Jill's Genealogy Journey

Stories, Discoveries & Tips

Jill Holman

Ellis Island and Immigration

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I just finished the book The Next Ship Home by Heather Webb. This book is set in 1902, which was a time of change for Ellis Island. They were dealing with some corruption. This book was not always fun to read – bad things happen to the main characters. However, I was glad to get a feel for what it was like coming across the ocean on a ship and going through Ellis Island since my great-grandmother went through there in 1905.

My great-grandmother, Katri Kemppainen, crossed the Atlantic Ocean via the Lucania. I hope she got through Ellis Island quickly, but that still would have been 3-5 hours there. And they would have used the button hook to do the icky eye exam. From what I can tell, she didn’t have anything that would have detained her. From the ship’s manifest, she could read and write and she was listed as a servant. She was 26, in good health and had $20. She was going to Chisholm MN to meet a friend who had paid her ticket: Vilho Laitala at Box 127 in Chisholm. Yes, that was the man who would become her husband in 1906.

In addition, the book made me think about how culture and language shape who we are and it was good to read about women who defied the conventions of their time.

Picture of Ellis Island 1905

I have been interested in the immigration stories of my ancestors for a long time and of course Ellis Island was an important part of the experience in the US for decades. From 1892 to 1954, 12 million immigrants went through Ellis Island.

If you want to learn more about Ellis Island, check out their official site. You can look up passengers and see ship manifests. There is also an oral history project where you can listen to people talk about their experiences going through Ellis Island. You can see a picture of the great hall here. Katri would have seen something like this – arrivals in 1904.

Solomon Holman and Y-DNA

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It looks like Solomon Holman is our ancestor and my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather. The evidence is not ideal, but here is where we are . . .

We have been able to document back to Charles Holman for a long time: https://jillholman.com/genealogy/holman-timeline-for-four-generations/

But then we had a brick wall for decades.

Then a few years ago, I noticed that cousins were starting to claim Solomon Holman, born in 1671, as our ancestor, but they didn’t seem to have much evidence.

In the Holmans in America book, we can trace down from Solomon Holman to Abel Holman. (Also, be sure to check out the pictures of the Holman farm in West Newbury MA on page 2 and the pictures of the gravestones on page 4.)

The tricky bit is connecting Charles to Abel. We cannot find a birth record for Charles, nor his brother James, and the census only named head of household back then. To make matters worse, Abel died young, at 40.

One clue is his wife Louise, who married Silas Baldwin after Abel died. Then a Baldwin ends up with Charles’ brother James in Kossuth, Iowa in the 1870 census. Technically, it says a male, aged 75, who was born in Vermont. Was this Louise and they made a mistake in the census or another Baldwin? Silas did have a brother named Lewis, though the dates don’t quite match up there either.

Next, note that the Abel linked to Charles at Findagrave appears to be wrong: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66277843/charles-thomas-holman

Yes, to to make this even more complicated, there were two Abel Holmans born in 1791!

  • One Abel was born to Samuel and Sarah in VT. He married Nancy and then later Electa. He lived for many years in New York and died in 1861. He did not have a son named Charles, nor James. Learn about him over here.
  • Our Abel is the one born to Francis and Sarah in MA. He ended up in VT. There is a probate record for him in 1832.

One more thing you might notice if you trace through the Holmans in America book: Francis Holman married Sarah Holman. Yes, her name was Holman before she married a Holman and they were first cousins. I could not get the software to cooperate, but in this chart, there should be a line from Sarah to her parents, Solomon and Sarah, and then there should be a line from Solomon to John and Judith:

Paternal Ancestors

One last bit of evidence – recently, I connected with a distant cousin where we were the only Y-DNA match at the 111 marker level . She feels confident she can trace back to Solomon Holman with many generations in the Holmans in America book.

Combining the DNA results with the clues from paper research, it seems likely that Solomon Holman is our ancestor.

P.S. Check out two versions of Solomon’s origin story:

1 – The Holman family migrated from Wales to the Bermuda Islands between 1670 and 1690. It included three sons, born in Wales. Two of the sons, Solomon and John, were seized by a press-gang and brought to Newburyport. There they succeeded in escaping from the British ship.

