My Trails into the Past

I have completed two hundred and fifty (250) weeks of semi-lockdown due to Covid-19. My outside activities were trips to the History Center, Oakland FamilySearch Center, phenology, haircut salon, and doctor’s appointment. Genealogy Genealogy Writing/Research: This week, I spent two days researching the Haley family, particularly Mary Ann Haley and John B. Thomas’s descendants. I used the full-text search at FamilySearch to locate records of Thomas J Haley and found he was the guardian for Mary Ann’s children and was transacting business in Texas. The family originated in Rankin County, Mississippi. I followed several Thomas children across several counties in Texas, locating census, vital, newspaper, and cemetery records to fill out their profiles in my RootsMagic database.  I also researched the Cromwell Children’s Home, started by my husband’s ancestor, Nils Malkom Nilsen, and wrote the first 52 Ancestors blog post about it. At the FamilySearch Center in Oakland, I scanned two of...

Calling all Genea-Musings Fans:  It's Saturday Night again -  Time for some more Genealogy Fun!! Our assignment from Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings is to:  1)  What are your genealogy goals for 2025?  Consider genealogy research, education, organizing, service, writing, and whatever else you care to share. Here's mine: I have already posted about reflecting on last year’s goals and creating goals for 2025. It is here . A recap of the goals is below. 2025 Goals Organization. Continue organizing and reducing files. I have new archival boxes to store these items and I can donate the plastic bins. Writing . Create 2 books about my grandparents, Tom J Johnston & Pansy Lancaster, and William C Hork and Anna Sullivan. Do the same as I did the parent's book, using blog posts and photos. I will also continue writing 52 Ancestors, Genea-pourri, and SNGF each week, plus some additional posts as I discover topics. Renewal . Decide on a subject for the KDP I can use fo...

The Rev. N. M. Nilsen,[1]  pastor of the Swedish Congregational Church in Cromwell, Connecticut, thought the empty house on West Street could be put to better use than sitting empty. The owner, A.N. Pierson, agreed. It was decided to create an orphanage for young orphan children. The matron was Anna Molin, who came from Manchester, New Hampshire. It was first announced in the Middletown newspaper, The Penny Press, on 5 April 1900.[2]  Another article explained its purpose: “The Swedish Christian Orphanage, which is to be established here, under the patronage of the Swedish Congregational church, will be ready by the middle of May. The building acquired for the purpose on West Street, by the association, has been repainted and repapered throughout, and a new wing is to be built, to give more room. Miss Anna Molin of Manchester, N.H., who is to be the matron of the home, has arrived in town, and will spend several weeks here, as the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Nyren. Rev EG Hjerp...