Presentation for Morrison Family Reunion 6/3/2017

1. Ford/Berg Genealogy
Family Reunion June 3, 2017

2. Hildegard Berg and William Bruce Ford

3. Hildegard Maria Berg
• Hildegarde 1876 in
Stora Tuna, Sweden to
Carl Magnus Berg and
Maria Svendotter
Asplund.
• Another daughter,
Alfreda, was born in
1878, and a son,
Charles in 1880.

4. Karl Magnus Berg & Maria Asplund Svensdotter
abt 1860

6. • These dates are only estimates as
Joseph was born in Iowa 1883 and
Selma was born in MN in 1884. This is
confirmed by the MN state census in
1885.
• However, David George was born in
Grant South Dakota in 1889, placing the
family there until the 1900 census when
they were back in Iowa.

7. Bergs around 1891

9. Bergs around 1900

10. • According to the 1900 census, the entire family is living
in Madrid, Iowa. Alfreda married Charles Soderstrom in
in January 1898 and gave birth in April to Ralph. Edna,
the daughter was born in 1899. Alfreda had 2 kids by
this time, Ralph and Edna.
• Hildegard is listed as single. As are the brothers
Charles, David George and Joseph Emmanuel. Aside
from a few missing documents, this is pretty solid
information.
• The decade from 1900 to 1910 is the decade of
misinformation and speculation.
1900
Madrid, Boone County, Iowa

11. Based on what Grandma Velma was
told…
Bonesteel , Gregory County
South Dakota
Hildegard married William Bruce Ford around
1905 in Bonesteel, South Dakota and then they
moved back to Madrid, Iowa a few years later.

12. Madrid,
Boone County, Iowa
• Violet was born in
Norfolk, Nebraska
in 1906.
• Viola was born
Madrid, in 1907.
• Followed by
Velma in 1909 and
Billy born in 1913.

13. Ford’s Blacksmith Shop, Madrid Iowa ~1910

14. W. B. and Hildegard Ford family
around 1915
• Wm. B. died in 1916, after being
kicked in the head by a horse. This
photo was taken shortly before his
death.
• Hildegard also reached legend
status by holding the funeral for
W.B. on the front lawn of their
house after the local church
refused to perform a funeral.
• Afterwards, Hildegard and her
children eventually moved to Des
Moines, IA and worked and
eventually married C. Wesley Grant
in 1925.

15. Hildegard’s Time Line From 1900
• Lived in Madrid, Iowa with her family and was single.
• Met William Bruce Ford and married him around
1905.
• Violet was born in 1906 in Norfolk, Nebraska
• Viola was born in 1907 in Madrid, Iowa
• Velma was born in 1909 and Billy was born in 1913.
• W.B. sustained an injury from kick to the head and
died a few months later in 1916.
• Hildegarde eventually moved to Des Moines, IA and
then married C.W. Grant in 1925. He died in 1929.
• Hildegarde died in Princeton, Illinois in 1947 from
cancer and buried in Madrid.

16. Hildegard’s Time Line From 1900 con’t
• W.B. sustained an injury from kick to the head and died
a few months later in 1916.
• Hildegarde eventually moved to Des Moines, IA and
then married C.W. Grant in 1925. He died in 1929.
• Hildegarde died in Princeton, Illinois in 1947 from
cancer and buried in Madrid.

17. Researching
Hildegarde and Wm. Bruce Ford
• Genealogy research starts with what you know (or
think you know) and then confirm those facts with
public records such as vital records, federal and
state census data and other research.
• Hildegarde and Wm. B’s story didn’t quite line up
with the facts starting in 1900.

18. Misinformation and Secrets!
1900-1910
First problem:
Hildegard’s 1925
marriage certificate
with CW Grant.
Indicates there were
2 previous marriages
for Hildegarde.

19. Iowa Marriages Boone County 1901

20. • Evidently, Hildegarde had a marriage in April 1901 to a
man named James Moles Nelson.
• In addition, there is a headstone in the Berg family plot
indicating there was a child named Sybil Lila who lived
from 1901 to 1905.
• Sybil was the daughter of Hildegarde and was not
fathered by W.B. Ford and the family rumors speculated
that Sybil was born out of wedlock.

21. Sybil is mentioned
with the last name
of Nelson.
Hildegard is also
listed as a Nelson
but her card
indicates she is
divorced. Census
are usually taken in
the spring, so as of
spring of 1905,
Sybil was alive.
1905 Iowa Census

22. Story or Fact
Hildegarde meets and marries Wm. B. Ford in about
1905.
• 1905 Iowa Census has Hildegarde divorced and living in Madrid, IA with
her daughter Sybil. No record of a divorce in Iowa, marriage in South
Dakota or birth record of any of the children including Sybil and the
others.
• For the story we were told to be true, Hildegarde would have to be
present in Iowa for the State Census in the Spring of that year, bury Sybil
(no birth or death record exists), meet and marry Wm. Bruce Ford, get
pregnant give birth to Violet in Nebraska in March of 2006. This would all
have to occur in the span of 10 months.

23. Facts that have supporting evidence
• Hildegarde reports she is single in 1900 in the Federal
Census
• Hildegard marries James M. Nelson in April of 1901
• Hildegard is in Madrid, Iowa in spring of 1905 for state
census. Reports herself as divorced.
• Sybil Lila Nelson is alive in the spring of 1905.
Headstone in family plot has her death sometime
during 1905.
• 1910 Census has Hildegarde and W.B. living in Madrid,
Iowa with the four children, Violet, Viola, Velma and
Billy.
• W.B. Ford dies in 1916.
• Hildegarde marries C.W. Grant in 1925.

24. • W.B. Ford is the 2nd child born to John
Jackson Ford (1849-1906) and Sarah Haney
(1852-1919) in Pennsylvania.
• 1900 census has W.B. listed as single living
in Ohio with his parents.
• 1905 South Dakota Census has W.B. living
in Bonsteel, S.D. since 1904 and he is listed
as married.
William Bruce Ford’s Story

25. South Dakota 1905

26. William Bruce Ford’s Story
W.B. Ford has a record in Pennsylvania for April of 1900 marrying a
Mary O’Neil

27. 1910 Federal Census lists Mary O’Neil
Ford as a widow in prison.

28. To Be Continued…