Genealogy pics and new cousins

April 30, 2008

Never say never.  I thought we'd acquired all the photos of our direct ancestors we ever would, but two more popped up today.  My dear friend, Alice Hampton, just received these from Doyce Williams of North Platte, NE.  He rescued them from his dad's cousin, Joyce's, estate and they were labelled!  The first one said "Great grandmother Godwin, Dale and Virgil" and the second one said "Great grandfather and mother Godwin".  That means they are William Riley Godwin, Jr, 1835-1900, (Quinn's m5d) and his wife, Margaret Harbour Godwin, 1836-1917.  Woohoo!  THANKS, Doyce and Alice!

It's time I posted this great photo.  It's a Godwin Reunion held in Stuart, IA around Aug, 1892.  We've always known that Wm Riley Godwin, Jr and Margaret Harbour, as well as Wm Riley Godwin, Sr, 1811-1902, were in it, but we didn't know who was who.  Now, we're pretty sure that Wm Riley Godwin, Jr is no. 33 or 34 (4th photo below), Margaret is 36 and Wm Riley Godwin, Sr is 38 or 39 (last photo below).

This photo was taken the same day.  It shows the 3rd generation cousins from the big photo.  The numbers match the key above.

April 9, 2008

I love the internet.  Some distant Ogden cousins, Mary and Kate Riley, found my website and we've been sharing info.  Mary lives in IN and Kate's in MI.  They sent me these great photos of Phebe Ogden Sherwood Hatfield (1792-1862) and John Ogden, sibs of Elizabeth Ogden Barnes, 1789-1863, my 2dmdm.  We have no photo of her, so this might be as close as we get.

The parents of these siblings were Michael Ogden and his wife, Elizabeth.  Michael's grave has a veteran's marker (presumably for the Revolutionary War), but the folks who place them just do what the previous such person did, so they have no record, just a handed-down tradition.  My 5th cousin, Amy Ogden, lives in Ossining, NY and sent these photos of Michael's gravesite at the Sparta Presbyterian Churchyard cemetery south of town.

August 9, 2007

Heard from a Lynn Masters of Lancaster, CA a while back.  She's related to Quinn via the Harveys and had these two items.   This one is a pdf of a family record from Richard Masters' bible.  This one is a pdf noting the killing of Jeremiah Harvey by Indians in 1803. 

I found this more complete account in the addendum to Lois Gersterberger Harvey's 1979 book.

From THE LIFE SAGA AND STORIES OF HARVEY, CISLER, GERSTENBERGER, MOSHER, AND

SOME RELATED LINES

1979 Lois Gerstenberger Harvey CS71.H341 1979

May 14, 2007

My Barnes cousin, Paul Waggoner, has been doing some field work in Westchester County, NY.  I gave him some cemetery info I had on these early American ancestors we share, and he got lucky and found my 2dmdmd, Michael Ogden, 1751-1825.  The stone is in remarkable condition.  The stone next to it may be his wife's, but it is too worn to be certain.  Thank you, Paul!

These are at the Sparta Presbyterian Churchyard cemetery south of Ossining, NY.  Swanky, Hudson river valley area near the Rockefeller estate.

I found this rubbing that my aunt, Esther Severs Dungan, had.  I don't know where she got it, perhaps from Paul.  This is Elizabeth Hatfield Barnes, 1760-1825, my 2dm2dm.  Wife of John Barnes, 1764-1846.  It says "Quaker cemetery, Westchester County, NY" on it but we haven't located the grave yet.  Good luck, Paul...

This is a poignant photo of my 2d2m, Eliza Cahuac Barnes with her husband, Sam Barnes', portrait.  He died of a laceration of the liver after a fall from a water tower at the age of 63 in 1884.  I think it's apparent that Eliza misses her husband of 43 years.  I'd love to find this charcoal portrait.  I have copies of the photo the artist used which my aunt made in the 1970s, but this is the only picture of the framed charcoal version.  I have 3 other examples of this type of portrait from this part of Missouri/Iowa.  Apparently, charcoal artists came through town or people traveled to St Louis and had them done from photographs.

