A Smörgåsbord of Stories
A year ago, I wrote about Edward Blees (1923-2019) as a soldier in World War II. At the end of that blog post, I stated that I had requested Ed’s military file from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC). National Personnel Records Center The … read more
My great Uncle Clint Lydick (1931-2022) recalled that his parents, Horace and Susan (Roy), hosted their first paying guests in 1932. That was the start of the Pike Hole Resort. The Beginning Three men from Illinois ventured to the north woods of Minnesota in … read more
Twenty years ago, family history research was different. I wrote a letters to libraries, placed phone calls to strangers, and read Sunday obituaries to find cousins. On Sunday, March 21, 2004 I read an obituary and decided to seize an opportunity. My father-in-law’s … read more
During my Oklahoma Road Trip, I headed west, farther out in the panhandle. In Beaver County, the local historical society is located on the County Fair Grounds at the south edge of town. Little did I know what this journey would reveal. Jones … read more
In 2016, I begged my son to take me on his road trip to Oklahoma where he was to enter the FAA Academy. After we arrived in Oklahoma City, I rented a car and drove west to see where my Grandma Gert was born. All … read more
A leap year is a calendar year that has an extra day. This day is added to keep the day/date calendar lined up with the astronomical year. Because the movements of the planets do not repeat in exactly whole days, a “leap day” is necessary … read more
77 years ago, my grandfather returned home from the South Pacific. He was drafted into service during World War II. Throughout the war, about 10 million men were called to U.S. military duty. Even married men with families, like my grandpa, were inducted. Otto … read more
Last week, we looked at the 1859 baptism of Pauline Koth [pow-LEEN-a COTE] (daughter of Daniel Koth and Anna Krystina Semmler) in Turek, Kalisz Province. What other family members lived in Turek? Will knowledge of other family members confirm that this Paulina is the same … read more
My search for Pauline [pronounced Paulina, auf Deutsch], who married Gottfried Arndt continues. Was she born in Turek, Kalisz province? She arrived in Cass Lake, Minnesota in 1910 and lived for another 21 years. Pauline Arndt grave marker, Pine Grove Cemetery, Cass Lake MN … read more
In 1986, I began my family history journey with a set of Russian documents. I took those documents to my first genealogy society meeting where a kind volunteer translated them into English. With these translations, I launched my love of genealogy and began my search … read more