Members Open Mic

Carol Shansby: “A Walk on the Ground Where Ancestors Walked”

Carol’s challenge was finding the locations that her maternal grandmother and grandfather each emigrated from (separately) in the 1880’s.
Starting with almost no information and doing the least domestic research that seemed possible to a novice genealogist, what is possible?  Joining the Swedish Genealogical Society of Colorado was the next step.  The rest will be shown in a series of slides that tell how one goes from knowing nothing about her ancestors to standing on the soil and taking in the beauty of the landscape of one’s ancestors.  The slides will end with a few pictures of camping, Swedish style, in Kalmar län.

Carol is a beginning genealogist with Swedish roots on her mother’s mother’s side.  This grandmother of was born in Galesburg, IL of parents who each emigrated from Sweden.  Her mother’s father was probably of German / Swiss heritage.  Her father’s heritage was Russian & Austrian Ashkenazi Jews.  Somehow – out of all of this – she was born and grew up in beautiful Seattle, Washington.

[wpdm_package id=2312 template=”link-template-default.php”]

Jean Adams: “Two Mysteries Solved”

The presentation shows how Jean solved two mysteries involving the relationships in her mother’s family.  The first mystery to solve was how she was related to all the “Swedish cousins” in Oakland, NE. The second mystery  involved  her favorite pen pal Tillie Larson. She really didn’t know if she and Tillie were related. She was always told they were cousins with no explanation. Clues were found in obituaries, census records and on-line trees, but the real proof came from research in ArkivDigital during our trip to Sweden.

Jean was born in Omaha, NE to first and second generation Swedish parents. After WW II her family moved first to Arkansas and then Memphis, Tennessee where she graduated from high school. She attended Valparaiso University and Purdue University graduating with a BS degree in Conservation Education and a MS in Science. Although she did teach science and work as a naturalist for several years, Jean and a partner started a retail business in 1974. They co-owned and operated 4 cake decorating/party supply stores, a wholesale bakery supply warehouse and a mail order business in Indianapolis, Indiana for 16 years. During those years she earned a MBA degree from the University of Indianapolis. In 1990 Jean sold her business and became a counselor for the Indiana Small Business Development Centers where she worked with other entrepreneurs starting their businesses. Fast forward to 2010. Jean retired and moved to Colorado to be near her children and grandchildren in the Denver area. Jean joined Swedish Genealogical Society of Colorado and Columbine Genealogical and Historical Society in January 2013 and has been having fun researching her Swedish ancestors with everyone’s help.

[wpdm_package id=2314 template=”link-template-default.php”]

Roger Behler:  “Who Do You Think You Are Inga Lisa Karlsson?”

Roger will share the day he spent with his mother’s 2nd cousin, Inga Lisa Karlsson.

Roger was born in Michigan and grew up in Wheat Ridge, CO. He attended the University of Colorado and went to work for the FirstBank Holding Company in 1970. He became the president of FirstBank of Vail in 1978 and retired in 2009. Roger lives in Edwards with his wife, Margo. They have 8 grandchildren. Roger’s love for genealogy began in 2005 when he started researching his mother’s Swedish family from Michigan.

[wpdm_package id=2316 template=”link-template-default.php”]

Roland Floberg: “Who was John Benson?”

For a friend, Roland demonstrated how even limited facts can lead to great discoveries. He will present facts and documentation he found in tracking John Benson from Iowa to Sweden.

Roland was born and raised in the predominately Swedish community of Randolph, Kansas. His great grand- parents, the Flobergs and Stenbergs, immigrated to Kansas in the early 1860’s. Roland grew up surrounded by Swedish language and traditions. He began accumulating family genealogy and history in the 1980’s and only recently completed a four year term as President of the Swedish Genealogical Society of Colorado. He and Cheryl have traveled to Sweden on three occasions, meeting newly discovered relatives and visiting villages and farms of ancestors. Roland holds a degree in Accounting from Kansas State University and has a career resume of accounting and finance related titles and responsibilities with manufacturing companies, the longest, and of most significance, was with Samsonite Luggage Corporation.

[wpdm_package id=2318 template=”link-template-default.php”]