge comes to town The 29th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of…

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

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

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

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

Priscilla (1768-1851) Priscilla was born 29 May 1768 in New York. But, we don’t even…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As we have seen in earlier posts, women fought to gain full voting rights, missed…

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

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

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

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

A good book and some meat for all three meals might have made things more…

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

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

Jane Russell (1818-1900) Jane Russell was born on 27 Jun 1818 in Frankfort, Herkimer, New…

Some letters are more entertaining than others. This one is a gem. Albert Harold Phillips…

Martha Eldridge (1667-<1735) Martha Eldridge was born on 20 Apr 1667 in Driffield, Gloucestershire, England,…

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

Included in a mess of loose photos in a box at my parents’ house that…

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

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

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

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

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

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

Philip David Krueger (16 Oct 1990 – 24 Jul 1992) 24 July 2017. This is…

Scenery, Family, and a Wedding The 18th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection…

Helen Lucina Baldwin (1855-1932) Helen Baldwin Fawcett (1855-1932) Helen Lucina Baldwin was born on 05…

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

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

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

This is how much beer they normally pour. The Program for the 2016 Rochester Craft…

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

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

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

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

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

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

Barbara Mary Meyer (1881-1972) Barbara Mary Meyer was born on 09 Jun 1881 in Mendota,…

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

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

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

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

Jacob B. Meyer (1836-1887) Jacob B. Meyer was born on 22 Feb 1836 in Hettingen,…

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

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

Katharina Barbara Muench was born and baptized on 04 Mar 1810 in Obrigheim, Neckar-Odenwald-Kreis, Baden-Württemberg,…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Meyer Family book is now available.

A photo of the old family farm came up in email conversation recently. That led…

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

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

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

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

We are related to the Estes of Estes Model Rockets Nearly every week, a mystery…

Thankful Badcock (1667/68 – 1718) Today is the 348th anniversary of the birth of Thankful…

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

Lona Iona Fawcett (1902-1973) Lona Iona Fawcett was born on 28 Jun 1902 in Sac…

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

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

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

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

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

There are so many places on the internet that may have information about your ancestors….

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

Joy cometh later in the afternoon – helping an adoptee connect Nearly every week, a…

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

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

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

Aschbrenners and Water The 26th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of photos…

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

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

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

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

Tuesday had Floyd and his comrades up early. The guys still didn’t know exactly what…

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

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