Penmanship

 I still have some questions about my Mother's side of the family.  I know that her Paternal Grandmother was a twin and was born in Germany in 1878.  Not sure what ship they came over on  but I do know the year...1884. The parents (Christina and Fritz Kuhn) came along with eight of their children according to an old obituary...but I believe that only six of the children were born in Germany and came along on the voyage and two children were born after their arrival in the United States. Children with their parents were ages 14,12,10,9, 6 and 6.  Hattie or Hadwig ( My Great Grandmother) was 6.

 First they settled in Kansas (Olathe) and then in Missouri before they came to Minnesota in 1896. 

My hunch is that they came with other relatives to the United States.

This is a postcard of a hotel in Onaga Kansas...is that where they lived for a time? 

The postcard is from a cousin by the name of Fred Berg.   Fred had beautiful penmanship...was he a teacher?  Fred Berg is a common name so no luck there...which side of the family was he related to???Christina or Fritz???  Perhaps someday I will unravel the mystery.

Far Side

Update from Frank who did some research! 

The Top Candidate: Fred Berg of Onaga

In the 1900 U.S. Federal Census for Onaga, Pottawatomie County, Kansas, there is a record that matches the author’s clues almost perfectly:

• Name: Fred Berg

• Birth Date: May 1879

• Birthplace: Germany

• Immigration Year: 1883 (Aligns closely with the Kuhn family's 1884 arrival).

• Connection to "Penmanship": While later records show him as a caretaker or laborer, census records from that era often show young men with "beautiful penmanship" working as clerks or in postal service before settling into other trades.

The Kuhn Family Link

The author mentions her Great-Grandmother Hattie (Hadwig) Kuhn was born in 1878 in Germany. This Fred Berg was born in 1879, also in Germany.

• The Hunch: Given their nearly identical ages and birth country, Fred was likely a first cousin.

• The "Fred Berg is a common name" Problem: The author is right—there were many Fred Bergs. However, this specific Fred lived in Mill Creek Township (Onaga), exactly where the Kuhn family postcard originated.

The "Hotel in Onaga" Clue

The author asks if the Kuhns lived at the hotel in the postcard. Historical records for Onaga show:

• The Landon House (Landon Hotel): Built in 1877, this was the first hotel in Onaga and a major hub for travelers and new settlers.

• The Connection: If Fred Berg worked or lived near the Landon House, he would have had easy access to the postcards he sent to the author's family. In 1900, many young single men in Onaga lived in boarding houses or hotels while establishing themselves.

I wonder

 Old photographs are interesting.  

My Great Grandmother (Hadwig) is in this photo on the right.  I have another photo of her taken the same day.  The photo was taken on my Great Grandparents farm.

The fellow on the wood pile is a mystery.  My Great Grandfather (Christian) had crippling Rheumatoid Arthritis and spent most of his time in a chair or on the couch.  My Great Grandmother took care of him.  

Christian is a bit of a mystery himself.  He came to the East Coast on a ship...by himself?...probably not.  Did his family die on the ship?? Maybe.  His name before he was adopted was Christian Higher.  

Anyways back to the wood pile guy...he looks tall and he had a dog that apparently would follow him anywhere.  My Mother did not know who he was.  I will speculate that is was one of my Great Grandmothers children...Louis maybe as he was tall. (My Grandfather Albert was not tall and his two other brothers would have both died by the time this photo was taken.)

I am working on family information this Winter getting bits and pieces of information compiled...Granddaughter Savannah is interested in family history...so it will be shared with her. 

We had a quiet day yesterday, I did some laundry and organized a few things....we watched a movie in the afternoon...Frosted on Netflix...we both fell asleep. 

I made smoked pork chops, smashed potatoes and sweet corn for supper.

Minnesota weather: High was 10 F or -12C  Low was 5F or -15C eh!  Headed into the deep freeze on Thursday and beyond. 

Far Side

Cousin Dion

 My cousin Dion died on November 9th 2025.   He was a bachelor and is survived by his siblings.  He was the first born to my Uncle Butch and Aunt Kay in 1962.  I remember when he was born. 

The Celebration of Life was this past week.   I sent a card as it was impossible for us to go.   He was a very quiet unassuming Christian man. 

