Monday, November 20, 2017

A Small Burst of Research! [Wanker Sisters/Jennie Berglin]

My friend talked me into joining Mastodon last week. So I did because why not. I've actually been having a lot of fun on it... it's like a much chiller Twitter full of really talented, artistic people. I don't really have any artistic ability... but I do have genealogy! I thought maybe somebody else on the site might find it vaguely interesting - and it's been a slow week at work - so I "livetweeted" (livetooted, per Mastodon vernacular) some genealogy research as I was doing it.

Not sure how many people actually DID find it interesting, but... I've gotten some things accomplished!

Last Tuesday I found myself returning to the Wanker sisters. I've tried contacting a few descendants of Mary Ann to no avail... and damn it I really want to send this photo home because I love it so much.

Wanker Sisters: Mary, Emma, Lesta, Ella, Nellie Pearl


After lots of scrounging around newspapers I finally found the name of Ella's (the 2nd youngest sister) son. Using my work's Spokeo account I found an address for him - and who knows if it's actually correct - or if he's still alive since he'll be turning 70 next month. But I sent off a notecard to the address I found. FINGERS CROSSED.


Friday I researched a lady I hadn't done ANY research on. She was part of my big Cokato, Minnesota haul back in April. 


Jennie L Berglin, born November 16th, 1882 in Cokato, Minnesota to Swedish immigrant farmers Nels & Mary Berglin (nee Johnson). She married John Nelson and they had 3 children. She died April 9th, 1977.

No interesting stories/newspaper clippings about her that I could find, but the backs of the photos mention that she worked for whoever owned these photos originally as a cook... and somebody named Margaret visited her in an elder care home back in 1970. None of the census records show her having a job. Her husband John was a butcher, so maybe she worked in the butcher shop with him? I honestly don't know.

I did manage to trace her line down to some living grandchildren and great grandchildren so hopefully I'll be able to send the photos off before Thanksgiving. :)