Years ago, when I was just a little girl, I wondered what all of my great grandparents and their parents, grandparents, etc. before them had been like. All anyone could tell me about my father’s grandparents was that Jens “had red hair” and that was why I had reddish tints in my hair. There was also somethimg vague about us being somehow “descended from Chief Powhatan, but since the Indians didn’t keep records...” I busied myself with the normal things of life, school, husband, kids and such until my curiosity got the best of me thirteen years ago. On New Years Day 1985, I launched my own investigation of my roots. What a trip it has been!

“...that bygone ages of the world were actually filled by living men, not by protocols, state-papers, controversies and abstractions of men. Not abstractions were they, not diagrams or theorems; but men, in buff or other coats and breeches, with colour in their cheeks, with passions in their stomach, and the idioms, features and vitalities of very men.” Thomas Carlyle, “Sir Walter Scott”, (Critical & Misc. Essays, 1888)

I have over two thousand individuals listed in my Family tree Maker database so far and am adding more almost daily. Many of these people are Norwegians from Rogaland, Telemark, Oppland, Sor Trondelag, Hedmark and Vest Agder counties. My ancestors that were not Scandinavian bear the names MARKHAM (Deacon Daniel, Barzillai, Levi, Nathan B.) ELDRIDGE (George William & George Albert of VT 1850s), HUDSON ( Eunice of NH & NY) PRENTISS ( Orpha Jane of VT) BEAN (John MacBean of Exeter, James,Edward, John, Col. John, Capt. Joseph, Edward F., Euphemia of ME, NH, VT, NY & Quebec), RAMSEY (Mary Sabrina, Thomas of Richmond Co. Quebec), DOW (NH), HOGG/HOGUE (Robert, Hugh, Samuel of Scotland, PA & WI), JACKSON (Joseph, David, Mary of Ireland & PA), REED (Eliz. b 1733, married David Jackson), PARKE Richard, Isabel of England & MA), PATTERSON (Alexander, James, Mary of Ireland & PA), EDIE (David Sr., William, Sarah of PA), and STEVENS (Mary, b 1742, married Wm. Edie). I am also working on my husband's extremely elusive ROSE (Alan, Archibald of Scotland & Canada), CHAPMAN (Jesse/Royal Jesse, Nancy M. of NY & MN), SOULE (David of NY & MN), and BUDENSIEK (Any, originally from Hessen, Germany) lines.

Member of bygdelags for Rogaland and Telemark
Norwegian-American Historical Association
Scandinavian American Genealogical Society

My first award!