My last name at birth was Johnson. But at the age of three I was adopted by Mom's 2nd husband and given the surname Inman, so perhaps it is true that adoptees are especially drawn to genealogy; I certainly am. Seldom does a week pass w/o finding new cousins, incl. Ralph Waldo Emerson, George Eastman, Audrey Munson, Bucky Fuller & 7 US Presidents.

I didn't meet my birth father until I was 30, and only in retirement have I had time to explore my roots in detail. As good weather & bad knees allow, my wife and I travel to cemeteries around the U.S. where family members are buried, and we clean their headstones with the same product Uncle Sam uses to clean headstones at Arlington National Cemetery. Feel free to use any headstone photos I've taken for your non-commercial purposes (with attribution, please).

I'm grateful to Sharon Allen (R.I.P.), Julrene Thornberg, Mike Linnihan, Donna Fostveit, Joie Finley, Sue Tanner, Rebecca Paddon, Becky Doan, Chloé and all the other Find a Grave members who have entrusted me with the care of my family's memorials, or who have taken photos that I "borrowed" for the Ancestry and WikiTree profiles created to remember my departed relatives and to pay homage to them. I thank you all... for your kindness, your generosity and your assistance.

My real dad's paternal ancestors emigrated from Norway, sailing to America on the Argo (1843) and Colon (1850). First settling in Dane County, WI, most of the family removed to Waseca County, MN in 1855, where my great-great-grandpa Thorbjørn Johnson established/operated a 160-acre dairy farm to supply milk to nearby Palmer Creamery. Thom, as he was known, donated a corner of his land to the American Lutheran Church and helped build the North Waseca Lutheran Church (NWLC) on it. As of this writing, the NWLC Cemetery is the resting place of some 491 folks - most of them my kin by DNA or marriage, I'm proud to say. The more I learn about them, the more I admire them & their accomplishments.

Many relatives in my maternal grandpa's English/Irish line, including my Burris great-grandparents, my Burris & Lipsey 2nd great-grandparents and my Burris & Reed 3rd great-grandparents, are buried in Line Cemetery near Olpe, KS. They had arrived in Kansas by covered wagon soon after my 3rd great-grandpa Pvt. Moses Burris was KIA during the Civil War.

Several 9th great-grandparents on both sides were British American colonists. John Burras came to Jamestown with the "Second Supply" on the Mary & Margaret in 1608. His parents Anthony & Elizabeth followed aboard the George in 1617. John Howland; John, Joan & Elizabeth Tilley; Edward, Ann & Samuel Fuller came to Plymouth on the Mayflower (1620). Thomas Clarke came to Plymouth on the Anne (1623). His future wife Susanna Ring came to Plymouth in 1629. Josiah Winslow sailed to Plymouth on the White Angel (1631). Nathaniel Merriman came to Boston aboard the Whale (1632). Henry & Patience Cobb came to Plymouth in 1632; Wm. Hedge & Thomas Lincoln arrived in 1633. John Lothrop, Wm. & Anna Bartholomew came to Boston on the Griffin (1634). Edward Sturgis, James Matthews, Elizabeth Hinckley & William Fifield came to Charlestown on the Hercules (1634). Wm. & Sarah Moody came to Boston on the Mary & John (1634). Antony & Elizabeth Thacher arrived on the James (1635). Hugh Alley sailed to Boston on the Abigail (1635). William & Margaret Wilcoxson arrived in New Haven aboard the Planter (1635). William Ives sailed to Boston on the Truelove (1635). Thomas & Elizabeth Bourne sailed to Plymouth (1636), as did Abraham Blish (1637). Christopher & Grace Todd came to Boston on the Hector (1637). Thomas and Johanna Munson came to New Haven with William Bradley (1637). Edward, Ann & John Goodenow came to Boston with Roger Eastman on the Confidence (1638). John & Mary Folsom sailed to Boston with Ed & Mary Gilman on the Diligent (1638). Tom Benedict & Mary Brigham came to Massachusetts (1638). James & Ann Hamblin sailed to Plymouth (1639). If one of these folks is your ancestor as well, hello Cousin!

I'm related to most of the people whose memorials I manage so please be sure that your relationship to someone falls within the guidelines before asking for a transfer... or at least have a closer link to that person than I do. I note kinship when I leave flowers; use it to compare. When the day comes that I'm unable to maintain the memorials of my family, my wish is that they all be transferred to the care of my son. May your grave hunting be as rewarding as mine has been.

