Family Genealogy Project
By: Aly Johnson
Family Tree
History
For each generation, list the occupations that each family member had.
SIBLINGS
Laura Norwood: Registered Nurse for Blue Cross Blueshield
David Johnson III: Pediatric Dental Clinic Manager/Drug Rep
Christoper Johnson: Construction Engineer/Project Manager for UNMC Omaha
Craig Johnson: Wellness Consultant for Holmes Murphy/Wesleyan University Instructor
PARENTS
David Johnson Jr: Family Practice Physician/Farmer/Army Veteran
Lelia Johnson: Registered Nurse
Maria Sison: Registered Nurse/Photographer
SIBLINGS
Romida Sison-Martinz: Air Force Veteran/Registered Nurse/Nursing Consultant/Nursing Chief Officer
Wilfredo Sison: Air Force Veteran/Respiratory Therapist
Romulfo Sison Jr: Army and Marines Veteran/State Epidemiologist
Jose Maria Sison: Emergency Medical Technician/Pesticide Company Owner
Victoria Rodrigo: Pediatric Dental Clinic Manager/Registered Nurse
PARENTS
Romulfo Sison Sr: school teacher
Brigida Sison: Family Practice Physician/Medical Missionary
When did your ancestors come to America?
Great-Grandpa David's parents: 1889
Great-Grandpa George and Great-Grandma Agnes: 1900
SISON FAMILY
Great Uncle Bonifacio: early 1960s with his family
Grandma Brigida: early 1970s
• She did her medical internship in Montgomery, Alabama, where there were mostly African-Americans.
• She was the first asian female doctor the town had ever seen.
Where did your ancestors come from?
Great-Grandpa David's parents: Småland, Sweden
Great-Grandpa George and Great-Grandma Agnes: Scotland
SISON FAMILY
Grandpa Romulfo: Philippines
Grandma Brigida: Philippines
What traditions did your ancestors bring with them to America? Do you still practice these today?
• Johnson Prayer: God is great, God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. By His hands we must be fed. Bless the Lord, our daily bread. Amen.
• Ostkaka: "ost" meaning "cheese" and "kaka" meaning "cake", Swedish cheesecake or curd cake
SISON FAMILY
• Traditional Folk Dancing: including Singkil, Sayaw Sa Banko, Tinikling, Binasuan, and Maglalatik
We say the Johnson Prayer for dinner, eat Ostakaka for Christmas dessert, and perform several traditional folk dances at our Filipino-American Christmas party each year.
What religion were your ancestors when they came to America?
Grandpa's parents: Swedish Mission Covenant Church
Grandma's parents: Methodist
SISON FAMILY
Catholic, later converted to Seventh-Day Adventist
What language did your ancestors speak when they came to America? What barriers, if any, did they face in regards to language?
Grandpa's parents: Swedish, but learned English in 1925
• lived in a Swedish community, so language wasn't a problem
Grandma's parents: Scottish
SISON FAMILY
Tagalog, the official language of the Philippines
Ilocano, a sub dialect
• learned to speak English from Kindergarten to college
Where did your ancestors settle when they came to America? How did your family make its way to Nebraska?
Grandpa's parents: moved to Wausa, Nebraska from Sweden
Grandma's parents: moved to Davidy City, Nebraska from Scotland
SISON FAMILY
Grandma: moved to California, Ohio, Georgia, Washington D.C., and finally settled in Alexandria, Virginia
• Made it to Nebraska because Auntie Mida was an enlisted solider in the Air Force. She didn't know where Nebraska was or what commissary meant, but when she heard "mortuary" in California, she chose Nebraska. One by one, all her siblings followed.
Family Recipes
Ostkaka
Ingredients
• 1.7 lbs cottage cheese, strained
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 3-4 bitter almonds, ground
Instructions
- Whip the eggs until fluffy. Stir in sugar, flour, and cottage cheese. Add the almonds. Pour into a buttered pan, preferably flat. Bake in oven at 445°F for 1 hour (cover with tin-foil when starting to brown).
- You want to let the cheesecake cool before serving as that is when it tastes the best. Ostkaka is best served cold or lukewarm.
Relyenong Bangus
Ingredients
• 1 large bangus (milk fish)
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small size carrot, small cubes
• 1 box of raisins (optional)
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vetsin (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped finely
• 2 tbsp flour
• cooking oil
• turkey ham, finely chopped
• cooked peas
Instructions
- Scrape scales. Clean fish and gently pound to soften
- Slit back to open and remove backbone. Scrape meat with a spoon. Keep skin in one piece.
- Soak skin with calamansi juice, soy sauce, and pepper. Set aside.
- Boil bangus meat with salt and 1/4 cup water until color changes. Drain and remove bones. Set aside.
- Saute garlic, tomatoes, and onions in cooking oil. Add bangus meat and season. Cook 5 minutes. Remove from stove.
- Add in butter, peas, raisins, carrots, and eggs. Mix thoroughly.
- Stuff bangus skin with mixture and sew opening.
- Dredge in flour and fry or bake until brown.
Family Stories
The Butterfield Ranch Acquisition
Never Trust Your Insurance
One day, one of the threshing machines caught fire and burned down. Great Grandpa Johnson had invested in insurance, but when he told them what happened, they refused to reimburse him. He was so furious with the insurance company, he vowed he would never get any again. And he didn't.