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Are We Polish? Part One
During the Polish Research Techniques workshop I attended in December, I mentioned to Deb that I have a marriage certificate for Maria Bukmakofski and Hermann Mangels: Deb told me immigrants from Poland tended to be Catholic. Hermann Mangels was a German Lutheran. To marry her husband in his church, Deb…
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A Swedish-Style Wedding in Chicago
On this day one hundred and thirty-two years ago, my maternal 2nd great-grandparents Peter August Tolf of Svenarum, Jönköping, Sweden and Augusta Sophia Landström of Norra Sandsjö, Jönköping, Sweden were married in Chicago by Rev. D. S. Sorlin of 151 Oak St. Chicago [1], pastor of the Swedish Methodist Episcopalian…
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Front Page News – January 20, 1894
The following stories appeared on the front page of the January 20, 1894 issue of the Chicago Daily News: “Seven Young Prisoners – Judge Freeman Refuses to Hear Their Cases Before Seeing Their Parents Among the prisoners arraigned before Judge Freeman to-day were Alex Wolf, Barney Samson, Sam Sichlestine, George…
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1894 Obituaries: January 20
The following death notices appeared in the January 20, 1894 issue of the Chicago Daily News, page 5: “BRACKBILL-At Chelsea, Mich., Jan 4, 1894, CATHERINE, widow of Frederick Brackbill and mother of Mrs. Louise Jewett of this city, aged 88 years.” “BRADY-At his residence, 3043 Archer-av., WILLIAM, beloved husband of Mary…
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Beloved Wife of John
Cancer ended my grandmother’s life January 19th, 1954. She was 44 years old. From the Chicago Daily Tribune, January 1954: “WALTON – Harriet Walton, beloved wife of John, loving mother of Donald and Joan, fond daughter of Harry Tolf and Julia Chinell, dear sister of Earl, Oliver, and Francis, niece of Raymond…
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Clark Street Bridge Suicide
In response to Wednesday’s post, reader Mary M. shared the article below and this line from The Interocean, 16 Jan 1894, page 4 Column 5; “The body was subsequently identified as that of Louise Siebold No. 234 North Market St.” Armed with this information, and curious about what led to Mrs.…
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Schmitt and Grosse Marriage in 1804
My French 4th great-grandparents were married on this day 210 years ago. This is their marriage record, written in Hellimer, Moselle, Lorraine, France on the 16th of January 1804. Transcription and translation are below. “Mariage de François Schmitt et de Elisabeth Grosse Du vingt cinq Nivôse an Douze de la République, acte de…
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Front Page News – January 15, 1894
The following tragic story appeared on the front page of the January 15, 1894 issue of the Chicago Daily News: “Jumped into the River – Suicide of a Well-Dressed Woman at Clark Street Bridge. A young woman whose clothing and appearance indicated that she came from surroundings of comfort, perhaps…
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1894 Obituaries: January 15
The following death notices were published in the January 15, 1894 issue of the Chicago Daily News, page 6: “ARMSTRONG- January 14, 1894, at his residence, 619 (?) Langley-av., GEORGE A., beloved husband of (?) Armstrong and brother of W. H. Armstrong and Mrs. S. J. Reid. Notice of funeral hereafter.”…
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She was a Good Christian Lady
From the Batavia (Illinois) Herald, Wednesday 16 January 1901: “Death of an Aged Mother – Died, at the home of her daughters, Misses Christina and Amanda Tolf, on Hueston [sic] St., West Batavia, Sunday, Jan 13, 1901, after an illness of several weeks, Mrs. Elena Tolf, aged 78 years. Deceased…
Join me as I search for ancestors in England, Germany, France, Isle of Man, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the USA.
