Family History Notes and Photos by Bob Mesenbrink

I am always amazed at the distances our ancestors traveled at a time when it was not very easy. Immigrants would come across the ocean, spending weeks on boat, oftentimes in horrible conditions. And then they would travel by horse and wagon, stagecoach, river boat, or train to their new homes. Karen Marie Kjeldgard was my wife's great grand aunt. She is the best example I have found of an immigrant who made major moves. She was born in Skarp Salling, near Aalborg, Denmark, May 11, 1857 to Peder Kjeldgaard and Mariane Jacobsdatter. Peder was a tailor and no doubt passed his knowledge on to his daughter, Karen. They left Denmark in 1875 and settled near Elk Horn, Iowa. Karen Marie Kjeldgaard Hollenbeck Karen married Coleman Edward Hollenbeck May 10, 1879. What is remarkable about the marriage is where they married - Fort Fetterman, Wyoming. Fort Fetterman was in cold and remote northern Wyoming, near present day Douglas, and in the 1870s, was actively involved in indian s

I have updated this since first publishing it in 2015, adding the last paragraph discussing Martha's possible Indiana origins. There are too many ancestors, even relatively recent ancestors, who it seems nearly impossible to know anything about. Martha A. Brennan is one of those. I believe she came from Ireland, died young, perhaps even in childbirth. Her daughter was Lillian Davis (Stephenson), my great grandmother. Martha was the first wife of William Davis, marrying him in Jefferson county, Iowa, 18 December 1862. The Davises had settled in that area, which explains why William married there. I'm not sure what lead Martha there. Their daughter, Lillian Evelyn Davis, was born 15 April 1864, Galesburg, Illinois. William Davis became a railroad worker, and perhaps got his start in that industry in Galesburg, which was a major railroad hub as the railroads expanded west across the Mississippi during that time. And perhaps Martha had family there as well. If Martha was from I

It seems like Ireland has always had a lot going on, and often not much to the benefit of the Irish. The Squibbs, many of whom were wealthy, landed, gentry in England, had a presence in Ireland as well, although for just a brief time in the long history of Ireland. Of particular interest to me are the ones that were in southern Tipperary, in lands between Cahir and Clogheen. A Col. John Squibb was listed as a co-owner of Castlegrace, just east of Clogheen, in Pender's Census of 1659. Castlegrace is reported by the Down Survey website (http://downsurvey.tcd.ie/) to have been owned by Thomas Butler, who held the title Baron Cahir, both in 1641 and 1670. So, why is John Squibb listed as running the place in 1659? History is essential to understanding genealogy. In the 1640s "Adventurers" from England and Scotland invested money in Cromwell's army and navy to invade Ireland and replace the Irish with English settlers. In return for their investments and back pay, the