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My name is Lauren, and I’m a Genealogy Addict!
My foray into family history began at the ripe old age of about seven. I’d query my mother persistently about our ancestry, hoping that the more I’d ask, the more information I’d get. She’d repeatedly tell me the same thing: I was English, Irish, Welsh, German and Norwegian (all correct) and Native American (not correct). This obviously didn’t suffice to satisfy my curiosity, so when I became old enough to drive, I’d go to the library and search through old issues of the New England Historic and Genealogical Register as well as other old books. One thing led to another, and before you knew it, I was ordering birth and death certificates, writing to historical societies, interviewing long-forgotten relatives, and going on research trips to Maine, Massachusetts and Minnesota, the native states of my ancestors.
A few decades later, I’m still passionate about my family history, and owe a debt of gratitude to my grandmother, who inspired me with stories about my pioneer forebears and salt-of-the-earth ancestors. She told me of Albert Stanwood, the lumberman who braved the brutal winters of Maine and Minnesota, felling trees. Stories of the Mayflower and Revolutionary War ancestors also intrigued me, and unlike the Native American myth, I found we really DID have family aboard that famous ship. Yup, my colonial ancestors also fought for our country’s freedom. After much research and cousin-collaboration, I was able to successfully join both the Daughters of the American Revolution and the General Society of Mayflower Descendants.
If you are interested in collaborating (I love hearing from new cousins!), you can use the handy-dandy form below, or simply email me directly at graveobsessions at gmail dot com!
Lauren
9 responses to “About”
Hello. My name is Denise Anderson. My grandfather’s name on my mother’s side is Everett Evans (deceased). His mother’s name was Elonia Evans. (I believe her maiden name was Brown. I don’t know the name of her husband.) Elonia Evans, I believe, was a cousin to Rev. O. H. Fernald (though I’m not sure how). Fernald was living in Bucksport Maine. Elonia Evans was living in Norseville, in Eau Claire County in Wisconsin. I have a total of five letters penned by O.H. Fernald to Mrs. Elonia Evans. Two are accompanied by the envelope in which they were sent. Ironically, he also enjoyed geneology. I am only beginning to delve into it. Would he, perhaps, be the O.H.Fernald you refer to? Please respond at your earliest convenience. I have some (but not all) lf these letters scanned if you are interested. Please advise. v/r, Denise
I lived on the farm at Norseville that had originally been owned by an Evans.
Julie
Correction – My mom and Grandmother (she is 94, and will be 95 Feb 7th) believe Elonia was a Wooster, which may explain why I have what I believe is a very old, penned (quill) list of names, birthdates, marraiges (in some instances) and dates of deaths on the Wooster side. Unfortunately, I don’t know who authored the list and it doesn’t have a date on it. I also need to be able to somehow confirm Elonia’s husband’s name.
want to find ancesters.
Hi Lauren, I just happened to notice your older post about your DNA test results. It’s funny because my mother had also been told she had a Native American ancestor and my DNA test results put that story to rest, too. Not sure if you caught my post last fall, but if you’d like to compare notes my husband made a pie chart for our DNA results. (I couldn’t figure out how to get a screen shot of the Ancestry graphic like you did!)
http://www.ingebrita.net/2014/10/penetrating-the-past/
Hi Lauren,
I think we are related. My grandmother was Selma Veland, and she had 10 brothers and sisters. I believe one was your grandmother. The Velands and Gravdals are my ancestors as well. I actually have a picture of the ship that the Velands took to America. I have names of Velands that trace back to the 1600’s!
I have the same pictures of the Velands that you have on your website as well.
Lauren, I am amazed and in awe of the painstaking detail weaved into your work. What an interesting piece of history you have delivered. You have inspired me – thank you!
Thank you, Jeannine! Glad you enjoyed!