Sunday Obituary - Ralph Huffman, Jr.

Sunday Obituary - Ralph Huffman, Jr.

Ralph and his wife, Winona, were First Cousins, Once (one generation) Removed. Winona is the daughter of Louise (Sorensen) Nielsen who was the sister of my maternal grandmother, Dorothy (Sorensen) Kinnick.

From the Coon Rapids Enterprise - Thursday, March 29, 2018, Page 3:

Ralph Huffman Jr., of Audubon died March 19 at the Friendship Home in Audubon.
The family met with friends on Friday evening March 23, at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon. Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Doug Opp on Saturday, at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon. Interment will be in the Union Township Cemetery east of Coon Rapids. The casket bearers were Mike Birkel, Bryce Trout, Brenden Trout, Roger Vincent, Gary Vais, and Dennis Schwab.

Ralph Huffman, Jr.

Ralph Huffman Jr., the son of Ralph, Sr. and Goldie (Hammer) Huffman, was born September 9, 1929, at his parents’ home near Scranton, and died March 19, 2018, at the Friendship Home in Audubon, at the age of 88 years, 6 months, and10 days.
The family moved to Farlin, in 1936 where he attended school until the family moved to Coon Rapids, where he attended Coon Rapids High School. On January 3, 1947, he enlisted into the United States Army. During his tour of duty he was stationed in Panama. On January 5, 1950, he was honorably discharged and returned to Coon Rapids where he farmed.
On June 5, 1952, he was united in marriage to Winona Nielsen. They were blessed with two children, Patti and Larry. They farmed near Coon Rapids until they moved to Audubon in 1954. Ralph was employed as an auto mechanic for over 40 years working with Searl’s Chevrolet, Conklin Ford, and Larsen Ford. He retired in 1993 then worked part time at the Audubon County Courthouse until 2003.
Ralph and Winona enjoyed riding their motorcycle to motorcycle rallies in different parts of the country. He enjoyed stock car races and watching his son Larry race motorcross. He had a small woodworking shop and made many different items and enjoyed going to craft fairs. He loved being outside and enjoyed hunting and fishing, but most of all mowing his four acres of their lawn.
 

Ralph was preceded in death by his grandson Damon Huffman; his son-in-law Russ McCune; his parents; his brothers: Virgil Huffman, Kermit Huffman, and Ronald Huffman; and his half-brothers: Pat Lyons, Willard Lyons, and Richard Lyons.

Survivors include his wife Winona Huffman of Audubon; his children: Patti McCune of Omaha, NE, Larry and wife Sherrill Huffman of Audubon; his grandchildren: Christy Trout of Omaha, NE, Carrie and husband Jason Riley of Sarasota, FL, Kalin Huffman and fiancé Mike Birkel both of St. Paul, MN; his great grandchildren: Bryce Trout, Brenden Trout, and Brinley Trout all of Omaha, NE, and Cadyn Riley of Sarasota, FL; his half-brother Bill Lyons of Bedford; his sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Annie and husband Jerry Vincent of Jefferson, Judy and husband Dave Marques of Fort Collins, CO, and Marie Nielsen of Jefferson; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

52 Ancestors: #8 Jensene Marie (Nielsen) Sorensen

52 Ancestors: #8 Jensene Marie (Nielsen) Sorensen

This year, Amy Johnson Crow has issues a new 52 weeks blogging challenge:

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

on her No Story Too Small blog.


The challenge: To have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor. Not only should this get me blogging more, but also to take a deeper look at some of the people in my family tree.

My approach: I plan to make this a Tuesday Theme, and, use it to enhance my WikiTree ancestor profiles. That is, focus on a different ancestor on my WikiTree list of profiles, each week (include possibly adding new profiles), Great idea! Thanks to Randy Seaver's post for bringing this to my attention!

