of this Bible. I have had it for a number of years but it belongs to someone else. I have tried several times to find the owner but it occured to me that perhaps through my blog, I might finally locate it's owner. Here is the story about this Bible...........I found the Bible in the bottom drawer of the desk I was given when I went to work as Assistant to the Director at Murphy's Landing back in the late 1990's. It's a living history site that is now called "The Landing" and is owned by Three Rivers Park District in Minneapolis. I asked a couple of co-workers who the Bible belonged to and was told it had been around for some time as someone had left it in the Bloomington Ferry Church on site. No one had ever called looking for it and it's owner was a mystery. I was told if I wanted it, to go ahead and use it. And so I have. It wasn't quite so worn when I first found it although it had been scotch taped on the side so it's first owner had used it well. The owner also wrote in numerous places in the Bible and the frontispiece has this inscription...............
It says.........I started searching for Christopher Roberts almost immediately after I found the Bible in my desk. I didn't find a Christopher Charles Roberts in the Twin Cities. A local radio announcer did some searching for me but he couldn't find the right one. I took the Twin Cities phone books and started calling people with similar names and no connections. I even did some on-line searching but never found the right one and, in fact, there are way too many to start trying to contact every Christopher Roberts.
I figure this particular person is just about 60 years old. I'm just a wee bit beyond that and if this was my Bible, I would love to have it return to me. I don't know any other way to find it's owner - unless I hired a private detective and that's not something I can afford - so I thought I'd appeal to all of you. Tell me any tips you might have on how I can find the owner of this Bible. I know this has nothing to do with quilts or stitching but in a way, it's like an old quilt....pages are soft and edges are worn like the edges of a soft quilt. It's been well-used like an old quilt. It's comfortable like an old quilt because sometimes you open it up and the words you need to read are right there. And sometimes they are words that were underlined by the original owner, Charles. I really need to find him or his wife or some family member. The Bible needs to go home. Any help you can give would be wonderful!!
And, so, if this is Tuesday, it must be Bible Study today and that's where I'll be this afternoon. Sometimes, it's also "Tuesday Crazies" day. Either way, it's about friendship and sharing. I am hoping that through my blogging friendships I can find a link that will lead me to the owner of this Bible. I don't know why, but it has become really important for me to find him. Thanks for your help!
Sandi
12 comments:
Be sure to let us know when the mystery is solved, Sandi! I started doing some Internet investigating, which I'm good at, but I don't really have the time. Maybe you can find a professional Internet researcher to help you. We have Roberts relatives in Minneapolis, but they're Jewish, so wouldn't be connected. Roberts is a common name.
Have you looked for the wife? That may be a way to go about it.
FYI, I started following your blog back when Michele with Quilting Gallery had the candle mat swap back last fall. I didn't participate:0( to much going. But I have found myself enjoying your blogging updates on a regular basis. Be blessed in your day and I believe you'll come across a person connect with this bible soon. Sarah
Search that same name on Facebook......
i searched the church history and found that the party took place after the closing and moving of the church.
i would check the church history and see if they have a record of the marriages that took place in the church. Since the book was left after the move, my guess is that the place had a special meaning to the couple.
A Chris and Claudia Roberts live at 612-366-1656 - I find two addresses 32 Sheridan Ave. S and 3913 Oakland Ave. BUT AT&T shows a new phone number of 612-823-7977 for both at the Sheridan address.
I love the fact that you are trying to find the owner of this Bible. What a gift you will give them when you find the owner.
This is amazing! How wonderful that you are going to return this Bible to the Roberts. Check out Mimi's information. Maybe you have finally found it's rightful home. Let us know how this turns out.
It sounds like someone has a good lead already for you here...I hope it works out (and I know you'll let us know the results). Other than that address/phone # provided for you in a previous comment, I'd have said to try to work through the old church records as someone suggested or maybe see if there is a big baptismal registry for some of the area churches and try to identify through that. Good luck with this and it IS very kind and caring of you to do this.
Hi Sandi, thanks for your comment following my guest post on Stash.... glad to hear that you are also enjoying the same colour... I think the red just added that special extra... now I need to go on a diet!!
So good of you to try and find the Bible's owner ...
Hugz
I would try sending a message to all churches in the area asking them to look in their membership records. Maybe they could also put a note in their Sunday bulletin asking if anyone knows the couple. Also maybe try ancestry.com. There might be a spot to leave info that a hunter could check out.
I hope you find him, or his wife. Perhaps there are fewer Claudia Roberts around? What an interesting mystery.
Sandi - I attended Augsburg College, and we used to go to Murphy's Landing (right across the street from Augsburg) - maybe it was an Augsburg student who left it in the desk. Wouldn't hurt to check it out.
Karen Stenback
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