TBT- Photos of Yesteryear- Mapson Family Christmas

In honor of the upcoming Christmas Holiday, I'm spotlighting this photo

From the home of

Jethro & Sarah Mapson

My Great-Great-Great Grandparents

This Christmas photo was taken at the home of Jethro & Sarah Mapson, near Granada, MN around 1910-1915. It's very likely that it was taken by their grandson Harry Mapson, who was a photographer, starting as a teenager. 

In the background you can see a pendant from San Diego, CA, which is where Jehu Mapson, a brother to Jethro lived. The Mapson family were prolific letter writers & much correspondence survives today.

This lovely photo, from over 100 years ago, is one of my favorite pieces of Holiday memorabilia.

TBT- Photos of Yesteryear-- Frank Mapson

Spotlights photos from my extensive photo archive

This week it is-

Great-Great-Great Uncle Frank Mapson

Frank Mapson wearing a fur coat belonging to his father Jethro

Frank Mapson was born March 24, 1869 in Marion, Minnesota, the son of Jethro & Sarah (Sealey) Mapson. As a baby he came with his family to Martin County, Minnesota where he grew up.

Later marrying Ida Clynick and having two children- Harry & Hazel. Frank farmed in rural Granada, Minnesota his whole life. He died at home there in 1967, at 98 years of age.

Betsy Hagen- A 20 Year Mystery Solved!

Every genealogist has a "brick wall" or mystery to be solved. And The Dead Relative Collector is certainly no exception. In fact, I come from a family riddled with mysteries & brick walls.

One of my longer standing questions involved a Great-Great-Great-Great Grandmother, Beret "Betsy" Hagen, who as a young wife & mother left her home in Northern Norway and came to the United States, settling in Minnesota.

In 1873, four months after the birth of their 12 child, Betsy's husband died; leaving her to tend to their large family and the farm. As her older daughters were already married, before long some children moved in with their older siblings and eventually, Betsy remarried Peter A. Williamson and they continued farming while raising their blended family.

Unfortunately, the family lived in a very rural part of Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. While vital records begin in the 1870s, there were not many newspapers that picked up news from that rural area... they were just too far away from the larger towns that had newspapers.

An extensive family history, written in the late 1950's by a cousin had sketchy information on Betsy & her husband, as by that time all of their children and some of the grandchildren had died.

Betsy had 3 possible death dates listed, ranging from 1891 to 1898. I was able to rule out the earlier dates, as Betsy & Peter show up in the 1895 State Census.

The rural Lutheran Church Cemetery that the family is buried at, is full of unmarked graves. And other than 1 infant granddaughter who died in the 1880s, NONE of the Hagen family has markers. I've been to the cemetery on two different occasions and walked it diligently, to no avail.

Lutheran records, at least in Minnesota, have been digitized and I was able to find death/burial records for all the Hagen family members in Kandiyohi County, EXCEPT Betsy... and I searched year by year from 1895 (when she was last known alive) to 1900 (when Peter Williamson appears widowed). No death or burial showed up for the small Lutheran Church that Betsy was a member of for 30 years. I was pretty much certain, at this point, she must have died elsewhere! 

Peter & Betsy had children living in North Dakota (where Peter himself would die in 1908) and in Cass County in Northern Minnesota. Unfortunately, death records that early are very sketchy (non-existent) for those areas at the time of Betsy's death.

Newspapers for the area are limited... and news coverage for their rural area is even more limited. And after scanning reel after reel of microfilm hoping to spot anything, I pretty much gave up all hope. Chronicling America does have Willmar newspapers, which I have searched previously, hoping to find something.

Finally, this last week, I hopped on Chronicling America again... I searched very vague names and very vague dates.... And FINALLY I hit the jack pot! A small death notice, loaded with details, in a Willmar newspaper, that gave her date of death & location... AND confirmed that she was buried at the cemetery.

She had a daughter (my ancestor) and a son who lived as neighbors to each other in 1898 in Cass County, but she was probably living with her daughter whose family was mostly grown by that time.

After over 20 years of trying to confirm the details of her life, I've finally gotten some answers about Betsy Hagen!

Next up, to tackle the Norwegian records and see if I can determine, for sure, who her parents & siblings were. One mystery solved... countless more to go!

