Sarah Svensdotter Linn's Obituary

Can you handle just one more obituary? Shortly after I received John Linn's obituary translation from the librarian I've been working with, he sent me this one last obituary. This one is for John Linn's second wife, Sarah Svensdotter. Again, the translation is a bit rough, but still worth reading for a more complete understanding of this couple and their work:

 January 10, 1900, Mrs. Sarah Linn

Pastor John Linn's wife, born in Ulrika Parish, Ostergotland County, Sweden, on 3 December 1820 and died in Stratford, Iowa, on 29 December 1899 at the old age of 70 years and 26 days.

She married and immigrated with Anders Hennrik Jakobsson Somberg in 1851 and stayed in Chicago where her husband died of cholera in October 1853. She arrived with her two small children Melker and John in Swede Bend, Webster County, Iowa,  and on Christmas Day, 25 December, she entered into marriage with John Linn. Their marriage was blessed with 5 girls, of which the youngest [Laura] crossed the river to a better world. She leaves a husband, 8 children, 26 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren who [mourn her loss]. 

The parish in Swede Bend was formed in 1854 and she was among the first to join it. For over 45 years, she was a member of the church, actively serving until her health began to fail. Even then, her husband visited their children in November, hurrying back in December as her suffering became too much to bear. 

During her suffering, there was no sadness. She raised her hand and said "I am near home." And she wanted assurance that she would see her children and grandchildren in heaven. When Mr. Linn greeted her from one of her daughters, the daughter replied by letter, "It is certain." 

Mrs. Linn has followed her husband to many locations in Illinois and in Iowa, including Moline and Rockford, Des Moines, Sheldahl, and Stratford.  She was loved by the congregations wherever she was, hospitable, and welcoming to people her husband would invite to their home.

Peace to her good memory.

This translation had several difficult parts to translate, but I hope you have the essence of what the writer was trying to tell us about Sarah Svensdotter Linn. 

I found each of these memories to have contained details about their lives that I'd not known. They have given me a fuller picture of who they were, their devotion to the work of the church, their unwavering faith, and their love of family. 

Laura Linn had already died when this photo was taken. These are the 4 remaining daughters of John and Sarah Linn as well as Julia and Mary born to John and his first wife Brita.

 

 

 

 

 

John Linn's Memoir

My last post contained the memoirs/biographies for Peter and Julia (Linn) Berg and Peter's second wife Adelia. When I wrote to the librarian to thank him for his help, I asked if there might be something similar for John Linn. He quickly sent back the following, contained in the Western Swedish Conference Journal from September 1907, just 3 months after John's death.

And, before moving on to this translation, perhaps you were as confused about the use of the word "memoir" to describe the passages we have been reading. It appears that we have a translation issue or language barrier. John Linn's "Memoir" is actually translated "Memory Drawing". To me, that seems more like someone's memory of a person, like an obituary or a short biography. See what you think in the following:

Below is a rough translation of John Linn's very lengthy Memoir:

John Linn is dead. That was the message. How could he die, he who, though the oldest among us, could not even grow old? But still he is dead, the youthful, lively, vigorous veteran. He still lives, however, not only in the abode of rest, but also with us in the work he did, the congregations he founded, the seven children who, through him, have been helped on the path of life. John Linn was born on 29 May 1826 in Linkoping County, Sweden. In early childhood, he lost his father and, like David of old, had to begin the school of life by herding sheep.

After many challenging experiences, he emigrated to America and arrived in Chicago in the fall of 1849. Cholera broke out there, in which 12 of his traveling party died. From there, the others went through St. Louis and Keokuk to Swede Point, Iowa, which was the destination of the voyage. There, Linn's only child died of smallpox. The land on which they intended to settle was already occupied by others, and they continued their journey to the northwest, where the present-day Swede Bend, Iowa, and present-day Stratford were and built their log houses along the banks of the Des Moines River and began to cultivate the land. It was here that he was converted to God. It was also here that his first wife died in 1853 and his second wife in 1899 and here in this place he himself fell asleep on 17 May 1907. 