#8 Jensene Marie (Nielsen) Sorensen is #15 on my Ancestor Name (Ahnentafel) List, and is my great-grandmother. She married my great-grandfather, #7 Lauritz Christian Sorensen (1847-1922).
I am descended through:

* their daughter, #7 Dorthea (Dorothy) Kristine (Christine) Sorensen (1887-1982) who married
#6 Paul Harold Kinnick (1892-1968), through
* their daughter, #3 Mary Eileen Kinnick (1918 - 1999), who married #2 Delbert Leverne (Pete) Smith (1915 - 1977), to
* me, #1 William Leverne Smith (1939- …)

These are my Danish relatives, of course. They were both both in Denmark as was my grandmother, Dorothy, making me one-fourth Dane, by heritage!

We knew very little about Jensene, until a couple of years ago, except that she died about a year after coming to America, and was buried near Stuart, Iowa. I have visited the grave.

In the fall of 2011 (has it been that long ago, seems like yesterday!), our cousins in Denmark, Orla and Bente Poulsen, saw my posts, and sent some information, then photos, and now we know much more. Here is one of the first posts, about the home where she was born.

Here is a story about the tombstone of Jensene's parents. How wonderful to hear from cousins in Denmark. They, and several others, are now Facebook friends and we continue to communicate regularly. My daughter, Arrion, hopes to visit them, in Denmark, in the next year or two. Wonderful!


Families are Forever! ;-)

52 Ancestors: #7 Lauritz Christian Sorensen

52 Ancestors: #7 Lauritz Christian Sorensen

This year, Amy Johnson Crow has issues a new 52 weeks blogging challenge:

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

on her No Story Too Small blog.

The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor. Not only should this get me blogging more, but also to take a deeper look at some of the people in my family tree.

My approach: I plan to make this a Tuesday Theme, and, use it to enhance my WikiTree ancestor profiles. That is, focus on a different ancestor on my WikiTree list of profiles, each week (include possibly adding new profiles), Great idea! Thanks to Randy Seaver's post for bringing this to my attention!

Top row, left to right: Christian Otto, Dorthy Christine, Dagmar Rebecca (Delma)

Front row, left to right: Jensene, Louise Mildred (Louise), Lauritz

Most likely taken in Denmark just before their departure for America

#7 Lauritz Christian Sorensen (1847-1922) is #14 on my Ancestor Name (Ahnentafel) List, and is my great-grandfather. He married #15 Jensene Marie Nielsen (1852-1906) my great-grandmother.
I am descended through:

* their daughter, #7 Dorthea (Dorothy) Kristine (Christine) Sorensen (1887-1982) who married
#6 Paul Harold Kinnick (1892-1968), through
* their daughter, #3 Mary Eileen Kinnick (1918 - 1999), who married #2 Delbert Leverne (Pete) Smith (1915 - 1977), to
* me, #1 William Leverne Smith (1939- …)

These are my Danish relatives, of course. They were both both in Denmark as was my grandmother, Dorothy, making me one-fourth Dane, by heritage!

We have had this wonderful family photograph for many years, but it was only in recent years that we learned very much about their lives in Denmark, and that is still pretty sketchy. Fortunately, we do know quite about them once they arrived in the United States, and came directly to Stuart, Iowa. Their oldest son, Morris, was already living in Des Moines as a pharmacist, I believe, so that provided some stability.

The wife of Lauritz, Jensene (more about her and her family next week), died within a couple of years of arrival so we know almost nothing about her life here.

All we really know about Laurtiz, really, is that he raised a good family who adapted to life in America very well. He was already nearly 60 when they arrived, and he lived to be 75.



Families are Forever! ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - A Hundred Years Ago

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday

A Hundred Years Ago

 

"A Hundred Years Ago" is the title of The Helena Muffly Diary blog posted by Sheryl Lazarus each day.

I read these posts every single day. These are A Hundred Years Ago. I post my Mom's diary every day, 75 Years Ago Today.