North Star Conference & Genealogy Education~

With the busy days of Summer becoming a memory, and Autumn (at least here in Minnesota) beginning, albeit seemingly behind schedule, It's now been over 2 weeks since The Minnesota Genealogical Society put on another quality North Star Conference. Spread out over 3 full days of great speakers & information-- The 2016 Conference showcased the immense talent & knowledge of Blaine Bettinger and Dr. Michael Locapo. As well as various speakers from the genealogy field who shared their expertise on a wide range of topics!

We're very fortunate in Minnesota that we have an active Genealogical Society at the State level that coordinates conferences throughout the year and is able to get some of the most knowledgeable speakers in our field, to present.

As a genealogist who is always trying to further his understanding of DNA & how it can apply to my research, I was looking forward to the always knowledgeable Blaine Bettinger, who is at the forefront of DNA research. He released a new book, "Genetic Genealogy in Practice" earlier this Spring.

However, I was most excited to have 2 days of plenary sessions with the great & entertaining Dr. Michael Lacopo. I'm assuming any reader of 'The Dead Relative Collector' has surely read/followed/loved Hoosier Daddy, the fascinating blog written by Dr. Lacopo. If you haven't read it yet, stop reading mine right now & click the above link to his. You won't be sorry!

Among the other speakers I was able to enjoy was Dianne Plunkett Latham who gave wonderful information on joining the various lineage societies & groups out there [I must start my SAR & Mayflower quests this Winter] as well as Kelli  Bergheimer who shared online tools that I didn't even know about, to connect & collaborate with cousins! Katherine R. Willson talked about the serious subject of what to do with our genealogy once we're gone... and to make sure our wishes are fulfilled. 

There were other speakers that I also heard lecture... as well as some I couldn't fit in, but hope to next time... and whole new subjects that I know nothing about... but should.

Even though Autumn is well underway... and before we know it the hustle & bustle of the Holiday Season... and while some of us have to balance jobs, families & other distractions from our research... there will be plenty of opportunities to further your genealogical educations! 

I know I'm already thinking about to RootsTech next February... checking out the speakers & topics to see what might interest me, if I was to make the trip to Utah for the first time. 


And, like I said, luckily Minnesota has a very active genealogical society and there are plenty of opportunities over the coming weeks & months to learn something new!

Conferences like this are a great reminder how much more to genealogy there is (or can be)... it isn't just Facebook groups & "shaking leaves"... regardless how helpful & great they are. Make sure you aren't missing out on some great opportunities.

Are there any conferences on your calendar? What topics are you interested in? Have you been to any previously?

Mystery Photo-- Fairmont, Minnesota

This unidentified photo comes from Southern Minnesota

Compliments of a Fairmont, MN (Martin County) photography studio

These two ladies remain unidentified... from a collection a photos connected to the Weber & Krumholz families, it is likely that they are relatives. One of them shows up in other photos as well... also unidentified.

Hopefully someone out there will recognize these ladies so we can give them names once & for all

TBT- Photos of Yesteryear-- Weerts Daughters

Spotlight photos from my extensive photo archive

This week it is my 

Great-Great Grandmother- Elizabeth (Funk) Weerts

& her 4 daughters

Lucy, Grace, Anna, Elizabeth, Helena

Elizabeth (Funk) Weerts was born September 17, 1862, in Petkum, Ostfriesland, Germany. She was adopted at a young age by the Funk family. She was married to Herman "Harm" Weerts and they eventually left Germany for the United States, joining relatives in Iowa. Later moving to Southern Minnesota and finally settling in North Dakota. Elizabeth died at the age of 93, after suffering a stroke on June 20, 1956.

Among the 10 children in the Weerts family were the 4 daughters above-- (left to right)

Louise "Lucy" (Weerts) Schultz (1892-1989)
Grace (Weerts) Schultz (1890-1957)
Anna (Weerts) Cramer (1907-1973)
Helena "Lena" (Weerts) Ludemann Muller (1888-1988)

Genealogy Conferences, Workshops & Education

We are in the waning days of Summer... in fact, as I write this we are entering our final full week of August! Where, oh where, did the Summer go? If you are like me, it flew by with record breaking speed and you're left wondering not only where did the time go, but what did you do with it all?!

While these busy times of Summer were not a total loss for The Dead Relative Collector, as always I wish there were more things that had been accomplished. But we'll save the "review of Summer" for another posting... and instead focus on the post of this one.... Genealogy Education!

