On The Road Again…

2024

Indiana Historical Society Behind the Scenes 21 June 2024
Sometimes the road comes to you! Cousin Gerhard Hoh visits on 22 May 2024.
The Newberry Library staff allowed me to look in their holdings for my Kos family in Pullman records. Not surprisingly, they weren’t found but I could play match up with records I found for other Koss’ with records at South Suburban. Nice project for some local genealogist to do! 9 May 2024.
The archivist was not available at the Swedish Heritage museum and staff couldn’t answer my immigration questions so follow up was needed. Disappointed at the Irish Heritage Center as only the secretary was available and couldn’t leave the office to allow me to tour the exhibit. On to the Washington Public Library where I spent the afternoon researching Pullman Company. 8 May 2024
Spent the day touring the museum and researching the archive at the Chicago History Museum. Loved the movie – made me cry! Then on to Graceland Cemetery to check on my husband’s 3rd great grandparents’ stone. Looks like someone tried to fix it since I enquired last winter. Still waiting for the company to schedule an estimate for repair. 7 May 2024
I LOVE old books but this was much more than I expected – it held the key to my Koss families whereabouts in Pullman, Illinois. Thanks Suburban Genealogical and Historical Society staff for your help 6 May 2024.
Cemetery Stomping in Hillsdale, Cook, Illinois 6 May 2024 – No wonder there was no memorial on Findagrave! There was no stone for John and Mary Molly Obrien Cooke in Mt. Carmel Cemetery.
Bye Bye Sweden, Hello Copenhagen 26 April 2024.
Wearing the bridal crown that Jim’s 4th great grandmother likely wore, it dates from the middle ages. Yeah, I’m in tears. 26 April 2024.
Clearly, you need to tithe at Freyele kyrka where Sophia “Stina” Gudmundsdotter (1807-?), immigrant, was baptised and Gudmund and Judith Svensson were married. 26 April 2024
We had a little wait to get to see the house as the moose had claimed it’s territory in Mjöhult; home of Sven Andersson (1735-1797)and Judith Gudmundsdotter (1748-1793). 26 April 2024
Hemmershult Mill where Gudmund Svensson (1767-1814) and Judith Nilsdotter (1779-?) lived and worked. 26 April 2024
Fika with Friends, Granna, Left F-B, Jim, Mangus, Kris, Right F-B, Patrick, Annika, Lori, 25 April 2024
My Favorite Baptismal Font! Circa 1000, it blends Viking Paganism with Roman Catholicism. See the Viking men at the bottom and the rope at the top – symbols to guard the infant against evil , Vireda kyrka where CG Johannesson, Johannes Israelsson, and Stina Persdotter were baptised, 25 April 2024.
Home of Inge Börjesson, wife Margareta Eriksdotter and birthplace of Daniel Persson, Maria Jonsdotter, Johanna Danielsdotter, and Anders LG Johannesson (immigrant), Kjölamälen. Stephanie, the current owner from Hamburg, Germany, kindly let us walk around. 24 April 2024.
Current residents of the home of Birger Ingesson (1715-1795) and Maria Borjesdotter (1722-1778). Birger and their son, Inge, born in the home, served in Swedish Parliament representing the farmers. 24 April 2024.
Bo Beckman and Jim Samuelson in front of the home Bo rents which was where Amund Jonsson (1673-1741) and Anna Nilsdotter (1672-1743) raised their family. Bo had written extensively about Amund and his son, Amund, Sjöhester, 24 April 2024
Birthplace and childhood home of Maja Olofsdotter (1736-1826), Sonarp, Sweden, 23 April 2024.
The Poorhouse. Men stayed on one side and women on the other. 23 April 2024
Torp kyrka – A genealogy clue on the wall – the names of past pastors. 23 April 2024
Barn where Anna Lisa Torstendotter worked as a milk maid, Stora Haddebo Estate, 22 April 2024
Childhood home of Samuel Ericksson (1810-1890) 24 April 2024
Västra Harg kyrka in front of the bridal bench where Erick Samuelsson and Catharina Nilsdotter likely wed 24 April 2024
Stockholm, Sweden rune protected by a cannon 23 April 2024
Sigtuna, Sweden Rune 22 April 2024
Indiana Genealogical Society Conference at Allen County Pubic Library, 20 April 2024
Waterloo, DeKalb, Indiana Cemetery Plaque Dedication 6 April 2024
Toronto, Canada 11 March 2024

