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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Collaboration Beer Dinner  Forager, Surly, Fulton and Toppling Goliath I just attended my first collaboration…

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

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

Mostly Washington The 45th page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of photos mostly…

Can you identify the guests at the wedding of Florence Dern and Ervin Anklam on…

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

My husband and I had a date night on Friday and though we didn’t leave…

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

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

This toddler is outside on the farm. The photograph was part of a collection of…

Florence Estelle Manning, the fiance of Floyd’s brother Arthur Guy Phillips, wrote another friendly letter…

I am very excited to announce that my book “The Christianson Family” is now available….

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

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

Timothy Johnson (1792-1871) Timothy Johnson was born on 28 Jun 1792 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut,…

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

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

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

Daniel Harris (1653-1735) Daniel Harris was born on 16 Jul 1653 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut,…

Oliver Selam Boyce (1827-1878) Oliver Selam Boyce was born on 30 Apr 1827 in Springfield,…

Who is this child? The photograph was part of a collection of photos originally owned…

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

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

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

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

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

“Friendly staff. Nice beer selection. Filling food. And just down the road from home.” That…

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

Thomas L. Antrim (1686-1732) Thomas L. Antrim was born on 30 Nov 1686 in Northampton,…

Margaret Fitz Randolph (1744-1833) Margaret Fitz Randolph was born on 01 May 1744 in Essex,…

Floyd spent another day in the middle of the Atlantic. He ate, rested, and took…

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

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

In response to a card from him, Grandma Amelia “Millie” Phillips wrote to Floyd. Addressing…

Lars Olson Aldahl (1856-1940) Lars Olson Aldahl was born on 24 Nov 1856 in Voss,…

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

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

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

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

Trees and Friends and Friends in Trees The eighth page of Sally’s photo album featured…

This guy was a 1944 graduate. His senior portrait was taken by Anderson in Austin,…

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

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

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

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

Marian in California and Miscellaneous Shots The 36th page of Sally’s photo album included many…

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

John Borden (1729-1801) Two hundred and eighty-seven years ago, John Borden was born on 12…

Picnic and Party The tenth page of Sally’s photo album featured a collection of photos…

John Estes (1800-1859) John Estes was born about 1800 in Kentucky as the second child…

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

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

It’s done! It’s done! It’s finally done! I’m happy to announce that I have completed…

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

Farewell to Washington and Back to Wisconsin The 46th page of Sally’s photo album includes…

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

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

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

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

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

The weather was gorgeous and it seemed like a bad idea to waste a Saturday…

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

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

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

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

Thomas Holmes (1744-1776) This birthday post was originally published in April 2016. Later, while working…

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

The Court set the rate for liquors, diets, and lodging When searching for some Virginia…

Yesterday was the 7th annual lefse making day for my family. Lefse is a big…

Bertha Auguste Henriette Kluender (1848-1936) Bertha Auguste Henriette Kluender Aschbrenner. Bertha Auguste Henriette Kluender was…

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

Gottfried Friederick Draeger (1821-1899) Gottfried Friederick Draeger was born on 12 Jan 1821 in Dobberphul,…

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

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

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

Elizabeth Linville (~1842->1871) Elizabeth A. Linville was born about 1842 in Callaway County, Missouri, as…

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

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

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

Jonas Weed (1610-1676) Jonas Weed came to America as part of the Great Migration. He…

Thomas Holmes (1710/11-1796) Oh Wow! Studying Thomas for this birthday post has certainly unlocked another…

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

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

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

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

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

The Meyer Family book is now available.

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

Bertha H. Stemson (1877-1968) Bertha H. Stemson was born on 05 Mar 1877 in Newry,…

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

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

My brother-in-law brought to my attention, via Facebook, that today is National Drink Wine Day….