John, the younger, settled in North Carolina. Solomon settled in Newbury ; married a Miss Mary Barton of Old York. (Benedict)

2 – Solomon Holman, was one of the early settlers in the west parish of Newbury. He was born in England, served seven years on board of a man of war, ran away in Bermuda, when sent after milk, secreted himself in the barn till the vessel sailed, and lived by milking the cows. He was discovered by the owner of the barn, who befriended him, and gave him employment. He afterward married his employer’s daughter Mary, came to Newbury, built him a barn, and then a log house, on land of which he bought thirteen acres for a fat heifer. The land is now owned by Mr. Jonathan Ilsley, from whom I obtained this account. Mr. Holman died May seventh, 1753, in his eighty-second year. (Coffin)

Resources

Atchinson & Packard

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Here we have some updates for the Atchinsons, plus a whole new section for the Packards, who were colonial settlers in Massachusetts. For the earlier generations, I have relied on the source Samuel Packard of Bridgewater, Massachusetts and His Family. Note that there are three possible earlier generations discussed in this other source, but the author himself says on page 6 that it is “based on family lore and sketchy records”. If you want to read an early history of the area from 1897, check out: History of the Early Settlement of Bridgewater in Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

The Ancestors of Buel Atchinson

Timeline with Sources

25 Feb 1703 – John and Dorcas marry (certificate)

6 Feb 1722 – Deliverance born to John and Dorcas (vital record)

4 Jul 1728 – George Packard married Mary Edson Bridgewater, Plymouth MA (certificate)

20 Jul 1758 – Deliverance and Mercy married Springfield MA (vital record)

28 Jun 1762 – John born Springfield MA (certificate)

15 May 1766 – George Packard married his second wife Abigail Bridgewater, Plymouth MA (certificate)

12 May 1767 – George Packard born (findagrave)

1 May 1786 – Lydia Packard born Jericho Chittendon VT (cousin Linda, findagrave)

1787 – John born North Adams Berkshire MA (cousin Linda, family Bible)

1790 – John died Hampshire MA (will)

22 Jan 1807 – John and Lydia married Jericho VT (register)

4 Apr 1813 – George Packard died Brockton Plymouth MA (findagrave)

25 Sep 1813 – John enlisted, served 1 month 23 days (Roster – War of 1812-14, more details here)

14 Jun 1817 – Buel born VT (family Bible)

1820 – John with 9 people in household Underhill Chittendon VT (census)

12 Sep 1832 – Almira born Franklinville NY (family Bible)

1840 – John with 6 people in household Underhill Chittendon VT (census)

5 Aug 1840 – Lydia died Jericho Chittendon VT (cousin Linda, findagrave)

9 Mar 1843 – Buel married Philena Whitten Jericho Chittendon VT (register)

13 Apr 1846 – George Packard died Jericho Chittendon VT (findagrave)

1850 – John with Lucy and John jr Underhill Chittendon VT (census)

1850 – Buel with Philena and Mary and Lucien living with brother George’s family Underhill Chittendon Co VT (census)

31 Jan 1855 – John died buried Underhill Chittendon VT (findagrave, index)

1 Feb 1858 – Buel got 80 acres in Monroe WI (index)

1860 – Buel 43, Philena, 38, Mary 15 and Alsam-maybe a cousin? Little Falls Monroe WI (census)

Dec 1863 – Philena died Little Falls WI (family Bible)

31 Jan 1865 – Buel married Almira Little Falls Monroe WI (certificate)

14 Mar 1866 – Nellie born Little Falls WI (family Bible)

4 May 1868 or 67 – Efner born Little Falls Monroe WI (family Bible, census)

1870 – Buel 53 VT, Almira 37 NY, Nellie 4 WI, Efner 2 and Nellie Hotchkis Little Falls Monroe WI (census)

25 Dec 1875 – May born Beaver Dam, WI (obit, MN Death Index)

1877 – Buel & HH next door in business in Little Falls WI (Monroe Co WI Pictorial History 1976)

1880 – Buel 63, Almira 47, Nellie 14, Efner 12 Little Falls Monroe WI (census)

13 June 1886 – Almira died Little Falls WI (family Bible)

4 Mar 1891 – Ruben & Nellie married Spart WI (family Bible)

1895 – Buel is with Nellie Kilts & husband & Susan Hecyes is head of household? [hard to make out] Todd Co MN (census)

6 May 1896 – Buel died Todd Co MN (family Bible)

27 Oct 1897 – Efner and May married Thomastown, Todd MN (family Bible)

2 Sep 1898 – Clara born to Mary and EM in Todd Co MN (certificate)

4 Mar 1891 – Reuben Kilts married Nellie Atchison Sparta Monroe WI (certificate)

1900 – Efner 33 born 1867 WI, May 24 born 1875 WI, Clare 1 born 1898 MN Staples, Todd Co MN (census)

1905 – Efner 37 WI, Mary 28 WI, Claire 7 MN, Glenn 5 MN Todd Co MN (census)

19 Feb 1908 – Milton was born (death index)

28 Oct 1909 – Efner died Minneapolis (certificate)

1910 – Mary 34, Claire 12, Glen 10, Milton 2 Todd Co MN and brother Edward Williams. It says she was divorced!? (census)

