P.J. Swenson
October 27, 2023 No Comments
My great-grandmother Clara wrote in her journal about her uncle 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗦𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻 who lived in Carver, Minnesota. The first image is an old photograph she had of him seated next to my great-great-grandfather dated “March 20, 1904.” On the back is written “Carl Göran Swenson and his brother John Swenson of Carver.” She called him […]
Daniel Boone
October 26, 2023 No Comments
My fifth great-granduncle married the grand-niece of legendary frontiersman 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗻𝗲 on October 4, 1810. A decade later, Boone sat for his first ever portrait at the age of 85. He had to be steadied by a friend while famed American portraitist Chester Harding painted him in June 1820. The original oil sketch on canvas […]
Carl Göran Svensson
October 25, 2023 No Comments
This is a portrait of my great-great-grandfather 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗹 𝗚𝗼̈𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻. He was born to Sara Greta Jönsdotter and Sven Persson on December 18, 1831 in Högstad, Mjölby, Östergötland, Sweden. He immigrated to America in 1883. He was an expert carpenter, cabinetmaker, and furniture maker. His son Carl Erick, known by his nickname “Charlie,” was a […]
William Riley Maynard, Spanish-American War Veteran
October 19, 2023 No Comments
This is a colorized photograph of my 1st cousin (three generations removed), 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗥𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗱. He was an officer in the United States Army who served during the 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵-𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝗿. The conflict originated while Cuba was in a war for independence from Spain. After violence between Cuban rebels and pro-Spanish loyalists escalated on January 12, […]
Marion Crider and Naomi “Oma” Maynard
October 18, 2023 No Comments
The first image is a portrait of my great-great-grandparents from my paternal grandmother’s side: 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 and 𝗡𝗮𝗼𝗺𝗶 “𝗢𝗺𝗮” 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗱. Both were originally from Eastern Kentucky. Marion was born on June 30, 1856 while Oma was born on November 8, 1863. She belonged to the 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 of Appalachia. After the Civil War, her family […]
Johan Håkansson
October 14, 2023 3 Comments
My great-great-grandfather Johan Håkansson was 17 years old when he emigrated from Sweden to America in 1875. He embarked from Gothenburg on a steamship and settled as a farmer in Minnesota. I finally found the Gothenburg passenger list for my great-great-grandfather Johan Håkansson who emigrated from Virestad, Kronoberg, Småland, Sweden to America in 1875. This […]
Clara Hokanson
October 12, 2023 No Comments
The first image is a photograph of my great-grandmother 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗮. According to the words inscribed on the back, she was 20 years old when this photograph was taken in 1901. She was born to Carl Göran Svensson and Mathilda Rydberg on June 7, 1881 in Högstad, Mjölby, Östergötland, Sweden. The second image is a photograph […]