A Shared Birthday

Our birthdays are September 1. She was born in 1909; I was born in 1946. She was my mother-in-law, Alvina Bertha Forster Oliver. 

Alvina, 18 months old, 1910

Alvina was born in Greenbush Township, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota – the oldest of five children, and a granddaughter of German and Norwegian immigrants. 

Her education, and that of her siblings, stopped after the 8th grade. Her father, a farmer, felt that education was not necessary, especially for girls, after 8th grade. Perhaps that was because he only completed the 6th grade and had done well with his grade-school education. My husband, Alvina’s only child, thinks it was because he was a such a strict German. 

Alvina married Robert George Oliver (1906-1975), a local farmer,  on October 16, 1935, in Princeton, Minnesota. 

Alvina liked to cook and bake, and she loved to share her talents with others. When friends and

Alvina in 1943

neighbors would drop in for a visit, she always had goodies on hand: bars, cookies, cake, pie. When we visited and it was time to go home, she would send with us a load of sweet treats for the kids – which they absolutely loved.

She loved making things. She made rugs, intricate quilts, colorful afghans, beaded Christmas ornaments, cross-stitched tablecloths, and anything else that piqued her interest. 

When I married her son, James Robert Oliver, I remember her saying, “I can now die in peace as I know that he’ll be taken care of after I die.” She was a gentle soul who died on October 5, 1989.

Civil War Relatives, Part 2

On April 12, 1861—150 years ago—the Civil War started at Ft. Sumter, South Carolina.  In thinking about that fact, I thought it would be interesting to see what members in the family tree served during the Civil War.  In a previous blog I looked at my family, now it’s my husband’s, Jim Oliver's, family.

Here is a listing of some of the members from Jim’s family that served in the Civil War.

Forbes, Benjamin F.  “Frank” (1831-1900)—enlisted as a private on August 17, 1862, with Co. D, Minnesota 9th Infantry.  He was mustered out on May 5, 1865, as a corporal with a disability.  The Minnesota 9th Infantry was involved with the Indian wars and the Sioux Uprising.

Forster, Charles H. Sr. (1842—1922)—was born in Prussia (Germany), and immigrated to the United States in 1854.  Charles enlisted in Co. I, Illinois 15th Infantry Regiment Union on May 24, 1861; he was promoted to full Sergeant and mustered out on July 20, 1864.  He then transferred to Co. E, Illinois Vet Battalion Infantry on the same date; he mustered out on March 24, 1865, and transferred to Co. E, Illinois 15th Infantry Regiment on the same date.  He was mustered out on September 16, 1865, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.  This constant transfer from one company to another was not unusual during the Civil War.  As one Company suffered casualties and its numbers became decimated, that Company would be “mustered out” and attached to another Company from the same state (or in some instances, a different state).

Heinze, Charles A. (1838-1883)—was born in Bettendorf, Germany, and immigrated to the United States in 1850.  On August 19, 1862, he was inducted as a Private in the Mankato Citizen Soldiers Regiment, Mankato, Minnesota.  This regiment was actually a recruiting unit for the Civil Was; but, on their way out of town they were ambushed by Indians.  Before going on to serve in the Civil War, this regiment became involved in what is known today as the Sioux Uprising. 

Williams, William Henry (1838-1882)—On April 22, 1861, William enlisted as a Private in Co. D, 3rd Infantry Regiment Wisconsin; and on August 12, 1861, he received a disability discharge.  He then enlisted on August 17, 1862, as a Private in the 6th Regiment, Co. D, 6th Infantry Minnesota.  On December 14, 1863, he transferred to the 3rd Independent Battery, Minnesota Light Artillery.  The 3rd Independent Battery, Minnesota Light Artillery was organized at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, from the enlisted men of the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th Regiments, Minnesota Infantry (William had been a member of the 6th Regiment). On April 28, 1866, he mustered out as a corporal. The 3rd Independent Battery was primarily station at frontier outposts.