What fun to see this ad appear, on Monday:

 

[Source noted on blog: Kimball’s Dairy Farmer Magazine (February 1, 1914)]

This ad, or one like it, is very likely one of the influences for many members of my maternal Grandmother's Sorensen family to move to Montana, about this time. Thank you, Sheryl.


Here is a link to a story I wrote, and some photos, of their times there.




Families are Forever! ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Sorensen Family Gathering at Smith Place - 1950

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday

Sorensen Family Gathering 

Smith Place - 1950

This is not going to be "nearly Wordless" - for sure. This image is very special to me, and I want to explain how I found it and then share some more about it. My daughter had a new "cousin contact" with a grand-daughter of the sister of my grandmother, Dorothy (Sorensen) Kinnick. This encouraged me to pull out the old black and white photos of the Sorensen family gatherings from the 1940s, etc. I had not looked at them in a long time.

In the process of doing that, this image of our farm house, in Iowa, popped up. It is the only image, of many we have of the farm at that time, that is from this particular view, and is especially meaningful to me, for several reasons. 

First, it is rare to see this "backyard fence" - more commonly photos are of people up by the house, with the house in the background; or, with the house to the back of the photographer.

Second. See this corner-post, far right. I distinctly remember "riding" that, like a horse, as a kid. Perhaps is was for a very brief time, after Dad put the post in, before he put up the wire. I was much younger, at the time of doing that, then when this photo was taken. Here, which is Fall 1950, I'd have been eleven - much too old to "ride a post!". In fact, Carol, the girl in the center, is the same age as me, within a month or so.

Third, this really shows development of the "house." Far left corner, of the house. Can you see the paint is a different color? That previously was an open front porch. It was removed, and a bathroom was added with a "formal front door and entrance." The bathroom was important in our lives. The "front door" was NEVER used. Everyone came into the kitchen on this side of the house, directly off the driveway, along the left, as you can see.

Finally, the biggest deal is, this "back porch" - see the difference in roof line? - was removed a year or so after this photo and a LARGE family room was built - we still called it the porch - that came about as far away from the house as to where the ladies are standing - with a big fire place on the right end! Quite an wonderful (and final) addition to the old farm house. Neat memories. Wonderful photo.

Let's take a look at a few more photos from that day - they had all been maintained fairly close together under SORENSEN.

The ladies, doing a dance-kick routine. They were all very musical. But, this seems ridiculous.

Another. Notice Carol and another lady joining in. Remember, we took very few photos, on a roll, in those days... we saved every one, no matter how bad!

Men/Guys standing around talking, out by the cars, in the driveway. How about those cars!! Buzzy, the one on the right, my "favorite" uncle (he and I spent a lot of time together as I was growing up!), owned the Mercury on the left. Alan Jackson wrote a song about "Riding in a Mercury" just like this one - in later years!

A bit of a close-up of the men - and a great view of the hen house, in the background!

And then, for some reason, a photo of Dad (left) and Mom (center) talking to another couple in the living room - I'm fairly sure they are not family, so, I assume it was just on the roll of film, and kept together!

One more thing. By comparing clothes on different folks, this is actually the same day as the Sorensen Family Group Photo (which I was actually looking for when I found these) from Fall 1950:

This was taken on the opposite corner of the front of the house. This is our farm, where I grew up. I'm just right of center, front row, just right of the lady in the white blouse. Brother, Tom (now T.K.) is right beside me, little guy, at the time. Brother Jim, in between, is to the right with white shirt.

On my Facebook page, I have shared this and several other group photos of this family going back over the years to 1940, when I was just a year old. Same families - you can watch all the kids grow - and show up, of course. What fun!

I love questions and comments - below, on Facebook, or via e-mail. Thanks! ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

The Book of Me, Written By You - Prompt 7: Grandparents

The Book of Me, Written By You
Prompt 7: Grandparents

"The Book of Me, Written By You" is a GeneaBloggers project created by Julie Goucher of the Anglers Rest blog.

