Provenance

Let's meet the Johnson family.

They are what really makes this book special.  In the beginning, I didn't know much about them, but I did know that Herb and Carl both married women named Tillie.  I knew when each was born and when they died.

There are a few different handwritings in this book.  The one in blue looks like my grandmothers and is predominant throughout.  The woman (I only assume woman) has found older entries in the book and written birth and death dates.

The best one is about Carl Johnson, as it details where he was when he died and his funeral.

I like to imagine the story goes that the book belonged to a grandmother, who brought it with her from Germany.  The daughter found it when she went through her mother's possessions and wanted to find out more about her family.  There is some subtraction of dates within the pages, and scratches out when the information changed.

Of course, I can only guess.

But I do know is the writing give the book provenance.  Provenance is basically the history of a books ownership.  Who owned the book affects the value.

While the Johnson's probably weren't famous or prominent, it makes it more interesting. But if this were the prayer book of a Danish prime minister, it would be valuable.

But searching for the Johnson's nonetheless is fun.  Carl was buried in Colton, South Dakota.  A quick search led me to "The Duroc Bulletin" where you can find Carl's name, along with other Johnson's. The bulletin is all about swine.  Who sold, who bought, what's best and what's not.  It is dated 1941.

Look a little farther, and I found the whole family.

Carl's mother came from Norway when she was 11 years old.  His father was born in Wisconsin, but his grandmother was from Norway as well.  

Carl farmed until the 1940s.  He married Tillie, but they had no children. By joining the site, I was able to look at photos.  Here's one of Carl and Herb.

I could look at this family's history all night long.  Finding this history, seeing Carl's gravestone and the pictures of his brothers and sisters also in my book, is so exciting.  Possibly the coolest thing I've ever had to do for a class.

My little book might have only cost $10 on e-bay, but the history with it is priceless.