where2look4ancestors

  • Making Real Connections

    I ended this post saying, “To learn more about Anders Gustaf, his wife Elise, and their children, I’ll follow them through the Swedish records at Riksarkivet.” Those online records were great resources for facts about the children of my 4th great-grandparents, but I learned much more about my family history over…

  • A Week of Ancestors 4/28

    April 28 to May 4 BIRTHS: I first “met” Amanda Sofia Karlsdotter Tolf years ago in a softly lit Family History Center. According to the 1880 census I viewed on the FHC’s microfilm, Amanda and her older sister Frida were working as housemaids in the Geneva Illinois home of a…

  • Serendipity and Systems

    On the day I was to sort through a three-ring binder labeled “Ancestors and descendants of Julia Christine Thompson (1888-1964)”, I received an edit request on Find A Grave for Ludwig Charles Ogren, Julia’s brother-in-law. Julia’s older sister Esther Maria Thompson married Ludwig, who was a Swedish immigrant, on the…

  • National DNA Day

    This day commemorates the successful completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 and the discovery of DNA’s double helix in 1953. If like me, you are new to the gene pool party, DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid which is the molecule that carries genetic information for the development and…

  • Pursue, Preserve and Present

    In the March 31 issue of Genealogy Gems, Curt Witcher wrote, “With the recent arrival of spring, may we all feel inspired to intentionally engage in activities that give us opportunities to pursue, preserve and present our families’ stories.” I’ve had the pleasure of attending a number of Curt’s presentations…

  • A Week of Ancestors

    April 21-27 Seeing the places where my ancestors lived their lives was an amazing part of last year’s trip to Scandinavia. BIRTHS: It was an emotional experience being in the spot where “our” cottage stood 154 years ago. Elis Peterssdotter, who I wrote about here, was born at a farm…

  • Tweaking the System

    I talked about my genealogy binder re-do here thinking I had all my ducks in a row. For the first couple binders, everything was quacking about nicely. Then I hit a few snags. So I made some corrections: Previously I thought this was fine: Then those pesky patronymic names came…

  • The House that Tønnes Built

    One of many treasured memories from last year’s trip to Scandinavia was an overnight visit to Sogndalstrand. A Norwegian newspaper article from 1987 told of a house built there by my 3rd great-grandfather Tønnes Christiansen. It is still standing. Across the street from Tønnes’ house is the lovely Sogndalstrand Kulturhotell…

  • Monumental Perspective

    My 2nd great-grandmother Elisabeth Schmitt had 13 known siblings. One of her younger brothers, Emile, married the daughter of a beer baron in Cincinnati and played an instrumental role in the John Kauffman Brewing Company in the late 19th century. Although I am not related to John Kauffman, I have…

  • Unsolved Family History Mystery

    The Chicago Genealogical Society recently coordinated a visit to the Oak Park River Forest Museum. This was a wonderful opportunity for me to finally meet other CGS members with whom I’d been virtually chatting for many months over Zoom. And the OPRFM has a plethora of materials one might use…