Ed's Name and Genealogy

Ed's Day Wednesday

Dear FOLKS,

Part One --- Ed's Middle Name

Some people may be asking if Edwin Junior Ostrom was really Ed's name or a mistake made by this writer?  How is it that his middle name is "Junior?"  This word is usually a portion of someone's name that is written after the last name, known as a title. This is what Ed told me about that. Immediately following his birth, Ed's father was asked by the officials at the hospital, "We need to fill out the birth certificate. What is your son's name?" His father answered something to the effect, "He'll be known as Edwin, Jr."

The officials did not realize that Ed's father had no middle name.  He name was Edwin Ostrom. Period. Yes, just a first name and a last name. He wanted this new son to be known as Edwin Ostrom, Jr.

"But Sir, your son requires a middle name," the official said. Ed's father replied, "Well then, Edwin Junior Ostrom will have to do." That is how Ed's middle name came about and his father got a "Junior."

IMAGE: Ed Ostrom as an infant (ca. 1945)
From the private collection of Edwin Junior Ostrom

Part Two --- Ed Ostrom's Genealogy

In trying to choose Ed's story for this week, I realized I needed some organization for you, my readers, to take note of where in the family tree structure the story generates.

I have decided to begin telling of Ed's ancestors by starting with his grandparents.  Using the ahnentafel numbering system I can climb his tree; a family at a time. I can then stop along the way and tell stories that pertain to the highlighted individual. 

I plan to use the Ahnentafel Numbering System, this system was popularized by a German genealogist in the late 1800s; where you assign yourself as Nr. 1, your father is Nr. 2, your mother is Nr. 3, your paternal grandfather is Nr. 4, etc. In this system, a person's father is always twice the person's number and his/her number is twice plus one. (1)

I am loosely following the format shown through the good work of fellow genealogy blogger, Randy Seaver of Genea-musings. Here is a link to his blog http://www.geneamusings.com/.

We'll begin with Ed Ostrom's grandparents or generation #3. Skipping Ed who is Generation #1 and his parents who are Generation #2.

A Pedigree Chart with Ed Ostrom and the next three generations is shown below.

IMAGE: Ed Ostrom's Pedigree Chart
Created by Family Tree Maker

NAME LIST:

Generation #3 - Ed's Grandparents

4. Oscar Ostrom (1884-1973)

5. Anna Tomina Brekke (1890-1972)

6. Reinert Immanual Emerson (1870-1950)

7. Dora Elisa Nilson (1877-1965)

Generation #4 - Ed's Great-Grandparents

8. Olaus Ommundsen Ostrom (1850-1924)

9. Toline "Lina" Gunnuldsdatter Paulson (1846-1934)

10. Torstein Andreassen Brekke (1853-1940)

11. Anna Olsdatter Stavaas (1853-1931)

12. Raymond Reinert Ommundsen Emerson (1819-1904)

13. Inger Tobine Tallachsdatter (1836-1918)

14. Peder Christian Nelson (1828-1888)

15. Gurine Marie Tomasdatter (1832-1904)

Generation #5 - Ed's Great-Great-Grandparents

16. Ommund Ommundsen Ostrem (1820-1895)

17. Anna Malena Andreasdatter (1829-1855)

18. Gunnuld Ketilsrud Paulson (1801-1875)

19. Gunnild S. Johnsdatter (1818-1890)

20. Trond Andreas Collin Trondson Kattevolle Brekke (1810-1856)

21. Kirstine Adamsdatter (1815-1905)

22. Ole Johnson (1819-1863)

23. Kjersti Olsdatter (1825-1905)

24. Ommund Ommundsen (1776-1862)

25. Anne Malene Sigbjornsdatter (1781-1869)

26. Tollach Sigbjornsen (1794-1867)

27. Ingeborg Christoffersdatter (1795-1875)

28. Niels Johannesen (1804-1834)

29. Pemille Johannesdatter (1798-1883)

30. Tomas Christophersen Altermark (1776-1864)

31. Marit Mattisdatter (1794-1845)

and more to be added later.

Stick with me and we'll start to learn about Ed's ancestors.

Note: These Ed's Day Wednesday articles and genealogy are from the collection by Edwin "Ed" Ostrom (1944-2015). It is my plan to publish Ed's stories, thus sharing them with many.

(1) Hall, Rebecca Ann, What is Ahnentafel or Sosa-Stradonitz System?, Rootsweb.com,

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bkivak/ahnentafel.htm. Accessed 9 Feb 2016.