My next posting will cover the Civil War relatives of my daughter-in-law, Melissa Murphy Oliver.

Famous Women: Six-Word Tribute

March is National Women’s History Month which we usually associate with “famous” women.  However, all of us have “famous” women in our families—all we have to do is look.  In thinking about the women in my family tree, I thought I would try to describe some of them in six words (it's not as easy as it would seem).

• Alvina Bertha Forster Oliver (mother-in-law)—kind, generous, hard worker, crafter, baker 
• Betty Jean Barlow Malcomson (second cousin)—antique expert, writer, friend, teacher, funny 
• Camilla Elizabeth Swinburne Newhouse (paternal grandmother)—kind, generous, industrious, card player, friend 
• Daraxra Olle Numbers Swinburne (maternal grandmother)—pioneer, adventurous, farmer’s wife, strong hearted 
• Elizabeth Esther Newhouse Harman (paternal aunt)—bridge player, generous, critical, adventurous, “Northerner” 
• Florence Marie Swinburne Newhouse (my mother)—intelligent, opinionated, Latin teacher, handywoman, mentor 
• Mary Josephine “Mary Jo” Randall Teigland (first cousin)—best friend, industrious, baker, warm hearted 
• Opal Minnie Swinburne Stave (maternal aunt)—funny, farmer’s wife, teacher, school principal

How would you describe the women in your family who may not be famous like Martha Washington, Amelia Earhart, or Eleanor Roosevelt, but they are famous within one’s own family?  Think of the pictures we have of them, the stories we have of them, the memories we have of them:  All of that makes them “famous.”  Can you describe them in exactly six words?

More of What's Your Family All About

Last time I wrote about family and how last names tie us together as family.  Family, in the standard sense, is those with whom we grow up with and around. But, family is also those we find lurking in the family tree. In my tree I have Irish, Welsh, Norwegian, French, English, and German ancestors, just to name a few nationalities.

It has always been of interest to me what last names mean or the origin for last names.  In my last posting, I looked at some of the Irish and Welsh names. So, here is what I found in the French, English, and German “family” names.

• Bourque—is French. The original spelling was Bourrique “probably a derivative of bourre ‘tawny’, ‘fawn’ (from Latin burrus), hence denoting a man with tawny hair.”  Ancestry.com
• Campion—is French for professional champion.  This last name was probably introduced by the Normans to England.
• Dickman—English, Dutch, German—take your choice.  If your background is Dutch or German, this name is an occupational name for someone who dug ditches or it is a locational name for someone who lived near or next to a ditch or a dyke. For the English, the name refers to a servant.  Ancestry
• Forster—is considered to be an English and French name with the French version being Forester which evolved into Forster and Foster in England.  The original meaning behind the name is that a person with this name was one who was in charge of a forest, or one who lived near a forest, or one who was in charge of growing timber.  However, F`rster is also a German name for one who lives in or near a forest.  Searchforancestors.com
• Gaskill—specifically comes from Lancashire, England; and, specifically in Cumbria it refers to where one lived:  near a goat shelter (Old Norse geit ‘goat’ + skáli ‘shelter’).  Ancestry.com
• Hanks—is considered to be a short form of the name Hank; specifically, a patronymic for the name Hankin.  The use of a patronymic is basically being named after one’s father; i.e., Johnson (for John’s son).  Thus, Hanks is a short form for Hankin’s son.  Sources identified that this name comes specifically from Gloucestershire, England. Ancestry.com
• Menard—is a French name meaning “brave or hard strength.” Thinkbabyname.com
• Perkins—in both the English and Dutch backgrounds, this name is considered to by a patronymic of Perkin.  And, Perkin is considered to be a “pet name” for Peter.

For those of you who are interested in pursuing this further, the information above comes from Ancestry.com, searchforancestors.com, thinkbabyname.com, and 4crests.com.

The below photo is of Lena and Theodore Forster who were married on April 18, 1897.  They are my husband's great aunt and uncle.  They had seven children--all born in Minnesota.

© Linda Oliver, 2017