Sentimental Sunday - Nielsen family found in Denmark

Sentimental Sunday

Nielsen family found in Denmark

Today, I received an email from Aalborg, Denmark, the 'hometown' of my maternal grandmother and her parents. Here is the heart of the note:

"My hosbond and I are doing a lot about our ancestors. So today we found out that Jensene Marie Nielsen is a sister to my hosbond´s great grandfarther Morten Nielsen born in Hvorup Parish, Aalborg county, Denmark.

Morten Nielsen had two sons, who immigrated to Minnesota/saint Poul/Minneapolis area. Today we have contact with the Nelson family, and we have been over there several times and they have been in Denmark too.

We did not know that Jensene Marie Nielsen went to the USA, untill we googled her name and found your web site."

For background see:

http://drbilltellsancestorstories.blogspot.com/2010/01/tombstone-tuesday-sorensen-great.html

http://drbilltellsancestorstories.blogspot.com/search/label/Nielsen

Families are Forever!  ;-)

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History - Week 31 Grandparent's house

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History

Week 31 Grandparent's house

Thanks to GeneaBloggers and Amy Coffin of the We Tree blog for these prompts.

Week 31: Grandparents’ House. Describe your grandparents’ house. Was it big or small? How long did they live there?

 My maternal grandparents were alive through my early years, so I had 'one set' of grandparents. [Dad's mom died when he was young, his Dad died a couple of months after I was born.]

My Kinnick grandparents lived in several homes during the 1940-1960s, large and small and even a travel trailer for a short time, in our farm yard, by the garden. Here is the small house in a small, nearby town (Bayard) that I remember best. For family gatherings, we almost always were at our farm house, during those years.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Follow Friday - 29 Jul 2011

Follow Friday - 29 Jul 2011

In several venues I have lamented  what I perceived to be lack of photos of my ancestors at their occupations. As if in reply, Shades The Magazine, for their July/August 2011 issue feature:

Occupations In Photographs

How wonderful! I highly recommend it to your thorough review! THANKS!


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Wordless (Nearly) Wednesday - Bill and the Ladies

Wordless (Nearly) Wednesday

Bill and the Ladies

Recently found this photo in a box I hadn't look at for years... I'd place it about Summer 1947, perhaps. I'd have been 8 years old... my two Kinnick cousins (Kathleen and Karen) were a year or so younger, and older, approximately. We played a lot of cowboy games, so this was likely part of one.

Of course, in recent years, I've come to appreciate the background in some of these old photos as much as the people... the old tractor, the wagon, the water well, the barn... Of course, I really need to place them all side by side to date them better. It is rare in this time period for them to dates. Just have to estimate by the people and objects in the photos. What fun!  ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Sentimental Sunday - Pine Beach Resort

Sentimental Sunday

Pine Beach Resort

Minnesota

For a number of years, in the 1970s or so, our family vacation was at Pine Beach Resort, in Minnesota, north of the Twin Cities. You can check the map at the link.

This is probably 1972 or so, the two older girls on the beach with the ducks; Nancy and the youngest, in the background. Oh, the memories!

I think the photo below was in the 90s, when we drove by 'our cabin' again...

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Civil War Series on Sunday - the Battle of Bull Run - July 1861

Civil War Series on Sunday

The Battle of Bull Run

July 1861

A local news article in the Springfield, MO, News-Leader with the title "Union troops overcome at Bull Run" reminds us of the events in our nation 150 years ago. The opening paragraph:

"In July of 1861, northern newspapers pressed President Abraham Lincoln to engage the South and bring a swift end to the rebellion."

It didn't work so well!

The South was victorious, but lost nearly 2,000 soldiers. The North lost nearly 3,000 troops. Were any of your ancestors involved in The First Battle of Bull Run (also known to Confederate forces as the First Battle of Manassas)? Have you written about them? Fell free to post your URL in your comment!  ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Follow Friday - 22 Jul 2011

Follow Friday - 22 Jul 2011

Genealogical Certification is an ongoing discussion topic among genealogists even though most of us are amatuers; although there is currently an increase in the number of people seeking and achieving professional status.

Today, I'm providing a reference to a blog post by Jennifer Holik at her Family History Research blog, about her pursuit. However, a key part of this referance is a set of three links she provides to posts by Michael Hait, one of my favorite genalogy writers, as well (two for the price of one - actually five worthwhile posts here): Motivation Monday - Going for Certification.

I hope you read all five posts, if you have not already. Lots of good comments, including mine, on each post, as well!


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Bill and the Cows

Treasure Chest Thursday

Bill and the Cows

At book signings for my novels, I am frequently asked when I 'started writing' - meaning stories, novels, etc., I always assume. In a box of 'stuff' I hadn't looked at for a long time, recently, I found the following, that may partially answer the question. It is a piece of tablet paper written in pencil on which I wrote what may be my first 'narrative' - is it fiction or non-fiction? Fiction, I believe. A precursor to my novels, perhaps.

