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Deuteronomy 32:7
Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask your father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you.-
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"Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about."
— G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy
Author Archives: Laura
Joseph Case: straightforward, upright
Joseph Case was an Iowa farmer. He came to Iowa as a youngster, after his family moved west in the early 19th century. Joseph was also my 2nd great grandfather. As the Case family made its way, over generations, to … Continue reading
Posted in Case, IOWA (Central)
Tagged Clinton County, Duncombe, federal land purchases, Iowa farmer, Jackson County, land records, Preston
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Happy Birthday, Hendrik Vanden Bosch
Hendrik Van den Bosch was born in the rural village of Doornspijk, in Gelderland, the Netherlands’ largest province, on Sept. 20, 1827, making this week the 194th anniversary of his birth. Hendrik, who was my 2nd great grandfather, was born … Continue reading
DNA updates and American migratory ancestors
My ancestral home has always felt Midwestern to me because that’s where the descendants of my earliest American ancestors ended up and stayed a while: in Iowa. It is not where they started, however. They arrived there over generations. Ancestry … Continue reading
Beniah Case died at 28, a new enlistee in the Union Army
Beniah Case was born on October 15, 1834, to Obadiah James Case and Louisa Royalty Case. He grew up on a farm in eastern Iowa, not far from the Mississippi River. Beniah died in 1862, at age 28, far from … Continue reading
Posted in General
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Sorting the genealogy room, finding family history
In some areas of my life, I am highly organized. As yet, my genealogy has not been one of them. This is in no way an indication of its importance to me … it’s just that I kind of stumbled … Continue reading
Posted in General
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Peder Malum: Hale and hearty
It’s hard to believe my grandfather’s grandfather was born almost two centuries ago. This week is the 196th anniversary of the birth of my 2nd great-grandfather, Peder Malum. Peder was born in Oyer, Oppland, Norway, in 1824, to Arne and … Continue reading
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What would Grandma Hattie have made of 2020?
Today, March 20, is the 110th anniversary of the birth of my maternal grandmother, Henrietta (“Hattie”) Van den Bosch Kreykes. I’ve been thinking about her a lot today, in the midst of navigating the effects of the coronavirus crisis in … Continue reading
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Grandma’s college diploma
Yesterday, March 5, was the 116th anniversary of the birth of my paternal grandmother, Dorothy Clausen Hendrickson. A few weeks ago, my mother found Grandma’s 1925 college diploma amidst some of my late father’s documents. Mom has been going through … Continue reading
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Favorite Discovery? Too many to choose
The theme for week 7 of 52 ancestors in 52 weeks was “favorite discovery.” Of course, I cannot choose just one favorite. Being somewhat behind in these posts, and racing to catch up, I finally settled on a brief discussion … Continue reading
Posted in General
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To colorize or not to colorize …
With so many people experimenting with and sharing the colorized versions of their black-and-white family photos through MyHeritage In Color™, I decided to take a few minutes to experiment and get in on the action. MyHeritage provides a feature that … Continue reading
Posted in General
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Branch and Leaf ... a family history blog 