Will Craig
In June 2021 I talked to the UMRA Family History Interest Group about how I documented the story of my great grandfather, George Swift, who joined the 3rd Minnesota Regiment at the start of the Civil War in 1861and returned to Minnesota four years later after serving as the drummer boy of the Ohio 69th Regiment.
It was a complicated story as George was never officially listed on the register of the 3rd Minnesota and was listed as George Stringer in the records of the Ohio 69th.
I have expanded that presentation in two subsequent publications
- In Fall 2021 Hennepin History magazine ran a brief story about My great-grandfather: A 13-year old in the Civil War.
- Now UMRA JOIE has published a longer version of that story with expanded details* and methodology. See Tracing the History of a Civil War Ancestor.
One new detail
George Swift married Carrie Axtell, one of 11 kids in the graduating class of Minneapolis High School in 1877. Thomas S. Roberts was the class valedictorian and went on to write The Birds of Minnesota and found the Bell Museum. Minneapolis named its Bird Sanctuary after him. Here is Carrie Axtell’s high school graduation Class Picture.
News
The election of UMRA officers and board members for 2026-27 will be held online from Monday, May 11, through Sunday, May 17, with the results to be announced at UMRA’s 2026 Annual Meeting and Luncheon Forum on Tuesday, May 19. Nanette Hanks, nominated to become UMRA's next president-elect, tops the slate of candidates approved by the current Board of Directors during its meeting on Monday, March 23.
Proposed changes to the UMRA Bylaws will be on this year’s election ballot along with the nominees for officers and directors. The updates to the bylaws were drafted in response to changes proposed by the Nominating Committee and Membership and Communication Committee, and were approved by UMRA’s Board of Directors in November 2025.
Meet UMRA member Mike Amidon, whose career in computers and information technology spans the years when the Gopher system was developed at the U of M and then quickly eclipsed by the World Wide Web. Remember the days before the internet?
In partnership with Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs Beth Lewis, UMRA has been helping current University faculty members to decide whether and when to retire. It’s an experience only actual retirees can truly share.
If getting to know more retiree colleagues and serving the University community were among your goals in joining UMRA, sign up for one of the Silver Gopher Service Corps volunteer projects and come for the fun—and teamwork!
Northrop Organist Greg Zelek will team up with the University Singers, led by U of M professor and director of choral activities Matthew Mehaffey, for a can’t-miss concert blending choral and organ works at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29. Northrop is offering UMRA members a 20% discount on tickets.
The SparkPath Young Authors Conference (YAC) program gives 4th- to 8th-grade students the opportunity to learn from professionals with actual writing experience. The University Retirees Volunteer Center is seeking volunteers to assist with several conferences to be held at Bethel University in St. Paul in May.
Plans are well underway for UMRA to host the 2026 Big Ten Retirees Association Conference this July on the Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis. There are a few, limited volunteer opportunities that may be of interest to you.
Do you remember when “Driven to Discover” was new? Do you know what is taking its place? For the answers to these and similar questions you may have, join UMRA’s Campus Conversation with Chris Gade, U of M vice president for marketing communications, on Tuesday, April 7.