Yes, I know. I tout the virtues of furthering our education quite regularly... bear with me. 

We have 4 months left of 2016. [I know. WHERE did the time go?] And after some looking, there are still many genealogy conference & workshops left this year.

Next week is the 40th Anniversary Federation of Genealogical Societies annual conference, which is taking place in Springfield, Illinois. Even if you can't attend (it's getting late, I realize), check out the link as they also have the 2017 & 2018 conferences & it doesn't hurt to plan ahead! 

The National Genealogical Society has many upcoming events listed! This link will take you right to the events tab, but I encourage you explore the page and see what else they have to offer.

For you researchers residing in Minnesota, Iowa & Wisconsin (or anyone else willing to travel to the Minneapolis, MN metro area), tomorrow- August 23, is the last day for the early bird registration of the upcoming 9th Annual North Star Conference. I won't repeat what I've already said regarding the Conference, other than that I can't recommend it enough-- feel free to check out the posting I wrote last month regarding it!

Besides the large conferences, many smaller societies offer workshops & continuing education. Are you involved in any local genealogy groups? Often a simple Google search will do. 

An early posting I did regarding furthering our education is here, there are also a few other links to schedules there as well. Feel free to have a look see.

I'd suggest checking out/following the Southern California Genealogical Society 'jamboree Blog' as they offer many opportunities of continuing education & also have info about their 2017 jamboree!

And if you know about an upcoming workshop or conference, it's always important to spread the word & share the details. So often I hear folks lament, "If only I'd known about it"...

If you are a social media user, you can also share any events or items of interest with The Dead Relative Collector's Facebook page or with a Facebook group such as Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness, a group with over 23,000 members. There are so many different ways to spread the word!

So... what about you? How was your genealogical Summer?
Do you have any plans to participate in any genealogy activities this Fall?
Spread the word & Share the chance. Grab a genie pal and 'learn' something new! 
You'll be so glad you did

Mystery Photo-- Southern Minnesota or Iowa?

This photo came from some old snapshots belonging to my Great-Grandmother & were left in an attic to to the elements & critters before being found in an old box.

Many of the photos appear to be taken in Southern Minnesota... but they also had relatives & friends in Iowa and California... and I noticed a few of the photos were from there. 

While I do not know the identifies of any of the individuals, I do recognize a couple of them from other unidentified photos.

It's very possible that these folks are some how connected to the George or Averill families. But I have no way of knowing for sure. They may just be friends.  Either way, it would be wonderful to identify them all once & for all!

Mystery Photo- John Cole of Minnesota & unknown?

This photo was most likely taken in Northern Minnesota. Seated in front is John Cole, the two standing gentleman remain unidentified.

John Cole [1882-1962] lived in Cass County, Minnesota his whole life. I really can't recognize either of the men in the photograph with him. 

They could be relatives of the Cole - Hagen - Wilson families... hopefully someone out there will be able to identify these 2 mystery men

TBT- Photos of Yesteryear- Josephine (Hagen) Cole

Spotlighting photos from my extensive photo archive

Today it is Josephine (Hagen) Cole

My Great-Great-Great Grandmother

Josephine Marie Hagen was born July 1, 1851 in Vågan, Nordland, Norway.  Which is within the beautiful Lofoten islands. In July of 1864, she came to the United States with her family (her brother Adolph was born during the voyage!) and the family settled in Wisconsin, before coming to what is now Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.

She married Delivan W. Cole and they lived in New London, Minnesota before moving to Cass County in Northern Minnesota. Josephine would give birth to 10 children, but sadly bury 4 of them in childhood. Later she & Delivan moved to North Dakota with their younger children.

Josephine returned to Cass County to live with her daughter Minnie & family in her final years, where she died 1922 from chronic valvular heart disease.

Mystery Photo-- Southern Minnesota or Iowa?

This photo came from some old snapshots belonging to my Great-Grandmother. 

Many of the photos appear to be taken in Southern Minnesota... but they also had relatives & friends in Iowa and California... and I noticed a few of the photos were from there. 

It's very possible that this young gentleman is some how connected to the George or Averill families. But I have no way of knowing for sure. He may just be a friend.  Either way, it would be wonderful to identify him!

