Join the Rice County Historical Society and Gary Heyn on a journey of immigration history and the connections between communities across the sea. Learn about family, acquaintances, and neighbors who traveled from Gembitz Hauland Posen to
Honey Creek Township in Sauk County, Wisconsin and Deerfield Township in Steele County, Minnesota in this talk about genealogy and the stories that connect us.

Gary Heyn, a graduate of the University of Minnesota, worked as an executive at Tolomatic, a manufacturing company in Minneapolis until his retirement. He now devotes himself to genealogical research with a specific focus on the former Prussian province of Posen. Raised on a family farm near Rochester, Minnesota he has published several articles and give numerous lectures on the history of the German farm families who emigrated from Posen to Southeastern Minnesota.

His book, “Standing at the Grave: A Family’s Journey from the Grand Duchy of Posen to the Prairies of North Dakota, was published in 2023. A German edition of the book titled, “Das Grab in der Ferne: Von der Provinz Posen in die Neue Welt,” has been released this year. Heyn lives with his wife in Golden Valley, Minnesota. He currently serves as treasurer for both the Germanic Genealogical Society (GGS) and the International German Genealogical Partnership (IGGP).

This event is part of our Thursday night speaker series and is free for members and $5 for nonmembers. Register by calling 507-332-2121 or emailing rchs@rchistory.org.