Few journeys in the world of genealogy are as poignant and challenging as an individual searching for his or her biological family. While all people who pursue genealogy experience some sense of self-discovery and emotion, researchers solving “unknown parentage” questions produce even more passion. With the world of genetic genealogy exploding in popularity over the Read More
Often, beginning genealogists miss their ancestors by sticking too firmly to the idea that “that’s not how my family spelled their name, so it can’t be my ancestor.” This statement ignores these basic truths: 1) Ancestors who were illiterate would have no idea how to spell their own name, let alone how someone else should Read More
We all have them. Those ancestors who just refuse to be found. In genealogy, we call them “brick walls.” Whether you are brand new to the family history game or you have been doing this for decades, the strategies for climbing over, going around, or breaking through those brick walls are the same. In this Read More