Adventures in Family History--Roby

Herdis and her sister Rigmor ChristoffersenRoby Anna Peterson

Roby Peterson was my grandma Herdis Christoffersen Whitlock’s cousin.  Roby was born in Michigan in 1885 and Herdis was born in Denmark also in 1885.  Herdis died in 1967 but in January, 1990, Herdis came to my mother, Mildred W. Rasband, and told her that Roby wanted her work to be done.  At that time the only information we had about Roby was the undated picture of her which was taken in Moscow, Idaho, which Herdis treasured.  Mildred knew that Roby’s father Hans Pedersen/Peterson had been a barber in Mt. Pleasant, Isabella, Michigan from land records and eventually we found Roby in the Michigan birth records after searching through the microfilms in the Family History Library in Salt Lake.  It was a typed record and Roby’s information had been written in by hand.  She was the only Roby we ever found and was born to a “barber in Mt. Pleasant.”  Mildred did Roby’s temple work in 1991 and there was joyful acceptance. 

This past week in the Training Zone we had in-service training and personal research time.  They emphasized the importance of not only tracing our ancestry going back but of researching the generations forward from the fifth generation back so I started looking at Grandma Herdis’ family.  I was amazed at the tools that we have now that we didn’t have 20 years ago which allow us to do a lot of research on the computer.  From the census I discovered that Roby wasn’t an only child but that she had two older brothers—Lewis and Stanley.  I also found original birth records and images for Stanley and Roby on FamilySearch Pilot.  From border crossing information from the US to Canada I learned that Stanley had moved to Miami, Florida and had a wife named Josie.  From Western States Marriage Records, ongoing indexing that they are doing at BYU-Idaho, I learned that Roby Peterson married Ellis B. Harris on 28 December 1904 at Princeton, Latah, Idaho.  I was convinced that this was our Roby when Sister Naomi Jergensen from Idaho explained that Moscow, Idaho, is in Latah County.  The picture Herdis had treasured was probably taken about the time Roby was married.  Further research indicated that in 1904 Princeton was a very busy mining town and railroad stop though now it has about disappeared.  The family story was that she was last living in Wyoming but I haven’t found her there yet.  New tools and more information are constantly becoming available.   What a fascinating journey and blessing it is to do family history! 

A Happy 40th Anniversary!

We celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary in July with all of our posterity. These are our jewels--the tangible things of most worth in our lives. We are very grateful for each one and for the good lives they lead.

Our Family

Mordecai (2), Talisa (4), Emily (4), Anna (1), Kira (1), Daniel (4), Grant (3), James (3)

Kathryn and John

Katrina, Neal, Daniel, Anna

Kristilyn, Mark, James, Grant

Jason and Julie

Mike, Desi, Emily, Mordecai, and a baby due in Feb.

Kim, Keith, Kira, Talisa

Brandon and Melody

Julie and Jason BYU Graduation and Move

August 12-13, 2010 were happy days as well celebrated Julie and Jason's graduation from BYU. Julie graduated with a Master of Science with a major in Instructional Psychology and Technology. Her Project was "A Simulation-Based Approach to Educational Psycholgy." Jason graduated Bachelor of Science Baccalaureate Degree from the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences, School of Family Life, with a major in Marriage, Family, and Human Development and a minor in Korean.

John and Kathryn Ann and Jason's parents Diane and Dave were in attendance as well as Jason's sister Chelsey. On Thursday evening we went to the Texas Roadhouse for dinner.

After Saturday's commencement ceremonies we were delighted to meet Brandon's family who were there for Brandon's sister Britney's graduation as well.

Jason and Julie walking up the hill to upper campus.

BYU had a nice reception for the graduates and their families.

Jason showed us where he has worked for the last two years in the new Family Living Center.

We enjoyed visiting an excellent exhibit "Education in Zion" which told about the auxiliaries of the church as well as the development of seminaries and institutes.

Friday afternoon was spent packing their apartment in Provo which was on the third floor.

Saturday they moved many of their things into their new home in Sandy. They live in a newly refurbished two-bedroom aparment over the garage in this home. The kitchen and dining room overlook the front yard.

Julie and Jason have their own entrance at the back of the house. Saturday was spent moving. Many people helped in the move and providing furnishings for their new home. They went from a furnished apartment to an unfurnished one but friends and family have been very generous in sharing their time and possessions to get them settled. Keith helped them moved on Saturday morning, Grandpa Burningham provided the truck, and the parents helped with the moving, packing and unpacking. It has been really fun to spend part of the last three days with Jason's parents and get to know them better. They are wonderful people! Of course, they would have to be to raise such a remarkable son as Jason. Julie starts work full-time in Salt Lake City on August 18 and Jason starts teaching his 9th grade seminary students in Lehi on August 25.

John and I attended our own ward for the first time in two and a half years after being released from the Spanish Branch last week. We were warmly received by didn't recognize half the people. The ward is very transient.

August Changes

Julie was offered and accepted a position with Allen Communications, a training company in downtown Salt Lake City for various business and educational companies. It is a full-time position with benefits which begins Aug. 18. She and Jason are now looking for an apartment in Salt Lake Valley because Jason will be teaching in Lehi. The position is perfect with her instructional design master's degree. This is an answer to prayer. I love this pictures of Mike and Desi at Bear Lake. They are still very much in love.

Daniel forms the middle of a Daniel sandwich as he says good-bye to Melody and Brandon before they left for Missouri. Roberts are very pleased with their new ward.

Kristilyn is holding Anna Carter. We all gave Anna as much loving attention as we could because she will be in New York. Katrina will take Anna to Buffalo Children's Hospital to spend most of this week to try a new diet to hopefully regulate her seizures.

The Eliasons are in South Carolina for a week for their family reunion with the Eliason Family.

Sunday, Augut 1, we had family dinner here.

Kim, Keith, Katrina, Neal, Jason, Julie, Mark and Kristilyn.

The grandchildre always have a good time together. They made a train. Grant, James, Talisa, Daniel, Kristilyn with Anna, and Julie holding Kira. We really missed Mike's and Melody's families. Desi's grandfather had a some medical problems and is now in the hospital.

Today was our last day with the Spanish Branch where we have served for two and a half years. We were released Tuesday when we went for temple recommends. We were told that we wouldn't received callings in the First Ward because we're still full-time missionaries for another year but that we would be companions to home/visiting teach for the low-income government housing area in our ward which has every inner-city problem you can imagine. We know the area well. We will certainly miss our Spanish Branch. The farewells were tender and heartfelt. There has been been a lot of growth both in the branch and in us and we are grateful for the privilege which was ours to serve. We made many eternal friends.