Serendipity in Genealogy

My ancestors are not generally among the movers and shakers in history. They were average people living average lives. That doesn't make them any less interesting to me; it just means that if they appear in a newspaper at all, it won't be on the front page.

So when I visited the Depot Museum in Batavia Illlinois several years ago, it was to get a glimpse of the work done at the U.S. Wind Engine and Pump Company. My second great-grandfather was a blacksmith there for many years.

The museum was very interesting. The displays were wonderful - I took many pictures of the USWE&P display and was grateful to the volunteer who answered my many questions about 19th century life in Batavia. At the end of my visit, Marilyn Robinson encouraged me to sign the guest book and add the surname I was researching. She said other guests sometimes look through the book and connections are made. I signed the book and wrote the name "Tolf".

A few days later Marilyn mentioned my from-out-of-state visit to another volunteer. The volunteer asked what surname I was researching. Together they looked at the guest book. The volunteer (also named Marilyn) said Tolf looked familiar. When she returned home, (the second) Marilyn looked in the scrapbook created by her husband's great-grandfather Charles Wenberg. He had been a professional photographer in Batavia during the time my family lived there. Inside the scrapbook she found these pictures:

l-r Charles Wenberg, Peter Tolf and Claus Pederson
These three men were instrumental in founding the church below 

First Swedish Mission Church in Batavia Illinois

Peter Tolf (center wearing tie) blacksmith foreman
at US Wind Engine and Pump Company

Peter Tolf and his wife Augusta Landström with their children
(l-r) Ranghild Henrietta Katarina, Harry Wilhelm, and Raymond Johan Carl

Helena Åman Tolf with daughters Christina Tolf and Amanda (Tolf) Peterson

I know I thanked both women at least a hundred times. Marilyn Robinson has since passed away, but her extensive work in the Batavia Historical Society surely guaranteed her a place in genealogy heaven. I will be forever grateful to the second Marilyn who gave me something I would never have seen without her generosity. I'm also grateful to Charles Wenberg who wrote captions at the bottom of his photographs without which his great-grandson's wife couldn't have made our connection.

And to my Tolf, Åman, and Landström ancestors: For putting the two Marilyns and me in all the right places at all the right times - there are not enough words in my vocabulary to express the depth and breadth of my feelings.

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Harry C. E. Swanson

About ten years ago, I was at the West Batavia Cemetery taking pictures of ancestors' headstones, when a lichen-covered marker spoke to me. (Not literally of course, or I would have started looking for a new hobby.)

This headstone had some kind of gravitational pull. No matter where I walked, or what pictures I took, somehow I ended up back at this particular marker. It belonged to a little boy, just nine years old. Surrounded by headstones unlike his in design.

Because I couldn't shake the feeling, I took a picture of the headstone. A few years later, I followed up with research about this young man.

From the November 4, 1892 Valley Chronicle in St Charles, Illinois; "Fatal Foot-ball...Little Harry Swanson, son of a Swede living on the John Warne farm in this city, was injured while playing football at the west side school about three weeks ago. It was not considered that he was badly hurt at the time, but he began to grow worse, and finally died Tuesday. It seems that in trying to get a kick at the ball, he was jammed against the projecting stub of a limb of a tree, inflicting internal injuries with the above result. He was a bright little lad of about 9 summers, and his parents have the sympathy of all in their affliction."

Then there was another article; "The notice published in this paper two weeks ago, about Peter Swanson's boy, was not exactly true in all particulars. The article said that the boy was hurt some three weeks before while playing foot-ball on the school ground. The boy's parents tell us he was hurt by being pushed or thrown against a tree by Fred Miller, and that only 4 days before his death. Of course the boy was hurt by carelessness, and no one thinks Fred did it purposely. Mr. and Mrs. Swanson have the sympathy of everybody in their bereavement."

You may have already surmised that Mrs. Swanson was Carolina (Tolf) Swanson, my great-great grandfather's sister. Because Harry was born and died between census years (the 1890 census has since been destroyed), I might never have found him. His persistence paid off. His story was heard. It's now been shared. Harry has an honorable place in our family history.

This young man born in 1883, taught me to stand quietly for a few moments in each cemetery I visit. I scan the horizon slowly and listen for voices that are just waiting to be heard.

Many thanks to Gary King of the Batavia Historical Society for adding Harry's headstone picture to Find A Grave.