Confirmation

Among my collection of cast-off photos is this one. It captures a special day from long ago. Nothing about the photo connects to me or what I already know, but there is a relatively good amount of information written on the back compared to some long-lost photos:

"Confirmation class / First Lutheran Church, Des Moines Iowa / Rev. Emil Bergren." Further down is, "Mabel (Sally) Caroline Anderson 1st row 2nd from right." So we can identify two of the 28 faces in the photo.

Fortunately, some records of the First Lutheran Church are available online. Searching for Mabel reveals that she was part of the class confirmed on April 12, 1931. The confirmation dates in the book aren't indexed, so the other confirmands from that date aren't easy to find. However, I did find some of them. Just in case their descendants are searching for them and find this photo, taken the week after Easter in 1931.

Arnold Johan Alfred Johnson - born January 7, 1917

Axel Henry Jansson - born April 22, 1917

Charles David Oberg - born June 26, 1916

Clarence Arthur Conrad - born June 12, 1917

Dorothy Evelyn Johnson - born October 30, 1916

Ethel Clara Virginia Carlson - born December 14, 1916

Evelyn C Stady - born September 25, 1917

Harold Francis Wellander - born November 28, 1916

Henry Alrick Nelson - born May 20, 1918

Irene Christine Erickson - born November 22 1916

Margaret Maurine Burnstedt - born July 8, 1916

Marie Victoria Rose Bergren - born November 19, 1917

Oscar Verner Anderson - born August 17, 1916

Paul William Edstrom - born April 14, 1916

Maybe someday I'll find a more complete record source. Until then, that's a total of 16 names to go with the 28 faces--though only two still remained 'confirmed' to a face in the photo.