Here's a scan from the Hatfields of Westchester by Abraham Hatfield, FGBS, 1935, showing the White Plains area in the 1725-1775 era.

December 7, 2006

Sogaard family in Norway

Just heard from a long-lost Norwegian cousin, Kristin Bachken.  Not lost, really, since I just met her via e-mail, but her grandmother, Gina, wrote letters to her American cousins in Minnesota 80 years ago and we haven't been in contact since then.  These letters were saved by my great aunt, Alice Stocke, and I'm posting scans of them here.  Kristin is from Ostfold in the southeast of Norway.  I visited this area in 2001, but Kristin is the closest cousin from this branch I have found.

November 30, 2006

Brian VanSise, a distant Dutch cousin of my son, Quinn, asked me months ago to post this great pic.  Winter finally kept me inside long enough to dig it out and scan it.  It's important because it was taken in PA (Bradford or Cameron county, not sure), before Joseph Vansice moved to IA about 1868.  The names were written on the back by Anna Garrison Vansice, so they are very reliable.  Only curious thing is that sign behind them on the porch.  I can read "North British..." and Anna writes "Sign says British Ins. Company".  Ok, but what is a sign doing on their house?  Did Joseph sell insurance out of his house?

You can see Joseph's gravesite here.

March 24, 2006

Iverson/Wasboe family in Kenyon, Minnesota

Stopped by Kenyon, Minnesota to see the Old Stone Hauge Lutheran Church last November.  Some of my mom's immigrant Norwegian ancestors are buried here.  These folks came from extreme southeastern Norway.  Anyway, I'm just now posting the pics.  Here they are.

August 19, 2005

Just reconnected with my 3rd cousin, Bonnie Gorman.  She's descended from George Fillmore Severs, brother of my 3d, Wm Scott Severs.  It's great fun because I had just posted pics of this family for another new cousin, Judi Rupe, below.  Bonnie sent me these great, early pics of George and his wife, Phebe Jane McAtee Severs.  I totally have the same crested swoop in my hair that George has.  Unlike George, I keep it short to hide it.

George was a doctor and there's a story about how he and his father, Wm Porter Severs, made a kiln and sold bricks to make money for medical school.  George treated his father later in life and we have Wm Porter's medical records from that time.  They were religious and very hard-working farm people with good clothes and plenty to eat, but I don't think there was very much money around, so it's amazing to me that George became a doctor.

Here's a photo of George and Phoebe's daughter, Emma Agnes Severs, Bonnie's grandmother, 1884-1977.  Here she's 20 years old, ca 1905.

May 17, 2005

Went to my nephew's graduation in Kirksville, MO, so we stopped by Orleans cemetery (near Moulton, IA on Hwy 2) on the way home to see my 3dm's and 4d's grave.  First time I'd taken Tate there.

William Porter Severs, 1815-1890        Elizabeth McPherson Severs, 1820-1915

I thought I'd post all the pics I have of Wm Porter Severs' children's gravesites.  7 of their 13 children are buried near Moulton, IA.  Here's a photo of William and Elizabeth, taken before 1890.  Then, one of most of their children taken when Elizabeth died, April, 1915.  Wm Scott, Appa and George are in back.  Albert, Frances, John and Lib are in front.

Here's one from June, 2000 of Quinn and me at Orleans.  The 2nd one is Louisa Catherine Severs Gale, sister of my 3d, William Scott Severs.  The 3rd one is Nancy Udora Severs, a 2-year-old daugher of Wm Porter Severs.

Oakland Cemetery is in nearby, Moulton, IA.  Six siblings of my 3d are buried there, including Frances Caroline Severs Davis Stober:

Here's Matilda Severs Dyer:

John Franklin Severs and his wife, Ida Gale:

Sarah Jane Severs May O'Neal:

George Fillmore Severs, MD and his wife, Phoebe Jane McAtee:

Here's Cynthia Appolonia Severs Stober and her husband, George.  I thought they lived and died in Morland, KS, but here they are in Moulton, IA.  Moulton's mayor, Larry Cook, took these for me.  We're trying to organize a way to restore this mausoleum before it crumbles further.

