A Few Old Photos

 Hi Everyone,

It seems as if most of my time sitting at the computer involves going through documents and photos that I've inherited from my mom. Sadly, many are not labeled, but those that are include some great looks at our ancestors in their early days in Iowa. Hope you enjoy the following:

This photo of retired first-generation Swedes living in Stratford was taken in 1909. While I don't know many of these names, I recognize the names Peterson, Westrum, Otto Quick, and Nils Teander. And, of course, my direct-line ancestor, A. G. Barquist in the middle of the front row. A. G. (Anders Gustaf) Barquist was my great-great grandmother's (Maria Barquist Olofson) brother. A.G. came to the United States with his family in 1857. I would imagine that most of the men pictured above came during that same time. 

The photo above is Anna Charlotta Lundblad and her husband August William Peterson, taken when they married in 1870 in Boone County. Anna is my 1st cousin, 3 x removed, the niece of Gus and Katerina (Lundblad) Linn. 

Anna came with her family in 1857, when she was just 7 years old. She and A. William Peterson had 8 children. I'm including the obit for William Peterson to demonstrate how very flowery and positive obituaries of the time were:

August W. Peterson

Boone County Democrat

July 2, 1909

At the giant oaks of ten centuries fall before the blow of the axman, so the old time honored citizen falls before the great enemy, death. Again Pilot Mound is shrouded in mourning, for one of its old time citizens and honored residents of Boone County answered the last roll call when on the 22nd of June William August Peterson passed to his reward. He was born in Sweden July 1, 1840. At the age of nine years his parents came to America. While traveling overland to Iowa his father was drowned in the Illinois River. The mother and children came on to Boone County and settled near Madrid, where they resided for four years and then removed to Webster County and built herself a home near the Des Moines River, where William Peterson grew to manhood. In 1864 he heard the bugle call and enlisted in Company H, 15th Iowa regiment. He served his country faithfully and received an honorable discharge on the 2nd of June, 1865, and returned home from the army. He formed the acquaintance of Miss Charlottte Lundblad and was united in marriage with her on Jan. 12, 1870. The following year they moved onto a farm north of Pilot Mound, where they lived and labored until about four years ago, when they moved to Pilot Mound and made their home here until he was called home to rest.

To this happy union eight children were born, of whom seven survive. One son, Daniel, died when three years old. He is survived by his widow, two sons, A. L. Peterson, of Madrid, and G. V. Peterson of Pilot Mound; and five daughters, Mrs. Minnie Smith, Mrs. A. L. Starks, Mrs. Dari Owen and Miss Bessie Peterson, all of Pilot Mound, and Mrs. O. E. Huglin, of Odebolt, one brother, two sisters and a host of relatives and admiring friends. He was a member of Oak Lodge No. 531, A. F. and A. M., Dayton, Iowa, and of Pilot Mound Lodge No. 536, I. O. O. F., both of which orders participated in the funeral services which were conducted Thursday afternoon by Rev. W. M. Leiser and the remains laid to rest in the Pilot Mound Cemetery to await the judgment day. Mr. Peterson was an honored citizen and esteemed neighbor, whose exeplary and unselfish life won the respect and love of all who formed his acuaintance.

Children: August Lee, Minnie Augusta, Victor Gilbert, Daniel, Callie Matilda, Lottie J., Hattie Lavina, and Bessie Florence.

Note: An amazing amount of information for the family genealogist to have, don't you think?

And finally, I wanted to share a photo of Pete Linn, my grandfather, walking behind a horse with a very rudimentary plow. I can't quite date this picture and wonder why he wasn't using a tractor as it appears to have been taken in the 1940's. But regardless, my eyes got wide and a bit teary when I realized that I have this plow. It had been in my mother's care, usually in the garage, for many, many years. And when my siblings and I were going through mom's storage unit a couple of years ago, I asked to take this, not really knowing which side of our family it belonged to. Now I know. I'm so happy to have this photo to go with it. The plow is very rusty and in need of some loving restoration, but I'll get there. It means alot to me to have this.

Please don't throw out those old family photos. Just look at the treasure trove of information and history there is in just these 3 photos.