The concept: A series of blogging and writing prompts that help family historians capture their own memories and write about themselves.

Prompt 7: Grandparents
 
What were their names?

Maternal: Paul H. and Dorothy C. (Sorensen) Kinnick
Paternal: William E. and Ella R. (Preston Ballard) Smith

Where were they from? [All spent their married years in Iowa, by the way]

• Paul Kinnick's paternal line is American back into the 1600s. His maternal grandfather was born in Wales.
• Dorothy Sorenson was born in Denmark.
• William E. Smith was born in the USA within 20 years of his father immigrating from Alcase, France, and his mother from Sweden.
• Ella Preston's lines all go back into early colonial America.

Were they related? - No, not even close - American melting pot! ;-)

Photos

This is how I remember Paul and Dorothy Kinnick, my maternal grandparents. I have lots of photos of them, just go to my labels and put in their first names to see a few of them. This was their little house in Bayard, Iowa - during the 1950s and 1960s, I suppose.

Not the greatest photo, but about the only one I have of them as adults, together (probably 1921-22). He worked hard on his farm and his machine shop - he was know far and wide as a water locator and driller. The machine shop on "the homeplace" is another whole story of its own! ;-) In the family, they were always Mom and "Pop."

This is Bill Smith, whom I was named after, about a year before he died, in 1938.

What did they do?

• Paul Kinnick was a bank cashier, primarily
• William Smith was a farmer as well as a well driller

Did you know them?

I grew up with my maternal grandparents, yes; all three of our daughters knew them as well, into adolescence. He lived to 75, she to 95.
My paternal grandfather died (at age 70) a few months after I was born; his wife had died about 25 years earlier. He did not remarry.

My additional comments: I was fortunate to know and be close to both a grandfather and a grandmother. They were each loving and caring in their own way. It is sad not to have known the other set; but I realize many folks go through life knowing none. I'm happy, as are my children.



Families are Forever!

Barbara Cowles Memorial Service/Obituary

Barbara Cowles Memorial Service/Obituary

 

 

Barbara was my 2nd cousin by way of my maternal grandmother Dorothy (Sorensen) Kinnick and her brother, Morris (Marius), grandfather of Barbara (Groth) Cowles (Nov 1931-Jan 2013). Our common ancestors were Lauritz and Jensene (Nielsen) Sorensen (Denmark > Iowa).

A memorial service was held for her on February 23, 2013, in Des Moines, Iowa, which I was unable to attend. Her sister, Carole, was kind enough to send me a copy of the program which contained a fuller obituary than that available from public, online sources. Thank you again, Carole. I've included as scan of that obit below.

I want to share one line from the obit:
"Barbara held intense fascination for genealogy and the pursuit of ancestral history with led to many wonderful photo albums, and volumes of historical data and interesting stories."

My wife and I received a Christmas Card and letter from Barbara every year for many, many years with each update in her family, and we exchanged the same with her. Our Christmas letter this year was among the first her sister, Carole, found among her things in January, and contacted us directly. We were so grateful.

Here is one of my favorite old photos, from then 1940s, with my Mom and Dad, in Des Moines, visiting with Carole and Barbara at the home of their parents, Pearl and Alton Groth, in Beaverdale.

 

 

A graduation photo of Barbara:

The obituary from the Memorial Service:

[Click for enlarged image]

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - 2nd Great Grandparents Tombstone in Denmark

Treasure Chest Thursday

2nd Great Grandparents Tombstone in Denmark

From Bente Poulsen, our cousin in Denmark: "It is the tomb stone of Jensine Nielsen's parents in Hvorup paris church cemetery - family grave."

My mother - Eileen Kinnick Smith (1918-1999)
My grandmother - Dorothy Sorensen Kinnick (1887-1982)
My great-grandmother - Jensine Nielsen Sorensen (1852-1906)


How neat! Thanks!


