Introduction: Mary Harrell-Sesniak is a genealogist, author and editor with a strong technology background. In this blog article, Mary reminds us that humor can be a fun part of family history research by sharing seven strange bequests she ran across in old newspapers. They say that in order to be remembered long after you’re... (Read More)
No shoe stores in Boston in the late 1700s? According to Elijah Leathe’s obituary, “he was about the first who carried shoes, in saddle bags, to market to Boston, there being then no shoe stores.” This old 1800s newspaper article added that “He peddled them out from a bench, north side Faneuil Hall.” Can... (Read More)
The Scotsman newspaper recently reported that the company ScotlandsDNA “has completed the first stage of…research tracing the beginnings of a family tree for ‘all men on Earth.’” This important new DNA study shows that the branching of the DNA tree evolved slowly over time – but then that evolution abruptly changed. According to the... (Read More)
Introduction: Duncan Kuehn is a professional genealogist with over nine years of client experience. She has worked on several well-known projects, such as “Who Do You Think You Are?” In this blog post, Duncan searches GenealogyBank’s obituaries collection to learn more about the zany comedy act “The Three Stooges.” The Three Stooges, active from... (Read More)
Introduction: Gena Philibert-Ortega is a genealogist and author of the book “From the Family Kitchen.” In this blog article, Gena shows how DNA testing has been used recently to prove that the old rumor about President Warren G. Harding’s “love child” was true. DNA testing is growing in popularity, with more and more genealogists... (Read More)
Marine artist William Formby Halsall’s 1882 “Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor” painting is a favorite of New Englanders and Mayflower descendants. What do we know about the painter – was he also a Mayflower descendant? William Halsall was born 20 March 1841 in Kirkdale, Lancashire, England, and came to America in 1858 at age 17.... (Read More)
Introduction: Gena Philibert-Ortega is a genealogist and author of the book “From the Family Kitchen.” In this blog article, Gena talks about some of the tech tools available today to help genealogists with their family history research. I’m grateful to be living in a time when family historians have so many options for doing... (Read More)
Introduction: Gena Philibert-Ortega is a genealogist and author of the book “From the Family Kitchen.” In this blog article, Gena searches old newspapers to find articles and advertisements that show what our ancestors wore during the hot summer months. I don’t know about where you live, but here in California it is HOT. This... (Read More)
What’s your old family Bible worth? For the Calvert family of Mason, Lewis and Bracken counties in Kentucky, their family Bible was invaluable. According to a 1911 article from the Lexington Herald, their old family Bible was the proof the descendants of Obadiah Calvert needed to connect their line back to the original Calvert... (Read More)
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