Oral History Interview
NMSU
Rio Grande Historical Collections/University Archives
Subject: School Assignment of Clyde W. Tombaugh
Title: "The Story of My Life"
Date: April 12,1920
The Story of My Life
My ancestors came to America in 1600. They were of Dutch and German blood. They were
industrious and helped to settle the west. My grandmother came from New York State and went
down the Great Lakes and on the canal from Chicago to Ottawa when she was twelve years old. Her
name was Sally Jane Ostrander. She was born in 1839. I think my grandfather was born in 1840 and
came from Pennsylvania and he and his brother went to what it Illinois when they were young men.
His name is Jacob Tombaugh. My grandmother married my grandfather in Illinois and they bought
Government land seven miles southwest of Streator. They lived there every since. There was no
Streator when they bought their farm and my grandfather would haul corn to Ottawa and bring back
necessities that they needed. My mother and father were born in the same township in Livingston
County. My mother's name is Adella Chritton. My mother lived about four or five miles southwest
of Streator. My father was born in 1880.
I was born at my mother's home on Feb. 4,1906 and a few days later I lived at my father's home.
NMSU Department of Astronomy: Clyde W. Tombaugh Papers
Digital Identifier
Ms0407pp47a003_0010001.tif
Source
Scan produced from physical item held by the NMSU Library Archives & Special Collections Department
Type
Text
Format
image/tiff
Language
eng
OCR
Oral History Interview
NMSU
Rio Grande Historical Collections/University Archives
Subject: School Assignment of Clyde W. Tombaugh
Title: "The Story of My Life"
Date: April 12,1920
The Story of My Life
My ancestors came to America in 1600. They were of Dutch and German blood. They were
industrious and helped to settle the west. My grandmother came from New York State and went
down the Great Lakes and on the canal from Chicago to Ottawa when she was twelve years old. Her
name was Sally Jane Ostrander. She was born in 1839. I think my grandfather was born in 1840 and
came from Pennsylvania and he and his brother went to what it Illinois when they were young men.
His name is Jacob Tombaugh. My grandmother married my grandfather in Illinois and they bought
Government land seven miles southwest of Streator. They lived there every since. There was no
Streator when they bought their farm and my grandfather would haul corn to Ottawa and bring back
necessities that they needed. My mother and father were born in the same township in Livingston
County. My mother's name is Adella Chritton. My mother lived about four or five miles southwest
of Streator. My father was born in 1880.
I was born at my mother's home on Feb. 4,1906 and a few days later I lived at my father's home.
