Wistful Wednesday : Connections To The Past

I have been doing some work on Far Guys Paternal Family Tree. I added an obituary to a family member at Find A Grave and got a reply from a gal who is a “cousin”.  Her Great Grandmother and Far Guy’s Great Grandmother were sisters.  She has some bits and pieces of Family History, I shared by email the photos that I have scanned.

She shared those photos with her 94 year old Mother who was thrilled to see them.

“She says she remembers her grandmother Trace  (Theresa Marie) who retired to a house across the street and up a hill from where my mother lived in Persia, Iowa. She owned a cow, and she liked to milk it.   My mother said she would take a pail to grandma Trace's and she would fill the pail with fresh milk.”

That is Theresa Marie way on the right and Far Guys Great Grandmother Martha Jane sitting down on the right.

I see one of John’s Granddaughters in Park Rapids from time to time. The next time I see her I will have to tell her I heard from a cousin!

There were twelve children in this family, ten survived to adulthood.

Fred was a bachelor all his life.  Amelia had eight children but they all remained single. Rosa had no children.  So some of these family branches end with the people in the photo.

Thanks to Far Guy’s Grandma for being a saver of papers, I have been transcribing obituaries to Find A Grave one by one.  I also added this photo.

I have many questions about this family, I know there is a book out there called Persia Centennial 1883 –1983 or Persia 100 years written by the people of Persia Iowa.  Someday I hope to find a copy. 

Two cousins, Eileen and Vivetta  wrote a book about this family a number of years ago.  It was called the Smart Aleck, we inherited a copy and are very thankful for it and the history it holds.

Right now I am just trying to get what I know down in an orderly fashion.  I am trying not to go down “the rabbit trails” and get steered off course until I have more general information in place…birth, deaths, correct names…etc.