Remembering the Family

2011-12-03T09:10:00.001-06:00

Norwayto Wisconsin: My Brick Wall!

I began working on my family history when I was in middleschool and the assignment was to do a family tree. My dad drew a great tree for me and we beganto call the grandma’s and grandpa’s to find out what they knew. Back then it was just fill in a name anddates if you knew them. Well there werequite a few that I did my grandparents did not know. Over the years I have made some greatprogress. While I have other brickwalls, my Norwegian ancestors were always my biggest.

Back when I did the family tree I knew that my grandmother wasMargaret Lorene Hanson and that her parents were Henry Anton Hanson and RikaGuritz. We knew when they died as we hadbeen to the cemeteries many times. Wealso knew that Henry’s father was Anders (Andrew) Hanson and even the dates ofhis birth and death as we had been to his tombstone also. We however did not know about his wife ortheir parents.

Then I went to college, got married and had children. In other words life happened and my genealogywas put on hold. Eventually I started up again and found out about censusrecords. Well these little gems werewonderful! Now mind you this was whenyou had to crank a machine and look at the same roll of film for hours. The thrill of finding someone was enough fora huge happy dance!!!

So in the 1870 census I find Andrew Hanson and Caroline withtheir 3 children Annie, Henry and Christian all living in Argyle, LafayetteCounty, Wisconsin (that was a big happy dance). In 1880 they are in Superior Township, Dickinson County, Iowa with Anna,Henry, Chris, August, Oscar and Sarah.

I start to ask morerelatives and word comes that Caroline was really Karen and her last name wasAndersdatter. Well okay but I of courseneeded proof. Anders dies in 1899 a fewyears after Karen and there is an article in the Spirit Lake Beacon.

A Citizen of Superior Township Hangs Himself and a week laterin the same paper a retraction by G.H. Anderson Brother-in-Law.

It was evidently caused by the act of asick man, who was not morally responsible for self destruction. January 27, 1899 Spirit Lake Beacon, Spirit Lake, Iowa

Once again a happy dance this is a bit of proof to investigateas he has that last name of Anderson (don’t get me started on that whole namingthing…drives me nuts!).

Since I can’t find a death certificate for Karen I start tolook at G.H. Anderson and see if I can make a connection there. Nothing pans out and I can’t place Karen andGilbert (G.H.) as siblings. So whilelooking at Gilbert I also look at his wife Olena. These two families moved together fromWisconsin to Iowa. I eventually find anobituary for Olena and find there is a sister Randy (Ragnild) and investigateher also. I find a great deal of info onthese two ladies but nothing concrete to help me find out why they all movedtogether or how they are related.

Then I learn about the 1925 census from Iowa. What a gem! It lists the names of the parents and so I find my Henry and lo andbehold his father is Andrew Hanson and his mother is Carrie Olson.

Ancestry.com. Iowa State Census Collection, 1836-1925[database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Originaldata: Microfilm of Iowa State Censuses, 1856, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915, 1925 aswell various special censuses from 1836-1897 obtained from the State HistoricalSociety of Iowa via Heritage Quest.

What?? Who??? Now Olson is a new name that I had notheard. Further research finds nothingand I leave this family alone for a long long time.

Then this year I was vending at the Dane County AreaGenealogical Society Fair for the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society and sat down to talk to Jerry Paulson from theNorwegian American Genealogical Center & Naeseth Library (NAGCNL). I explain my problem and he of course sitsdown and says well let’s look around a bit. A few minutes later he tells methat he has found my great grandfather’s birth record and some of the otherchildren as well! Well of course asanyone would I have tears in my eyes. Ihave looked for this man’s birth record for many years and never found it.

Jerry then takes down some notes and we all head home. Over the weekend I do some more digging andsend him some more info about this Randy as being Karen’s sister. He also had been digging and found Anders andKaren’s birth, marriage and when they left Norway. PLUS MORE! Well can you say double happy dance???

Downside was that Jerry was leaving for a week vacation and Ihad other things going on and I had to wait two weeks. Of course I said make me an appointment forthe Monday you come back. So I waitedfor those two weeks (longest of my life I think!). Then I headed to 415 W Main Street in Madisonand waited until the doors opened and Jerry arrived.

We got going as soon as he took off his coat and he began toshow me what he found. Birth records forall of Anders and Karen’s children. Which I then went to the microfilm found and copied off my greatgrandfather’s!!

Recordretrieved from NAGNCL Wiota Lutheran Church Ministerial Records 1855-1890Wiota, WI.

Then we looked at Anders and Karen’s marriage record whichshowed her father to be Anders Olsen.

Opplandcounty, Gran, Parish register (official) nr. 12(1856-1874) Marriage records1859, page 823-833,http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20070206620190.jpg

Not only do I have that information but in Norway they havefarm names and my Hanson’s came from the Egge Eiet Farm! How do we know that….by looking at thewonderful emigration record!