Families are Forever! ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Paul, Dorothy, and Leo - 1917

Treasure Chest Thursday - Paul, Dorothy, and Leo - 1917

I recently came across this photo, that I don't believe I have shared previously, at least not here.

Leo (the baby) was born March 1917 - he is now 95, of course, as we have shared here, earlier.

Parents are Paul and Dorothy (Sorensen) Kinnick - my maternal grandparents. I can think of no other photo I have of them within a couple of years of this particular photo - which makes it that much more special! What a treasure!  ;-)

My mother, Eileen, was born in December 1918, of course; to put it in perspective. Their third child (last), Buzzy, was born in August of 1928. All three were born in Coon Rapids, Iowa, of course.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Grandma Dorothy and her violin

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday

Grandma Dorothy and her violin

This is a December 1970 photo of my maternal Grandmother, Dorothy (Sorensen) Kinnick playing her violin at my parent's home on the farm near Coon Rapids, Iowa. She would have been 83 at the time. Oh, the memories!  ;-)


Families are Forever! ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Barbara and Carol Groth w/Eileen and Pete

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday

Barbara and Carol Groth w/Eileen and Pete

Photo from perhaps 1948, in 'Beaverdale' -in northwest Des Moines, Iowa

Pete and Eileen (Kinnick) Smith visit the Groth family - the two girls are Barbara (left) and Carol (right); Carol is a month or so younger that I am... gauged the date by that. The girls are daughters of Alton and Pearl (Sorensen) Groth. Eileen and Pearl were first cousins; Dorothy, Eileen's mother, and Morris, Pearl's father, were brother and sister.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Follow Friday - 52 Weeks - Family Traditions

Follow Friday - 52 Weeks - Family Tradition

52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy - Week 23

52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy 2012 prompts suggested by Amy Coffin; thanks, Amy!



Week 23: Family Traditions: For which family tradition are you most thankful? How did the tradition start? Which family members have been responsible for keeping the tradition alive and how has it shaped your own family history?

This challenge runs from Sunday, June 3 through Saturday, June 9, 2012.

Annual gathering of extended family - both maternal lines: Kinnick-Williams and Sorensen
I have written previously about the Kinnick-Williams picnics… I have a photo as early as 1932; they were annual events throughout the 1940s and 1950s as I was growing up. Although they have missed a few years, as people got older, this was renewed, last year (I was able to attend) and I just got a call from my uncle it will be held again next week (I will not be able to attend).
http://drbilltellsancestorstories.blogspot.com/2009/12/wordless-nearly-wednesday-annual.html
On the Sorensen (my maternal grandmother's family) the organization was not as formal, but they met fairly regularly. Here is one from the 1949:

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Sorensen's in Montana

Treasure Chest Thursday - Sorensen's in Montana

In honor of my cousin from Denmark, Flemming Pedersen, visiting the United States for a few months, I am publishing to day some old photos of the Sorensen familiy (our connecting relatives) in Montana in 1918 - the mother and father had arrived in the USA from Denmark in 1905. They only stayed in Montana a short time before the returned to Iowa where they mostly lived out their lives - but they enjoyed their Montana stay, while they were there.

The primary characters in this drama are Pearl (b. 1906, IA) and her brother, Richard (b. 1907, IA). I knew Pearl well, as an adult, in my early years. I did not get a chance to know Richard (he died too young). They are children of my great-uncle, Marius (we knew him as Morris, in Iowa - he was a Pharmacist in Des Moines as I was growing up). Morris was the older brother of my mother's mother, Dorothy Sorensen (Kinnick).

Perhaps my favorite of the photos:

This appears to be the same auto - the people are not identified, but they are family members, presumably...

Here is Richard...

And, Pearl...

This is Pearl, a few years later... perhaps high school graduation...

This looks a bit more like I remember her... just add 25-35 years and a few children...  ;-)

Aw, the memories....