TBT- Photos from Yesteryear- Grace Weerts Schultz

Spotlight photos from my extensive photo archive

Today it is Grace (Weerts) Schultz

My Great-Great Aunt

Grace Weerts was born January 22, 1890 in Petkum, Ostfriesland, Germany and came to the United States with her parent & older brother (my Great-Grandfather) and sister in 1892, settling in Butler County, Iowa. 

After 10 years of farming in Iowa, the Weerts family moved north to Minnesota where they operated a dairy farm. 

Grace married Fred Schultz in 1911 and they farmed in rural Fairmont, Minnesota where they raised their 3 sons, until eventually moving into town.

In 1957, Grace died from complications of stomach cancer.

TBT- Photos of Yesteryear- Sally "Essie" Crosby

Spotlight photos from my extensive photo archive 

Today is it

Sally Estella "Essie" (George) Bruce Crosby [1879-1958]

My Great-Great Grandmother

Essie Crosby in front of the Winnebago School- 1930s

Sally Estella "Essie" was the first child born to Myron George & Viola Jewell. Raised in Central City, Iowa by her Father & Grandmother Elmira Jewell, following her mothers death.

Essie was first married to Owen Rutherford Bruce, and after a tumultuous 16 year marriage they were divorced. The day her divorce from Owen was granted, Essie married LeRoy "Roy" Crosby and they immediately after moved to Minnesota.

Essie raised a total of 5 children and was an important figure to grandchildren as well. After many years living in Winnebago, Minnesota, Essie & Roy moved out West to California where their daughter was living.

Essie died after suffering a stroke on September 2, 1958. 

North Star 2016- Minnesota Genealogical Conference

Alright Minnesota Area Genealogists, it's time to plan for the Fall genealogy conference that is sponsored by the Minnesota Genealogical Society.

9th Annual North Star Conference

Friday September 30th & Saturday October 1st 

The Minnesota Genealogical Society always puts on a terrific workshop! The speakers are some of the brightest & most knowledgeable in our field. 

If you're like me, Summer is flying by at break neck speed... already nearly August, and I haven't accomplished 1/10th of the things I'd hoped to... and my genealogy has been no exception. The mini research trips I'd hoped to take & the massive organization projects are all still pending.

However, we all have plenty of time to schedule & plan for the upcoming genealogy conference! Coming after Labor Day & the hubbub of the previous months, it will be a wonderful way to cap off our "Summer Adventures" and maybe even give us some genealogy direction for the upcoming Midwest Winter we will be enduring! 

• Have you attended genealogy workshops before? If not, it's a wonderful way to expand your genealogy education AND meet fellow genealogists!
• Are you a member of the Minnesota Genealogical Society? If not, you should consider it. The price is reasonable, you get access to many resources AND members get a 'discount' for conferences.
• Might you have other genealogist pals who'd enjoy this too? If so, share this with them. Gather a group & carpool. 
• Think you're too much of a novice? Or too much an expert? Trust me. You aren't either of them. There's always something to learn in this great hobby of ours! No one knows too much or too little to find the conference a great time!

You can view the itinerary for the conference & speakers bios right on the MGS website.  Please check it out, there look like some great topics!

Points I should mention:

• Early bid registrations ends on August 23rd. 4 weeks. Don't delay.
• Apparently Minnesota is hosting the Ryder Cup Golf Tournament. If you need lodging, don't delay. 
• The Edina location of the conference is very easy & very accessible.
• Support your hobby & support your fellow genealogists.

See you there! Make sure to say 'hi'

TBT- Photos of Yesteryear- Stephen Luther Nelson

Spotlighting photos from my extensive photo archive

Today it is

My Great-Great Grandfather's older brother

Stephen Luther Nelson [1863-1933]

Stephen Luther Nelson was born just outside of Twin Lakes, Minnesota, the third child born to Ole & Mary Rosetta (Grinolds) Nelson. His mother died of cancer when he was just a teenager.

He was married to Inga Isaacson and eventually they, along with their 3 children, moved to South Dakota. 

In 1933, just shy of his 70th birthday, he died from complications of heart problems

Mystery Photo- Peoria, Illinois area

This great old cabinet card is from the Peoria, Illinois area

Somehow connected to the Krumholz-Weber-Wernsman-Schmitt families that lived in and around the Peoria, Illinois area.

Possibly a child of Joseph Krumholz, later of Fairbury, Illinois.

