Uff da! New "Minnesota Mix" storyspace

Twyla Eilertsen Ruby is the host of a new storyspace about her Eilertsen-Stetson-Bennett family, a blend of old-line American and upright Norwegian stock.

The Bennetts of Scobey, Montana

Themes: church & religion, melting pot, American westward migration, Norwegian-American immigrant experience Highlights: Bennett homestead in Scobey, Montana, Eilertsen roots in Farsund, Norway, Ed Eilertsen tribute, Stetson family history

This second active storyspace on Family History Machine demonstrates the viability of the platform for multiuser family storytelling. We will feature more new users and storyspaces following the upcoming beta launch of the site.

Wikipedia is key for validating historical accounts

Besides the fallibility of memory, there are many reasons that an eyewitness account might not be precisely accurate. Use Wikipedia to vet historical testimony.

military service

Hermann may have been wounded in battle on the WWI Eastern Front

One line in a daily casualty report helps to pinpoint the context of a grandfather's military service. Hermann Ringel's infantry division was part of the German Eleventh Army in the 1915 Galicia campaign

German casualty list for August 12, 1915

spatial visualization

Eilertsen geography on the Spind peninsula

The map shows the location of the Eilertsen farm at Farbrot and the Nicolaisen farm at Reisvåg relative to the towns of Farsund and Lyngdal. Both families worshiped at the Spind Kirke.

Between Farsund and Lyngdal