Concerning his conversion, Brother Linn told us that a Swedish Methodist preacher named Smith was sent from New Sweden, Iowa, to the settlers at Swede Bend to preach the word of God. A certain Andrew Adamson proposed that a meeting should be held, but expressed that the preacher was one of the worst, one of the miserable Methodists! Brother Linn replied that he would hear him even if he were a Catholic! So, he came to the meeting and took his seat under a tree. The text was John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd, etc." During this sermon, God spoke peace to his heart, whereupon he immediately arose and held according to what he himself thought, gave a class with Andrew Adamson as exhorter and John Linn as class leader. This was his first office within the church. He had unspoken preaching authority by Peter Challman. In 1860, it was recommended that he take up the travel system, but as the support was too scarce, he had to leave there for the sake of his family.  

He was ordained deacon in 1858 and sent to Moline, Illinois, and later Bishop Janes ordained him and sent him in 1871 to Rockford, Illinois. The next place was Galesburg, Illinois, where he worked successfully for two years and managed to pay off a rather pressing church debt. He was then appointed presiding elder over the Iowa district, which then included not only that state but also Kansas and Nebraska. At the same time, he was the minister in charge of Des Moines, even though there was no church or congregation. It was during his four-year term of office that most of our congregations, both in Nebraska and Kansas were founded. 

Due to his own and his wife's broken health, Brother Linn requested in 1880 to be localized. The conference gave him a permanent position which he held until his death. However, he served, for lack of several preachers, some congregations as a substitute. Just as his first office in the church was that of a class leader, so was his last for the several years he has been in charge of a class in Stratford; and this class for spiritual vitality among our congregations is the best in the state. This class he led two weeks before his death. It can be said that what he often used to express in song went full thunder: "Let me die in the month of May". Even that desire to have died in the month of May was fulfilled. 

When he died, Brother Linn was surrounded by most of his children for his last moments. The funeral took place on Sunday afternoon, May 15, 1907. An unusually large crowd gathered in the funeral home and from there the journey was directed to our church in South Marion. The congregation had tastefully decorated the church which was already full of people upon arrival. 

The bell choir performed during the service, some of Brother Linn's favorite songs. Pastor C. O. Freeman recited the 90th Hymn after which Pastor Olof Grarnberg led in heartfelt prayer.  Then Pastor Martin from the Swedish Lutheran Church read the latter part of the First Corinthians, Chapter 15. P and C.A. Anderson preached the sermon led by the 15th verse of the 17th Psalm. Pastor P. J. Berg gave a brief description of the life and activities of Brother Linn, after which Pastor Oscar Palm shared some of his experiences in collaborations with Brother Linn. Pastor Bengtson from the Swedish Baptist Church concluded with a prayer. 

He was then taken to the burial mound, where, in the presence of an immense crowd of people in that late evening hour, the remains were handed over to Perdition. Brother Linn is survived by seven surviving children, many grandchildren and great grandchildren, in addition to a large circle of friends. 

Brother Linn, neither as a child nor as a youth, had the opportunity to prove himself in any school, but we must therefore not think that he was ignorant. Admittedly, he had never learned the New Testament in Greek or the Old Testament in Hebrew, but he knew the Bible so much better both within his head and his heart in Swedish and, if required, in English as well. Himself of the old orthodox school and a Methodist in both doctrine and practice, he expected the same from others as well.

We cannot say that he was an eloquent speaker in the ordinary sense of the word, but then he was a fine public speaker. At the same time that he did not disdain to dwell on teaching points, the practical aspects of religion were his most popular subjects of consideration; and he knew how to draw striking and humorous illustrations of them from everyday life. He possessed a strong and clear voice and, as a singer, as well as a speaker, he excelled. Gifted by nature much above the ordinary, if his passions and inclinations had earlier been led onto the right track, he would have become something even more extraordinary. He possessed great practical talent and was several times elected to positions of trust within the community. 

Through his bright outlook on lie, his good memory, and his fluent conversational skills, he banished sadness and unhappiness from the circles he came into contact with. When on saw him, one felt again the gentleman, a man of honor, at the same time disgraced and honored, possessing the confidence of all who knew him, deeply mourned at his death, although expected and welcomed by him, he will long be missed especially in the circle of brothers and at the conference meetings because, even if his work was finally reported among us, it was with joy that we saw him and with pleasure we listened to his testimony when his name was called among the seniors to be a bishop.

Two of the conference's first elders, Johan Eric Berggren and John Linn, faithful brothers in arms in the battle on earth, have now left us and reunited in the grace-won rest, where they now converse about battles fought and victories won. Neither is left but will long be remembered and when the sun of his life sets, may it set as peacefully as those of the present and may we all meet our father in Christ after a fair work is finished at the Lord's house. 

