The Quest

When my Aunt Melinda passed away in 2024, one of the things that was left for me to uncover and redistribute was a trunk full of dolls and doll clothes. I couldn’t bear to part with most of them. I had to look the other direction while placing the ones that were missing limbs in the trash bin. They were precious to her, not to mention the fact that I have an uncanny ability to personify inanimate objects. I had the benefit of not knowing these dolls my whole life the way she did; she would never have thrown any of them away, as is evidenced by the fact that they remained in her estate after her death. Even today, I question whether I did the right thing. What I did do, however, was select my favorite of Melinda’s favorites, bring her home, wash her dress, and give her a place of honor behind the glass of the barrister bookcase, just below the shadow box that contains mementos of Melinda’s life. I have no idea what name Melinda may have given her, which is unfortunate because I name eve...

My dad Russell Terry Mason was 10 years old when his maternal grandmother—my Grandma Jessie Mae [Terry] Mason’s mother Flora—died. As the oldest grandchildren—my dad’s older sister Marilyn and his cousin Pat Henry—have already passed, I decided I should get busy asking for my dad’s recollections, as well as those of his younger sisters, Melinda and Martha, and their cousins. Melinda was 8 when Flora died, and Martha was 6. My great grandmother Flora was born in Carterville, Missouri in November of 1883 or 1884 1 . Her parents were Mathias Zogg, an immigrant miner and farmer from Switzerland, and Anna Margarethe Knust, a young immigrant from Germany.  I’ve often wondered at Flora’s full name. It seemed like such a mouthful. To look at a newborn baby and name them Flora Margarethe (pronounced like Margaretta) Augusta Zogg seemed to indicate the grand expectations her parents had of her. I imagine her first name came from her grandfather Florian. Her middle name Margarethe was her m...

When I started writing about Flora Zogg a few months ago, I reached out to extended family members with whom I hadn’t communicated in years, hoping they had memories to share. After a few email exchanges, I hadn’t received much information other than what my more immediate family had shared. The eldest cousin had already passed, and the younger ones never knew Flora. In one communication with the youngest cousin, we exchanged contact information for her older brothers and she asked for my own mailing address. I didn’t think much of it, until weeks later when a well-secured package arrived in the mail. I couldn’t imagine what it might be, but I opened it eagerly. I gasped as I pulled back the layers of bubble wrap to reveal a glass cup with my great-grandmother’s name inscribed around the lip! I had never seen it or anything like it, and couldn’t believe my dad’s cousin had sent it to me. Since Flora married in 1906, I knew that the cup had to be older than that, as it was inscribed wit...

Flora Margaretta Augusta Zogg stood rigid, her feet wobbling beneath her, boots digging into the cushion of the chair. Her light brown curls had been perfectly arranged for the occasion, and layers of white ruffles rustled around her as she tried to stand still for the photo. It was hard to do, though, without holding on. Luckily the wood-carved chair back was almost as tall as she was, providing the stability she needed. Stability was a luxury indeed for four-year-old Flora. She was still missing her mother, although the two had been separated for more than a year now. Uncertainty was her constant companion, only slightly alleviated by the comforting presence of her grandparents, cousins… and of course her imposing father.  Mathias furrowed his dark brow as he looked on, ensuring that Flora was appropriately composed, embodying the powerful names he had given her. She had outgrown the bracelet his parents had gifted her as an infant, carefully chosen with the word “Darling” engrav...

I've recently joined in a genealogy writing workshop with my local genealogical society. I've clearly not written for a while, and even the things I thought  I wrote about have gone by the wayside. My mother and I took a trip to Virginia last fall to work on all of our lines who came through there (i.e. almost all our lines). Unfortunately, I didn't write at the time, here nor on my travel blog. Ugh.  But there is hope! The writer's group has gotten me started on a path to writing more regularly. The first item up is a series of biographies I hope to write about "the oldest generation's" memories of their "oldest generation." In other words, I want to gather the memories that the current oldest living generation in my family has about the oldest generation that was living in their lifetime. It will be a bit of a challenge, since many of my parents' grandparents died when they were quite young, and many of the eldest cousins have already passe...

I cannot believe I haven't already posted this. But I just realized I haven't. We've found Anna Knust! Back in 2011, I posted a blog about what I knew and didn't know about Anna Margaretha Knust, my 2-greats grandmother. [ "What I Know: Anna Knust Zogg" ] Well, thanks to DNA, I know more now! Back in July 2017, I exchanged a couple of emails with SSH (name withheld for privacy). She and I have a DNA match on Ancestry, and the only common name in our families is.... Anna Knust! SSH is the great-granddaughter of Anna Knust and Otto Schulze. After comparing notes, we have found that she had no record of Anna prior to 1890, and we had no record of her after 1886. She was just as shocked as I was to have a match on Anna! It appears (because we share DNA) that our Anna and her Anna are one and the same. Since then, my aunt Melinda and my Dad have both had their DNA tested, and both also show a match to SSH. So, we have been asking the question for many years...