2023

Visiting the newly renovated former Ft. Wayne, Indiana Electric Words 28 Nov 2023.
Induction as a governor of the Society of Indiana Pioneers, Meridian Hills Country Club, Indy 4 Nov 2023.
Nothing like a fall train in a historic rail car from Pleasant Lake, Indiana to Hillsdale, Michigan on 8 Oct 2023.
DeKalb County Fair parade 30 Sep 2023.
My mom would have loved to have seen the notice that I was presenting a genealogy lecture. It was hanging by the checkout desk of my first library in Hobart, Indiana where I used to go to story time.
Yes, this road in Porter County, Indiana was named after my husbands second great grandfather, Samuel August Samuelson. 27 Sep 2023.
Researching at the Indiana University Northwest Library – this was the open hearth where my husband worked in high school. 27 Sep 2023
Love the sea gull on the plover sign! Sometimes you have to take a genealogy break and just look for fossils – Petoskey, Michigan 24 Sep 2023. We had stayed up late the previous night near Crisp Point Lighthouse in UP, MI looking for Up er rocks.
St. Michael’s Gothic Church which badly needs restoration in Madison, Indiana 21 Sep 2023.
Tea Service circa 1840 in Madison, Indiana 21 Sep 2023
Tour of Eleutherian College between Madison and Hanover. This was an all Black college in the 1800s. 21 Sep 2023
Indiana State Museum, Indy, Remember collecting pins as a kid? 20 Sep 2023
Giving that infamous teacher look in the Cook Village Schoolhouse, DeKalb, Indiana 19 Aug 2023.
We made side trips to visit cemeteries on the way to my husband’s 50th high school reunion in Miller, Indiana in late July and in mid September when I presented at Merrillville Public Library.
The rapids on the White River, Anderson, Indiana. My husband’s third great grandfather once had a mill on this river. 12 July 2023.
Exploring Bluffton, IN – The empty lot is where Dr. Charles Landfair’s home once stood. 27 June 2023.
Kessler Cemetery, Celina, Ohio Cemetery Cleanup 28 May 2023.
James Whitcomb Riley’s House – The Goblins Gonna Git You If’n You Don’t Watch Out! 20 May 2023.
Tiffany made windows in the Presbyterian Church, Richmond, Indiana 20 May 2023.
Gennet Piano Factory, Richmond, Indiana 20 May 2024
Runaway slaves hid behind this door in a small attic at the underground railroad home of Levi Coffin outside Richmond, Indiana 20 May 2024.
Allen County, Indiana Courthouse Tour 6 May 2023
My great grandmother Anna Grdenic Kos had lost three sons before my grandmother’s birth. She went on pilgrimage to this shrine asking God to give her a healthy child. She was rewarded with her daughter, Mary, born in 1900. 15 April 2024.
In the distance were the family vineyards. The farmer who knew of the Kos family said the vines are still growing well. They were first planting here circa 1200. Jerebic, Croatia. 15 April 2024.
Granny’s well. My maternal great grandmother spoke about the well at the farm house where she was born and where ancestors lived for centuries. She married Josip Kos and moved a few miles down the road to the city house shown below. 15 April 2024
Josip Kos home in Dubranec. My grandmother, great grandfather, and great great grandfather were born here. She talked about the kitchen garden in the front of the home. It was built by my 3rd great grandfather. 15 April 2024.
Grandma Koss was right, there was a castle her ancestors defended that allowed them to be titled as pl. The dried portion was once a moat. The building was damaged during the covid earthquakes. This was a recreation on the site from the 1800s of an older castle that once was defended. 15 April 2023.
An old manner house on the way to my grandparent’s village. Names on the plaques were all familiar to me having known their descendants who were friends of my grandparents. Brings the FAN Club to life! 15 April 2023.
Lori outside the Croatian State Archives, 14 April 2023
13 March 2023 FamilySearch Library, Salt Lake City, Utah

2022

12 June 2022 Allen County Public Library, Ft. Wayne, Indiana
Willennar Genealogy Center, A Part of Eckhart Public Library, Auburn, Indiana

2020-2021 So, we all know about travel then! I spent my days besides working way too long hours at my education job dreaming of the world reopening and planning all the places I’d go.

2019 – Peru:

Roman Catholic Chapel in Tacoma
Nasca Lines – It was a harrowing flight in a small plane
Isla Ballestas, the Poor Man’s Galapagos
Lori and husband Approaching Machu Picchu
Poor Llama, We were tired, too, after making the climb!
We visited the day before the solar equinox. The sun was reflecting in this pool of water that was used as a calendar.
Cemetery in Cusco. Do I ever travel anywhere without visiting a cemetery?!
Cusco Market. It’s a small world! Those delicacies are made the way my Croatian grandmother made loditina.
Shaman with my husband and I. We had a translator who explained the significance of items used in ritual ceremonies.
Saqeaywaman – Check out the “cat’s paw.” I was missing my own so it was time to go home.

2018 –Mexico, NGS Conference in North Carolina and Cuba:

Isn’t this a magical photo?! We’re exploring at the Archaeological Zone Dzibanche. All the photos show the rainbow which we didn’t see when we were there. It was a long way down so I decided to sit and take it slow going down the uneven steps. Forgot my phone was in my rear pocket. The phone never worked again but all my photos were saved. Now that’s magical!
Kohunlich, Mexico
Altun Ha, Mexico – love the red dye on the stones!
Husband and I on the wedding platform at San Gervasio on Cancun. We were supposed to be at Tulum but due to a terrorist threat, couldn’t leave the island. Mayans came from far away to be married on this spot.
Researching in Raleigh, NC.
Hemingway’s Home, Havana, Cuba. Who knew that his favorite bar, Sloppy Joes, was once a chain?!
Hemingway’s Home, Key West July 2018

El Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón, Havana, Cuba – Can’t keep a genealogist out of a cemetery anywhere in the world!

2017 -Key West, Florida; Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Grand Cayman:

Where’s Coco?

Mayan Lunch

Tulum, Mexico

Lamanai Guides, Belize had their DNA done

Mahogany Bay, Honduras

High Temple of Lamanai, Belize with calendar stone

Genealogists go to He11 and Back, Grand Cayman

Grand Cayman Oldest Home

Offshore Cuba July 2017

2016 – I Love the Big Apple! Also loved the NGS Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida but pics won’t load, sigh.

2015 Salt Lake City, Utah; West Virginia; San Francisco, California; Polk County, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana; Orlando, Florida; Washington, DC; Waynesboro, Pennsylvania :