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Unraveling the Clarke–Goodan Mystery: How DNA Solved a 100+ Year-Old Family Mystery
Using DNA was the only way to answer the family mystery of who was the mother of Loulie Clarke. Kentucky vital records were gone and no one was alive to tell the truth.
Julie Tonseth
7 days ago6 min read


My very first blog post..
I posted this on an older blog site that I was using for my DIY renovations on my house. I guess this is what the universe was trying to...
Julie Tonseth
Sep 187 min read


Old World vs. New World: Finding the Magic of Christmas Markets
Christmas markets capture a kind of magic you can’t find anywhere else — equal parts tradition, community, and holiday sparkle. While the tradition began in Europe centuries ago, American cities have created their own festive versions that echo the Old World charm. But how do the “classic” European markets compare to their “new world” counterparts?
Julie Tonseth
Sep 164 min read


20 Fun Quiz Questions - For your family reunion!
Planning a family reunion? Make it unforgettable with our 20 fun family reunion quiz questions for family history. This activity goes beyond dates and places, helping you capture stories, heirlooms, recipes, and memories from every generation. Use these engaging questions to spark conversations, uncover family legends, and strengthen connections while building a richer, more meaningful family tree together.
Julie Tonseth
Aug 283 min read


Why Copying Family Trees Is Bad Genealogy (and When to Hire a Genealogist)
When I talk to people about genealogy, I often hear:“I built a tree on Ancestry.com in 20 minutes!”
Hate to break it to you, but that tree was probably someone else’s work—copied, unverified, and riddled with errors. It’s like claiming you “wrote a book” when all you did was photocopy it. (Or used AI to create the whole thing and claim it as your own.)
In my own family, I’ve seen at least three different women falsely named as my 3rd great-grandmother.
Julie Tonseth
Aug 262 min read


The Passenger Who Never Made It Home: Remembering Johannes Stokke's Final Flight
The pilot scheduled for that fateful flight was Lieutenant Thomas Pihl Jordan, a daring aviator who held Norwegian pilot certificate no. 27. But Jordan wasn't confident about this mission. In the days before departing Kjeller for the flight to Værnes and the major military aviation exercise, he expressed deep distrust of his assigned aircraft.
He called it the "coffin" and told his friends it would "probably become his coffin in the literal sense."
Julie Tonseth
Aug 225 min read


Grass Where Their Names Should Be: Searching for the Graveyards of Relatives and Finding Missing Headstones
The pursuit to find graves of my ancestors has led me to Maple Grove Cemetery in Wichita, KS. There I found my 2xgreats were buried without headstones.
Julie Tonseth
Aug 192 min read


Do you have "famous" relatives in your family tree?
Many people know their siblings, aunts, uncles, and maybe a few cousins. But DNA and genealogy research often reveal connections that go much further — sometimes to people you’ve never met, yet share a slice of history (and DNA!).n my case, one of those connections is Didrik Tønseth — a Norwegian cross-country skier who competed in the Olympics and won the Gold Medal for 4x 10km relay in 2018. Didrik is my 4th cousin on my father’s Norwegian line.
Julie Tonseth
Aug 112 min read


1872 Rural Sweden & Illegitimate children
My great-great-grandmother, Emma Charlotta Berggren (1851–1946) , had a pretty rough life. Although I’ve mentioned her before, I want to...
Julie Tonseth
Jul 303 min read


10 Fascinating Genealogy Questions to Ask at Your Next Family Reunion
Family reunions are perfect opportunities to dive deeper into family history, hear old stories, and uncover hidden gems of your genealogy. Asking the right questions can reveal fascinating details about your heritage, your ancestors’ lives, and even uncover unexpected connections.
Julie Tonseth
Nov 6, 20243 min read


Exploring the Origins of Last Names: How Location and Occupation Shape Ancestral Surnames
In the intricate tapestry of our family history, surnames carry tales of our ancestors, echoing their occupations, locations, and the...
Julie Tonseth
Sep 23, 20242 min read


William Henry Offenstein (1873-1954)
Meet my paternal great- grand uncle, William Henry Offenstein (1873-1954). He was the brother of my father's grandfather. He was born in...
Julie Tonseth
Apr 10, 20232 min read


Minnie (Powell) Offenstein (1881-1963)
The wife of my great-grand uncle, was instrumental in stopping a baby buggy ring in Wichita. How brave of her to do this! I love the last...
Julie Tonseth
Apr 10, 20231 min read


Augustin L. Guillory (1808 -1873)
I am starting to dread when I pick an ancestor's name, place and date and search on Newspapers.com to see if anything comes up. This...
Julie Tonseth
Mar 29, 20231 min read


Ancestor Spotlight - E.F. Clarke
Ancestor Spotlight _ Edward Fielding Clarke
Julie Tonseth
Jan 24, 20231 min read


Tonseths in S. Dakota - 1935
I was browsing the collection by name, I noticed that besides my 4 family members, Edna, Waldemar, Richard and Robert Tonseth, there were 11 other people in a different county with the last name of Tonseth! I couldn't resist pulling down all their cards and doing a bit of digging on them. Are they related to me? I know that most everyone with my surname will be, just have to find out how!
Julie Tonseth
Nov 19, 20223 min read


Ancestor Spotlight - Ernest F. Tonseth
We are offering a new product to our customers who are interested in a concise, written story about their ancestor. We will research,...
Julie Tonseth
Nov 11, 20224 min read
Joseph Gregoire Guillory (1712-1786)
Update - this is a fantastic paper written by Nicole Gipson with tons of details about the case and the Guillory family. It is long!...
Julie Tonseth
Jun 1, 20226 min read
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