My 3d, Wm Scott Severs and his wife, Mary Florence Barnes, are buried in Chapel, MO at a little roadside cemetery:

May 8, 2005

Dug out some more photos for my new Severs cousin, Judi Rupe.  She's descended from my 3d (dad's dad's dad), Wm Scott Severs' sister, Frances Caroline Severs Davis Stober.  

This one connects our two families.  My grandfather, Shafter Severs, is in the back left, and his sister, Minta Severs Spiers, is at front right.  The others are Adrian, Verna and Ethel Davis, children of Daniel Wesley Davis.  They were 1st cousins, once removed of Shafter and Minta.

"Dan Davis' sons".  Daniel Wesley Davis was Frances's son and a brother of Judi's grandmother (dm), Lyde Davis Henderson.

Elizabeth McPherson Severs, 1820-1915 and her daughter, Frances.  

These have captions included.  It was exciting to find these since, up to that time, I knew of only one photo of Elizabeth McPherson Severs (my 3dm).  

This must have been a sensation in in rural Iowa in 1914-1915.

April 24, 2005

Heard from a new Severs cousin lately and it turned out to be a big deal.  She broke down a brick wall that's been up my whole life and found the gravesites and many details about the lives of William Porter Severs' natural parents.  WPS was my 4d (gg grandfather) and his parents, particularly his father, have always been a mystery.  I'm going to Illinois this weekend to visit their graves and I'll post pics here next week.

For now, I dug out this photo of Mary Elizabeth Cox's father's grave.  Old John Cox, 1754-1826, is buried with three other people in the middle of a plowed field in Posey County, IN.  Two dear Cox cousins, Lela Barrett and Anna May Griswold, showed me the way and we got this photo.  This is one cemetery that probably won't be around for another 10 years.

March 20, 2005

I just heard from a new 4th cousin, Paul Hickman.  He's descended from Grandpappy Jackie Ryals (John Ryals, Sr), 1803-1884 and we've been trading info.  Here are a couple photos I had connecting our two lines.

Here are James Isom Ryals (born 1842) and his wife, Sarah Bishop Ryals.  Jim was a cousin of my ggg grandfather, John Ryals, Jr.

Samuel Powell and Rebecca Ryals Powell.  Rebecca was the younger half-sister of my gg grandfather, John Ryals and Paul's gg grandmother, Elizabeth Ryals.

Here's one of Miriam Ryals Hargrave, 1865-1940, younger sister of Rebecca.  Miriam is buried in Des Moines at Laurel Hill cemetery.  Most of the Ryals from this generation are buried in Putnam and Schuyler Counties in Missouri.

Below is Nancy Ryals Berry and Peter Crockett Berry.  Nancy was a full sister of our gg grandparents.  Their father, John "Jackie" Ryals, had 12 children by his first wife, Mary Sears.  He remarried and had four more children.  His last child was born in 1865 when he was 62.  He had several grandchildren older than 10 by that time.

Here's a great family group shot of John Ryals, Jr's family, taken abt 1888.  My great grandfather, Elmer Allen Ryals (Pop) is the tall, mustached man in the back next to his father, John Ryals, Jr (with the beard).  Paul's descended from John's sister, Elizabeth "Betsy" Ryals Newman.  I've never seen a photo of Betsy, but Paul sent me the second photo below.  It shows Betsy's daughter, Elmira (Ella) Newman and her husband, John Henry Taylor. They're Paul's great grandparents.

Front row:  Sylvia Ryals Musgrove, Miriam Mannon Ryals, Leila Ryals Broomfield, Nora Ryals Musgrove

Back row:  Clyde Ryals, Elmer Ryals, John Ryals, Jr, Vietta Ryals Shadden

January 16, 2005

We held a mini-reunion of Severs folks at our house:

Lester Severs, Dee Severs (wife of Doug), Quinn Severs, Anna June Severs (wife of Warren, Lester's brother), Doug Severs (son of Anna and Warren), Bob Severs, Jayne Severs (wife of Bob).  Tracey's standing, holding Tate.  I'm seated in front.

Several descendants of my grandfather's, Shafter Severs', brother, Oather attended.  The oldest was Lester Severs, my dad's cousin.  He looked terrific at 86 and it made me feel good because both my parents are gone and it was nice to hang out with someone from their generation.   

