Family Stories

Our Connections with Ukraine

Watching the news coverage of Putin’s War against Ukraine has reminded me of what my late wife Mary Jane said some 60 years ago about teaching elementary music at Thoreau Park Elementary School on W 54th St. in Parma, Ohio. She said that her music room was converted most Saturdays into a classroom for area

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Binge Watching Life Stories of CNN Personalities

I recently stumbled onto the following series of family history stories. It was broadcast in 2014, but I found it interesting and relevant nevertheless. The link below will give you access if you want to check it out. Note: you will have to endure some commericals. ROOTS: OUR JOURNEYS HOME” kicks off Sunday, October 12th,

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More About My Revolutionary War Ancestor: Matthias Flaugh

Earilier, I posted about my ancestor Matthias Flaugh, who served in the German Regiment under General George Washington in the American Revolutionary War. In that posting, I included some information gleaned from a German newspaper article. Here is the link to that earlier post: http://www.collectingancestors.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=296&action=edit Today, I will post a transcription of the entire article

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Huskonen Family Oral History by Mary Jane Dingman Huskonen 1970

This oral family history was recorded on a reel-to-reel tape recorder in 1969 or 1970 at the home of Wallace and Mary Jane Huskonen, 6644 Hawthorne Dr, Brecksville, Ohio. Speaking was Mary Jane Huskonen (born Dingman, known simply as Mary) with comments by her son, Walfrid. Mary made the recording for her granddaughter Karen who

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She Rode to Work with Dad during WWII

At a meeting of the Finnish American Heritage Association (FAHA) at its museum in Ashtabula a couple of years ago, a friendly lady remarked to me that she rode to work with my father, Walfrid Herbert Huskonen, during World War II. They drove from my hometown, Andover, Ohio, about 12 miles south on Ohio Rt

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Finnish Newspaper Features My Visit to Finland

This morning, I received an email from Cousin Matti in Finland with a digital image of the report in the Savo regional newspaper about my visit to Finland during the last week in June. The headline translates into “Enjoying a Visit to My Grandparents’ Birthplace.” I wrote a basic article and sent it to Matti

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“Love Never Dies” Leaves Cleveland

Yesterday was the last day of the Cleveland, Ohio, run for the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical, “Love Never Dies.” I didn’t attend any of the performances. It would have been way too sad for me to enjoy. Here’s why: my late wife, MJ, loved the smash hit, “Phantom of the Opera.” We saw it twice,

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The Mystery of Hiram Oliver Dingman

What happened to Hiram Oliver Dingman, my great uncle born in Sandy Creek Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania? Using Ancestry.com (which I used for most the the research described herein), he is easy to track through 1860 when he was 12 years old, living in the household of his father, Nelson Dingman, in Salem Township, Mercer County,

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I’m Looking Forward to Finding Your Roots beginning Oct 3

It’s time once again to watch the television series “Finding Your Roots.” The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) series featuring Henry Louis Gates, Jr., as host premieres on Tuesday, October 3 at 8/7c. Once again, Prof. Gates will present genealogical research results for celebrities. In the past, he has highlighted interesting stories and the guests are

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More on Gift of Family History from Finland

Yesterday, I received the email below from my brother, Walfrid. It was a follow-up to the subject of my post on Aug 8 (http://www.collectingancestors.com/2017/08/10/a-gift-of-family-info-from-finland/ ) Wallace, Attached is my translation of Kaapro Kustaanpoika Huuskonen.  I had help from Matti [a cousin in Finland and the provider of the subject biography] in translating a couple of places,

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