Hopefully someone can help identify this unknown child.

Krumholz... What Are They & Where Are They From?

"Krumholz" is not a extremely common surname. Which for researchers of the name (like me!), is a good thing. It seems that most lines in the United States can be traced by to just a handful of immigrant ancestors. Linking those folks is where the challenge lies.

The 2013 Dictionary of Family Names, gives the meaning of Krumholz as--
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from Krumbholz ‘bent timber’, ‘mountain pine’, hence probably a metonymic occupational name for a cartwright or wheelwright. As a Jewish surname it is ornamental.

"bent timber" that would appear to be what the name describes

My personal Krumholz lineage is a Catholic family traced back to a small area in Baden, Germany that is nestled along the Alsatian border. The family lived in the area for hundreds of years, where descendants still reside today.

There is also another Krumholz branch that is from Eastern Germany and parts of what is now Poland. These Jewish Krumholz family lines immigrated to large numbers to the United States, and like millions of others were nearly exterminated during World War II. 

In the early days, the name often had an extra 'm'-- Krummholz. Though that appears to have been dropped by descendants today, on both sides of the ocean.

With such a limited number of people with this surname, you'd think it would be link up descendants & figure out how they are connected--- Not So! Though it is a project that would be interesting to undertake sometime in the future.

For social media users & Krumholz relatives- a Facebook page exists to keep us all united Krumholz Family News & Genealogy

Do you have Krumholz ancestors in your family tree?
Have you had luck researching/connecting your unusual surnames?

TBT- Photos of Yesteryear- Erwin & Vera Bruce

Spotlighting photos from my extensive photo archive

This week it is-

Vera & Erwin Bruce

Erwin Bruce, the younger brother of my Great-Grandmother, was born in 1909 in Linn County, Iowa, the last of four children born to Owen Rutherford Bruce & Sally Estella "Essie" George. After his parents 1916 divorce, he moved to Minnesota with his Mother & Step-Father.

He lived in Minnesota and worked for many years as a farm hand for area farmers, later he moved to California where two of his siblings had relocated to. Eventually, in middle age, he was married to Vera Stinson Graves, a divorcee. 

They lived in the Cotati area where Vera died of a heart attack in 1968 at age 61. Just over 2 years later, Erwin also 61, died of a heart attack.

It's Time For a Family Reunion!!

We are into the full swing of Summer [finally!] and what do genealogist love to do in Summer?? 

—that’s right, attend family reunions!

Whether annual family association gatherings of 500 people or a lunch date with 8 cousins – ‘reunions’ are a great way to further research and to maintain contact and relationships with living, breathing relatives!

This Summer is particularly active for me, in the family reunion department! I've been spearheading a large reunion for one branch of my family over the last year & a half. It will finally be later this month. As anyone who has organized a large reunion knows, it can be a lot of work. Unfortunately, while this is a very large extended family, the attendance seems to be far less than I'd hoped for.... it can be challenging to find a date/location that works for a large family that is spread across the United States.

A 1940's reunion full of unidentified relatives of The Dead Relative Collector

July is when I have the opportunity to attend 2 other family reunions! One has been happening for 70  years! And while the last decade has seen us lose so many of our treasured older generation – we still come together the second Sunday of July and celebrate what connects us! Later in the month, the siblings of my Grandfather & their families gather for a reunion as well.

It's a wonderful time to catch up with those living breathing relatives that we don't always get a chance to see or spend time with... and a time to share stories or photos as well! I know I always drag along a bunch of "mystery photos" in hopes of getting some of them identified.

In case you are thinking of planning your own reunion & are looking for a few resources-- here are a couple of links for planning a reunion of your very own!
Mister Spiffy's Reunion Planner
Your Midsize Family Reunion: A Planning Checklist
Family Tree Magazine's- 10 Steps to Family Reunion Success

• Do you have any annual family reunions? 
• Or at least one scheduled for this year?
• What traditions do you have?
• Do you have a program?
• When was your last one?

Have you found it a benefit in having a program – or do you think folks prefer the big group free flowing social time?

If you haven’t had a family reunion in a while [or for some- EVER!] perhaps it’s time for you to start planning one!

Please feel free to post family reunion ideas, dilemmas, or links to your family reunion stories the comments below!

Mystery Photo- Mrs. Emil Peterson- Elmore, MN

I recently rescued this great family cabinet card!

