Birth records can feel like a modern invention because we usually meet them as government certificates, neatly formatted and easy to file. The truth is older and more uneven. People have always...
Latest Articles
Same Name Ancestors, Part 3: The Proof Case Method
Same name ancestors can fool even careful researchers because the records are close enough to look convincing. The county fits. The time period fits. The ages are close. The hints line up. It can...
Same-Name Ancestors, Part 2: Use Witnesses and Bondsmen
Same-name problems rarely get solved because you find one perfect record that settles everything. More often, the break comes when you stop staring at your ancestor’s name and start paying attention...
10 Must-Do Genealogy Projects for February
Are you looking for good genealogy projects to do in February? Here are ten "must-do" ones that are perfect for the month of love.
Same-Name Ancestors, Part 1: The Time Method
Same-name problems are one of the biggest sources of bad trees. You find a record for a name that fits the right county and the right time period, you attach it, and then hints do the rest. A spouse...
I’m Done Being Mad at Genealogy
I’m Done Being Mad I didn’t wake up calm.I woke up tired. Tired of being irritated at ink.Tired of being annoyed at paper.Tired of holding grudges against people who have been dead longer than...
The Power of “I Don’t Know”
Every family tree is built as much from absence as it is from presence. Names, dates, places, and relationships draw most of our attention, but they are not the whole structure. What often shapes a...
Divorce Records and What They Reveal About Your Ancestors
Divorce records are one of the most overlooked sources in family history research. Many people assume their ancestors never divorced, or they assume that if a divorce happened, it would be obvious...
Before Safety Nets, There Was Each Other
Before welfare offices and Social Security checks, there was something older and far more personal. There was each other. When I look at my own ancestors, this shows up clearly. They lived on farms...
When to Call It Quits
There comes a point in genealogy when you sit back, stare at the screen, and realize you are not moving forward anymore. You are still working, still searching, still opening records, but nothing new...