The Stan Seleen Home Page

My great grandfather was born Johan Olson, in 1840, in Varmland, Sweden. When he and his older brother Ole, born in 1834, emmigrated to the US, in 1868, they changed their surname to Seleen, a village name. Ole stayed in MN. My ancestor left MN and went to McGregor IA for a few years in the 1880's. He than moved to the Spokane, WA area. My Swedish ancestors include:Lindblad, Nelson, Olson, Olsdottor, and Seleen. They lived in MN,IA,WA and OR. Dad's paternal grandmother was Anna Bakus, born in Trondhiem,Norway in 1849.
My maternal side has been more difficult to fill in, partly because Mother's family has been in the US longer and I find US genealogy more challenging. Her great grandfather was Jeremiah Cochell, born in 1834, in PA. Her grandfather, John Cochell, was born in Indiana. Her great grandmother, Catherine Grider, was born in Indiana in 1847. Her grandmother, Mattie McGough, was born in Missouri. My mother's dad was Arthur Stanley Bridgeman who was born in Tacoma, WA on Nov. 01, 1900. My grandmother met him in the 1920's in Portland, OR. My mother was born in Eugene, OR and didn't know her father. He and Grandmother separated while Mom was still a baby. Bridgeman shows up in Portland city directories from 1928-1932. He appeared in Seattle city directories beginning in 1936. I am hopeful that he may have had children from Allace Hopkins to whom he was apparently married from the late 1930's until his death. In Portland there was a Dorothy and a Lillian. In Seattle there was an Inez in his life before he met Allace. He died in Seattle on Oct. 17, 1977. If you are related and have pictures, please contact me. I would be thrilled to see what grandfather looked like.

If you think we may have links, please know that I will be happy to share information.