Family Genealogy

In 1983 I visited my Mother and Father-in-law, Virginia (Martin) and Earl Augustus Bednar at their home in Arcata California and ask about their genealogy... my passion...

After much brain storming, Earl, remembered (besides the names of his mother and father, Blanche (Persons) and Frank Joseph Bednar) the names of his brothers and sisters and all the names of his Persons Aunts and Uncles. Virginia furnished addresses of two of Earl's sisters-in-laws and one sister and I started writing to Wisconsin and Minnesota.

After a few months of individual letters I began a newsletter... The first one was very simple and sent to maybe 9 people... eventually I mailed to 50 people about 6 times a year. Since I was a stay at home Mom, we had to tightly budget everything but I did find the money to pay for photocoping and postage

Now here's the important part... I wrote these newsletters over a three year plus period... things I thought were correct were NOT... I do intend to place corrected family group sheets online... with documentation. It will take time... after all it took nearly 2 years for me to place this online

So consider this material as a study in doin' genealogy through personal knowledge.... documentation was not present at all during the first year... and I am eternally grateful that I got to meet so many of my husband's relatives either in person or through letters and phone calls.

    Newsletter #1 September 1983, 2 pages
    Introduction to Newsletter idea Newsletter #2 October 1983, 3 pages
    Letters were coming in with addresses of relatives. I introduced the family to Hiram Persons and to a hand drawn pedigree chart... which I later added too. Newsletter #3 November/December 1983, 6 pages
    Letters from Ida Flowerdew and Hazel Sybrant, the Cordray Story and Family group sheet for Francis Joseph Bednar Newsletters #4
    Missing
      Newsletter #5 May 1984
      Another Pedgree Chart and a family group sheet to send mail back (not very many did)

      Newsletter #6 1984
      I spent nearly a year trying to find Grimton Nebraska before the mid-western people figured out that I really didn't know. Then everyone was happy to tell me where it was located.... Grimton, Knox county, Nebraska.
      • Page 1 Bednar story and Grimton Nebraska story written by Dollie Le Masters
      • Page 2 Adam Swinehart
      • Page 3 Harvey Bednar letter to his Aunt Melissa Persons
      • Page 4 Mary Tressa Bednar Klempa Simpson
      Newsletter #7 October 1984
      Finally documentation.... Arlene Mansfield, a descendant of Barnhart Bower and a early computer user had been sending me tons of Bower stuff ... Newsletter #8 December 1984
      This newsletter included an address list... but some of these people are still living at the address given so I'm just goin' to list the names right here: Martin Bednar, Marysville WA; Bob Powers, Yellville, Ark; Vera Ayers, Edmonds WA; Bertha Bednar, Archbold OH; Ruth Schram, Early IA; Kenneth Phelps, Luray VA; George and Mary Reid, Fairfield IA; Elsie Bednar, Ponoka, Alberta, Canada; Clara Thorssen, Solon Springs WI; Dollie LeMasters, Orchard NE; Bob and Barbara Bednar, Maple Grove MN; Alrene M. Mansfield, Los Alamos NM; Marilyn Kalinowski, St. Paul MN; Frank and Sis Ehrnreiter, St. Paul MN; Audrey Simpson, Early IA; H. D. Bednar, Bothell WA; Florence Sladky, Granite City IL; Ida Flowerdew, Nampa ID; Ben Bednar, Ponoka, Alberta, canada; Betty Haynes, Bassett NE; Ruth Neilsen, Roseburg OR; Marvin Bednar, Solon Springs WI; Alta Blakely, Chicago IL; Bessie and Maxine Persons, Centralia WA; Verna LeBlanc, SolonSprings WI; Luella Flock, Galvin WA; Dale Phelps, Fairbanks AK; Lefty and Hazel Sybrant, Ogallala NE; Arlene Haskins, Solon Springs WI; Gladys Bednar, Webster WI; Ima Schinder, Bassett NE; Arlene Wilsey, Bellevue NE; Bill and Riki Bednar, Medford OR; Clara Grimm, Bassett NE; Jack and Dee Bednar, Racine WI; LeRoy Purviance, Lynch NE; Virgil Grim, Richland Center WI; Diana Kohl, Peachtree City GA; Thelma Grim, Janesville WI; Rainier and Elma Grimm, Rycroft, Alberta, Canada; Leola Johnson, Uba City CA; Vivian Ruther, Wichita KS; Telford Grim, Verdigris NE; George Coppernold, Richland Center WI; Gerald Smith, Marysville WA; Hazel sawdey, San Diego CA; Earl and Virginia bednar, Arcata CA; Martha Jones, Helmet CA; Viola Miller, O'Neill NE; Howard and Jan Grimm, Lynch NE; Arlene Clyde, Santa Maria CA; Mary Ann Gionfriddo, West Hartford CT; Maxine Sears, Oak Harbor WA; Carrie Salasek, Spring Grove IL Newsletter #9 February 1985
      featuring John Grim Newsletter #10 March 1985
      Different letters from different people about same thing
      • Page 1 Ida Flowerdew writes about Eugene Persons
      • Page 2 Hazel Sybrant writes about Eugene Persons and Doris Sweeney writes about John Grim
      • Page 3 Picture of Nathaniel, Jacob and Henry Grim
      • Page 4 Buchanan Co., Iowa marriages and Census
      • Pages 5 Solomon Bowers
      • Page 6Picture Ruhama Yost
      • Pages 7 Henry Grim and family leaves Iowa for Nebraska
      • Page 6Picture John Burns family
      • Pages 7 Family group sheet John Burns family
      • Page 6Buchana county Iowa
      Newsletter #11 August 1985
      Finding Phebe Louisa Persons maiden name... and not McKissen... (see I told you that errors were made...) Newsletter #12 Thanksgiving 1985
      More Nebraska material Newsletter #13 Christmas 1985
      lots of pictures (I'm lookin' for the originals..)
      • Page 1
      • Page 2 Picture of Frank and Blanche Persons Bednar and letter from Blanche Bednar to friends about living in Nebraska and Wisconsin
      • Page 3 Picture of Eugene's Persons' sod house
      • Page 4 Blanche Persons Bednar Wilde and August Wilde in Auburn WA
      • Pages 5 current pictures of Robert andRuth Schramm, Dollie Le Masters and Clara Grimm
      • Page 6Nebraska Pioneer Certificate
      Newsletter #14 January 1986
      tons of Grim family stuff Newsletter #15 February 1986
      Introduction to Calkins Family Newsletter #16 March 1986
      Address list who I'm writing to, where, and how related (no addresses)
       