ANOTHER PANDEMIC

We have been dealing with the world-wide COVID for two years now, most of us vaccinated, some of us contracting the disease, and to my knowledge, no family members having died from the disease. We have heard from time to time the comparisons of COVID to the 1918-1919 Influenza that was also worldwide and deadly.

I don’t wish to discuss our situation today because I know how emotional, and political, it has become. But I’d like to write today’s post about what I’ve learned about the Influenza and its effect on our Iowa family members.

The Influenza actually had nothing to do with Spain. The best guess is that it started in Haskell County, Kansas, where the first known case was recorded. A remote farm area, it might seem unlikely for it to have traveled so quickly and become a worldwide pandemic. But, when we take into account our involvement in World War I, one can see how this could happen.

From Haskell County and other parts of Kansas, men came into close contact with each other at Camp Funston (now known as Fort Riley). Over 500 soldiers became ill there in the first week of March 1918, and within 3 more weeks, more than 1,100 men were sick. And by the end of the spring, 48 soldiers had died.

Still, after training, soldiers were dispersed to other camps, other bases, and then onto ships to Europe. Once the virus reached Europe, it spread quickly, not just among Americans, but also among our Allies.

Ships now traveling back and forth to and from the United States carried the original strain as well as new, more dangerous ones. And now we see an unchecked spread in the United States, especially in large cities like New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco. Strains continued to mutate. The flu reached more remote areas, and eventually it killed 16 million people worldwide. The war itself had killed about 50 million people. Thirty percent of our army was affected.

My great Uncle Frank Linn, a soldier in France, was detained and quarantined before he was allowed to board the ship back to the United States. Undoubtedly, it was the flu.

When we review death records for 1918 and 1919, it’s important to look at “hidden” or “alternate” causes of death. Some were listed as having died of spinal meningitis or pneumonia when it was really Influenza.

What influence did this have on daily life in the United States? Theaters, churches, bars, and other public places were closed because of the flu. Schools in Chicago were closed for a time. During this time, the life expectancy in the United States dropped by 12 years. In Iowa, schools were closed, masks were mandated, and many businesses had to close temporarily or even permanently. Farmers were able to feed themselves and their families, but I wonder how well they were able to move food or animals to their next destinations.

Below is just a sampling of articles taken from the Dayton and Stratford areas. Included are two links to more details about the origin of the flu and the protests about wearing masks.

Most of the information from these articles reminds me a great deal of what we are now going through. Pandemics 100 years apart. Affecting our ancestors then and us today.

Dayton Review, October 1918

The Origin of the 1918 Flu

Protests to Mask Wearing

Fort Dodge Messenger, October 2018

Webster City Journal, October 2018

Stratford Courier, October 1918

Daily Freeman, November 1919

Daily Freeman, December 2018

Webster City Journal, October 2018. Williams is in Hamilton County.

Stratford Courier, December 1918     

The Mystery of Maria Barquist Olofson

Maria Barquist Olofson is my 2nd great grandmother, born on 28 September 1842. She was the third of 6 children born in Sweden to John Barquist, Sr., and his wife Marget Pehrsdotter. But when did Maria die, and where is she buried? 

Let's take a look at what we know about Maria:

When Maria was just 15 years old, the entire family came to the United States, settling first near the Jansonite settlement of Swedes in Illinois. But soon they moved to Hardin Township in Webster County. There, Maria met and married Olof Olofson in 1865.

Maria and Olof had a son, William Edward Olofson, born in 1866. The family was not well off when compared to others in the area, including the Barquists. For example, in the 1880 U.S. Federal Census Non-Population Schedule (Agriculture), Olof Olofson is shown in Hardin Township, Webster County. He has 30 improved acres and 40 unimproved woodland or forest acres and 19 unimproved "old fields" not growing wood.

Olof's father-in-law, John Barquist, Sr., however, is listed as having 60 tillable acres, 100 total acres. it also lists the value of his property, crops, and animals. [Note: You may recall the post from last year about John Barquist being one of the settlers who had his property taken from him in a dispute that went all the way to the Supreme Court for a final decision.]

Whether the Olofsons had wealth or land, they had a real community of Swedes including Olof's mother and siblings and their families, as well as Maria's parents and siblings and their families. They were church-going people, belonging to the Stratford Lutheran Church.

