I was raised in Buckingham, Iowa and have lived in Marshalltown, Iowa for over 50 years. I have been interested in genealogy most of my life, but only since retirement have I found the time to really "dig" into it.

My wife and I are both involved with genealogy research, have a travel trailer, enjoy camping and vacation in the summer to "werever our departed ancestors lead us." So far we have traveled to South Dakota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Missouri and throughout Iowa in search of our roots.

When researching my father's side of my family, my GG-grandparents were Jacob and Maria (SLONAKER) SHOEMAKER who came to Reinbeck, Iowa from Cambria County, Pennsylvania in 1867. One of their daughters, Emma SHOEMAKER, married Charles MAAR who came to Reinbeck from Germany in about 1882. One of their daughters, Martha MAAR, married Herman BRANDT, who also came to Reinbeck from Germany in 1880. They had a son, Walter BRANDT, who is my father.

When researching my mother's side of the family, my GG-grandparents were Thomas and Margaret (FRAWLEY) HAYES who came from Ireland in 1861 to Rockford, Illinois and then to Buckingham township, Tama County, Iowa in 1869. One of their sons, John HAYES, married Ellen MCBRIDE, One of their daughters, Clara HAYES, married Charles MCKENNA and one of their daughters, Irene MCKENNA, married my father, Walter BRANDT.

Everything I have entered is my family or people related by marriage. If you feel I have made any possible errors, please contact me.

I was raised in Buckingham, Iowa and have lived in Marshalltown, Iowa for over 50 years. I have been interested in genealogy most of my life, but only since retirement have I found the time to really "dig" into it.

My wife and I are both involved with genealogy research, have a travel trailer, enjoy camping and vacation in the summer to "werever our departed ancestors lead us." So far we have traveled to South Dakota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Missouri and throughout Iowa in search of our roots.

When researching my father's side of my family, my GG-grandparents were Jacob and Maria (SLONAKER) SHOEMAKER who came to Reinbeck, Iowa from Cambria County, Pennsylvania in 1867. One of their daughters, Emma SHOEMAKER, married Charles MAAR who came to Reinbeck from Germany in about 1882. One of their daughters, Martha MAAR, married Herman BRANDT, who also came to Reinbeck from Germany in 1880. They had a son, Walter BRANDT, who is my father.

When researching my mother's side of the family, my GG-grandparents were Thomas and Margaret (FRAWLEY) HAYES who came from Ireland in 1861 to Rockford, Illinois and then to Buckingham township, Tama County, Iowa in 1869. One of their sons, John HAYES, married Ellen MCBRIDE, One of their daughters, Clara HAYES, married Charles MCKENNA and one of their daughters, Irene MCKENNA, married my father, Walter BRANDT.

Everything I have entered is my family or people related by marriage. If you feel I have made any possible errors, please contact me.