So I was browsing Kindle books for what I might read next and came across author Alice Zogg. Of course, I saw the name, saw that she was born in Switzerland, and I had to know more. After contacting Alice, I found out that she had married a Zogg, who was also born in Switzerland. They live in California now. She also shared this little tidbit: It is unlikely that the many Grabs Zoggs and the numerous Walenstadt Zoggs are closely related.  The family line of Zoggs from Grabs (and surrounding area) are mostly of protestant ancestry, whereas the Zoggs from Walenstadt (and surrounding area) derived  predominantly from people of Roman catholic faith.  In addition there is another group of Zoggs in the state (Kanton) of Graubünden. Interesting! I haven't read the book I purchase yet, but if you're interested in finding out more about Alice and her books, check out  www.alicezogg.com .

There is a line of Zoggs who came to the U.S. and settled in the northeast. Their patriarch was Ulrich Zogg, who was born in Grabs, Switzerland, in 1828. In our line, Florian Zogg was born in Grabs in 1831. So I couldn't help but wonder whether the two were related. It struck me that I might be able to find out by tapping Her. Thommen's records again. Alas, what he found shows no direct relation. But I still think - way back there - the families must have all come from the same bloodline. At any rate, here is what Roland had to say: If your birthyear  1828 is correct, I have the solution and the answer that the lines not are related. So Ueli *1828 is the  6th  child from 10 , from Ueli Zogg 1794-1837 and Margrith Vetsch 1798-1879, marriage 1817 And Ueli *1794 is the eldest from 6 children from Andreas 1772-1804 and °Ursula Zogg 1778-1823, marriage 1793 And Andreas *1772 is the eldest from 5 from Hans 1749-1790 and Ursula Schlegel 1748-1785, marriage 1771 And HAns *174...

A lot has transpired recently on the Zogg front. I found a couple of contacts in Switzerland who have been most helpful. One actually provided five generations of information that he has compiled from original records. Florian Zogg born 1831 marr. Anna Gabathuler, born 1837, from Wartau, daughter from Mathias and Anna Sulser, 10 children, Mathias is the 5th. Florian Zogg, born 1806 marr. 1826 Magdalena Bohner, 1805-1873 from Wartau, 9 children, Florian is the third. 5 sons had a family with children, so this family is today the greatest Zogg family Florian Zogg born 1769,  he marr. 1789 Agnes Stricker, Christians daughter from Grabs, he was a cattler-trader, 13 children, Florian was the 11th. Brother David was a french mercenary. David Zogg 1746-1788, marr. 1766 Anna Stricker, Grabs, 1746-1825, 8 children, Florian is the youngest. Three other sons had a family. Normally only one or two sons could marry. Florian Zogg marr. Before 1747 Maria Eggenberger, we know two children, Anna a...

Anna is a mystery. We don’t know who her parents were, but from the census records of her daughter Flora, it is believed that she was born in Switzerland . She married Mathias Zogg in Carthage , Missouri and had one daughter, Flora. What happened to her after she and Matthias divorced? From the divorce records, we see that Matthias accused Anna of not doing her household duties (cooking, cleaning, etc.). Anna never appeared for the court proceedings. One of Flora’s daughters thought she remembered a visit from Anna when they were children. The other daughters disagree that it was Anna. Aunt Melinda likes to theorize that Matthias murdered her or that she ran off to California to become a star. My belief is that she probably remarried and moved away from Carthage , Missouri . OR she may have followed the Quinns to Texas to live near her daughter, but was not a part of her life.

I've started trying to compile some of the information from historical records to make a narrative about my ancestors. Might as well post some of it in case others are looking for this information. Up first, my Great-Great Grandfather.  Me > Russell Terry Mason > Jessie Mae Terry Mason > Flora Margaretta Augusta Zogg Terry > Matthias Zogg Matthias Zogg was a miner who immigrated with his family from Grabs, Obershan, St. Gallen Canton , Switzerland to the USA through Baltimore on 28 Aug 1874. Matthias and his father and brother (both named Florian) were miners in West Virginia before moving to the Carthage , Missouri area. They continued to mine zinc and Matthias also farmed.  Matthias was married three times and divorced twice. The first marriage to Anna Knust did not last long. He accused her of shirking her wifely duties, complaining that he was forced to prepare his own meals before going to work. There was one child from that union, my great-grandmother...