On 31 July 1869, Olof and Maria had a second child, a daughter named Matilda. We see her in the Stratford Lutheran Church records with her parents and brother "Eddie". But Matilda's life was short. We see an entry in that same church record for February 1870, stating that Matilda had died.

The 1870 US Federal Census was taken in August and shows Olof, Maria, and their son Eddie. Daughter Matilda is gone, but I have no death record and no burial location for her. That isn't unusual for the time as Iowa was still a relatively new state without standardized rules for vital records.

But adding to the mystery is what then happened to Maria? In the 1880 US Federal Census, this is what we see:

Olof, age 43; W. E. (Eddie), age 14; and Olof's mother Christine Olofson, age 76. No Maria. And did you also notice the letter "D" in Olof's record? That is a column for marital status: Married (M), Single (S), or Divorced (D).

Now, was that accurate information? Census information is only as good as those GIVING the information and those WRITING it down. If Olof and Maria were indeed divorced, there is no record. But clearly something happened between the 1870 census where we DO see Maria and the 1880 census where she is gone. 

I've looked in many, many places. With her parents, her siblings, in the insane asylum, married to someone else, and in death and burial records. But I've not found her. I've had others look, asked for help from local genealogy societies, worked with others researching the Barquist family, and still not found her. Nor have I found daughter Matilda.

I put this brick wall away, but periodically I look again, hoping there are new records, new information, additional ideas for finding Maria, for finding Matilda's burial plot. My tree is so beautiful with branches going up and out into a fullness that makes me so proud. And yet, I have one branch that has a hole in it. 

Recently, I came across an article about the Methodist Church cemetery in Hardin Township. The following transcript is about John Linn, but I think you might see the relevance to our Maria Barquist Olofson brick wall:

"John Linn born in Sweden in 1826 and settled in Hardin Township in 1850. Mrs. Edna Anderson of Stratford is a granddaughter. She is 87 and very, very alert. She told this story: They had a daughter 2 years old [Julia Linn], a second daughter [Mary] was born and the mother died. Mr. Linn hewed out a large walnut log and buried her in this. Later when the cemetery was moved from the Methodist Church site, she was moved also to the South Marion Cemetery along with other graves."

She and others were moved to the South Marion Cemetery! Could Maria and Matilda also be among those moved from the Methodist Church cemetery to the South Marion Cemetery?

I've checked the records. First, there is no mention of John Linn's first wife Brita being buried there. And there is no record of Matilda or Maria being there either. I've emailed the local genealogy society and haven't heard back. Still, I'm hopeful that we will learn where Brita, John's wife is, and more important, where Maria Barquist Olofon and Matilda Olofson are buried.

40 years of searching. Do you have any thoughts? I'm willing to look anywhere. None of these female ancestors should be lost.

Maria Barquist Olofson

Winding Down 2021

 Dear Family and Friends,

We are ending another year with the usual ups and downs. In spite of COVID that seemed to influence every aspect of our lives, we have many things to look back on this year and to look forward to next year. 

We lost family members--LaVonne Pliner Linn Halligan, Beverly Linn Sturtz, and Sidney Peterson. 

We have welcomed a new family member--Penny Belle Young.

There have been surgeries and visits to specialists, some of us have started to watch our diets and start exercising regularly. Some of us need to work on that!

Some of us have moved and changed addresses and are adjusting to life in a new location, making new friends.

I hope that wherever you are, you celebrate this Christmas and upcoming New Year with wonder and expectation and thankfulness for our ancestors who braved the many, many changes in their lives as they left their homeland to settle in a foreign area with no knowledge of the language or culture. 

In this final post of 2021, I want to share just a few photos and short stories about some of our distant, and not-so-distant, family.

Ivan D. Linn

The Linns are quite the musical group. I have photos of Peter Linn playing the "fiddle" and the mandolin, still remember Maude Linn playing her honky-tonk music on the piano, Ellis who is still wowing people with his piano talents, and so many other musicians. Ivan is certainly no exception. While Ivan and his brothers performed locally around the Dayton area, Ivan was meant for stardom.