I realize that some of the words and sentences are confusing. It's the best I can do with a Google translation, the little Swedish I can read, and cleaning it up a bit. I hope you found this memory of John Linn to be interesting. Clearly, his funeral was well attended with several ministers from various local churches participating. 

 

 

John and Sarah Linn with one of their daughters. 

P. J. Berg and His Two Wives (Memoirs)

When we think of the religious figures in our ancestry, we likely gravitate to John Linn, brother of Gus Linn, who was a pastor and presiding elder over Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas. He founded several churches including Union Park Methodist Church in Des Moines in 1874. But do you recall a post about Johannes Smedbom ordained as pastor in Vikingstad parish outside of Linköping in the 1700's? Do you consider our noble ancestors who were religious advisors to the King and who are buried within a Swedish church?

And when we recall Julia Linn, John Linn's daughter, do we remember that she was married to Peter Johan Berg, a renowned minister in the Midwest? Recently, I found Berg's Memoir which appeared in the Official Journal of the Western Swedish Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Volume Nine, Number One. Written and published shortly after his death, these few paragraphs tell us a great deal about Reverend Berg as well as the life that he and Julia lived.

The only error I see in this passage is the parish in which Rev. Berg was born. It was Berg parish, not Vergs parish. I have the reference for his birth on 7 June 1851 in Berg Parish, along with the names of his parents as confirmation.

Did you notice all of the churches in several states that Reverend and Mrs. Berg served? Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, and Nebraska. Some of those might have occurred after Julia's death in 1905; but it's clear that this family lived a life of packing and unpacking, moving often.

We know a great deal about Julia Linn Berg. What many of us immediately recall is her documentation as being the first white child born in Webster County on 8 January 1851. While this has occasionally been questioned, we now have another confirmation of this fact found in her memoir that appears in the 5 September 1905 Swedish Conference Book, Lincoln, Nebraska, pages 58-59. Below is the translation as Julia’s Memoir originally appeared in Swedish:

Mrs. Julia Berg, born on 8 January 1851 in Swede Bend, Iowa. History records that she was the first white child born in Webster County. At the age of two and a half, she was left without a mother. Converted to God at a camp meeting in Dayton, at age 18. She loved the Methodist Church within which she diligently worked for the salvation of her fellow men until the end of her life. The sermon about the crucified Christ and the cleansing in the blood from all sins always sounded like heavenly music to her heart.

She was married to Rev. P. J. Berg in Des Moines, Iowa, May 29, 1877. At twenty eight they followed each other on life's path to the great blessing of her passing in the following fields of work: Des Moines, Iowa; Clay Center, Kansas;  Denver, Colorado; Kansas City, Missouri; Omaha, Nebraska; Dayton, Iowa; Des Moines, Iowa for the second time; Red Oak and Essex, Iowa; Burlington, Iowa; and finally St. Louis Missouri, whence in great triumph, after severe suffering, she had her earthly tent demolished. Her last move took place on Sunday, 16 July 1905 at 4:45 am, aged 54 years.
The funeral took place in Dayton, Iowa, on Wednesday, July 19. Never have we been at such a high-spirited funeral. The church was overcrowded; and a variety of fragrant flowers from the parishes of St. Louis, Des Moines, and Dayton, as well as from many other friends, who hereby express their deep sadness. Several of our preaching brothers were also present and took part. All Dayton's church bells rang and rang during the procession to her final resting place, alongside her daughter Edna Lovisa, who rested there for eleven years. Pastor P. J. Berg and his daughter Frances feel deeply the loss of a faithful wife and tender mother. Seven siblings and an elderly father, Reverend John Linn, as well as a large circle of friends also mourn.
As a preacher's wife, she was a model. Uncomplainingly, she followed her husband to fields of work mostly new, without either church or dwelling house. In St. Louis, she worked for three last summers to collect money for the great church debt and had the joy of hearing the last time she visited the church that everything was paid.

Peace rest upon her active, faithful life.

 

After having been widowed for nearly three years, Reverend P.J. Berg remarried to Adelia Hugner Fuller who was born in Henry County, Illinois, in 1858. They were married in St. Louis, Missouri on June 8, 1908. This was Adelia's third marriage. Together the couple continued the ministry, moving to Kingsburg, Fresno County, California, after retirement. Rev. Berg died there in 1923 but his remains were returned to Iowa where he lies next to his first wife Julia and daughter Edna in Dayton Cemetery.