My 2nd cousin, Doug Severs, was there.  He looked a lot like my dad.  I love family reunions.  They asked if I still played the accordion.  I said my rule was to play whenever I am asked.  They asked.  I played.  Lady of Spain and Clarinet Polka.  

My brother, Bob, who never takes himself too seriously, agreed to pose atop our aunt's childhood kiddie car.  She had taken photos of many of us as youngsters riding it, but never took one with Bob.  Bob's wife, Jayne, wanted this pic to round out the portfolio.....

January 5, 2005

A possible Godwin cousin from Hawaii contacted me this week.  Her husband is descended from a Guy E. Godwin who was a foster child, so it's tricky to prove his parents.  His nickname was Shorty and he had a son named Robert Leroy Godwin.  My son has a ggg uncle named Andrew Leroy Godwin and his nickname was Shorty, so we're wondering if Guy was Uncle Shorty's child.  This is the sleuthing I love.

I was surprised to find I have only one pic of Shorty.  This one's great because the whole family is present:

I scanned this article as well, just because it's so unusual.  Another uncle, Lefty Godwin, his wife and her parents all died (apparently mid-conversation) and were found in their seats at the dinner table.  Read on:

January 3, 2005

I heard from a new Kerby cousin, Connie Christopher, a while back and we've been e-mailing ever since.  She's descended from David Morgan Kerby, about whom we knew very little because he went to Oregon in the 1860s to homestead.  She sent me some photos and it's been fascinating getting a glimpse of this branch of the family.  David Morgan Kerby was a child of our common ancestor, David R Kerby's, 2nd wife.  I'm a gggg grandson of DRK by his 1st wife.  His 2nd wife, however, was the niece of his 1st wife, so Connie and I share that ancestry as well.  We're multiply related, as are all of DRK's descendants of his first two wives.

I'm posting some Kerby pics for her to download.  I always keep my eye out for pics of any of David R Kerby's 26 children.  Here are the six I have.  Connie's pic of David Morgan Kerby is the 7th I know of.  There must be more, since most of the children lived past 1900.  These are labeled in the photo (click for large version).  

This photo shows David Morgan Kerby and his wife, Sarah Ayres, with their children.  Note the numbers by the children written on the photo itself.  The parents, David and Sarah, are not numbered:

Next generation:  here's Eli Newton Kerby with his own family some years later.  It's evident he'd done some work between these two photos.

August 10, 2006:  Here's another generation.  Connie just sent me this great photo of Charles Morgan Kerby's family.  CMK was the son of Eli Newton Kerby directly above.)

June 18, 2007

Well, it's a big day.  Thanks to Barbara Parks Kerby via Connie Christopher, we can add a photo of one more of Grandpa David's 26 children, bringing the count to 9.  Here's Francis Marion Kerby, 1849-1933, who homesteaded in Caldwell, ID.

January 2, 2007:

I just heard from Todd Murray, a 5th cousin who apparently found my website on google.  He sent me this great pic of Narcissus Kerby Shawver (1818-1882) and her husband, Alexander (b abt 1815) .  THANK YOU, Todd!  This brings the number of photos of DRK's kids to 8, 3 of them from his 1st wife.  Narcissus was known as Aunt Ciss to my branch of the family and she was a full sister of my ggg grandmother (my d4m), Mary Polly Kerby Caldwell, 1820-1852.  All we know about Polly is that her hair was the color of a gold dollar.  I bet Ciss remembered her very well.

Here's a great old land deed from DRK's father, Solomon Kerby, granting him 40 acres in Monroe County, MO.  It's dated 4/1/1839 and bears Martin Van Buren's facsimile signature.

Here are some docs and pics that Connie sent to me about David Morgan Kerby, the 11th child of David R Kerby, 1795-1882.

Jesse Kerby Revolutionary war record (PDF)

Leonard Tarrant Kerby Revolutionary War record (PDF)

July 25, 2004

Visited Tracey's Hogan cousins in Milwaukee this weekend.  Tracey's dad's cousin, Virginia Hogan, was a huge help showing us around to cemeteries and digging out old photos.  Then, on Saturday, we went to her brother, Dick's, daughter's house for a picnic and we had a great time getting to know each other and looking at more old pics.  Thanks, Barb and Virginia!

