John and Mary still live on the Peter Justus homestead purchased from the DeLos Justus estate. DeLos, Peter's brother, built the original log cabin in 1859. He died during the Civil War in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Peter bought the farm in 1864. The Justus/Eklund family has lived there since that time. John and Mary are preparing for their family's (and Watertown's) 150th anniversary in 2006.

Why should people care about history?
John: History helps connect us and gives us a sense of belonging. I think of how important my family's history was to my mother and how I didn't really appreciate it until I was much older.

Mary: I now wish I had been paying more attention to what the grown ups were saying when I was a child. As the family historian, the more answers I find doing family history, the more new questions I have. There are so many things that history can teach us.

What people or events helped spark your interest in history?
John: My mother played an important role in laying the foundation. She was very proud of our family's role in the early settlement of the area. As I grew older, I became more interested in my family's history which led me to other areas of history. For example, my great-grandfather, Daniel Justus, my grandfather Peter Justus, and my great uncle, DeLos Justus served in the Civil War. Since I was interested in what they experienced, I took a strong interest in learning about that time in our history. The more I learn, the more curious I become.

Mary: History was my favorite subject in school. It came naturally to me and I had some good history teachers. My family had settled in America by 1690 so learning about them, and what the country was like at that time, has always been an interest of mine.

What are compelling stories from our communities, in this case Watertown?
John: There are many interesting family stories about the Indians in the area. My grand father Peter Justus used to go hunting with the Indians. In fact, he was once gone for six months on a buffalo hunt with the Indians. Another time, my great aunt, Anna (Justus) Miller was kidnapped by Indians and Peter was able to get her back.

John and Mary: There are so many stories of the hardships that the pioneers had to endure. Many of the Justus family stories correspond closely with the story told in Vihelm Moberg's book The Emigrants. These stories are intriguing whether you've lived in the area for generations or if you're a new resident.