Martinsen
Hearing Voices
Armed with only Grandpa’s name and the names of his parents and siblings, I went searching for my family ancestors. Several hours later, I found him, Harold McDowell, in the 1920 census. He was thirteen and lived with his parents and five siblings in Iowa.
Since that day, ancestors from more branches than you can imagine have been begging me to tell their stories. I love listening to them as I uncover their secrets.
I hope you, too, will enjoy hearing what they have to say…
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When guessing is all you have…
When Amalie was 7-years-old she was sent to a neighboring farm to work because her family was so poor. I found this little nugget of information tucked in my e-records for my Great-Grandmother (my father’s maternal grandmother) Thyra Amalie Martinsen JENSEN. It took me by surprise because it wasn’t tied to any supporting documentation. I…
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It’s a long way from Denmark to Hooper…
Almost 4,500 miles, to be exact. My Great-Great-Grandpa Martin Martinsen made that journey twice (three times if you count the journey from Hooper back to Denmark). He was 42 when he first set sail, six years after his wife died. His seven children followed as soon as they could afford passage.