July 5, 2004

On our recent Father's Day camp and tramp trip, Quinn and I stopped by to see Vera Bacus in Knoxville.  Vera is a 1st cousin of Quinn's gg grandmother, Anna Garrison Vansice.  Man, I'm sure no one from my gg grandparents' generation is still living.

On the same trip, we popped in on Gerald Ryals, my dad's 1st cousin. I had never met his daughter, Denise, my 2nd cousin, or her granddaughter, Sierra.  I've scanned a couple of Ryals items for her to right-click.

Here's an advertising flyer for Denise's grandpa's, John Ryals', flying service.  I think John owned it and his brother, Elmer Lee (Lee) managed it.  John was my grandma, Martha's, brother.

Then, here's a great color litho calendar from 1942.  The scan doesn't get the tear-off calendar which hangs below, but the patriotic, fresh-faced gal is the real attraction anyway.

June 15, 2003

Went to Fall Creek, WI to visit Tracey's parents.  On the way home, we always pass Rochester, MN.  This time, we stopped to see Don Sudor, my mom's 2nd cousin.  His grandfather, Anton Sudor was a brother to my mom's grandmother, Selma Peterson Swanson.  Anyway, we had a great visit looking at old photos and his wife, Nina, and daughter, Jenny, joined in.  Nina served strawberry shortcake and it felt just like all the trips north I went on with my mother in the 1960s.  It seems like all her relatives were warm, polite Scandinavians with immaculate homes.

June 12, 2003

Two of my dad's 2nd cousins came over to visit, Charlotte Houston Anderson and Paul Houston.  Charlotte was in town from Michigan with her husband and Paul lives nearby.  We're all descended from George Washington Houston (pronounced house'-tun), 1837-1891.  He was a storekeeper in Omaha, MO and built a large house there which was a well-known inn of sorts for traveling folk.  

Charlotte had an engraved pocket watch which belonged to G W.  Paul brought some old photos and I shared what I had.  It was a mini Houston Reunion.  We're all obsessed with proving who G W's parents were.  Paul thinks there's still hope in the Adams Co, IN 1840 census.  Let us know what you find out, Paul!

I scanned some items relating to G W.  Here's a bill advertising the closing sale of the Omaha Store.  I love the line, "The greatest bargains ever offered to the American people."  And what is Queensware?

Paul was interested in this stationery from the store.  We're lucky to have it since it was saved in a trunk with lots of nondescript paper.  I still don't know how I managed to go through my grandmother's stuff and sift out the gems.  

Here's G W's first child, Dora Houston.  As usual, they took more photos of her than the other 9 children.  

Paul had this great death notice for Willie, William Henry Houston.  He died at 1 1/2 in 1868.  Willie's grave is at Concord Cemetery with G W's.  Next to it is a death notice for G W.  I'm always amazed that some of this old stuff has survived in pristine condition.  Both of these look like they were printed yesterday.  

This is a brooch that belonged to G W's wife, Martha Ann Caldwell Houston, 1841-1912.  It's fun because it appears in many photos.  Martha Ann wears it and her daughter, Alice Houston Moss, is also pictured wearing it.

This is a thimble belonged to Martha Ann also.  It has her monogram "M" on one side and a swastika on the other.  Prior to the 20th century, the swastika was simply a symbol of eternity, cycles, unity, etc.  

Here's a photo of Mary and Martha Houston, Charlotte's aunts, born 1911 & 1916.  Martha (now Dawkins) is still living in La Plata, MO.  Mary died last February at 91 in Kirksville, MO. 

This store token is great because it has G W's writing on it.  We have other known samples of his writing and this is a match.

One of our Houston cousins is a published author.  Or at least a published compiler.  Sina Faye Fowler, daughter of Lillie Mae Houston Fowler, the youngest child of G W and Martha Ann, wrote Food for Fifty.  Or rather, she co-wrote it.  Or rather, co-compiled it.  She was a US Army dietitian.  It's a cookbook, but it's a book. My grandmother saved two copies.  One was stamped Des Moines Public Library.  They're both 2nd editions. 