From a Buffalo Center, Iowa photography studio...
"Mrs. Emil Peterson-  Elmore, MN" is written on the backside

A lovely old cabinet card of what appears to be a Mother & her 5 children. It would be wonderful to reunite this with a family member who would treasure it.

I've yet to research into the Peterson family of Elmore, but hopefully someone out there can claim this piece of memorabilia!

Mystery Photo- Annie Lee of Mankato, MN

I recently rescued this lovely cabinet card photo

This fine portrait is identified as "Annie Lee" and comes from a Mankato, Minnesota photographer.

I've yet to do any research to look into Annie Lee or her possible family. Perhaps another research familiar with the Lee family can find where she belongs?!

Hopefully someone can claim this wonderful photo for their family archive so she can be returned 'home'!

TBT- Photos of Yesteryear- Ralph & Minnie Maine

Spotlighting photos from my extensive photo archive

Today it is my Great-Great Grandparents

Ralph & Minnie Maine



Ralph & Minnie Maine with Larrie & baby Thora
about 1899 in Winnebago, MN



Ralph & Minnie Maine were married on Christmas Day 1895, at the home of Minnie's parents in what is now rural Cass County. Ralph & Minnie frequently moved back & forth from Northern Minnesota to Southern Minnesota over the years.

This photo of the young couple was taken around 1899, when Thora was a baby. By Summer, the family had relocated back to Northern Minnesota and had a new baby in the family- Blanche! Three more children- Loren, Hiram & Vernie would follow over the next 8 years.

Ralph died unexpectedly after suffering a stroke in 1939, at the home of his daughter Vernie. Minnie remained on the homestead until her death in 1953.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Other "Maine" posts include:

Irving Maine

Ossian Maine

Maine Family

Grace Kottschade Wermter

1950s Maine Reunion

I Need An Obituary... What Do I Do?

What?! You're looking for your Great-Grandma's obituary?

• You're disappointed that you haven't been able to find the actual obituary online?
• You've posted to your favorite Facebook group for help, to no avail?
• Do you 'give up' now?
• NO!

In the prehistoric old days, long before early genealogists could even imagine the "internet" there was still a way to locate Great-Grandma's obituary-- or other items found in a newspaper for example!

And these prehistoric research methods still work today!

Yes... I know... it is a slow process. But it can be done

There are countless genealogical & historical societies across the United States, just awaiting your research request. For a nominal fee, these seasoned researchers will happily assist you in finding Great-Grandma's obituary!

And thanks to the 'internet', researchers can now find these societies with ease! [In prehistoric days, we relied on books filled with these addresses!]

In my never ending effort to be helpful, I have included some of the best compilations of Historical/Genealogical Societies right here:

• Federation of Genealogical Societies
• Directory of United States Historical Societies
• The USGenWeb Project

Of course not every society is listed within these links-- if you cannot find one-- Google searching is always encouraged! Especially with smaller, more rural societies that are often operated solely by a volunteer force. 

Feel free to list any other "society compilations" in the comments section, to share with others that you might know about & use!

Genealogy has become much easier in the last decade-- and with that, the feelings of "instant gratification" that come from finding records immediately... instead of awaiting the postman to bring the coveted answers 2 months later!

So it is important to remember that there are many resources out there, in fact far more, than on Ancestry or FamilySearch-- and this applies to not only Great-Grandma's obituary-- but also many other records that are found in archive repositories & courthouses!

We all want it "Right Now"... But don't forget your genealogical options outside of your computer!

Mystery Photo- Jessie Stowe Scott of South Dakota

I recently rescued this very nice cabinet card photo from a garage sale--- for $1.00. 

It's from a Blue Earth, Minnesota photography studio-- circa 1890.

Someone had written 'Jessie Stowe Scott' on the backside... and a little research found that Jessie Stowe was born in Elmore, MN on 3 December 1885, the daughter of John & Ellen Stowe. 

It seems that the family eventually moved to Hecla, South Dakota. She had a younger sister Marion Stearns and Jessie married William Scott in 1906, and they had a son- Preston Scott (died in 1969).  Jessie died in 1972 and her Findagrave memorial has a pretty detailed obituary... and it seems that she may have a Grandson living on the West Coast.

It would be wonderful to reunite this great photo with a family member who will appreciate &  treasure it!