Nearly 250 years ago, America declared its independence from the British Empire, changing the course of history. This five-week online course will delve into the many primary and published records that exist to document your ancestors’ role in the American Revolution and their contributions to the cause for independence. Live broadcasts: Wednesdays in January 2024. Register Now
From Our External Databases
AM Explorer—American West
From early topographical sketches to photos of Buffalo Bill and his “Wild West” stars, explore the fact and the fiction of westward expansion in America through the AM Explorer—American West Collection. Members of American Ancestors can access this collection and many more external databases, a treasure trove of contextual information for family historians. Browse or search newspaper archives, magazine articles, academic journals, manuscripts, and more!
Share your thoughts about the survey! Please limit submissions to 150 words or fewer. Your submission may be featured in an upcoming newsletter or shared on social media; please note in your email if you do not want your story to be shared. Published responses may be edited for clarity and length.
Last Week's Survey:
Twins in your Family History
Total: 3,177 Responses
26%, Yes, one of my ancestors is a twin.
17%, Yes, two to four of my ancestors are twins.
4%, Yes, five or more of my ancestors are twins.
1%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors is a triplet, quadruplet, or a higher order multiple.
41%, I have other relatives who are twins or higher order multiples.
10%, Twins or higher order multiples run in my family.
4%, At least one set of twins in my extended family was conceived due to fertility treatments.
1%, I am a twin.
0%, I am a triplet, quadruplet, or a higher order multiple.
32%, No, I am not aware of any ancestors who are twins or higher order multiples.
Readers Respond
Richard Jensen, South Bend, Indiana: My paternal grandfather, Axel Carl Jensen, was one of fourteen children born to Hans Peter Jensen and Ane Margrethe Pedersen Jensen in Denmark. Although Axel was not a twin, his mother gave birth to four sets of twins: (1) Helga Sofie Jensen and her stillborn sister (1892), (2) Agnes Margrethe and Ejnar Hans Jensen (1898), (3) Oluf and Else Jensen (1907), and (4) Hans Jensen and his unbaptized brother (1908). In addition to one twin being stillborn, Else, Hans and Hans' twin brother all died within one day of their birth. Of the eight twins born into this family, only four (Helga, Agnes, Ejnar and Oluf) lived to marry and have children of their own.
Carol Hammond White, Bellingham, Washington: My mother and aunt were identical twins. One would start talking and the other would finish the sentence. They would often discover that they had gotten their hair cut and permed in the same style on the same day or had purchased the same items of clothing. Their personalities and outlook on life were different but, in some ways, they were more like one person than two.
Kathy Pasko, Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania: While researching vital records in the General Records Office Research Room in Dublin, I found the birth record of my great-grandmother Margaret and requested a copy. Each record appears as a line in the Register, and the GRO charges per record. The copy I was given included two names: Margaret and John. When I pointed out to the clerk that I requested only Margaret's record, she responded in her lovely Dublin accent, "Twins! Two for the price of one, don't you know!" I hadn't known Margaret was a twin. I surprised my aunt with the news. Great-grandmother Maggie had never told her family about her twin brother.
Teresa Carter, East Hartford, Connecticut: In 1927, my grandmother Edith Wetmore went into labor. She couldn't be moved to the hospital for the birth, so the doctor came and delivered my aunt Mary—only to discover that there was another baby coming. One hour later, my father, Anthony, was born. The doctor charged double, even though he hadn't known my grandmother was having twins. In 1958, my mother, Elsie, was pregnant for the fifth time. She delivered a boy Don and—surprise!—a minute later she delivered a second boy, Dave. In 1998, Don, via in-vitro, became the father of twin boys (Chance and Evan). This time the twin birth wasn't a surprise.
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Spotlight: Newspapers at Havre-Hill County Library, Montana
by Valerie Beaudrault
The city of Havre, seat of Hill County, is located in northern Montana. The Havre-Hill County Library hosts an online newspaper database comprising more than 286,000 pages from five local newspapers: Havre Daily News (1929-2021), Daily News (1985-1995), Havre Hill Daily News (2017), Havre Hill News (2019), and Hill County Sunday Journal (1935-1942). Search the database by keyword or browse individual papers.
As a family historian, you know that wills are important in your research—but have you created a will for yourself? Free Will, an easy and free online will creation tool, will guide you step-by-step through identifying beneficiaries for your assets, supporting the causes that are important to you, and planning for the preservation of your research. Learn More