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Rasmus and Louise in Denmark

Treasure Chest Thursday - Rasmus and Louise in Denmark

It is always a pleasant surprise, even to me, to see what photo I sometimes choose to declare at 'Treasure Chest' - this is 1958, when Louise (Sorensen) and Rasmus Nielsen were able to visit their homeland of Denmark. Each was born in Denmark and emigrated at a young age. Both carried their strong Danish accents through out their lives. They played a large role in my life through our extended family in my early years. Louise was a sister of my maternal grandmother, Dorothy (Sorensen) Kinnick.


Families are Forever! ;-)

Eileen KINNICK - 75 yrs ago - Week 17 - April 24-30, 1937

Eileen KINNICK
75 yrs ago
Week 17 - April 24-30, 1937

My mother, Eileen KINNICK (maiden name), kept a diary from 1932 until her death in 1999. In Feb 2005, I created a website of her 1936 diary, the year she graduated from high school. During the latter half of 2011, commented weekly on these entries.
For 1937, I am transcribing the daily entries, currently, at The KINNICK Project surname blog.

In this weekly blog post, I will make summary comments and observations, and perhaps add a photo, from time to time. Starting here with Week 10, I am switching to the week ending on Friday.
Setting: The family lived in a farmhouse a couple of miles out of town (Coon Rapids, Iowa). Older brother, Leo, lived at home; his girl friend, later wife, Ida, visited regularly. Younger brother, Buzzy (she often wrote Bussy) was 9 years old. Pete Smith is her 'boy friend' - fourth month starting Jan 1 (they do marry, in Mar 1938).

Week 17 (Apr 24-30): A while back, I shared some information on my grandparents, Eileen's Mom and Dad, Paul and Dorothy (SORENSEN) KINNICK, and their residences in their early married life, as well as later. Part of that was a quote I had recorded a number of years ago from one of her letters. Here is the quote:

"In regard to the little white house that sits east of Shirbroun's big barn; My grandpa Sorensen & 4 children came here from Denmark in 1912. My mother, Dorothy, married my Dad, Paul H. Kinnick in 1914. Rasmus Nielsen (a relative of Jens Jensen) came a little later. My Aunt Louise Sorensen lived with her Dad (my grandfather) & he built that little house for them to live in & run a dairy. Rasmus married Louise & they had 3 children born in that little house: Karl Nielsen, lives south of Coon & drove a CRB bus until 2 years ago, Howard Nielsen, lives in Omaha, Paul Nielsen, who commited suicide 10 years ? ago. Darrell Nielsen, Glidden, is another brother & they had 4 girls, too. My Dad had uncle Lem Williams, the iceman, build the stucco house & Leo Kinnick & I were born there - Leo in 1917 & I came along in 1918. Buzz was born in 1928 on Main Street where Irene Fick lives."

I just came across, in the Coon Rapids Enterprise (as I often do, when looking for something else!)[Feb 23, 2012 edition], the following article regarding that Shirbroun's Dairy "big barn."

75 Years Ago
February 12, 1937

"Shirbroun’s Dairy is going out of business. After serving the people of this community for some 14
years they have decided to quit and are advertising a dispersal sale of their fine herd of 71 Guernsey
cattle to be held at the farm just south of town on Monday, February 22. In addition to their dairy here they are also selling all the dairy equipment including milking machines, separators, cooling tanks, delivery truck and other articles. This dairy farm has the finest equipment in this section of the state. The big barn has stanchion for 36 head of cows and besides that will hold 125 tons of hay, 2,000 bushels of oats, 25 tons of bailed straw and have room to spare. Everything on the farm is run by electricity and it is modern in every respect but because of illness in the family and the stress of other work it is going out of business. Because of the large offering it will no doubt be a big sale."


I will include here the poor image from the earlier web site. The barn in question is at the left center. The little white house is just to the east of it, hardly visible. The G&T corn processing plant, south of town, is at the bottom; most of the photo is the town of Coon Rapids, from the south, looking north(west).

