Nelson Jonnes Died a Decade Ago Today

My father, Nelson Jonnes (1926-2011), passed away on 7 November 2011.  He was 85 and would have been 95 today. On the occasion of Dad's 80th birthday bash in 2006, I created a certificate in PowerPoint detailing many of his life accomplishments. …

The Lost Township of Northampton

Empires rise, empires fall, boundaries shift, names change.  Every genealogist encounters past jurisdictions that no longer exist.  Only 150 odd years ago, Germany was a patchwork of 39 kingdoms, duchies, and principalities.  As a result,…

Distant Cousins with Familiar Names, Part II

I had the good fortune of connecting this summer with two distant cousins who share very rare surnames from my family tree: Tabele Wührlin A previous post told the story of my new Tabele cousin.((See it here.))  This post discusses…
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My Vermilyea Cousin in Fairbanks, Alaska

Lucia and I flew to Alaska last month! It was an amazing trip and we hope to return.  We encourage anyone who has not been to consider it.  It is as advertised - majestically beautiful and naturally wilder than any place in the lower 48. …

Distant Cousins with Familiar Names, Part I

This summer, I fortuitously connected with two distant cousins who share unusual surnames from my family tree: Tabele Wührlin The Tabele family is a branch in my father's tree; the Wührlin family is a branch in my mother's.  This…

Probate Discovery: Mrs. Caroline S. King (1860-1932)

Now that Shuping and I summer in Minnesota, I was hoping to take advantage of our proximity to local genealogical records. Last week was my first chance to do so.  We made a day trip north to Grand Rapids, Minnesota and obtained the probate…

Squatters in Ross County, Ohio

I've neglected my blog for two months.  But I have a good excuse.  We've been busy working on our new lake cabin and getting it furnished.  A very productive and fun time, actually, but I'm ready to dive back in now. Irish-American Robert…
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New Article Published

I have a new publication out! The Summer 2021 issue of the Minnesota Genealogist includes an article about my great-grandaunt Maren Olsdatter Bønsmoen (1860-1907). Click this link to spawn a pdf copy which may be downloaded:   MGS Summer…

A Dream Come True

Once upon a time there was a Chinese girl named Shuping.((Shu is pronounced like "shoe" and Ping as in "ping-pong."))  She was born in Communist China and raised during the Cultural Revolution. At the height of Mao's tyranny, no Western…

1887 Family Reunion Corroborates King-Hopkins Link

I'll be driving to Minnesota in a couple weeks to enjoy our lake cabin.  On the way, I'm going to spend two days in the Akron, Ohio area conducting research on my King, Dunlap, and Hopkins ancestry.  Another genealogy road trip! Hypothetical…