1910 – Ruben & Nellie – he is a well driller Staples Todd Co MN (census)

1916 – Mary 39, Claire 17, Glen 15, Milton 8 Sasman Saskatchewan! Came from USA in 1913. Methodist. (census)

1919 – Pete and Claire married Hendricks MN (Fran & Margaret)

1920 – Pete 24 MN, Claire 21 MN Deuel Co SD (census)

1920 – Ruben & Nellie – he is a well driller Staples Todd Co MN (census)

1930 – Ruben & Nellie – he is a well driller Staples Todd Co MN (census)

5 Nov 1939 – Ruben died Staples MN (family Bible)

29 Nov 1942 – Nellie died Staples MN (family Bible)

30 Aug 1951 – Claire died Ramsey Co MN buried Staples (certificate)

15 Dec 1971 – May died Todd Co MN (MN Death index) “May was one of Staples oldest residents when she died” (obit)

17 Aug 1990 – Milton died Minneapolis MN (MN Death index)

Lastly, if you want to see some pictures of the younger Atchisons, check out this post.

Rootstech 2023

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It is that time again. Here are my favorite sessions from Rootstech 2023 . . .

Diahan Southard did a great job with these three sessions:

I also enjoyed these sessions:

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Many of the recordings are still available for free with your FamilySearch login.

Vipond and Taylor: A Timeline

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While I would like a bit more documentation to be sure we can trace our Viponds back to this Nicholas Vipond, this is a cool document from 1742 showing Nicholas Vipond became an indentured apprentice to John Hill.

Vipond Document from 1742

This part of the family is pretty confusing! They like to use the same names over and over again – lots of Isaacs and lots of Harrisons. Here are the facts and sources I have sorted out so far:

  • 23 Aug 1833 – Isaac born to Harrison & Ann Vipond (index)
  • 1841 – Harrison and Ann and 3 kids are in Penrith, he was a lead miner (census)
  • 1851 – Harrison (born 1805) and Ann (born 1808) and 5 kids are in Penrith, he was a lead miner (census)
  • 1861 – Isaac and Catherine and 2 kids are in Penrith, he was a lead miner (census)
  • 1863 – James in Darby, Pickaway, OH (draft record)
  • 10 Oct 1864 – Isaac was born (death cert) (birth index says Dec 1865)
  • 22 Nov 1866 – James and Birtie marry Pickaway, Ohio, USA (county marriage record)
  • 1870 – James and Bertie and 2 kids are in Wayne, Pickaway, OH (census)
  • 1871 – Isaac and Catherine and 5 kids are in Penrith, Cumberland, England, he was a laborer born 1834 (census)
  • 28 Oct 1878 – possibly Isaac was naturalized in Rock Island IL, came to the US in 1871 (it says Isaac in the index and Harrison on the card)
  • 1880 – Isaac and Katherine and 5 kids in Watertown, Rock Island IL, he’s a coal miner from England (census)
  • 1880 – James and Roberty and 3 kids are in Pleasant, Fulton IL. They are from OH. He’s a day laborer with parents from NY and her parents are from VA. (census)
  • 29 Jun 1887 – Isaac and Belle married in Rock Island IL (state index)
  • 1895 – Isaac and Belle and 4 kids in Bellair, Appanoose, IA (census)
  • 1900 – Isaac, Belle and 7 kids in Greene, Mercer IL. He was born 1865 England, she was born 1870 OH. He was a coal miner. Isaac immigrated 1895. (census)
  • 1900 – Brother Frank, Bertha and Rosie Vipond are next door (census)
  • 1900 – Catherine and son Harrison are nearby. She was born 1855 & came to the US in 1871 (census)
  • 1910 – Isaac, Belle and 5 kids are in Otrey, Big Stone MN (census)
  • 29 Oct 1918 – Frank died in Greene, Mercer IL (state index)
  • 1920 – Isaac, Belle and James are in Big Stone MN. They came in 1871. Belle was born in OH (census)
  • 29 Sep 1924 – Harrison died in Greene, Mercer IL (state index) – which Harrison!?
  • 29 Jan 1920 – Catherine died in Greene, Mercer IL (state index)
  • 24 Feb 1928 – Louise Belle died Big Stone, MN (index)
  • 1930 – Isaac is in Davenport, IA (census)
  • 1940 – Isaac with daughter Mabel’s family in Ortonville, Big Stone, MN (census)
  • 12 Mar 1944 – Isaac died Minneapolis, Hennepin MN. He was a farmer, not a vet (death cert)

Funny thing I noticed: Catherine, Harrison and Frank all died on the 29th! Same county, different months and years, but they all died on the 29th – how weird is that?