Adelia passed in 1940 and is buried in Kingsburg, California. Following is her short memoir taken from the Central Northwest Conference 64th Annual Session Year Book, page 93:

Mrs. Adelia Berg was called to her heavenly home on January 29, 1940, at the age of eighty-one years. She was born near New Windsor, Illinois. In her early life, she was soundly converted and remained always a consecrated follower of her Master, giving her greatest energy and interest to missions and WCTU (temperance union) work; Being widowed twice, she was later married to Rev. P. J. Berg, to whom she was an able and consecrated helpmate during the last years of his ministry.

Peter and Julia Linn Berg Wedding Photo

NOTE: When I was told that there were memoirs for Peter, Julia, and Adelia, I pictured a first-person account of some length. What we have in this post are short biographies written by someone shortly after their death.

JOHN LINN'S FIRST CHILD (It Wasn't Julia)

I know how to conduct good research. After all, I taught the business research course in college over my 30+ years’ teaching career. But it doesn’t mean that I always follow a plan. In my business classes, students were seeking a solution to one issue, trying to come up with the best of four ideas for a project, helping to solve one problem.

In genealogy, I am often working on several individuals or families at a time. Especially after working on this hobby for so many years, I often sit at my computer and pick a person to learn more about. Not the best way to conduct organized research. But at this point, it’s one of the ways that I have fun with this hobby.

So now that you know that I can be whimsical or disorganized in some of my research, here’s another example of how an interesting fact was right in front of me but I didn’t see it until I just happened to be looking for something else.

We know that John Linn married Brita Eriksdotter on 1 November 1848 in Sweden and in 1849 traveled to the United States on the Virginia, landing in New York on 24 August 1849. We’ve seen the route that John and Brita took to their final destination in Iowa in a previous blog post.

And we also know that John and Brita gave birth to the first white child born in Webster County, Julia Linn, born on 8 January 1851 in Hardin Township, Webster County. 

When John and Brita first arrived, they traveled to Swede Point, Webster County to stay temporarily with other Swedish immigrants they knew until they could find land of their own. In the 1850 US Federal Census, John and Brita are listed as living in Boone County where they and a few other Swedish immigrants built very rudimentary shelters while they tried to find land that they could afford.

The surprise element that I just found was in “History of Webster County” in which short histories of each township were written. The only reason that I was searching this book was to locate plat maps that might help me with a land issue with Gustus Linn. But as is often the case, I stop what I’m doing and enjoy looking through a book, finding photos, maps, interesting biographies, or information about how a county or township was named. On image 732/1188, I found a short paragraph about Hardin Township. It was organized in 1853. Named for Joseph Hardin who had settled there in 1849. But then the information became more interesting:

The first death was that of the child of Rev. John Linn, in October 1850. The first birth was a daughter of the same gentleman.

Let’s take a closer look at these two short sentences. We know that Julia Linn, born January 1851, is the daughter mentioned as being born to John Linn. She was the first white child born in Webster County. And that would have been in Hardin Township, Webster County.

So who is the child of John Linn who died in October 1850?

Well, now I have a problem. A singular problem to work on. And my research skills can take over. What other information can I find that would either corroborate this child’s existence or show this passage to be false?

·         Check the 1850 US Federal Census: John and Mary Linn are living in Boone County, but without any children. The census was taken on 28 September 1850.

Mary had to be very pregnant with Julia by September or October 1850 since Julia was born in January 1851. And so, this other child could not have been stillborn or just a few months old.

 ·         Check the passenger lists for the Virginia and the diary that was used to write the blog post about the Linns’ immigration. No mention of a child. So, perhaps this child was not born on the ocean voyage to America.

 ·    Review the John Linn Diary that was written and then printed in the Dayton Review over several weeks. And here I find some information.

As before related, they arrived at Swede Point on October 9, 1849. There they found the Cassel and Delander families as well as “Old Jacob” who gave them welcome to their primitive homes. There are still quite a number of the Cassels and Delanders in the neighborhood of Swede Point, honored representatives of their pioneer fathers.

The next day after their arrival, another great sorrow came to the Linn family, the death of their infant daughter that had been born to them while they were on their journey. Small pox had broken out and the little girl succumbed to the dreadful scourge. When it was known in the settlement that the company had brought this disease with them, only the humanity that makes all men brothers sufficed to give the new arrivals proper care and attention.

