Welcome to Arizona

Photo by L. Campuzano Reid. Arizona, 1970.

I'm trying to get back to more regular blogging. Above is a photo taken by my Granny on a visit back to Arizona in 1970. I converted this from slides to digital in December. Perhaps by starting slowly I will build up to a more regular rhythm of family history posts.

Immigrant Heritage Month

German ancestors in Southern Indiana. Undated photo.

I'm a little late in my annual Immigrant Heritage Month post due to travel over the first week of the month in Nordic Europe. The photo above shows my wife's 3rd-great-grandfather Stephen Freyling shoeing a horse, assisted by her 2nd-great-grandfather John Andrew Freyling on their farm in Warrick County, Indiana. In my previous Immigrant Heritage Month posts, I have tended to focus on my own immigrant ancestors, by my wife had immigrant ancestors as well, and it is important to recognize their contributions in coming to America at a time when it was much easier to do so.

Just like last year, I have made some donations to worthy causes that are supporting immigrants, including the ACLU and the National Immigration Law Center.

Wedding Photo

Wedding photo, Evansville, Indiana. 1 June 1947.

Here's another photo we picked up over the weekend in Indiana. This was taken on 1 June 1947, after the wedding of Allison's grandparents, Marilyn and Alfred Freyling.

Celebrating birthdays

Photo by B. Havens. Evansville, Indiana. 26 May 2019.

We're back from the Memorial Day Weekend festivities, where we visited family in Southern Indiana to celebrate the 90th birthday of her grandmother, Marilyn Freyling. We also celebrated a 10th birthday for our son, and caught up with all the cousins, aunts and uncles down on the family farm.

I managed to get copies of some old family photos during the trip. One below shows Marilyn's mother Helen holding her in 1929. Helen was probably 20 years old when this photo was taken.

Helen Umbach Halter with Marilyn and Donald.

Another shot of the extended family is below, showing Marilyn's grandmother Emma Koehler Umbach, then Helen holding Marilyn, and her great-grandmother Mary Elizabeth Schwarzlose Koehler. These photos were likely taken in 1929.

Photo from Evansville, Indiana, 1929.

1930 US Census, Vanderburgh County, Indiana.

In the 1930 US Census, Marilyn can be seen living in the household of her parents, Luther and Helen, next to Helen's parents Fred C. and Emma Umbach.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Elberfeld, Indiana. 26 May 2019.

Here's another shot from the weekend, taken next to the road from the farm in Elberfeld, Indiana.

Wat Arun

Photo by Patrick Jones. Wat Arun, Bangkok. 6 May 2019.

I'm back from a week of workshops in Bangkok, Thailand. I did not manage to see as many sights as I did three years ago when I was in Bangkok for a UN conference. I've shared some photos on Instagram and will get around to some other thoughts from the trip.