Category: Surnames

Collaboration

Collaboration is the Key

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Lately, I’ve been reviewing some earlier research I had done on one of my maternal family lines. While doing so, I was reminded of the importance of collaboration. I realized that almost everything I know and understand about the lives of all my ancestors is unquestionably the result of information shared among an extensive network of my known and unknown “relatives.” Without them, our “collective” family history mysteries would remain unsolved, and our ancestors’ stories would be forgotten. Read More …

A picture of Amanda M. Lancaster

Amanda M. Lancaster: Lexington to Lexington

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Introduction My second great-grandmother, Amanda M. Lancaster (see Image 1)[1], began and ended her life north of Lexington. However, these two life events did not happen in the same states. She was born in Owen County, Kentucky, sometime in May 1828[2] to James Lancaster (1805-1875) and Ann Nelson (1808-1891). She was the oldest of their eleven known children.[3] Although Amanda was likely born in Owen County, the 1840 U.S. census records her family living in Read More …

Photo of Margaret Ann Bruegger Kienlen, ca. 1938.

A Kienlen Family Legend

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Great-Grandmother Kienlen For as long as I can remember, my mother’s side of the family loved to tell stories about the quirkiness and adventures surrounding my Kienlen family ancestors. One of the most unique and delightful characters in this line of my family was Margaret Ann Bruegger (1853-1938) who was my 2X great-grandmother. Margaret was born in Highland, Grundy County, Illinois, on 03 July 1853[1] to Alois Bruegger (1816-1872) and Maria Kirri (1820-1903) both of Read More …

Howle Family home, circa 1906

The Howle Home in Oklahoma Territory

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A favorite family photo One of my treasured heirlooms is a photo of my Howle family grandparents standing in front of their home.[1] I had never seen this picture until after my grandmother Lillian Florence Howle (1902-1994) passed away in 1994. Not long after she died, we found an old trunk tucked away in the hall closet of her home. It was filled with letters, legal papers, and lots of photos. As I began going Read More …