May 28, 2003

Just heard from David Campbell.  He found my genealogy website and happens to live nearby in Ankeny, IA.  He's a 4th cousin of my ex-wife, Anne Godwin Fultz, and I was able to dig up these pics of his ancestors. 

The first is a great group shot of Bob Deeter and Martha Richmond Deeter's entire family.  Martha was a sister of Anne's gg grandmother, Malinda Richmond Vansice.  David's ancestor is Pearl Deeter Brown, at the far left in the group shot.  Then, we have a portrait of Pearl by herself.  

April 24, 2003

Here's a great new (old) family pic.  I've made a special project of collecting family group photos.  In the case of my father, it was very hard to find a photo containing everyone because his parents were separated when he was still a boy.  I finally found a negative showing all of them at a picnic around 1930.  Have you ever looked through boxes of old negatives?  I can hardly believe I did it myself now.  Here's the print I made from that negative:

My mom's father, Carl Swanson, had a different situation which made it hard to find a complete family portrait.  He and his brother, Ted, were born 15 years apart.  I found this one in a wonderful little album Carl made containing snapshots of his parents' country retreat, Fern Creek Lodge in 1915.  Shown are Selma, Carl, August and Ted (in front).  Ted's kids live in Seattle and we're going there in July, 2003, for a family reunion organized by descendants of August's uncle, August Sebastian Holmberg.  It'll be held on Orcas Island in the San Juans.  We're going to sea kayak, whale watch and hang out with about 60 Swedish relatives whom we see every 6 years or so.

Actually, this one was hard to find, too.  Had to dig through negatives to find it.  It's a photo of my mom, her brother and her parents.  I told my uncle about it and he swore that there must be many such pictures, but this is the only one I know of in which they all appear.  Pictured are Bob, Gertrude, Barbara (my mom) and Carl Swanson, somewhere around St Paul, MN about 1940.

June 19, 2002

I just heard from a new McPherson cousin, Melissa McPherson Kellstadt.  Seems she's descended from my ggg grandfather, William McPherson's, brother, James McPherson.  I have pics of James' grave at Bowers Cemetery in Alsey, IL, so I'm posting it along with some others to share with Melissa.

James McPherson, 1796-1879.

His 1st wife, Elizabeth Johnson, 1799-1846:

His 2nd wife, Rebecca Rutledge, 1816-1892:

Here is a pic of me at Jesse McPherson's, 1765-1849, grave.  Taken in 1999 at McPherson Cemetery near Rosewood, Muhlenburg Co, KY.  Jesse is my gggg grandfather and the father of James and William, so Melissa and I are about 4th cousins.  There's a pic of William at www.donsevers.com/ancestors.htm.   We're lucky to have it since he died in 1863.

April 3, 2002:

I heard from a new 4th cousin yesterday, Dee Webber.  I've scanned some photos of our common ancestors.  It's great fun to breath some life into these old pictures.

Here's the one that shows where our two families came together.  Uncle Dick (Richard Wharton Mannon) was Dee's gg grandfather and a brother of my gg grandmother, Miriam Mannon Ryals.  I have a quilt Miriam made and have some Miriam peonies growing outside that came from her farm from the 1880s.  Back row, left to right:  Sally Mannon Phillips, J. J. Petty, Martha Mannon Petty, Miriam Mannon Ryals.  Front row:  R. W. Mannon, Lizzie Petty Mannon, John Ryals.

Here's a great group photo of Uncle Dick and Aunt Lizzie Mannon's 50th Anniversary, Nov 20, 1917.  I've included a numbered photo and key to names.

Here's Uncle Dick and Aunt Lizzie's family.  Their children are Roy, Oscar, Berta and Nina.  Dee is descended from Oscar.  Oscar's son, Clair, died last year at the age of 93 and was Dee's grandfather.