When Ivan was in the Navy, he beat out 242 others to compete on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour. If you have never seen the video that Ivan has, you should talk with him. What a talent!

The following news article taken from "The Tester", a local newsletter from the US Naval Air Test Center in Patuxent River, Maryland, dated 11 September 1953:

LOCAL SAILOR ON TV SHOW TOMORROW

"A 21-year old bluejacket with rhythm in his toes, Ivan D. Linn, is all set to appear on a nationwide TV talent show tomorrow night in New York City. The show may be seen locally on WNBW, channel 4 at 8:30 p.m.

I. D., better known as "Fuzz" to his shipmates, left Wednesday for Manhattan and rehearsals after a phone call from officials of the Ted Mack Amateur Hour earlier in the week.

The popular young sailor has appeared in numerous revues with the Stan Miller troupe and was also featured in the Pax Follies of 1953 early this year.

A native of Des Moines, Iowa, "Fuzz" first attracted the attention of Ted Mack scouts while attending a Navy school at the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Entering a contest in Oklahoma City, "Fuzz" was chosen as the winner out of a group of 235 contestants.

His appearance on the nationwide televised Mack Show will not be his first TV appearance. Previously he has appeared on WDTV in Pittsburgh, Pa., and during the summer accompanied a group of local personnel who appeared on WMAL-TV in Washington, DC.

A naval reservist who expects to return to civilian life in early December, "Fuzz" appeared with his brother's musical aggregation in the midwest before being called to duty with the Navy in January 1952. His brother, Ellis, is at present serving Uncle Sam also, wearing the khaki of the Army and is stationed at Camp Kilmer, NJ." 

Marget Persdotter Barquist and Anna Margeta Barquist

Marget Persdotter is my 3rd great-grandmother, married to John Barquist, Sr. Marget and John are the parents of my second great-grandmother, Maria Barquist Olofson.

The photo below is interesting, mostly because it was taken before 1890 when Marget died. It's one of the earliest photos I have of any of our family. 

Anna Margeta Barquist was the youngest in the family of 6 children, born in 1857 in Sweden. Just a couple of months after Anna was born, the family left for America.

While I cannot tell exactly when the photo was taken, with Anna born in 1857, she can't be much older than 10 or 12, can she? That would mean that the photo was taken around 1867-1869. A very early photo.

Marget's daughter Maria, my second great-grandmother, is pictured below:

A beautiful woman, don't you think? My guess is that this picture was taken for her wedding to Olof Olofson in 1865. Perhaps the two photos above were taken at the same time. If so, 1865, just after the Civil War ended, would make these photos very early. 

I plan to continue posting to this blog next year as I discover more photos and stories of interest. Please let me know what you are most interested in so I can try to address more topics. I learn every time I explore more of our ancestry and appreciate your comments and questions and support.

God Jul (Merry Christmas)

Diane

PASSING OF SIDNEY WILLIAM PETERSON

 A few weeks ago, I received an ancestry message from Sid's account. Instead of Sid writing to me with a new genealogy find or a question, it was a message from his widow, telling me of his death on 20 October 2021. 

I never met Sid, but just as we mourn Beverly Linn Sturtz, we also mourn the loss of another family member in Sid Peterson.

Below is his obituary. Sid was the son of Lewis William Peterson and Anna (Bergman) Peterson, grandson of Florence Victoria (Fallein) and George William Peterson, great-grandson of Caroline (Linn) Fallein and Louis Fallein, and great-great grandson of John Linn and his wife Sara (Svensdotter) Linn.

We mourn the loss of another person from our tree. Sid was an excellent researcher and always happy to share information which he and I did for over 30 years. Thanks to Jim Carlson for providing the obituary for this post.

Sidney William Peterson, or Sid, to his loved ones, of Overland Park, Kansas, born in Boone, Iowa, on November 7, 1946, and raised in Stratford, Iowa, was the son of Lewis William Peterson and Ann Peterson.

Sid peacefully passed away on October 20, 2021, in the presence of his family and friends, at Advent Health, in Shawnee Mission, Kansas.

In 1965, Sid graduated from Stratford Senior High School, then joined the Air Force, where he worked as a Communications Specialist until his release in 1969.

