Burton, Civil War, Esler

Civil War Handkerchief

George Nazro Esler Our family has a treasured token: a white silk handkerchief carried by an ancestor during his service in the Civil War. It’s been passed tenderly from generation to generation of women in our family. In medieval times, a lady’s favor was usually something small that could be tucked away in the knight's… Continue reading Civil War Handkerchief

Burton

Laura Burton, Missionary Nurse

Laura Burton, Missionary Nurse When I was a child, our Great-Aunt Laura was a missionary in Africa. She came home to Minnesota every few years for a visit and brought us exotic trinkets from the French Cameroon, where she was stationed. Her stories and photos of orphaned black children seemed to me to be something… Continue reading Laura Burton, Missionary Nurse

Burton, Devore, Mayflower

Our Mayflower Ancestor

The Mayflower Grandma Mae Marybelle Burton was an American aristocrat in our family. Her paternal grandparents' lineage qualified the women in our family for membership with the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Now, it seems this heritage also includes ancestors who arrived on the Mayflower ship that landed at Plymouth Rock over four-hundred years… Continue reading Our Mayflower Ancestor

Burton, Devore

Grandma Mae’s 1926 High School Yearbook

My paternal grandmother graduated in 1926 from St. Louis Park Senior High School, St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Mae Marybelle Devore was one of nine female students in a graduating class of 26 students. High school graduation was quite an accomplishment, as during this time, eighth grade educations were the norm and anything beyond that was… Continue reading Grandma Mae’s 1926 High School Yearbook

Burton

Grandpa Gus Burton

Grandpa Gus Burton immigrated from Sweden in 1890, when he was 22 years old. He was the eldest of seven children born to Jonas Peter Svensson and Carolina Johannesdotter. At that time, the family was living in a small village in Sweden called Hvetlanda. According to the patronymic naming convention used in Sweden at that… Continue reading Grandpa Gus Burton