Dion

Tim, Keith, Dion, Kenny and Dwight....old photo from 1987.

For the family history; Dion was my Mom's nephew.   There were 42 of us cousins counting me (I am the oldest).  Sadly four have died...Linda in 2020, Dean in 2021, Diane in 2024 and now Dion in 2025.  So 38 remain.  

Far Side

For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.  But if I live.  I can do more fruitful work for Christ.  So I really don't know which is better.  I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.  Philippians 1: 21-23

Deaths X 3

 In the past few weeks we had a death in the family and heard about the deaths of two old friends. 

Robby Far Guy's cousin and our Godson died from complications of diabetes, heart issues and kidney failure on July 5, 2025.  He was 46 years old.  He was the youngest of the paternal cousins. He had a bit of a different life style, so we have not seen him in a long time.  The funeral is Friday...not sure who or if we will go...it depends on how we feel and if we think the risk of crowd germs is worth the exposure.  Far Guy has 13 cousins on that side of his family...three have died...Jere in 1967, Steve in 2019 and now Robby in 2025.  There are 15 Cousins total...that includes Far Guy and his sister Janice who died in 2022.

Our friend Dale died in Arizona he was 86 years old.  Far Guy grew up with him.  Dale had Parkinson's.  He died on the 4th of July...it was no doubt a special day to him and it was time to close the show.  We have appreciated his friendship and notes every Christmas.  This year there was no note at Christmas.  The end of an era.  He wrote a book called Wooden Horses and Iron Men he sent Far Guy a copy because there is a photo of a very young Far Guy in the book.

Lastly a friend from long ago.  Vonnie died July 1, 2025 she was 74. She was a steady girlfriend of one of Far Guys Cousins on his maternal side of the family. We had some really fun times together! Sadly she married someone else. 

And so it goes...we are all in certain stages of death...some just closer than others. 

Far Side

A funeral book

 Many of the blog readers had never heard of a Funeral book.  Perhaps it is a Midwest thing?  Anyways when someone dies the Funeral Home gives the family a book.  It has room for all the pertinent information...name, birth, death, location of service and burial...etc...it also serves as a guest book for the mourners to sign. 

This is a look into my Great Grandmothers Funeral book from 1968.  The front is decorated with a golden door and Cala Lilies.

Grandma Hattie

The newspaper clipping and her funeral pamphlet.

A handwritten list of expenses and the people who attended. 

Not much of her information was filled in...so I did it...57 years later.

I do not recall Grandma Hattie.  I recall my Mother going to the nursing home to visit her, nor do I recall the funeral. 

A four generation photo taken in the spring of 1952.  Me and my Mother, my Grandfather Albert and my Great Grandmother Hadwig (Hattie) she was 74 years old in this photo almost the same age as I am now.

Far Side

 

Slow progress

 Far Guy is making slow progress toward recovery...and I mean SLOW.  We will take it one day at a time.  He is coughing and then his oxygen sats drop.  We both had a much needed nap yesterday after the restless night before. 

I worked on a project a number of years in the making.  I worked on Far Guy's Paternal Grandparents history and their diaries.  It was a blog now converted into two books.  I am pleased, it is ordered and when it is delivered I can cross that project off my list!!  I attempted to upload it last Winter with no luck...but with some focus(My word for 2025) I got it done this Winter! The books are not cheap....but  Far Guy and I felt the expense is worth it.  I used Pixie to create the books. 

The blog is called Tracie's Treasures.  I am certain it is not perfect...but it chronicles family history for many years. 

In the photo ...that is Far Guy standing up between his Grandparents.  Far Guy's sister Janice is on the far left.

Far Side

Sorting

 Friday was a quiet day, I did some laundry and sorted my way through a project.  Far Guy warmed up meals out of the freezer for supper...he had a Impossible Sausage dish and I had Hotdish..the one with potatoes, veggies and hamburger topped with cheese. 

It has been a while since I sorted for our Grands...I have three ring binders for each of them filled with "stuff" they might appreciate someday.  My Mother kept a few things that I did not keep.  I have been shoving things for the Grands in a container and it just needed to be sorted and put in its proper place.   Far Guy helped and in no time at all we were done! 

