In the land of my people

Last night I was working on family history stuff and fell into a history zone. I sat transfixed and desperately sought out some Anderson family history. For those that are unaware it’s like a new variety of sudoku. I love it!!

My brother Patrick seems to spend all of his time on research of the Ogden clan leaving the maternal side of our history for me to pull together. I like my Scandinavian roots and have bonded with some of these long deceased folks who seem to be urging me on. So back to last night… I was cyber sleuthing (i.e. stumbling around) in Nevada records trying to find out more about my great-grandfather Nephi’s brother, Peter Moses Anderson, who went to work in the cattle ranches somewhere near the Ruby Mountains about 1900. We don’t know but very little about him because it seems that he never came home. Well at least not that we know of. The sum total of the knowledge (in my books anyway) was a very brief two or three paragraph history. To say it was sketchy would be generous. So this was like CSI -Ely to find out anything at all.

About 1:30 am I hit pay dirt; more precious than gold as we say in northern California. There was not much about Moses Peter (or Peter Moses as the census sometimes shows) but his son, Frederick Anderson, turns out to be the key. And the scrolls would only open when I decided to pursue him as Fred Anderson instead of Frederick. Turns out that he left the ranch life as a young man, passed by the mines, and went on to college at the University of Nevada. He then caught a break and went on to Oxford England as a Rhodes Scholar where he studied medicine and then finished his Doctor of Medicine, Cum Laude, at Harvard Medical School. He returned to teach and also practice in Nevada and was instrumental in founding the University of Nevada medical school. He was active in politics and other endeavors and left his collection of papers and memorabilia, including oral histories to the School. His history fills in more about his parents etc. and there is much more to discover yet. The son was the key to the father.

So I sent the new information to the only other person I could find who had a posting about Moses Anderson, Greg McMurdie. I had just stumbled upon his very impressive family history web site called Leaves on a Tree. Greg seems to be a true researcher and scholar and by this afternoon had taken the puzzle much further. You can read about it here. I think McMurdie is the kind of friend/relative to stay close to, because he does it right and has the ability to document well and share his research. Thanks Greg.

Now.... I must sign off because tonight’s research adventure is about to begin….