Martin Co, MN... Ed & Bert Klein... Lost Photo

I recently rescued this photo from an antique shop! 

It appears to me, to be from the 1940s... 

and is from a Fairmont, Minnesota photography studio...

On the back, someone has written 

"Uncle Ed & Aunt Bert Klein"

I do find an Edward & Bertha Klein living in Welcome, Martin County, Minnesota

If indeed this is a photo of that Edward & Bertha, I believe they had a daughter Lois who died in 2009, and there is a link here for her obituary, which is rather lengthy.

It is such a nice portrait, that I'd love to return it to someone in the family. Being it was ID'd at 'Uncle & Aunt", I assume the photo was originally given to one of their siblings who then passed it on to their children.

Online Minnesota resources we might not be utilizing....

As a genealogist from Minnesota, I take great pride in the many resources our state has in place to aide researchers! Many, like the death index, are very well known, but many many others are not.

Some common Minnesota online resources that we might not be using to their full potential!? 

Facebook-- not everyone uses Facebook... 
but for those who do, it is full of 
Genealogy related groups--
Minnesota Genealogy
Minnesota Genealogy Network
Minnesota Genealogy Research
Minnesota Norwegians- genealogy
Lac Qui Parle County Minnesota Genealogy

McLeod County Minnesota Genealogy
Benton County Minnesota Genealogy
Swedish American Genealogy in Minnesota
Le Sueur County Minnesota Genealogy
Crow Wing County Genealogical Society
Martin County Genealogical Society
Anoka County Historical Society
Dakota County Genealogical Society, Minnesota
Minnesota Genealogical Society

And if there isn't a group for the Minnesota interest you have, perhaps you could start one! Some recent groups, like The Organized Genealogist have over 12,000 members!


Family Search- 23 historical collections for Minnesota. 
Use the 'Filter by collection name' box to the left & type in 'Minnesota'
They are always adding & updating their collections here-- and it's Free!

Minnesota's own birth, death, & marriage indexes
Minnesota Death & Birth Index
Minnesota Marriage Records


So is there any other great Minnesota resource out there that you use?! 
Add a comment below for all to see~

Mystery Photo... Viola Borman... St. Peter, MN

Viola Borman... St. Peter, Minnesota

Recently, I rescued this great cabinet card photo from an antique shop!

It comes from a St. Peter, Minnesota photography studio. And was actually purchased about 8 miles away...

Someone wrote "Viola Boremann" on the back side....

I've done some searching and there doesn't appear to be many "Boremann's" around. I wonder if perhaps the person who wrote this, misspelled the last name? The handwriting appears much more recent than the days of the actual photo.

It is likely that the person misspelled 'Borman' vs 'Boremann'

How nice would it be to figure out just who this little girl is... and while she is most certainly deceased today, I'd love to find a child or grandchild (or anyone!) who would treasure this lovely baby girl!

**[update- it appears that Viola Mabel Borman was born 23 July 1901 in Nicollet County, MN-- the daughter of Henry & Effie (Dougal) Borman]

[**Update- the photo was returned to a granddaughter, thanks to all readers who assisted!]

Mystery Photo... Mary Warneke... Minnesota

I recently purchased this photo from an antique shop...

It's a great cabinet card photo!

Someone wrote 'Mary Warneke' on the reverse side

It's from the Hennepin Studio, in Minneapolis, MN

I'd love to find a relative of Mary's that is interested in genealogy who would treasure this great photo!

[** Update- 10/30/15- the photo of Mary is now reunited with a cousin who will treasure it!]

Tossing Grandma's Antique China in the Trash...

Or instead of in the trash.. A Yard Sale!

This Spring, I've been enjoying the weekend past time of garage sales! As a collector, who also dabbles in resale, I'm always on the lookout for antique or retro collectibles.

8 pieces of Mickey Mouse china that belonged to the
sellers Mother, when she was a child.