My last name at birth was Johnson. But at the age of three I was adopted by Mom's 2nd husband and given the surname Inman, so perhaps it is true that adoptees are especially drawn to genealogy; I certainly am. Seldom does a week pass w/o finding new cousins, incl. Ralph Waldo Emerson, George Eastman, Audrey Munson, Bucky Fuller & 7 US Presidents.

I didn't meet my birth father until I was 30, and only in retirement have I had time to explore my roots in detail. As good weather & bad knees allow, my wife and I travel to cemeteries around the U.S. where family members are buried, and we clean their headstones with the same product Uncle Sam uses to clean headstones at Arlington National Cemetery. Feel free to use any headstone photos I've taken for your non-commercial purposes (with attribution, please).

I'm grateful to Sharon Allen (R.I.P.), Julrene Thornberg, Mike Linnihan, Donna Fostveit, Joie Finley, Sue Tanner, Rebecca Paddon, Becky Doan, Chloé and all the other Find a Grave members who have entrusted me with the care of my family's memorials, or who have taken photos that I "borrowed" for the Ancestry and WikiTree profiles created to remember my departed relatives and to pay homage to them. I thank you all... for your kindness, your generosity and your assistance.

My real dad's paternal ancestors emigrated from Norway, sailing to America on the Argo (1843) and Colon (1850). First settling in Dane County, WI, most of the family removed to Waseca County, MN in 1855, where my great-great-grandpa Thorbjørn Johnson established/operated a 160-acre dairy farm to supply milk to nearby Palmer Creamery. Thom, as he was known, donated a corner of his land to the American Lutheran Church and helped build the North Waseca Lutheran Church (NWLC) on it. As of this writing, the NWLC Cemetery is the resting place of some 491 folks - most of them my kin by DNA or marriage, I'm proud to say. The more I learn about them, the more I admire them & their accomplishments.

Many relatives in my maternal grandpa's English/Irish line, including my Burris great-grandparents, my Burris & Lipsey 2nd great-grandparents and my Burris & Reed 3rd great-grandparents, are buried in Line Cemetery near Olpe, KS. They had arrived in Kansas by covered wagon soon after my 3rd great-grandpa Pvt. Moses Burris was KIA during the Civil War.

Several 9th great-grandparents on both sides were British American colonists. John Burras came to Jamestown with the "Second Supply" on the Mary & Margaret in 1608. His parents Anthony & Elizabeth followed aboard the George in 1617. John Howland; John, Joan & Elizabeth Tilley; Edward, Ann & Samuel Fuller came to Plymouth on the Mayflower (1620). Thomas Clarke came to Plymouth on the Anne (1623). His future wife Susanna Ring came to Plymouth in 1629. Josiah Winslow sailed to Plymouth on the White Angel (1631). Nathaniel Merriman came to Boston aboard the Whale (1632). Henry & Patience Cobb came to Plymouth in 1632; Wm. Hedge & Thomas Lincoln arrived in 1633. John Lothrop, Wm. & Anna Bartholomew came to Boston on the Griffin (1634). Edward Sturgis, James Matthews, Elizabeth Hinckley & William Fifield came to Charlestown on the Hercules (1634). Wm. & Sarah Moody came to Boston on the Mary & John (1634). Antony & Elizabeth Thacher arrived on the James (1635). Hugh Alley sailed to Boston on the Abigail (1635). William & Margaret Wilcoxson arrived in New Haven aboard the Planter (1635). William Ives sailed to Boston on the Truelove (1635). Thomas & Elizabeth Bourne sailed to Plymouth (1636), as did Abraham Blish (1637). Christopher & Grace Todd came to Boston on the Hector (1637). Thomas and Johanna Munson came to New Haven with William Bradley (1637). Edward, Ann & John Goodenow came to Boston with Roger Eastman on the Confidence (1638). John & Mary Folsom sailed to Boston with Ed & Mary Gilman on the Diligent (1638). Tom Benedict & Mary Brigham came to Massachusetts (1638). James & Ann Hamblin sailed to Plymouth (1639). If one of these folks is your ancestor as well, hello Cousin!

I'm related to most of the people whose memorials I manage so please be sure that your relationship to someone falls within the guidelines before asking for a transfer... or at least have a closer link to that person than I do. I note kinship when I leave flowers; use it to compare. When the day comes that I'm unable to maintain the memorials of my family, my wish is that they all be transferred to the care of my son. May your grave hunting be as rewarding as mine has been.