NorwegianAmerican Genealogy Center Members Only Site retrieved by Jerry Paulson October2011

Oppland county, Gran, Parish register (official) nr. 12(1856-1874) Emigration records 1860, page 1144-1145, http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20070206620343.jpg

My head was spinning. It was not over yet because the great thing about Jerry and NAGCNL isthat he took the time to then show me how to use FamilySearch https://www.familysearch.org/andDigitalarkivet http://arkivverket.no/Digitalarkivet toassist in my research. What great tools! Plus I can use them at home (just have todecipher the Norwegian handwriting!)

At home I found more info on Digitalarkivet with the help of FamilySearch including the names of Karen’s grandparents on both sides. This puts me back to the late 1750’s so farin Gran, Oppland, Norway. Am Idone?? Not by a long shot. I have more things to investigate at NAGCNLand of course more to find on Digitalarkivet but it broke down the wall thathad been hanging over me for so long. Sonow instead of remembering the Hanson/Oleson family as a brick wall I canremember them by the courage it must have taken to come here and move from onestate to another to find their home.

Mayflower Lines in Our House

2011-11-23T07:35:00.001-06:00

In honor of Turkey Day as we call it around our house I thought I would post my two Mayflower lines and also the Mayflower line of my boys.

NOTE: This is a work in progress and as in any work of progress you should verify your own research as I will be doing someday in the (hopefully) near future!!

Richard Warren was the first Mayflower ancestor that I found so it is only appropriate that he be listed first!

Richard Warren (abt 1580-1628) and Elizabeth Walker (abt1580-1673)

Nathaniel Warren (abt 1624- 1667) and Sarah Walker(1622-1700)

Sarah Warren (1649-abt 1692) and John Blackwell (1646-bef1690)

Alice Blackwell (1681-bef 1729) and William Spooner(1680-1729)

Jemima Spooner (1700-bef 1729) and George Badcock(1692-1771)

John Badcock (abt 1724- abt 1803) and Rebeka Worden (abt1725-aft 1780)

Jemima Badcock (1768-1846) and Stephen Waite (1761-1842)

Oliver Waite (1801-1851) and Irene Chesebrough (1805-1898)

Isaac C Waite (1830-1905) and Euphemia Brooks (1830-1893)

Euphemia Waite (1867- 1897) and Fred Guritz (1862-1924)

Rika Guritz (1889-1944) and Henry Hanson (1867-1942)

Margaret Hanson (1917-1994) and John Plymesser (1914-1958)

Jeanette Plymesser married Charles Laabs in 1962

Christine Laabs

This line has double goodness as John Tilley and Joan Hurstcame over as a married couple with their daughter Elizabeth Tilley. John Howland was also aboard the Mayflower asa man servant of John Carver.

John Tilley (1571-1621) and Joan Hurst (1566-1621)

Elizabeth Tilley (1607-1687) and John Howland (abt 1592-1672)

Desire Howland (1623-1683) and John Gorham (1620-1674)

Elizabeth Gorham (1648-1683) and Joseph Hallet (abt 1630-bef1721)

Lois Hallet (1671-aft 1726) and Henry Cobb (1665-1725)

Lois Cobb (1696-????) and Samuel Stanton (1683-1736)

Eunice Stanton (1728-1800) and John Denison (1726-1807)

Eunice Denison (1751-1801) and James Noyes (1744-1831)

Lois Noyes (1776- ????) and Benjamin Chesebrough (abt1771-????)

Irene Chesebrough (1805-1898) and Oliver Waite (1801-1851)

Isaac C Waite (1830-1905) and Euphemia Brooks (1830-1893)

Euphemia Waite (1867- 1897) and Fred Guritz (1862-1924)

Rika Guritz (1889-1944) and Henry Hanson (1867-1942)

Margaret Hanson (1917-1994) and John Plymesser (1914-1958)

Jeanette Plymesser married Charles Laabs in 1962

Christine Laabs

This is the Mayflower line for my boys through their father.

Stephen Hopkins (bef 1581-1644) and Mary (???-1613)

Giles Hopkins (bef 1608-bet 1688 & 1690) and CatherineWhelden (abt 1618-??)_

Deborah Hopkins (1648-???) and Josiah Cooke (1645-1732)

Richard Cooke (1672-1754) and Hannah Smith

Thomas Cooke (1697-1774) and Dinah Doane (1700-???)

Aseneth Cooke (1726-1778) and Moses Lucas (1719-???)

Rhoda Lucas (1750-1814) and John Tryon (1749-1815)

Jeremiah Tryon (1774-1840) and Mary Ann Hildebrand(1783-???)

Jeremiah Tryon (1819-1863) and Rebecca Jane Pounds(1831-1896)

John Tryon (abt 1850-1909) and Bertha Putsch (abt 1855-1909)

Mary Tryon (1879-1960) and Ralph Halbert (1878-1945)

Bertha Halbert (1904-2000)and Derald Harpster (1903-1964)

Richard Harpster married Anna Jean Clarke in 1955

Michael Harpster married Christine Laabs in 1984

Adam, Benjamin & Christopher Harpster

So how about it??? Anyone see a connection??? If so please feel free to let me know!

Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving and remember them as you know them!!!