Twice now, while purchasing items, the seller has shared with me-- "these were my Mother's toy tea set" and "this cream & sugar belonged to my Grandma"

Personally, I can't image selling my Grandma's antique glass cream & sugar on a garage sale for $1.00. Perhaps it's because I come from families that were poor as church mice, so that "family heirlooms" are few and far between--- and the few things that do exist, are treasured!

This pretty blue glass Cr & Sugar belonged to the sellers
Grandmother... The sellers Daughter was also there and
didn't bat an eye at the sale of the Cr & Sugar that belonged
to her Great-Grandmother!

Any regular readers here will know that I enjoy rescuing lost photos & other family memorabilia and trying to reunite it with interested family members. So it's extra hard for me to hear an actual family member getting rid of a family piece.

All of these items items were purchased from older women, who offered up the history, openly-- and the women were in the company of their own daughters, who showed no interest in the family heirloom that was walking out the garage door before their very eyes!

This interesting plate is German and the seller, who was an
older lady, told her Daughter as I was buying it that they had
gotten this plate after her Husband's Grandma passed away.

I suppose it is possible that Great-Grandma had a large Victorian home loaded with treasures, and maybe the sellers I encountered were just thinning out a large collection of items, leaving many more to be passed down! 

I say this, as it is possible in some circumstances... 

I don't believe it was the case with the people I encountered... just from the way they spoke of the items... But anything is possible.

I'm very fortunate to be in the possession of a number of great family heirlooms.. In fact, a couple of years ago I spotlighted a few of my favorite items in some posts on this very blog... and am including links here, in case you'd like to see what I consider "heirlooms"
http://thedeadrelativecollector.blogspot.com/2012/02/family-heirlooms-tangible-genealogy.html
http://thedeadrelativecollector.blogspot.com/2012/03/more-family-treasures.html
http://thedeadrelativecollector.blogspot.com/2012/08/more-family-treasures.html

I understand that people can't keep everything! I'm not suggesting that they should! I'm only saying that when something belonged to a long departed relative... we should respect it, and try and find an appropriate home for it. Because usually, once discarded... these things are lost.

A few years ago, I was at a large antique show... and there was a postcard dealer there that I had known for some years... and I was looking through her postcard offerings for my small home town... and I noticed one of a local church, it was priced $3... once I flipped it over, I saw that the person it was addressed to was the oldest sister of my Great-Great Grandfather! I thought it'd be fun to have something that was sent to her, and purchased it... without reading the rest of the writing on the card.  Later that night, I read it in its entirety.. and it was signed "Your Loving Mother S.M"... which was my Great-Great-Great Grandmother, who died in 1913. I have no idea why that card ended up being sold... but I'm just glad I was able to get it!! It's one of my prized pieces of history. To have a letter written in the hand of my 3x Great-Grandmother... it is priceless.


I'm pretty sure most genealogists aren't going to be tossing Grandma's china in the trash-- but tangible heirlooms need to be organized & documented just like our photos & death certificates! And future homes for these heirlooms should be thought about...

And if the day comes that we are tired of Grandma's cream & sugar in our china cabinet-- we should see if there isn't someone in the extended family who might treasure it-- before hocking it on a yard sale for $1.00-- because now it is gone forever!  
And what a shame that is.

Alfred Windhorn... Brown County, Minnesota

Alfred Windhorn... of Brown County, Minnesota


I recently rescued this nice portrait from an antique shop!

Someone has written "Alfred Windhorn" on the backside

After a brief search, I find an Alfred Windhorn born 22 March 1886 in Brown County, Minnesota and it seems that Alfred eventually settled in Mankato, Blue Earth Co, Minnesota which is where he passed away in 1961.

It would be wonderful to find a descendant of Alfred, or at least Windhorn genealogist who would appreciate this fine portrait!

[**Update- 10/30/15- Alfred has been reunited with a relative to keep & preserve this photo!]