Here's the earliest photo I have of Uncle Dick.  He's about 18 (around 1864) in the Missouri militia:

Here's another of Dick as a young man, perhaps first sporting the whiskers that he would wear for the next 75 years:

Here's photo of Hiram Petty, father of Jerome Jackson Petty.  Hiram would be a gggg grandfather of Dee:

Oscar Mannon, Dee's great grandfather:

September 21, 2001

I heard from a new 4th cousin this week.  She's Debra Toomay of Kansas and she's descended from August Sebastian Holmberg, a brother of my gggrandmother, Helena Akesdatter, pictured above.  Here are some pics from an August, 1997 reunion held in Estes Park.  It was a thrill to go to the Rocky Mountains and meet more than 60 new Swedish relatives.  I'm in the back in the light purple t-shirt.  Click to enlarge pics.

Here we have August Holmberg, his wife, Susannah Hudnall, his daughters, Nevada and Nettie (twins) and, last, Nevada and her 2nd husband, Darrell Morris.

Here are children of Nevada Holmberg.  Sidney and Clyde Traener/Fraener (I've seen both spellings), Clyde Traener and Jessie Traener Beatty.

(Added September 21, 2005:  Heard from Claude Freaner last summer.  He's descended from Clyde "Traener" above.  I apparently had the spelling wrong.  I took it from the backs of the photos.  Anyway, here's a link to some pics of Claude's line.  Thanks, Claude!)

These 4 are Debra's relative but not mine.  They are Wm Thomas Hudnall and Sarah Miller Hudnall (Susannah's parents).  The last two men are Samuel and James W. Hudnall, brothers of Susannah.

Here's a fascinating letter written by August Holmberg in Le Blanc, LA 1/26/1912 to his daughter, Belle Holmberg Young.  He talks about his past, including his impressions of Lincoln and Douglas after hearing their famous debate in the 1860s.

July 19, 2001

I just heard from a new Godwin cousin.  This photo shows the Godwin clan in Stuart, Iowa in 1892.

July 10, 2001
I just heard from Jim Powers, whose mother-in-law is descended from a sister of my son's  ggggg grandmother, Eliza Henry Middleton Settle, 1816-1902.  We have this great photo of Eliza with her 4 sisters, including Sarah Middleton Minear, Jim's line.

6/18/01:  My dad's 2nd cousins visited last weekend.  They're descended from my ggrandma, Fannie Houston's, sister, Clara Houston Smith.  This is the earliest photo we have of Clara.

We had a great weekend nosing around southern Iowa.  Here we are at David R Kerby's marker in Union cemetery in Appanoose County, Iowa, right on the state line bordering Missouri.  His actual resting place lies unmarked on a hill to the south.  This marker was placed by the Kerby Reunion in 1995 to commemorate Grandpa David and his three wives.

The second photo shows us at George Washington Houston and Martha Ann Caldwell Houston's stone at Concord cemetery in Putnam County, MO.  GWH is my gg grandfather and Martha and Bernice's g grandfather.  Martha was named for Martha Ann Caldwell.

On June 11, 2001, we drove up for my great aunt, Alice Stocke's, funeral.  She lived to be 95 and was a true classic.  She had a dry, dry wit, never complained and accepted everything as part of life.  I've heard that happiness is having a good sense of humor and a bad memory.  At any rate, Alice had the traits one needs to live a long life.

Alice Marion Stocke, 1906-2001.  Click to enlarge photo.

Here we have folks from Fritz Stocke's line.  Fritz was Alice's brother.  Mark Miller, husband of Gayle Stocke; Gayle Stocke Miller, Gloriane's daughter and my 2nd cousin; Gloriane Stocke, wife of Jim C. Stocke, Fritz's son; Paula Stocke Meister, Gloriane's daughter and my 2nd cousin; myself.

After the funeral, we had a family reunion of sorts at my mother's cousin's home.  Typical fabulous hospitality provided by Louise and Bud Anderson.  Our son, Quinn, had fun playing with his 3rd cousins, Laura and Anna.  When we left, he asked me if I had their phone number.

Louise had this photo of Helena Akesdatter Swanson, my gg grandmother.  Before this, I knew of only one photo of her.  This one is special because she is pictured with her namesake, her granddaughter Helen Swanson and little Helen is wearing her grandma's reading glasses.

Helena Akesdatter Swanson, 1832-1910, and Helen Swanson, born 1893