Comments welcomed! 

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Surname Saturday - Nielsen in Denmark to Nelson in USA

Surname Saturday

Nielsen in Denmark to Nelson in USA

A few months ago I was fortunate to hear from a 'new to me' cousin in Denmark kind enough to share a couple of generations worth of my family history with me, on my 'shortest' family line. I am one quarter Dane (maternal grandmother born in Denmark), so this was wonderful news, and I made a couple of posts, here and here.

Well, as the Internet would have it, another 'new to me' cousin, Trine, in Denmark, was surfing the web, as we all do from time to time, these days, it seems, and what does she find: "Nielsen home in Denmark" - my blog post. And her email says: That is the house my husband and children and I live in now!

Obviously, this started a new round of emails, exchanges of photos, and family history discussions. She also, early on, mentioned she had a uncle who had come to the USA about 1900 and really didn't know much about him… but she thought he had taken the name of Nelson when he came, rather than Nielsen that he had been born into. His given name was Christian, but from scans of postcards he had sent, it was clear he used Christ Nelson over here. To her, she thought of him as 'her rich American uncle!' - though he really wasn't, of course. So, my research began, with many false starts - that is a really common name, even restricted to one state! And, of course, it turned out to be the wrong state, as well! [I did actually locate him in the 1930 census, before I confirmed it was his family with Flemming, below - but there was much, much more to the story; much still unknown.]

Before long, she mentioned 'her cousin' who did the family history work in the family. We have now caught up with him, and many things become clearer… for each of us. Flemming, the cousin knew more about the 'rich American uncle' than Trine realized; she just hadn't asked. So, now, it turns out, I know 2 third-cousins in Denmark, and there are a 'flock of them' near St. Paul, Minnesota - that Flemming has visited. Small world, huh? Common great-great grandparents. By the way, Flemming did not realize that my great-grand mother (his great aunt) and my grandmother had emigrated to America, also, in the first decade of the 1900s, only a few years after their Christ Nelson. That was nice to be able to share with him.

So, for one more story. Christ Nelson was one of five brothers - who would have been first cousins of my grandmother, Dorothy Sorensen Kinnick. Here they are, in about 1896:

Sons of Morten (brother of my great-grandmother, Jensene Nielsen Sorensen):

Niels b. 19 May 1877
Peder b. 20 Sep 1878
M. Christian b. 14 Oct 1879
Marius b. 28 Mar 1881
Anders b. 1 Jun 1882

Christian - Marius
     Anders
Niels - Peder

Finally, Flemming is in regular communication with Orla and Bente that I communicated with a few months ago, that got this cycle started. Much of their detailed family information actually came from him. Small world, all over again. And, it will continue.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Sentimental Sunday - Nielsen home in Denmark

Sentimental Sunday

Nielsen home in Denmark

From our cousins, Orla and Bente Poulsen, in Denmark, we have now received this photo of home of my great-grandmother, Jensine (Nielsen) Sorensen (b. 1852). She, and each of her siblings, were born in this home. This photo from about 1950, I am told. The original photo from Anders Nielsen, son of Jensine's brother, Morten (b. 1848). Anders is grandfather of Orla Pousen.

The area of the farm in Hvorup parish was known as Hvorup Mill. The Mill itself was on the other side of the street on a hill top. Morten Nielsen (d. there 1931) needed the wind to power the mill. Later came electricity. The mill is no longer there. Today, the Mill area and the fields as well are a part of a big military area, per their note.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Surname Saturday - KRAG married SORENSEN

Surname Saturday

KRAG married SORENSEN

As first reported recently in this July 31 Sentimental Sunday post and following a series of discussion with our new found cousins in Denmark, we now have the names of both the parents of my mother's maternal grandparents, Lauritz and Jensene (NIELSEN) SORENSEN, including maiden names in each case. Over the past two weeks, we talked of her parents, Niels CHRISTENSEN and Maren Kristine MORTENSDATTER (as well as learning about Danish naming patterns).