Transcription of 'Bill And the Cows'

One day Bills father said to Bill "Will you go look after the cows"? Bill said that he would. He went and got is bike and a book. He rode to the top of a hill. He started to read in about 10 minutes he looked to see where the cows were. He fond that they had gone on down the hill. He hurried and put them in the lot. THE END

**********

There will likely be some who will note that neither my spelling nor my grammar have improved, much, over these last 60 + years. I will estimate that I was in fifth grade perhaps... 10-11 years old, perhaps... that would be about 1949-50. A nice Treasure Chest item from the past.  ;-)

Families are forever!  ;-)

Wordless (Nearly) Wednesday - Bill and Whitey

Wordless (Nearly) Wednesday

Bill and Whitey

Serendipity - the other day my 7 year old grandson, Alex, did a 28 minute digital audio interview with me, his 72 year old grandfather, for a cub scout loop (merit badge type thing) family heritage project. One of the questions, of course, was 'Did you have a pet?' The answer, of course, was yes - Whitey, a dog. But I didn't have a photo to go along with it.

Today, I open a box I thought was something else, and here are a bunch of 'things' I hadn't seen in years, including this wonderful photo of Whitey and I. I am probably about 7 years old, may be 8. This would be 1946-7, most likely. My Mom was a saver, I'm a saver... thank goodness!  ;-)

See another little 'gem' from the box on Thursday (Treasure Chest) and in coming days.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

My Heritage Pie

My Heritage Pie 

This post is a response to a number of recent geneablog posts - I'm following Randy Seaver's approach.

Make a "Heritage Pie" chart for the country of origin (birth place) for my 'round of 16' ancestors - great-great grandparents. [Hint: you could use the  chart generator from Kid Zone for this.] [Note: Thank you to Sheri Fenley for the "Heritage Pie" chart idea.]

How about yours?

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Follow Friday - 15 Jul 2011

Follow Friday - 15 Jul 2011

At one time or another each of us get "stuck" or come up against that "brick wall" in a particular line of family history research. This occurs whether we are 'newbies' or are experienced researchers. We also each develop our particular response to this situation. Those with more experience get the question from the 'newbies' - What do I do next?

Many blog posts and articles address this set of issues, and the question. However, one of the best responses I've seen, to date, comes from one my personal favorites writers, bloggers and researchers, Randy Seaver, Genea-Musings, in his post: "My Research Problem Solution Advice."

I am confident, if you have not yet read the entire post, you too will benefit from reading it and using the advice presented. Enjoy!  P.S. Thanks again, Randy!


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Surname Saturday - KINNICK men

KINNICK Men

Paul Harold KINNICK (1892-1968)
Alonzo Palmer KINNICK (1870-1923)
Walter Watson KINNICK (1840-1919) Civil War Veteran

My Grandfather, my Great-Grandfather, and 2nd Great-Grandfather. The latter served in the Civil War 150 years ago, as has been noted.

Walter Watson's father was Walter W. (1810-1853), whose father was John (1769-1818).

The father of John, that is the grandfather of Walter Watson, was Sergeant Major William KINNICK (1719-1785), of the Revolutionary War. He served three years from 1777-1780 in the 6th Regiment of the Maryland line.

Family is Forever!  ;-)

Follow Friday - 8 Jul 2011

Follow Friday - 8 Jul 2011

Here is a good reminder for us all: Properly label the photographs you have on file, in the box, in the drawer... that your descendants will have in their hands, trying to identify, if you don't. Well said!

http://kbea831.wordpress.com/2011/07/02/of-course-i-recognize-you/


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Follow Friday - 1 Jul 2011

Follow Friday - 1 Jul 2011

 I am preparing this on 26 Jun, last Sunday - first time I have written "1 Jul 2011" - my birthday!
Happy 72nd Birthday, to me!  ;-)

This is 70 years ago, on our 2nd farm in Iowa - only stayed there a year; it was rented. Dad bought his own farm the next year, a few miles away. Notice the 'always present' angel food cake, with white frosting (made from scratch, of course) for EVERY BIRTHDAY.

At the new farm house, three years later. We had really 'moved up in the world,' you can tell:

Today, I'm going to start by simply referring to Randy Seaver at Genea-Musings - his post this week is just great - I'd already seen several, and read/skimmed again, or had read "about," and stopped to look closer, this time by. Two of these are in my regular readings... Kathleen Brandt at a3Genealogy and GeneJ at They Came Before [this is also my family!! ;-) - one-fourth, at least!].


I'll mention four (not 'two or three' as I first wrote!), if you want the ones that caught my 'highest level' of attention:

- Heather Rojo and her Father's Day Tree
- James Tanner lengthy treatises on Evidence, Proof, etc. - and Facebook musings!
- How Reliable is SSDI? - I'd seen comments, got to read the article here.
- 2011 Battle of Monmouth Reenactment - Tim Abbott - I'm fascinated by reenactments [Also, my fifth great-grandfather was at that battle!]


Families are Forever!  ;-)