Family Genealogy

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
• Page 1
• Page 2
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.
• Page 1 with pedigree chart
• Page 2
• Page 3 Hiram Persons family group sheet
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
• Page 1 Letter from Ida FlowerDew
• Page 2 Letter from Hazel Sybrant
• Page 3 Cordray Story
• Page 4
• Page 5 Family group sheet Francis Joseph Bednar
• Page 6
Newsletters #4
Missing

Newsletter #5 May 1984
Another Pedgree Chart and a family group sheet to send mail back (not very many did)
• Page 1 Revised Pedigree chart
• Page 2 Adam Swinehart
• Page 3
• Page 4 Bill, Martha, Martin, Eleanor, Gustave Bednar picture
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 ...
• Page 1 Bower line
• Page 2 Pedigree Chart featuring Bower information...
• Page 3 Family Group sheet for Barnhart Bower (has errors...)
• Page 4 Barnhart Bower compiled by Arlene Mansfield
• Page 5 Bowerston Ohio
• Page 6 Census records for Bower
• Page 7 Census rocords for Bower
• Page 8 Barnhart Bower's will
• Page 9 Family Group sheet for John Bower (has errors)
• Page 10
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
• Page 1 Gross Nebraska
• Page 2 Adam Swinehart
• Page 3 John Grim and Margaret Everhart
• Page 4
• Pages 5 and 6 Mailing list
Newsletter #9 February 1985
featuring John Grim
• Page 1
• Page 2 John Grim
• Page 3 His children Nathaniel Grim and Sylvan Township, Richland county, NE
• Page 4 picture of Catherine Bowers
• Pages 5 family group sheet Henry Grim
• Page 6Henry Grim
• Page 7Jefferson Ohio
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...)
• Page 1
• Page 2 Death records from Fillmore county MN
• Page 3 Maxine Persons writes about her grandfather Eugene Persons
• Page 4 Grimton, Knox county, NE
• Pages 5 Homestead act
• Page 6 Venus and Walnut Grove, Knox County, NE
• Pages 7 Henry Grim and family and Grimton
• Page 6
Newsletter #12 Thanksgiving 1985
More Nebraska material
• Page 1
• Page 2 Horse story
• Page 3 Census 1880 Knox co, NE
• Page 4 Schools
• Pages 5 Census 1885 Knox co. NE
• Page 6Doc John Bowers Hoover
• Pages 7 Purviance
• Page 8family group sheet Jacob Grim
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
• Page 1
• Page 2
• Page 3 Knox County Nebraska
• Page 4 Grimton Cemetery
• Pages 5
• Page 6Henry Grim's will
• Pages 7 Family Group sheet William Johnson David Maines Grim
• Page 8Uncle Dave's Biography
Newsletter #15 February 1986
Introduction to Calkins Family
• Page 1 Calkins
• Page 2 John and Margaret Grim
• Page 3 Obituary of Jacob Grim
• Page 4 Knox county marriages
• Pages 5 more marriages
• Page 6Allen Chicken biography
• Pages 7 family group sheet Allen Chicken
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

• Page 1
• Page 2 address list not printed...
• Page 5 Picture of Nathaniel, Jacob and Henry Grim
• Page 6 family group sheet Douglas Henry Grimm
• Page 7 family group sheet Daniel Stephen Boone Grimm
• Page 8 family reunion notice
• Page 9 family group sheet Lorenzo Brice Grimm
• Page 10 Clara Grimm obituary
• Page 11 Picture of Stanton Grimm family
• Page 12 family group sheet Howard Stanton Grimm... Uncle Stant
• Page 13 Stant and Martha Grimm biography

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