Back to the Beginning

I began researching my family history in about 1995 when someone in the family told me that we were related to Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church. My mission was to prove, or disprove this family tale. Back in those days, the internet was fairly new, and there was not much available online for genealogists. Researching my family history became my passion, and one of my goals (i.e., my Bucket List) was to travel to all of the places where my ancestors lived. (Oh, and by the way, we are NOT related to Joseph Smith!)

I learned that my paternal 2nd Great Grandfather, Leonhard Braun, emigrated from a small village called Aufhausen, part of the city of Geislingen an der Steige in the Kingdom of Württemberg (now a State in Germany) in 1853, at the age of 17. So naturally, a visit to his homeland has been at the top of my Bucket List for many years.

circa 1896 - Great Grandfather, Robert Smith Brown 
(son of immigrant ancestor Leonhard Braun)

and Great Grandmother Ida E. (Pace) Brown. 
The child sitting in the chair is my grandfather, Fred Brown. 

The child on R.S.Brown's lap is grandad's twin brother, Ed.