             Gladys Bednar, Webster WI, Harvey Bednar      Bob Bednar, Maple Grove MN, Harvey Bednar
             Jack Bednar, Racine, WI, Harvey Bednar        Bertha Bednar, Archbold OH, Gene Bednar
             Nancy Knutson, Webster WI, Harvey Bednar      Verna LeBlanc, Solon Springs, Lawrence Bednar
             Luella Flock, Galvin WA, Laura Bednar         Earl and Virginia  Bednar, Medford OR, himself
             Sis Ehrnreiter, St. Paul MN, Grace Bednar     Ruth Schramm, Early IA, Mary Bednar
             Arlene Mansfield, Los Alamos NM, John Bower   Maxine Sears, Oak Harbor WA, Adam Swinehart
             Hazel Sawdey, San Diego CA, Nando Grimm	     Robert Berry, Akron OH, John Grim
             Mildred Barker, Portland OR, Philip Grim	     Ruth Neilsen, Roseburg OR, Stant Grim
             Dale Phelps, Fairbanks AK, Luara Bednar       Rainier and Erma Grimm, Rycroft, Alberta, Canada, Ren Grimm
             Mary Reid, Fairfield IA, Earl Bednar	     Clara Thorseen, Solon Springs WI, herself
             Audrey Simpson, Early IA, Mary Bednar         Leroy Purviance, Lynch NE, Doc Hoover
             Lillis Chafe, Allyn WA, Gabriel Swinehart     Howard and Jan Grimm, Lynch NE, Nando Grimm
             Arlene Clyde, Santa Maria CA, Dave Grim       Dollie LeMasters, Orchard NE, Philena Grimm
             Ima Schinder, Bassett NE, Stant Grimm	     Diana Kohl, Peachtree City GA, Jacob Grim
             Bob Powers, Yellville AR, Mable Bednar        Marilyn Kalinowski, St. Paul MN, Grace Bednar
             Hubert Bednar, Bothell WA, himself            Elsie Bednar, Ponoka, Alberta, Canada, Martin Bednar
             Joan Myers, Jerome ID, Doc Hoover             Ben Bednar, Ponoka, Alberta, Canada, Martin Bednar
             Viola Miller, Lynch NE, Nando Grimm	     Wilma Clyde Smith, Washougal WA, Dave Grim
             Clara Grimm, Bassett NE, Stant Grimm	     Pamela Bednar, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Martin Bednar
             Doris Sweeney, Orange CA, John Grim           Telford Grim, Verdigre NE
             Gerald Smith, Marysville WA, Clara Persons    Florence Sladky, Granite City IL, Pearl Persons
             Alta Blakely, Chcago IL, Nellie Persons       Mary Ann Gionfriddo, West Hartford CT, Hattie Persons
             Betty Ivey, Nampa ID, Nellie Persons          Anne Lundquist, Mt. Vernon WA, Frank Bednar
             Lawrence Smith, Longpine NE, Clara Persons    Bessie and Maxine Persons, Centralia WA, Hubert Persons
             Ida Flowerdew, Nampa ID, Clara Persons        Ellen Husperger, Nampa ID, Nellie Persons
             Nellie Persons, Norfolk NE, Dewey's wife	     Lefty and Hazel Sybrant, Ogallala NE, Pearl Persons
             Sally Bailey, Wallingford VT, Aaron Calkins
      

    I'm not sure if there was another notice before we held our family reunion in Nebraska... Maybe the last issue was two... NOt sure... don't remember

    I really loved talkin' and writin' to my husband's family... I still have most of the letters... and many many memories. I visited several of them more then once and will happily go hundreds of miles out of my way to visit Jan and Howard Grimm in Lynch Nebraska...

    I owe the newsletter family an apology because after the reunion I stopped doin' research on the family in fact stopped doin' genealogy completely... stopped teaching classes... stopped working at the genealogy library... These actions were totally related to ME!!! and problems I had dealing with rejection... My In-laws made me angry because they choose not to attend the reunion... and as young as I was... I took my anger out on the families that I had come to appreciate very much.

    I am so sorry... please forgive me... cause getting your letters made my day...

    My anger lasted nearly 10 years... until I started doin' volunteer work for the USGenWeb Project... and then I began creating my genealogy library and scanning yearbooks and cheriousing my great memories

    Thank you for visiting these pages...

    Good Hunting