Also in 1969, he wed Betty Stambaugh and remained married until her passing in 2001.

In 1971, he left the Air Force and went to work for United Telephone Company. He later started work at Sprint and retired with 31 years of service as an instructor and course developer. But realizing he wasn't one to rest on his laurels, he decided to go back to work and found himself at Lowe's, for the next 16 yeas. This position was right up his alley, because Sid loed woodworking and carpentry as a whole. He also loved Lionel model trains, genealogy, bird watching, fishing, traveling, and spending time with his family and extended family and friends.

In 2003, he met and eventually married Kimalee Chambers. In this marriage, he gained a new family and became a stepfather to her children, Patricia Everett-Lee and Reginald Chambers II. He later became a step-grandfather to their children Devan Lee, Deja Lee, Daliyah Lee, and Royalty Chambers.

In addition to his parents and first wife, Sid was preceded in death by his sister Barbara Whitson.

He is survived by his second wife, Kimalee Peterson, her children and grandchildren, and leaves behind his remaining sibling, Nolan Peterson and his wife, Kelli Peterson, of Stratford, Iowa; brother-in-law Bruce Whitson and family, of Des Moines, Iowa; his extended family, Kimalee's mother and stepfather, Cloretta Rosebrough and Normal Rosebrough, of Fairview, Oregon; Kimalee's father Vernon Robinson of Kansas City, Kansas; her brother Michael Grayson of Kansas City, Missouri, and his children; her sisters, Laura Shelby of Gresham, Oregon, and her children; Kenya Robinson of Phoenix, Arizona and her children, and Dana Robinson of Independence, Missouri, and her children.

During this phase of Sid's journey, his family and friends will celebrate his life at Porter Funeral Home. And per Sid's wishes, he will be laid to rest in his home town of Stratford, Iowa.

Lastly, Sid's family would like to thank everyone for their prayers, love, and support during this final chapter of his life. And, in lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial contributions.

A Celebration of Life will be held from 5-7 pm Friday, October 29, at the Porter Funeral Home, 8535 Monrovia, Lenexa, KS.

A local Celebration of Life service will be held at 10:30 am, Friday, November 5, 2021, at Calvary United Methodist Church in Stratford, Iowa. Pastor Gina Spohnheimer will officiate. Interment will follow at Oakwood Cemetery, rural Stratford. Military Graveside Rites will be conducted by the Peterson American Legion Post #323 of Dayton, IA. For online obituaries and condolences, visit www. carsonstappfuneralhome.com

 

Passing of Beverly (Linn) Sturtz

Each family member we lose leaves a hole in our family, in our history, in our memories, in their love. Today I learned about another Linn family member we just lost, Beverly Linn Sturtz. I never was fortunate enough to have met Beverly, but through my communications with her nephew, Scott Linn, I've learned what a lovely, generous person she was. With Scott's permission, I am posting this obituary for another one of our family from that generation who has passed.

Beverly (Linn) Sturtz, age 92, of Boone, passed away on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, at the Eastern Star Masonic Home in Boone.

Beverly was the daughter of Rupert and Dollie (Stumbo) Linn, born on January 29, 1929, at her parents' home in rural Pilot Mound. She graduated from Pilot Mound Consolidated School in 1946, and attended Drake University from 1946 until 1948, graduating with her Standard Elementary Teaching Certificate. She taught for 3 years and furthered her education at Drake with Saturday classes, night and summer classes.

On December 23, 1950, Bev wed Arthur L. Sturtz. Their marriage was blessed with four daughters: Cindy, Deniece "Dee", Elise, and Florilea "Lea". In addition to being a loving wife and mother, Bev enjoyed music, making special birthday cakes for her grandchildren, playing piano and singing duets with Art at programs and funerals, as well as spending time with family and friends. Bev was active in the community, a member of First Baptist Church in Boone, and donated to many organizations.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Art; daughter Elise Huffman; granddaughter Margo Huffman; and brother Marlin (Janet) Linn.