What is inside?  Birth announcements, coloring pages works of art, school programs, sports rosters, baptism and birthday party announcements, confirmation and graduation announcements, family trees, family history, obituaries of their Great Grandparents. 

I also have photo albums for them all...it is a project I started Up North...I have sorted some more photos to add to that project sometime this Winter. 

Do you keep similar things for a bit of family history and hope it is appreciated someday or do you just shred it all?  

Far Side

1953 or 1954 Deer Hunting

 I have several old photographs of me and a deer. 

Who: My Dad and me

Where: the Farm in Carsonville Township

Why:  Hunting photo

When:  1953 or 1954  I am either two or three years old.

I believe that is my Uncle Adolf on the left and my Dad on the right.  Note my fancy headscarf...most likely a dish towel.  The windows in the center of the photo were living room windows, the outside wood chute is the little toot on the left and the door to the house is on the far right. 

Here we have another person...Uncle George or maybe my Aunt Marie's husband Uncle Kenneth on the far left. 

I wish I knew exactly who was who...but in the end it is my Dad and his brothers or his brother in law  at the end of a good hunt. 

Far Side 

Jen and Andy did "a thing"

 A few years ago, daughter Jen and Son In Law Andy bought a piece of furniture from an older couple who were downsizing some furniture, the kids thought it was just the cutest house with a great location just a block from "The Ralph"...then the house came up for sale...so Andy and Jen bought it.  They cleaned and painted, decorated the entire place and filled it with nice furniture.  Andy built all new kitchen cabinets, they replaced flooring and updated a time warped bathroom in the basement.  They built custom loft beds for a bedroom in the basement.  They had a very successful Airbnb for a number of years.  

Last Friday they closed on the sale of their Airbnb in Grand Forks, ND.  Earlier in the week, they moved everything out and we got everything ready for a garage sale at their home in East Grand Forks, MN.  It was a great team effort...but exhausting for both Jen and Andy....so much was happening over just a few days plus they are both teaching full time.  

(The last guest checked out on Tuesday so I went over and helped pack up the kitchen, Wednesday I got things ready for the garage sale and went with Far Guy to his appointment. We had the garage sale from Thursday through Saturday at noon...we got rid of lots of stuff...lots of my stuff included!  Far Guy picked me up on Saturday and we all went to lunch before driving back home.) 

Jen writes on Facebook 

"We closed on the sale of our Airbnb today. I am happy/sad and sad/happy, but I might be more sad than happy.

Owning an Airbnb isn’t glamorous; it’s hard work. We could have hired people, but we did not. In fact just within the last month we found someone reliable to clean. Otherwise my husband started laundry before and after work, we spent evenings, weekends, and an occasional Hail Mary to flip the house in one day… cleaning up after the one guest and getting the house ready for the next, and letting people check in early and out late as allowed.

Making beds went better with two people. 2 kings, 2 queens, 4 twins. Our two boys helped in exchange for their part of the phone bill. Niece Maddie worked when she could.

If I had to clean alone, which was rare, it took 4-6 hours, but if the laundry was done 3-4 of us could be in and out in a little more than an hour. Winter’s were great because my mom took care of cleaning the kitchen.

98% of the time we rented to great people and I enjoyed providing a service… a clean, warm, safe, comfortable home for families to mourn together, celebrate together, or get away together. We hosted robotics teams, dance teams, tennis teams.

2% were shitty guests, who let’s be honest we’re probably shitty people too. One reservation left drugs and burn stains into the bar top downstairs.

We provided what anyone could wish for: a Kitchenaid mixer, Ninja air fryer, crockpots. Our welcome gift was usually chippers from Widmans or Dots. We provided bottle openers on both floors, yet the bar and countertops were used to open bottles and broken and damaged. One house rule was “please take off your shoes” yet the dried mud clumps left behind in the bedrooms arrured me guests didn’t. “Clean the out grill” if you use it — I hoped would dissuade use, but there I was elbow deep in grease cleaning up after another person. We brought items people forgot from our own home, we came to let in people who locked themselves out even with a passcode for the lock.

