I thought it would be interesting to have my DNA analyzed for genetic purposes. I had it tested for my father's side using the Y-Chromosome test. It was determined that I belong to the haplogroup R1b. The R1b group is the largest haplogroup in Europe. All my male and female ancestors on my paternal side come from Norway. I was able to determine that the haplogroup R1b makes up about 30% of the total Norwegian population. The picture shows some of the information sent to me concerning my haplogroup. The chart at the bottom shows my hyplotype. If another person was tested using the same locations and their values were very similar to mine we would have a common ancestor. The more values that are identical the more recent would be that ancestor.  ¶ 8:39 AM 0 comments

 
The picture shows my g-grandmother, the short lady in the front, Bertha Fredrickson. I am not sure who the others in the picture are. Possibly the man in center back is my grandfather. It was taken in 1939. Her husband, Nub, had died in 1909. What I want to point out though is the house. Let me quote what is on the back of the photograph. "Grandma Fredrickson in house which she raised 15 children - note wing on right side of house was added after all children left & Elling's family built additon for grandmother".  ¶ 2:30 PM 0 comments

 
Many American settlers had children that passed away at a young age. Three examples of this happening in my family include
1. John and Mary Young and their child Elgy who died in his first year in Tipton, Indiana in 1860
2. Florence Archer Weinhart (while married to her second husband Thomas Wayne in Colorado) had two young children, Maud and Harold, who passed away in the late 1880's
3. Erik and Astrid Gunhus and their daughter Caroline, who died within her first year in Rice County, Minnesota in 1881
I am sure that there are quite a few more children of my ancestors that died young and there is very little if any evidence today of their deaths. For example my ggg-grandmother Mary Young had a sister by the name of Anna Young. She married Reuben Bennett in 1854 in Hamilton County, Indiana and lived near the town of Cicero. They had seven children, six girls and one son. In the town cemetery I found a tombstone (the one in the picture) with the inscription of Mary E. daughter of R. & A. Bennett. Could this possibly be a daughter of Reuben and Anna Bennett? As far as I know there is no written record of them having a daughter by the name of Mary.  ¶ 1:04 PM 0 comments