So now the pieces start to come together. A female child was born while John and Brita Linn were traveling to Iowa, meaning this child was probably born after September 1849 (they arrived in New York August 1849) and before Mary would have become pregnant with Julia around March 1850 (Julia was born in January 1851).

The first hint from the History of Webster County gives an 1850 year for her death. The information from John Linn’s Diary gives 10 October 1849 for her death. How do we resolve this? Or can we?

·         There are no church records before 1859 in that area.

·         There are no newspaper articles at that time either.

·         I have no knowledge of other writings, letters, diaries, records.

·   No other family trees on Ancestry show a child born before Julia to John and Brita Linn.

And so, at this point, having done what I can with what is available, I will put an unnamed female child in my tree, born to John and Brita Linn. I will post the 10 October 1849 death date as the most likely with notes about the other documentation of a later date.

Did I miss something? Do you have any additional ideas or places I could search to find the answers about this first child of John and Brita? If so, please comment or email me. I’m open to all suggestions!

And, just an interesting note: John Linn and his first wife had 3 daughters; John and his second wife had 5 more daughters. John was definitely a "girl dad".

Holes in a Life

Sometimes when our ancestors leave a hole in their lives where no records can be found, I become a bit irritated. With them? Maybe, for not staying in one place or for not making it easy to follow them. With the records? Often, for either not existing, having been destroyed, or just not digitized at this point.

These holes in someone’s life provide me with the opportunity to speculate, to let my mind go a bit wild. Was my ancestor a scoundrel? Taken off by Native Americans? Drowned at sea? Changed the last name to escape being found? Taken to an Insane Asylum only to die without proper records?

I admit I do this often. And occasionally my imagination takes me to a record or a book or a person where I find an answer. Today, I have two sisters who have left a hole in my neat genealogy records. I can trace them until 1870; I can trace them from 1877-1878 on until their deaths; but from 1870-1877, I’ve lost them.

Maybe it’s not such a big deal to lose someone as long as I can pick that person up again when there is a marriage, census record, church record, or births of children. Does it really matter if I can’t vouch for 7-8 years of someone’s life?

In this case, my answer is YES. And in the case of the two sisters, they leave questions that I would like to answer.

Julia Linn and Mary Linn were born to John Linn and his first wife, Brita Eriksdotter. Both were born in Iowa with Julia being recognized as the first white child born in Webster County. She was born on 8 January 1851; Mary was born on 30 August 1853. Shortly after Mary’s birth, mother Brita died.

We know that John then married Sarah Svensdotter and, together they had 5 additional daughters. I’ve followed this couple through censuses and through John’s ministerial work that took the family from Iowa to Illinois and back again.

Julia and Mary are found with John and Sarah Linn in the 1860 Federal Census for Hardin Township, Webster County: John Lynn, age 34, minister (M.E.), Sarah, age 38, Melker, age 14, John, age 15, Julia, age 8, Mary, age 6, Sophia, age 5, Charlotte, age 4, Caroline, age 1.

But in 1870, the 1870 Federal Census for Moline Township, Rock Island County, Illinois, shows John Linn, age 44 (preacher) wife Sarah, age 48; daughter Charlotte, age 12; daughter Caroline, age 11; and daughter Louisa, age 10. Julia and Mary are not with this family. They would have been 18 and 16 years of age.

I’ve looked at state censuses, various spellings, looked at other relatives in the 1870 census, and church records. I’ve lost Julia and Mary from 1870 until Julia marries in 1877 and Mary marries in 1878. And now, my mind starts to explore other possibilities:

·         Could one or both girls have been working in someone’s household and no last name was listed on a census?
·         Were the girls together? Were they transient?
·         Were their last names horribly misspelled?
·         Were they living in a state besides Iowa or Illinois?
 

I have so many questions. But there’s additional information to consider:

How and when did Julia meet her future husband, Peter J. Berg? From Peter’s obituary, we gain a clue:

Article in the 29 November 1923 Dayton Review on his death:

"Rev. P. J. Berg was born in Berg's Socken, Smaland, Sweden 07 June 1851 and died at his home in Kingsburg, CA on 16 November. He came to America, July 1869 to Henry Co., IL and worked as a farm hand and blacksmith. In 1871, he was converted in Areviva (a revival) meeting at Woodhull, IL and joined Swedish M. E. Church. He went to the seminary in Evanston, IL, was ordained an elder in 1880. He married 29 May 1877 to Miss Julia Linn, a daughter of a veteran of Swedish Methodism of IA. Two daughters born, Edna who is deceased and Mrs. A. J. Challgren, now of Harcourt. The mother died in 1905. He married again on 08 June 1908 to Mrs. Adelia (Hugner) Fuller at Clay Center, KS. Also leaves four step-children and a sister in Sweden. Buried in Dayton, IA cemetery beside wife and daughter.