On Airbnb we had a score of 4.98 stars. The two? One guest left five stars for all individual items but four overall — that didn’t make sense. Oh well. The other? The guest said “too many stairs, it was too cold, and we didn’t get money back for leaving a day early”. Stairs are in the description and photos, and visiting North Dakota in December can be cold. They didn’t say the house was cold, and yes we did provide heat. No, no refund for leaving early — I couldn’t have replaced the booking in less than 24 hours.

We only had one group we needed intervention from the police for having a loud party and disturbing the neighbors. The guest turned around and made an “unsafe” claim against our business, resulting in a one week suspension for us from Airbnb. Airbnb did not help us when we requested damages from the same group: Alcohol dripped from walls, floors were sticky and so bad you had to vacuum before you could walk through the house… we had to repaint ceilings, replace bedding, broken glass, damaged flooring, even though we had before and after photos.

I handed over the key to the new owners today. They said, “You made it too good of an Airbnb”. With a puzzled look on our faces they explained: they had rented the house twice in the last year “what a neat place to live” and “I wish we could stay forever”. When they discovered the house was for sale, they said, “No way!” An end of one story is the beginning of another."

Who knows what their next adventure will be...but after this week they need to just rest for a bit.

Far Side

Family History

 I have to back up a bit in our recent family history.  Back to February 24, 2024 the day of my Mother's funeral and interment.  ( Just in case someone a long time from now wonders...or wants to know because they were not there)

Mom's urn at the church was carried out by her granddaughter Rachael (aka Toots), followed by all of Mom's granddaughters...except for one who was unable to attend.

Luckily because of the warmer than normal Minnesota Winter weather we were able to go to the cemetery for the interment of ashes.  My other baby brother, Nephew Josh and a few others not sure who...dug down to the double vault that contained my Father's urn. 

The Granddaughters bringing the Urn up the hill. 

Mom's urn joins Dad's  ( he has a prayer book that he had with him in Korea on top of his urn)

Our daughter Jen dropping her flower and her sister's flower into the urn vault. 

We visited the grave this week. 

May 22, 2024 the spot that was dug up was reseeded by my baby brother.  New grass will grow there eventually.  The cemetery high on the hill is beautiful in the Spring, the green so intense this year that it almost hurts your eyes. 

Dad's Veterans foot marker is not in place yet nor is his flag holder.  Mom's date of death has not been engraved into the headstone as of yet.

It all takes time.  I for one was very thankful that we could inter Mom's ashes in February, after Dad died in December of 2022  his ashes were not interred until the end of July in 2023...it was a very long seven months for me...it was like the grieving process was halted.  I know we all grieve differently but that waiting was difficult.

Far Side

Why?

 As I sort through things I wonder why they were kept. I ran into one such item that was a mystery. 

Well as it turns out it was kept by my Maternal Great Grandmother, my Maternal Grandparents and my Mother.  And now I have it over 100 years later...well...114 years later.  Now what do I do with it? 

It is a sweet card.  Turns out it came from  a teacher Esther Strout, who in 1910 was a 19 year old teacher and she boarded with the relatives (August and Elizabeth Anderson) who raised my Grandmother. 

Fred/Freddie/Frederick C Drewes was my Maternal Grandfathers older brother. 

Freddie is on the left and my grandfather (Albert) on the right. The brothers were born in 1901 and 1903 they were 1 year and 7 months apart in age. 

Sadly Freddie died of Scarlet Fever on Sept 20 1911. 

My Grandfather never spoke of his brother to me.  I wonder if my Grandfather got Scarlet Fever also, but he was luckier than his brother.  My grandfather also had other siblings a sister born in 1905 and brothers born in 1907 and 1912.

Well now after a bit of research I know why this card was kept. It must have been a remnant that comforted my Great Grandmother Hattie. Something she could just not throw away. 

For Not Whispering.

Far Side

Progress on the big sort

 I am done bringing totes into the house to sort.  The last two totes came home with me today.   I am not going back to my Mothers's storage garage to get anything else.  Far Guy says "ya sure."  He also asked how long I thought the big sort will take.   I do not know.  I am done sorting new cards ...I think...there are hundreds of them.  I started working on the photographs. 

My Mom and her older brother Alfred who was killed in a car accident when he was 19 years old in October of 1947. His death made my Mom the oldest in the family. 