Isaac Waite:Husband, Father, Civil War Soldier & Farmer

2011-11-19T15:17:00.001-06:00

The other day I introduced you to my Euphemia's. Euphemia Brooks was married to Isaac C Waite. Isaac and Euphemia had four daughters. Anna Marie, Mary Etta, Abby Jane and Euphemia. Isaac was born April 1830 in Napoli, Chenango County, New York. He is the son of Oliver and Irene Chesebrough (Chesebro) Waite.

Before Isaac was married he had already lost his father. He married Euphemia on the 23rd of November in 1852 in Otto Township, Cattaraugus County, New York. In 1855 the family is in New Albion, Cattaruagus County, New York but by 1857 they are on the move. They are found in Spring Valley, Fillmore County, Minnesota With them is Isaac's younger brother Oliver.

The Civil War begins and on the 8th of November in 1862 Isaac enrolled in Company I of the 1st regiment of Minnesota Mountain Rangers. This term of service ended on the 1st of December 1863. He was also enrolled with Company A Hatch's Battalion Minnesota Cavalry on 26th of February 1864. He was commanded by Capt. D.W. Allen and was honorably discharged at Fort Snelling on the 5th day of June 1866.

While in service Isaac had a variety of ailments but the worst would have been found in his medical file from the Civil War papers. In 1863 he was riding a mule attached to a provision wagon when the mule fell on his left leg. The knee was bruised badly and he was taken to a hospital 40 miles away where he waited for care for six to seven weeks. Eventually later in life the Jackson Republic noted that he had an operation on his knee and his leg was amputated. He was troubled with Ostetis or rotting of the bone and the only way to prevent spreading of the disease was to amputate.

The family stays in Spring Valley for a few more years but by 1870 they are located in Minneota, Jackson County, Minnesota. In 1875 Isaac and Euphemia not only have their children but also two grandsons (William McQuillan and Arthur McQuillan) living with them as their mother had passed away in 1872.

1876 brings more sad news for the family as their daughter Abby Jane passes away.

In 1880 they also have their daughter Mary Etta and her husband and daughter (the Uptedgrafft family) living with them.

In 1893 Isaac loses his wife of 40 years. The local newspaper publishes a resolution about the passing of Euphemia from the Women's Relief Corps (Auxiliary to the Grand Army Republic). Then in 1897 he loses is youngest daughter.

Isaac continues to live on a farm with his grandson Will McQuillan and eventually passes away on the 14th of September 1905. At the time of his death his pension was $12.00. He was buried in the Loon Lake Cemetery in Jackson County, Minnesota.

I wish I could have been a fly on the wall and seen the many things that Isaac saw in his life. He took a chance and moved his family to places unknown, was a charter member and Deacon of the Loon Lake Baptist Church and had seen so many that he loved pass on before him. Once again I remember them as I know them!

My Favorite Ancestors

2011-11-16T08:38:00.001-06:00

Where to start with this big huge family??? I have been married twice and have children with both men that I married. Both families are very important to me and in essence I float around and research on whichever line jumps out at me at any given time.

When I look back at how I started researching genealogy it all came down to a project in Middle School. That started the bug for me. I took time off to have children finish my BA in Education and of course that little thing called life!

My favorite ancestors however have to be the two named Euphemia! That name alone had me hooked. I used to think it was the weirdest name I had ever heard. What parent would name their child Euphemia? Then do it again???

The first Euphemia was Euphemia Brooks. She was born in April of 1830 in Norwich, Chenango Co, NY. In 1850 she was living with the Martin Waite family and by 1852 she was married to Isaac C. Waite. They eventually up and left New York for Spring Valley, Fillmore Co, MN and eventually ended up in Jackson County, MN. They had four daughters together and she passed away 11 April 1893.

This is Isaac & Euphemia Brooks Waite taken some time before she passed away. It was given to me by a relative who had no idea of the date.

One of those daughters was Euphemia Waite. This Euphemia was born 15 May 1868 in Minneota, Jackson Co, MN. She married Fritz (Fred) Guritz on 9 April 1885 in Jackson Co, MN and they preceded to have six children themselves. Unfortunately Euphemia passed away on 8 December 1897 in Jackson Co, MN. She was not even 30 years old. Her oldest child was only 11 years old and the baby was only 2 years old.

Luckily I was able to find her tombstone on a visit to the Loon Lake Cemetery in Jackson County, MN before it disappeared. The cemetery there is very overgrown and has a tendency to be a party place. The party people then throw the tombstones in the lake.

So I guess that is my story about my Euphemia's. Obviously some day I would like to learn more about their life and their struggles but for now I just remember them as I know them!

Why am I blogging???

2011-11-15T10:04:00.000-06:00

Hello!

Today is my first day blogging!!

I have been thinking about blogging about my family and my research for a long time. For some reason today was the day. I am hoping that by blogging about my family and my extended family that I will meet new family. I also would love to connect with others in regards to making myself a better genealogist.

I am a mom to four awesome kids and a wife to a great husband. I currently work for the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society as the Administrative Assistant. In my "spare" time I am pursing a BA in History, I enjoy camping with the family and extended family and love to do research!!!

Mostly I really want to share my family and my extended family with others!

So off I go onto a great adventure! Hope you come along for the ride!!