Lars and Kari Rowe Photograph

In 2006 my cousin Peg was contacted by a member of WAGS, the local genealogy club. Gail from Annapolis, MD had a photo that was connected to Waupaca. Gail and a friend were visiting local garage sales hunting for picture frames. Gail's story of finding the picture follows:

"Last year after Hurricane Katrina, a family who fled the storm

moved in across the street from me.  Having lived in New Orleans myself, I quickly became friends with them.  When they moved here in the fall, they had nothing.  Few clothes, no furniture, etc.  They bought new furniture. And as part of decorating, the wife found the Rowe picture in a trash pile on our street.  It adorned her walls until they returned home to New Orleans.  She had a garage sale, which is how I acquired the picture just a week ago." 

As they were crossing the street with the picture a note dropped from the back of the photo.

"Lars Raae and wife, sons David (my grandfather) and Andrew taken probably in Waupaca Wisconsin about 1880."

Lars and Kari Rowe

Gail repaired the corners of the frame before sending it to Peg and it now hangs in Peg's home in Elm Valley.



*52 Ancestors: "Family Photograph"


It is so satisfying to find another piece of the puzzle. While researching the David Rowe family on the FamilySearch Family Tree, I located records that showed his granddaughter Loretta Irene Rowe lived in Annapolis, Maryland, with her husband Irving Wasserman. She has to be the person who wrote "David, my grandfather," on the note found with the photograph.

Bertha Christensdtr Oleson 1804-deceased

We have been spending time during the past year or so adding and correcting information on the FamilySearch Family Tree, thinking that if our ancestors are going to be represented on their "one world tree" we might as well assist in making sure the facts are correct.

One great advantage to participating turns out to be corresponding with others who are working on the same family lines. Last month I wrote to someone who was adding information to Bertha's page to ask about collaborating. I learned that Bertha and her husband Ole Jensen, who married 8 January 1833 in Gausdal, Oppland, Norway, immigrated to America. My correspondent informed me that they lived in Alden, Polk, Wisconsin. I was able to locate Bertha and Ole in Polk County on the 1880 census.

I wonder whether Matthias Colrue knew that his mother was living in Wisconsin about 200 miles away from him!




*52 Ancestors: "Surprise"