Far Side

One Year Later

 My Dad died a year ago today on his Father's birthday, my Grandfather was 87years old when he died, my Dad was 96 years old when he died.  Dad outlived all of his siblings.  Wilbert was 77, Hugo 73, Jalmer 42, Ervin 59, Oscar 56, Arthur 23, Adolf 76, George 74, Einard 6 months old, Marie 82, Andrew 67, Arnold 59 and Anna 85.  Yes it was a family of 14 children.   Other than World War II and an infant death they all died of heart attacks or cancer except for Uncle Adolf he died of undiagnosed Celiac Disease. My Dad was a cancer survivor...he survived it for 37 years...he also had Celiac Disease....but Dad died from late stage dementia and a form of blood cancer.  

No one else in Dad's family had dementia...but then no one lived as long as Dad.  Dementia is a slow  death that is incredibly hard on everyone.

My Dad is on the far left in the double breasted suit.  This photo was taken in June of 1953 when my Grandmother died of a massive heart attack at the age of 64.  Everyone is present except for Arthur who died in WWII and Einard who died as a baby.   My Aunt Senia is in this photo in the white suit...she was married to my Uncle Wilbert.

 I have many good memories of my Dad, those are the times I choose to recall when I miss him. 

Far Side

Old Obituary

 On my Mothers side of the family, my Great Grandfather Dietrich (Dick) became a widower in 1913 when he was 47 years old and he had three sons ages 9, 6 and 4 and a daughter 2 years old who would be my Grandmother.  He sent my grandmother off to live with his sister Elizabeth. ( I have heard that My Great Grandmother's death in 1913 was questionable...she was pregnant and fell or was pushed down some stairs by her husband.)

In 1915 Dietrich procured a "mail order bride"...not truly an ordered bride but perhaps some one knew someone...or some men and women took out ads in newspapers.  There were also people who were "bride brokers" and for a fee you could get a name and write letters back and forth. 

 The bride, Bertha was 45 when she arrived in Minnesota from New York.  Her step sons would be ages 11, 8 and 6 by then.  It must have been quite a shock to become an instant mother to three young boys.  My Grandmother never returned to the family fold...she remained with her fathers sister until she married. ( Perhaps it was safer for her there)

I never heard anything nice about Bertha...in about 1935 she turned two of her step sons and my grandfather and grandmother in for making moonshine.   After that she was known as an "evil woman".

I found her obituary the other day. 

Far Side

Floors and pews

 The floors in The Finnish Apostolic Church are simple pine planks. 

They were laid on the diagonal.

The pews have short seats...the kind where you have to sit up and pay attention and not fall asleep. Not too many windows inside to spark daydreaming whilst sitting quietly. 

Far Side

Church with a History

 My Great Grandfather Isak helped to build a church in 1886 near French Lake Minnesota.   Years later it was moved to be part of a Historical Village in Annandale Minnesota.  Last summer on one of our trips to Minneapolis to the U of MN Clinics we went one day early and took the time to stop for a quick visit. 

A photo of the Church near French Lake, Minnesota

A photo of the church being moved.

Photos of the church as it stands today.

Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church Built in 1886.   The red number 2 signifies the number of the building as they sit at the Historical Village. 

I was delighted to finally be able to see this church!  It had been on my list of things to do for a long time. 

Far Side

Barn at the Farm

 The barn at the farm where I grew up has seen better days.   Soon it will be a pile of rubble and a new barn will be in its place.  We had a good visit with Roger when we went over and petted Annie the Border Collie.

Yesterday I took a few photos.  It had been on my list of things to do since early Fall and we just didn't get around to it. 

I learned many things in that old barn.  Never trust Banty roosters would be number one on my list.  How to lock cows into their stanchions, how to feed and brush them.  How to get rid of lice and how to spray them with fly spray in the summer.   How to feed calves milk replacer out of a bucket with a teat and not spill the whole bucket all over because baby calves are aggressive drinkers.  How to milk cows by hand and take care of their udders because a cow with sore teats will be a kicker and difficult to milk.  How to use a milking machine and a cream separator.   That cows peeing will splatter a long way...same goes for poop.  Everyone knows their place in the barn except for a new cow.  While hand milking you can squirt milk into the mouths of waiting in the aisles kittens or your other baby brother.  How to clean out gutters, how to lay down a bed of straw for the calves in the calf pen....how to give sick calves shots of antibiotics. When it is cold in the winter the barn is warmer than being outside.   Barns have their own unique smells.  

