Favorite photos

 The theme for this week's #52ancestorsin52weeks is "Favorite Photo." Looking through the family photos I've been lucky enough to acquire over the past few years I've come up with a few favorites. Most of these have been graciously shared with me. I very much appreciate the generosity. 

The first photo I really like is one of my grandmother and grandfather when they were dating, and my grandmother's older brother. On the left is Howard Strand, my granduncle. Kneeing is my grandmother, Viola Strand. Standing on the right is my grandfather, Raymond Henrickson. The photo is dated August 11, 1939. I love this photo because I think all 3 just look really cool. They're young and look like they're ready for an adventure. Grandma is even wearing pants and heels. Very fashion forward for the day. Howard was 18. Viola was 16, one month away from turning 17. Ray was 26. Viola and Ray would get married April 20, 1940. 

Moving back in time, another photo I really like is this one of my great grandfather Carl Strand, circa 1917. He's about 16 years old and he's leaning against a plow in the field. I like this one because I think the expression on his face seems to capture his personality. I only remember meeting him once, but from what I've learned about him, he seems to have been a serious, hard working man. Not that he didn't have faults, we all do, but he seems to have tried to do the best he could with what he had. Life wasn't easy for him, but he tried his best. Carl is Viola and Howard's father. 

Going back in time again, this time to about 1903. It's a picture of the Strand and Pulsipher families. My great, great grandmother Mary Elizabeth "Matie" Strand is in the dead center of the photo. Her husband, and my great, great grandfather William Strand is on the extreme right. The small boy beside him is my great grandfather Carl Strand. I like this one because it has Matie right in the middle of the picture. Everyone has their eyes on her. What is she going to do? What is she thinking? She's the star of the show! The other people in the picture are members of the Pulsipher family, and the Strand family. 

The last favorite photo I'm going to show today is another one of Matie and William Strand. This one was taken with them and their first child, daughter Eva Wilhelmina. Eva was born April 20, 1899, so I'm assuming the picture was taken a few months later that year. Once again, it's a picture of a young, happy couple. They have their first born child and the whole world is open to them. Eva Wilhelmina also happens to be named after both of her grandmothers. Matie's mother was Eva Brownell, and William's mother was Wilhelmina Gley. 

I'm always looking for family photos. Sometimes the people in them are known, sometimes not. I've actually been able to solve a few photo mysteries by comparing known photos, looking at dates and places, and by documentation. 

What are some of your favorite photos? Leave a question or comment below, or email me.

Favorite Find

 The theme for this week's blog post is "Favorite Find." When I first started researching my family, there was one piece of paper I was more excited to find than any other. That was the ship's passenger log containing the names of my Great, great, great grandparents Carl and Wilhelmine Strandt. Seeing their names on the passenger list of the ship coming into New York City on November 17, 1871 gave me such a thrill. That is when their life in Germany ended and their new life in America began. It was when the Strandt's came to America. They were real people. It listed the entire family, ages, and year of birth. I also discovered that William had 1 brother and 2 sisters born in Germany. 

Carl Strandt and family is listed at the very bottom.

Soon after I found the passenger list from when they sailed from Hamburg, Germany to England.

Carl Strandt and family is listed at the top.

This record contained where the family lived in Germany, Carl's occupation, and how they traveled. Also, final destination.

I've also been able to find the travel papers for my Great, great, great grandparents  Carl and Ulrika Anderson. Malvina Anderson's parents.

Carl and Ulrika are near the bottom. 

This tells us where they lived prior to coming to America, and their ages. Place of final destination, and the name of the ship, which was the "Orlando." 

I was also able to find the passenger list of the ship coming into New York City that carried Sven G. H. Johansson. AKA George S. Henrickson. He traveled through Copenhagen after leaving Sweden to come to America. He was 17 years old, a worker, and carried 1 piece of baggage. 

Sven is #384.

I also found Sven G. H. on the Swedish register of immigrants. He left from Malmo, lived in Moheda, and his ticket was bought and paid for him. This ticket would pay for his entire journey from Sweden through to New York City. 

Sven G. H. is #846.

There are a lot of other exciting finds I've made, but I'm always thrilled when I can find the names of ancestors on passenger lists. It took so much courage to leave everything they knew behind them and come start a new life in a new country, with a new language and new ways of doing things. Often times they were leaving family and friends behind. They all traveled in steerage with other immigrants also hoping for a new and better life. It was a hard and treacherous journey, but they were courageous. Without them taking the chance, none of us would be here. 

Lucy Collier Foster

 New year. New blog post!

January 6 was in the news a lot this week. For our family, January 6 has a different meaning. For on January 6, 1838 Lucy Collier married Archibald Foster in Lorrain, Ohio. Archibald Foster and Lucy Collier were the parents of Loretta Foster. Loretta married David Bellinger of Allegan, Michigan after he returned home from fighting in the Civil War. David and Loretta were the grandparents of Mildred Bellinger Strand. 

Lucy Collier was born in most likely New York to unknown parents. I've seen some names mentioned by others, but I don't have records yet to prove who her parents really were. She may also have been born in Vermont. Most records state her birth as New York, though. At some point, with her family I assume, she moved to Ohio. At the age of 20 she married Archibald Foster. Archibald was born in 1799 in New York and moved to Lorrain, Ohio. At the age of 29, in 1828 he married Eliza Mann and began his family. They had 4 children over the next 9 years. Eliza died in August of 1837. Just 3 months after giving birth to a daughter.  On January 6, 1838, Archibald married Lucy Collier, who was just 20 years old. 

A son was born next March, 1839. Loretta was born May 24, 1841. All together, 5 children were born to Archibald and Lucy in Ohio. The 1850 census finds the entire family living in Ohio. Archibald is listed as a shoemaker. With 9 children living with him and Lucy, it's probably a good thing he can make their own shoes. 

 

For some reason, new opportunity perhaps, the family moves to Michigan. In 1855 Son Franklin is born in Michigan. In 1857 the youngest child in the family, Eva, is born. The 1860 census finds them living in Trowbridge. Archibald is listed as a farmer with $50 personal estate. His son George is married and lives nearby.

 Most of the older children are living on their own, including Loretta. Loretta is working as the servant of a merchant in Allegan. A Mr. John Jones and his family. Jones has a personal estate worth $4000.

The 1870 census finds Archibald and Lucy living by themselves in Trowbridge. Archibald's real estate is estimated to be worth $200 and his personal wealth is listed as $150.

Archibald passes away September 11, 1872 from unknown causes. He was 73 years old. Lucy passes away on May 18, 1873. Just less than a year later, at the age of 55. Her cause of death was listed as spinal fever. I'm not sure but it's probably what we call spinal meningitis today. Spinal fever was listed quite a bit as a cause of death. 

As with most women, I haven't been able to find much on Lucy herself. All the stories and records are told through the men. I did recently come across a picture of Lucy though. Lucy and one of her sisters. Lucy is on the right.

Lucy and Archibald are my 4x great grandparents. One of my goals this year is to find more information on this branch of the family tree. Hopefully to trace Archibald and Lucy back to their immigrant ancestors.