Articles About Stories
Kris Williams: Squanto’s Story
While doing some research for my blog, “America’s First Official Thanksgiving,” I was surprised by how little we are taught about Tisquantum. A Native American from the Patuxet tribe, better known as “Squanto,” he is remembered for his role in the survival of the Pilgrims at Plymouth colony. When the Pilgrims arrived on the shores… Read more
Kris Williams: America’s First Official Thanksgiving
Located on the banks of the James River in Charles City County, Va., is the Berkeley Plantation, a three-story brick mansion with a lot of history. Built by Benjamin Harrison IV, it is the birthplace of descendants Benjamin Harrison V, a signer of the Declaration of Independence; William Henry Harrison, the ninth president of the… Read more
From Our Families To Yours – Happy Thanksgiving!
Here at Ancestry.com we spend a lot of time looking at the past through genealogy records and family history research. We spend a lot of time looking to the future, developing new technology and making plans for the business. As we take a few days off to spend time with family and other loved ones… Read more
How Our Ancestral Recipes and Food Shape our Thanksgiving
Have you ever reflected on who you really are? Not from a psychological perspective, but from an ethnic and ancestral one. I believe that food is among the first elements that connect us to our past and defines who we are. I can relate to this firsthand. I grew up in a three-generation household with… Read more
Descending from Evil: The Story of Herman Webster Mudgett
On the surface Herman Webster Mudgett seemed to be a productive member of society. Born and raised in the small state of New Hampshire, Herman turned his fascination with the human body into a career when he graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1884. Wealthy, well-educated and refined, the young doctor… Read more
Kris Williams: Death Certificates – Another Piece of the Puzzle
When researching your family there are several records available to the public to help you in your quest. Using the information you gathered from relatives will make obtaining these records a lot easier. From birth, death and marriage certificates, census, cemetery, immigration and military records, these documents will help to fill in missing pieces as… Read more
“Baby, Baby, Baby” – Justin Bieber, Ryan Gosling and Avril Lavigne Are Related
What do Justin Bieber, Ryan Gosling, Avril Lavigne and Celine Dion have in common? According to Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, the four Canadian performers are all related, sharing a family connection with some of Quebec’s earliest settlers. Heartthrobs: It’s a family reunion of heartthrobs as Justin Bieber, who’s appeared on the… Read more
Kris Williams: The Importance of Knowing Your Family’s Medical History
I can still remember the look on my doctor’s face when she asked me for my family’s medical history. All she saw was this teenage girl sitting in front of her; I can tell you she did not expect the laundry list of information that came out of me. I rattled off all the information… Read more
Family History All Done? What’s Your Number?
I cringe every time someone says their genealogy is “all done.” I’m a professional genealogist. I’ve been doing this for decades, building on family history research passed down to me from a great-uncle and parents who knew what they were doing. And I am not even close to finished. There are still hundreds of people… Read more
Using DNA To Trace Michelle Obama’s Past
First Lady Michelle Obama always suspected that she had white ancestors. But she had no idea who they were. With DNA testing and research, I was able to solve that mystery and finally identify the white forbears who had remained hidden in her family tree for more than a century. All across the country, growing… Read more
Here you will find informational, and sometimes fun, posts from the folks behind the scenes here at Ancestry.com. We hope you’ll notice just how passionate we are about family history and about the products we’re building to help connect families over distance and time.
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