The barn was built by the Lemons most likely in the 1930's... they were relatives of Far Guys ( a brother of Far Guy's Maternal Grandmother).  Loren Lemon and Florence Graham Lemon lived there and raised their three children there until they moved to Washington sometime before 1949 when Loren died.  My parents bought the farm in the Spring of 1952 when my Dad returned from Korea. 

Far Side

Bucket Lists

 I have a Bucket List and a Photo Bucket List. 

I revised my Bucket List. The old list only had one thing crossed off!

Old List

1. Ride in a convertible...I did this twice. 

2. Beach Boys or Moody Blues Concert...Bee Gee's would have been on the list but only Barry is left.

3. Play in the World Series of Poker

4. Go on a Cruise in the Caribbean

5. Go to Finland for a sauna

New List

1. Visit Morden Manitoba Canada Display Gardens some year when it rains.

2. Visit the Peace Gardens

3. Learn to spin

4. Visit the church in Annandale Minnesota that my Great Grandfather helped to build

5. Spend two months in Hawaii during the winter.

This is the old church I longed to see in person.  On one of the recent trips to Minneapolis we did a slight detour...went early and visited the church and then went on to stay overnight in a hotel near the clinic. 

The church was originally built in French Lake Minnesota in 1896 -1897 and it was donated and moved to Annandale Pioneer Park in 1975.  My Great Grandfather Isaac Yliniemi was one of the founding members.

I was thrilled to see the church in person! 

If you have a bucket list...are you revising your list..or are you managing to cross some things off? 

Far Side

Found

 Far Guy's robot vacuum Dracula found the puzzle piece...my theory is that one piece was dropped and Dracula threw it under the couch and it took several days to unearth it from under there...Far Guy found it yesterday morning near my computer chair...it will join the other pieces again.   I took the puzzle apart a few days ago. ( we call the vacuum Dracula because it goes nuts in sunlight and sometimes it vacuums at night all by itself)

I found time to work on the income taxes...they are all set to go to the accountant after all the proper forms come in the mail....I hate that job so I am happy to have it done.  No I am not nuts enough to do the taxes myself....one audit will scare you half to death..and I am happy to have an accountant.

Roger (the Sexton at the local cemetery) called so I  have found general areas to search for the graves I am looking for ...I just need the snow to melt.  My theory is that some of the older graves have markers that sunk and have been covered with grass.  I wonder what is the best way to search for them? 

I found out that the Minneapolis Star Tribune offered four days free to search their Newspaper Archives...that was fun.

I found an old ad in the paper and Far Guy's parents phone number was 216J.  This ad was from June of 1953. My parents phone number was 12F12O around that same time. 

I also found some bits of family history that no one ever wants to talk about....how much is true and how much is exaggerated journalism remains to been seen.  Kinda like journalism today. 

Far Side

Dreary Day

 Another grey November Day... 

To cheer up we went to drop letters off at the Post Office...no contact there and I used an antiseptic wipe to open the drop box.  Then we recycled....there was one person there so we waited in the car until he left. 

Then it was off to the cemetery where no one was alive.  I needed a few photos of headstones to replace some bare grave photos.  I need to go back there one day soon and get a few more photos...I have a list now.  I made that list after I got home.  I also need some obituaries...but that will have to wait until I can go inside the County Historical Museum and do some research.  It is something I should have done last winter/before Covid.  Anyways now I can make the list of what I need...it will be a start.  

We had some exciting news...a relative got in touch with us... a fourth cousin of Far Guys on his Maternal side of the family...and it seems Far Guy could belong to the Sons of the American Revolution and our daughters to the Daughters of the American Revolution.   I have to do a bit more research to back everything up ...but it is a real possibility...so fun to connect with someone else researching to share info with. 

Then it was off to the old Linnell School corner to take a photo for a friend. The corner looks so much different after the new road construction.  

I grew up on one side of this corner and Far Guy's Grandparents lived on the other side of this corner a long time ago.  Far Guy's Mom taught at this school before she was married and then again after the war.  

Far Side