She will be deeply missed by her large family, including daughters Cindy (Daryl) Christensen of Ogden; Dee (Doug) Eckley of Panora; and Lea (Rick) Dennert of Naperville, IL; son-in-law Dave Huffman of Boone; 13 grandchildren (Cory, Carey, Casey, Caley, Chris, Carl, Aaron, Bryce, Brooke, Ashley, Ryan, Roby, Brian); 27 great-grandchildren with another to arrive in January; a sister-in-law and husband, as well as many close nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 21, 2021, from 3:00 until 6:00 pm at the Schroeder-Reimers Memorial Chapel, Sixth and Marshall Streets in Boone. Funeral Service will be held on Monday, November 22, 2021, at 10:00 am at the First Baptist Church in Boone. Burial will be in the Mineral Ridge Cemetery in Ridgeport.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to the family for charities and organizations that were close to Bev's heart.

Online condolences may be left at www.schroedermemorialchapel.com.

Schroeder-Reimers Memorial Chapel at Sixth and Marshall Streets is in charge of arrangements.

Beverly's line follows through her father Rupert Linn, grandfather Oscar Linn, great-grandfather John August Linn, and great-great grandfather Gustus Linn. John August Linn was the oldest of Gus and Catherine's children and the only one born in Sweden before they made their journey to the United States. Beverly was my third cousin. May she rest in peace and her memory be a source of strength and comfort to those who loved her.

Settling in Iowa

I hope that you have enjoyed reading about the early days of our ancestors in Iowa. I'm thankful for your comments and questions that keep me learning more and exploring more about our family history and those brave men, women, and children who had the courage to make the difficult voyage into an uncertain future.

Jim Carlson, descended from Elsie Linn and Francis Carlson, is a fellow researcher who has shared many photos and stories with me. Below is his email response to the question about why John Linn didn't settle with Andrew Peterson. 

With the aid of diaries and stories passed down, we can make educated guesses like the one below, but it is probably impossible to know with 100% certainty. Still, it seems plausible that John Linn couldn't afford to stop where the Petersons did and made his way farther north where he was able to find land on which to settle for the winter.

Thanks, Jim, for being a great resource for all of us.

In answer to a question about why John Linn was 25 miles upriver from Andrew Peterson (who had paid for the trip for John Linn and his wife), I believe it is because John Linn did not have funds to be able to purchase land at Swede Point, and Peterson did. Linn was forced to continue up the river looking for some free land that he could lay claim to. Here are some excerpts from Swede Bend, Iowa The Early Years 1848-1855  by Birgitta Blomqvist and Jerry Lundgren. It draws from information in the Daniel Peterson diary, the John Linn diary, and the Carl Anderson diary.]

On the 10^th of October 1849, after a journey from New York of 4 months and 14 days, what was left of the group from Ulrika arrive at Swede Point [now known as Madrid, Iowa]. The Andrew Peterson’s family had lost a daughter and the parents of his wife. Andrew had also lost a brother, who left a widow, Mary Blad, with three children. The Lawrence family, John Linn with his wife, Anna Welander and Carl (Charles Anderson) could be happy that they all survived. Eric Carlson had left the group.

They were emaciated from hunger, illness and all other difficulties. It is hard to say if Swede Point was as they originally envisioned. It must have been a great disappointment when they heard that all the desirable land had been claimed but some could be purchased.

Daniel Peterson wrote that his father bought a place they moved into, adding, you can be sure it was not modern. This account indicates that the property that Andrew Peterson purchased contained a dwelling of some sort.

Lawrence and Linn found they could not earn their living in Swede Point, nor did they have the money to purchase a claim, so they had to move on. They needed to find a place of their own as soon as possible as winter was approaching. They were going to seek land that had not yet been claimed further north, near the Des Moines River. Not a good time to journey into the unknown. 

The Linn Diary states that he and the Lawrence’s were the first to stake out claims in what became known as Swede Bend. There could be no worse time to settle in that area as ill equipped as they were in knowledge of English, the local flora and fauna, and lack of equipment and supplies. They had two immediate needs – shelter and warmth. As for tools, Lawrence had a hand axe brought from Sweden and a wood chopper’s axe he picked up in Swede Point. Apparently, they had no firearms, a meager supply of food, no animals except for two hens and a rooster brought by Lawrence. There is no record of what the Linn’s carried.