Dear Journal:

Thanksgiving is upon us and this is my first journal entry. Although I have to work for the actual holiday, we will be visiting in Humboldt, Iowa. I am hoping to have some time to search for Grandma Virginia's grave site while we are down there. I have no idea if she is buried there or not. Since I will be there, I would like to walk through a few cemeteries and see if she is buried there. I know my Great Grandpa is buried in New Ulm, Minnesota with his first wife, Mary Kaltrider. His son, Daniel, is also buried there with his two wives but I have never seen a marker for a Virginia in the area. I must admit I have never specifically looked for one either so perhaps a trip to New Ulm is called for here.

Mystery women are who I tend to gravitate toward during my genealogical research. Grandma Virginia was my Great Grandfather's second wife. I know that Great Grandpa Willhite ran a "cabin court" and gas station in Humboldt, Iowa which he eventually handed down to his oldest son, Daniel. Recently I found a "Birthday Book" that belonged to my mother and Grandma Virginia was listed in the book as "Grandma Virginia". My mother would have been 11 years old when Grandma Virginia died so I have to assume that she did know her. My aunt on that side also remembers travelling to Humboldt to see "Uncle Dan" and she did know that the "cabin court" and gas station once belonged to Great Grandpa Willhite.

That, in a nutshell, is all I know of Grandma Virginia. I was lucky enough to cross paths with one of Uncle Dan's granddaughters who had pictures of Grandma Virginia with Great Grandpa Willhite. Many thanks for that since I really love looking at old photos.