From this obit, it appears that Julia was in Illinois. Otherwise, how would she and Peter have met? He lived in Woodhull in Henry County, not far from Bishop Hill, that we know as a Swedish cult village. But I don't know for certain where she was living. 

Normally, I would guess that Peter and Julia met in or near Woodhull, IL and married in 1877 before they went to Evanston, IL for seminary. But to make this a bit more of a mystery, Peter and Julia married in Des Moines, Iowa. Nowhere near Illinois, nowhere near where Peter had been living, where John and Sarah Linn were living. And I have no record that John Linn officiated at Peter and Julia’s wedding.

Mysterious? Let’s see what happens with Mary Linn during that same time. Mary was born in 1853 to John and Brita, but shortly after Mary’s birth, Brita died. John remarried soon after. Both Julia and Mary are found with this new set of parents in the 1860 US Federal Census, but between 1870 and when Mary married her husband in 1878, I cannot find her.

How did Mary Linn and her future husband Charles Alfred Orman meet? We aren’t sure where Mary Linn is living before she married Charles Orman on 28 December 1878 in Worcester, Massachusetts! Massachusetts? How did Mary get there? Where did she and Charles meet?

Charles was 9 years Mary’s senior, born in Sweden in 1844. In 1872, at age 28, he left for the United States, arriving in New York. Charles was a laborer much of his life.

But you can easily see my question. Charles landed in New York in 1872 and, undoubtedly, was trying to find regular work. In the 1860s, Mary is in Iowa, living with her parents and sisters, until she's NOT. How would you guess that these two found one another? There are plausible answers: Charles may have taken work that had him traveling to the Midwest would be the most likely. But because this couple is between Federal Censuses, my luck at finding one or both of them between 1870 and 1878 has run out. No newspaper articles, no land purchases, no church records.

What I do know is that Mary Linn and Charles Ohrman married on 28 December 1878 in Worcester, Massachusetts with the officiating pastor being Alfred Erickson of Brooklyn, NY. The couple lived in both Massachusetts and in Pennsylvania for the rest of their lives. They had 5 children, one of whom died in World War I.

Charles died in 1926; Mary in 1927. And they are buried in Massachusetts.

After reading all of this detail, you may ask: Why care so much about those few years in a person’s life when I know the beginning and end?

Maybe it’s a bit simplistic to say that I just care about their entire lives, not just the birth, marriage and deaths. While that is true, I care about knowing about them as people. Whether it is adventures, occupations, tragedies, I want to know it all. It’s what makes this hobby of mine so interesting.

These young adult years for Julia and Mary Linn might have held many clues to who they were and what motivated them. They may have been adventurous young women, looking to see some of the world before settling down, but from 1870-1878, they would have been VERY adventurous young women for the time.

As the oldest two daughters in the family and Sarah being their stepmother, could the additional responsibilities they would have had lead them to leave? Could there have been tension between the girls and Sarah? Was this simply a pattern that we have seen in Sweden where young people were sent out to make their own way?

Did Charles Orman come to the Midwest or did Mary meet him elsewhere? And why would they marry so far away from Mary’s father, Reverend John Linn? Did Peter Berg meet Julia in Illinois? We don’t see a record of Julia living in that state, but it seems the most likely answer. But again, they marry in Des Moines without the Reverend John Linn officiating.

I can close the chapter on Julia and Mary for now because I have the bookends of their lives, the names of their children, and their important vital information. But these questions will likely stay with me awhile and even call me to go searching again at some point.

Note: I miss cousin Donny. As I was writing this post, I thought about all of the emails we had over the past few years about our family history, about his mom and mine, about the Cubs, about information in the blog. He always commented, either on the site itself or in an email to me. 

And, on another note: I'm working on a very interesting land transfer involving Gus. I'm not sure where this will lead me, but I hope I can learn enough to write this up for you soon.