Today, we will share the brief information obtained on Lauritz's parents: Anders Christian SORENSEN and his wife, Dorthea KRAG.

It is first interesting to note that neither of these families followed the Danish naming conventions. The father of my great-grandfather Lauritz Christian SORENSEN was Anders Christian SORENSEN (b. act 1807, Aalborg, Denmark; d. 14 Jun 1886, Vor Frue parish, Aalborg, Denmark).

Lauritz's mother was Dorthea KRAG (b. act 1808, Aalborg, Denmark; d. unknown)

Anders and Dorthea were married 8 Apr 1831, Sonder Tranders parish, Aalborg, Denmark - the 'family' story has it that he was a widower at his death. He was a small farmer in Aalborg, Osterbro 12. [Aalborg is sometime spelled with one A and sometimes Aa - I will generally use Aa in my writing. Osterbro 12 is a location address.]

They had two children (that we know of, so far):

1. Anne Dorthea, b. 3 Jun 1834, Vor Frue parish, Aalborg, Denmark; d. unknown
2. Lauritz Christian, b. 9 Apr 1847, Aalborg, Denmark; d. 15 Aug 1922, Coon Rapids, Carroll Co, Iowa (my hometown!)

One more note: Dorthea KRAG - a daughter, Anne Dorthea - Lauritz named his first daughter, my grandmother, Dorthea Kristine…  ;-)


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Surname Saturday - CHRISTENSEN

Surname Saturday

CHRISTENSEN

My mother's mother's mother was Jensene Marie NIELSEN, born in Denmark. As I reported in that Dec 2009 post, "This is my 'shortest line.' That has now been modified, as first reported recently in this July 31 Sentimental Sunday post. Following a series of discussions with our new found cousins in Denmark, we now have the names of both the parents of Jensene and of her husband, Lauritz SORENSEN, including maiden names in each case.

Today, we will share the brief information obtained on Jensene's father, Niels CHRISTENSEN (Kudsk).

At this point, a discussion of Scandinavian family name etymology is necessary. Heritable family names (surnames) were generally adopted rather late within Scandinavia. In Denmark, the most common Danish family name surnames are patronymic and end in -sen; in our case NIELSEN. [scroll down on the wikipedia reference to see the most common surnames in Denmark; NIELSEN is #2 and SORENSEN is #8].

So, Jensene Marie NIELSEN, my great-grandmother, had a father named Niels CHRISTENSEN. The 'Kudsk' at the end of his name, sometimes, in the record, means 'coachman' - to help distinguish who was being referenced. [In this case, my cousin shares: 'They took the name because back in 1743 his ancestor worked as a coachman for the Lord at Rodslet Manor, the job went from father to son and so on.]

Niels was born 19 Sep 1817, Hvorup parish, Aalborg, Denmark, and died 24 Mar 1867, Hvorup parish, Aalborg, Denmark.

He married Maren Kristine MORTENSDATTER. She was born 26 Jan 1823, Hvorup parish, Aalborg, Denmark and died 29 Mar 1915, Hvorup parish, Aalborg, Denmark.

They had 7 children (with known information):

1. Christen, b. 19 Dec 1846; d. 10 Nov 1865
2. Morten, b. 9 Sep 1848; d. 3 Dec 1931 - ancestor of my cousin in Denmark
3. Karen, b. 4 Aug 1850; d. unk
4. Jensene Marie, b. 20 Aug 1852; d. 1906 - my g-grandmother
5. Rebekka, b. 3 Apr 1856; d. 2 Dec 18676
6. Caroline, b. 23 Nov 1858; d. unk
7. Else Marie, b. 23 Jan 1864; d. 1924

NOTE: Based on this new information from Denmark, 3 surnames have been added to PAGE TWO of the blog listing my surnames through the 3rd Great-Grandparents.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

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!  ;-)