Salome Sturm.... A Mysterious Grandmother...

As far as mysterious female ancestors go – Salome Sturm is no exception. In 20 years of researching her, I have little to show for it... Though I certainly have tried!

Salome Sturm was born 20 June 1841 in Alsace Lorraine, the daughter of Mathias Sturm & his unknown wife. Family lore is she married a Sturm, the son of Johannes & Catherine (Rudolph) Sturm, and that they had a son Jacob. Her husband died and she and her small son came to the United States, settling in Lake County, Illinois… this area was full of Sturm’s at that time… On 15 November 1866 she married Johann Sturm, the son of Johannes & Catherine… they had 5 children: John, Henry & David (twins), Michael, and Emma.  Johann died in 1875, and Salome went on to marry his younger brother George Sturm; and they went on to have a son George as well.

So what I think I have is a Sturm female, who went on to marry 3 Sturm brothers…. Though there were some family members who questioned whether her first husband was actually a Sturm…  I can’t find anything on a first husband, though she has this son Jacob Sturm… whether his Sturm surname was for his Father, his Step-Father/Uncle, or even his Mother’s maiden name – I do not know.

 

Salome died at her rural Long Grove, IL farm on 12 October 1906, she was 65 years old. She is buried nearby at the Long Grove Cemetery.

I’d love to know more about the life of Salome – who her parents were and her first husband. Maybe someone knows something of her and her life… and even has a photograph of this elusive, mysterious Grandma.

Lost Document... Aloisius Plutowski & Nettie Ebertowski

Marriage Record... found in an antique shop.....

Just this week I stumbled upon this nicely frame marriage record in an antique shop... at $29, it's a little over the amount that I'm willing to pay to "rescue" unknown genealogy gems.... But I thought if I publicized it here, perhaps I'd be able to find a relative... and in the least, the photos are retained here. 

According to the certificate, Nettie Ebertowski was, at the time, a resident of Oslo, Minnesota... which is a tiny hamlet in Marshall County. Though the wedding took place in North Dakota.

If you are connected to this family, and are interested in actually owning this certificate, I'm happy to assist you in getting it and shipping it to you.

For an 84 year old document, it is in lovely condition... and it's so sad that this family heirloom has been separated from family members who may cherish it.


[update- as of 05/10/2014 this certificate is still for sale]

Elizabeth Davids Park.... Who Were You?

As mysterious female ancestors go, Elizabeth Davids is certainly a prime example. Even though she married into the well documented Park(e) family, she remains an unknown.

Elizabeth Davids was born 2 September 1785, though I can’t find where I go this date from! So I can’t vouch for the accuracy of it. I have no idea who her parents could be.....

She married Ephraim Park on 2 September 1804, he was a young widower with a couple of children… Elizabeth would go on to have a number of children of her own including: Ephraim, Sidney, Charles, Eliza, Margaret Snyder Burgett, and Lucy Bacon. 

By the 1810s they were living in Chenango County, New York and in 1816 Ephraim died in Ontario County, New York, leaving Elizabeth a young widow with a large family to care for…Whether this is where the family was living at the time is unclear.

Also unclear is what happened to Elizabeth after this point! I don’t know if she remarried (she was only 31 years old) or died young herself.  In fact, I don’t even know for sure that she outlived her husband! She could have died prior to 1816.  Many of her children remained in the area and their families are fairly well documented.

I’d love to have some answers on the life of Elizabeth! Does anyone have her in their family tree?!

 

Mystery Photo Sunday... Blue Earth, Minnesota

Mystery Photo Sunday

I have such a large photo archive... of both relative & non-relative photos... that I've decided to do a weekly spotlight of one the 'mystery photos' in my possession.

 

 

This unknown lady/girl (age?) was photographed in Blue Earth, Faribault County, Minnesota.... Her identity is a complete mystery.....

It is possible that this unknown lady is related to the Nelson - Grinolds - or Schoonover families...