Mabel Vipond’s Ancestors

Notes:

  • On Isaac’s death certificate in 1944, it says his father was Harrison. I don’t find any evidence that this is true, so it is likely that the informant was mistaken.
  • We are not completely sure about James Taylor. That was a common name and we will need to look more at the whole family to be sure our James Taylor is the one who died in Iowa in 1925.

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The Fjerstad Timeline

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Here is the most current and correct information for the Fjerstads now that a few more documents have surfaced.

Pete Fjerstad’s Ancestors
  • 5 Jan 1778 – Ole & Ingri marry Leikanger, Sogn Og Fjordane, Norway (index)
  • 1801 – Povel & Christi & kids are in Leikanger, Sogn Og Fjordane, Norway (census)
  • 26 Oct 1835 – Sjur Nilssen & Guri marry in Etne, Hordaland, Norway (marriage)
  • 2 Oct 1864 – Lasse born to Johannes Paulsen & Anna Lassedr in Balestrand, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway (baptism)
  • 13 Sep 1866 – Anna born Norway to Nils & Anna(death cert, 1900 census)
  • 1875 – Nels O Sjurson is in Martin, Rock, MN (census)
  • 8 Apr 1885 – Anna immigrated (emigration database)
  • 12 Apr 1886 – Lasse immigrated (emigration database)
  • 22 Nov 1889 – Lasse Fjerstad & Anna Jordahl married Arendahl, Fillmore, MN (marriage cert)
  • 14 Jan 1893 – Johannes Paulsen Fjarestad buried in Balestrand, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway (buriel)
  • 15 Jun 1893 – Anna immigrated (emigration database)
  • 1895 – Lars & Anna & baby Johan are with brother Ole & a mother Anna in Arendahl, Fillmore, MN (census)
Pic of Fjerstads1922
Amanda, her son, her husband, Anna holding Fran & Atchie circa 1922
  • 2 Oct 1895 – Pete b. Fillmore MN (grandma, death cert, draft card)
  • 2 Sep 1898 – Claire Fjerstad born Staples MN (funeral card, death cert)
  • 1900 – Lasse & Anna with 4 kids & brother Ole in Arendahl, Fillmore, MN (census)
  • 1910 – Louis & Anna with 6 kids in Brookings SD (census)
  • 7 Feb 1914 – Lars died
  • 1915 – Anna owned land in Hansonville (plat book)
  • 1917 – Pete farmed in Hendricks MN (draft card)
  • 1919 – Claire & Pete married Hendricks MN, she worked in a bank at the time (Fran & Margaret)
Pic of Fjerstads1922
Claire holding Fran
circa 1922
  • 1920 – Pete & Claire in Toronto, Deuel SD, he worked in a restaurant (census)
  • 1920 – Anna & 2 sons in Hansonville Lincoln MN (census)
  • 23 Jan 1920 – Frances Fjerstad born to Peter and Clair Deuel SD (birth cert)
  • 1930 – Pete & Claire in Yellow Medicine MN with 7 kids, he’s a car mechanic (census)
  • 1930 – Anna is with son Henry’s family in Saginaw, Saginaw, MI (census)
  • 1934 – Anna is in Mpls at 3853 44th Ave (city dir)
  • 16 Feb 1937 – Glen and Fran married in Milbank living in Ortonville MN (marriage cert)
Pic of Fjerstads1940
Fran & her father Pete
His mother Anna holding Fran’s son Boyd
Four Generations!
  • 1940 – Claire has 8 kids in Madison, Lac Qui Parle, MN (census)
  • 1940 – Pete is in the State Reformatory in St Cloud (census)
  • 1940 – Anna is with Bert and Harold & 2 kids on 44th Ave (census)
  • 1942 – Pete is in Madison, Lac Qui Parle, MN (WWII draft card)
  • 8 May 1950 – Anna is with daughter Bertha’s family in Brooklyn, Hennepin, MN (census)
  • 7 Jun 1950 – Anna dies Hennepin MN (death cert)
  • 30 Aug 1951 – Claire dies St Paul MN, marriage box says separated (funeral card, death cert)
  • 23 Jan 1968 – Glen Holman dies Hennepin Co MN (death cert)
  • 2 Aug 1974 – Pete dies Hennepin MN (death cert)
  • 17 May 2002 – Fran dies Hennepin Co MN (death cert)
  • (As always, there are no details about living descendants to protect their privacy.)
Pic of Fjerstads1941
“Fjerstad Brats August 24, 1941”
(that was written on the back)
L-R back: Fran, Robert, Margaret, Lorraine
front: Paul, Mary Ann, Dick, Dean, Jody


 
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