Broadcast History and Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television by Todd S. Purdum
Join us on a journey into entertainment history with Desi Arnaz’s biographer, Todd Purdum, and two experts on the evolution of television programming. Learn more about the visionary, trailblazing Cuban American who brought laughter to millions as Lucille Ball’s beloved husband on I Love Lucy and left a legacy that influences American culture to this day. Learn More
Young Family Historians Essay Contest
Our 2026 essay contest for students enrolled in grades 4–12 in public, private, and home schools across the nation and US territories is now open to submissions. This year, to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, participants are being asked to share the story of an ancestor who was “revolutionary” and explain how their actions were new or impactful for their time. Deadline is April 1, 2026. Learn More
The Weekly Genealogist Survey
This Week's Survey:
Ancestors or Relatives Who Worked Off the Ground or in the Air
Share your story! Each week in our Readers Respond column, we publish a selection of reader-submitted stories related to our most recent survey. Submissions must be 150 words or fewer and include your full name, city, and state. Published responses will be edited for clarity and length.
7%, Yes, at least one of my parents relocated due to climate/weather issues.
7%, Yes, at least one of my grandparents relocated due to climate/weather issues.
9%, Yes, at least one of my earlier ancestors relocated due to climate/weather issues.
40%, No, I am not aware of any of my ancestors relocating due to climate/weather issues.
8%, I relocated due to climate/weather issues.
3%, I am considering relocating due to climate/weather issues.
27%, I have not relocated due to climate/weather issues and am not planning to do so.
Readers Respond
Virginia Stark, Columbus, Ohio: In 1816, my ancestor Sherebiah Clark and his family, along with Sherebiah’s father, Simeon Clark, relocated from Belgrade, Maine, to what is now Caldwell, Ohio. The 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia led to the infamous “year without a summer” of 1816, when freezing temperatures across the Northern Hemisphere led to crop failure and food shortages. New England was especially impacted by the extreme weather conditions. I believe the Clark family, like many others, left Maine in search of better opportunities in the West.
Mary Day, San Diego, California: My Ledwell grandparents moved from Newfoundland because they were tired of the ice-cold weather. The "warmer" weather they preferred was in ice-cold Massachusetts. I, on the other hand, moved from Massachusetts to warm, sunny, Southern California!
Joe Lowry, Sterling, Virginia: My great-great-uncle Edward Lowry went west from Ohio in 1879 in search of mining opportunities. He settled in rugged Ferry County, Washington, where, in 1900, he was elected the first county sheriff. At some point, Edward contacted tuberculosis. In search of an environment more conducive to healing, Edward and his 16-year-old son, Ralph, left for Phoenix, Arizona, in October 1905. They arrived on October 8, 1905. Ralph died the next day, on October 9. He is buried in the Pioneers' Cemetery in Phoenix. Teenage Ralph had to make the journey back to Washington alone.
Jeanne Baldwin, Sacramento, California: My grandfather Patrick Lalor was told by his doctor that he had severe asthma and would die if he remained in Raheenabrogue, County Laois, in the midlands of Ireland. As the oldest of eighteen siblings, Patrick contributed significantly to the household income and tasks. But the family agreed that he needed to leave in order to save his life. Patrick left from Queenstown (now Cobh) in 1885 and traveled in steerage to New York. I have his travel diary. He wrote that he worked his way across the US doing odd jobs, eventually ending up in Nevada, where the dry climate enabled him to regain his health. Patrick died at age 99 in El Dorado County, California.
Glenn Tuley, Melbourne, Florida: None of my ancestors relocated because of climate change … but I did. I grew up in the Chicago area and as a teenage athlete I thought nothing of running thirty-five miles a week in freezing weather. I settled in Florida while serving in the Air Force. Shortly before retiring from the service, I drove from Florida to visit my parents in Illinois for Christmas. The weather was frigid, with the warmest temperature reaching 20 degrees. I was happy to return to sunny Florida.
The Medical Doctor Who Triggered the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 “There is little historical information about Dr. Griggs, but what little there is, is significant. Also important are historians’ assessments of his medical competence and moral character.”
“A new exhibition at Britain’s National Archives features a letter to Elizabeth I, Jane Austen’s will and a plea to free Oscar Wilde from prison.”
Hoover and the Growth of Radio The blog of the Herbert Hoover Library and Museum in West Branch, Iowa, looks back at the country’s earliest broadcasting regulations, which took effect when Hoover was Secretary of Commerce.
Spotlight: Hopkinton Historical Association Genealogy Resources, Rhode Island
by Valerie Beaudrault
The town of Hopkinton is located in Washington County, in southwestern Rhode Island. The Hopkinton Historical Association has made a number of resources available on its website. Click the Genealogy link in the site index at the top of the homepage. Select a resource to explore from the dropdown list. The resources include birth records (1727-1902), death records (1788–1922), probate records (1757–1850), and lists of Hopkinton men in the Revolutionary War and the Spanish American War. Each of these records includes a source citation. Search Now
New Resource from American Ancestors
Discover Your Ancestors' Records with Our FREE Vermont Town Guide!
Understanding the historical development of a town is essential for effective genealogical research, particularly in the Northeast where shifting boundaries and evolving jurisdictions can significantly impact where vital records are found.
This guide serves as a foundational tool for navigating the complex municipal history of Vermont and will bring you closer to the records you need to uncover the stories of your ancestors. Download Today
Ask a Genealogist—Live Chat
Our expert staff is available five days a week through our Ask a Genealogist online chat! Do you have questions about how to get started with genealogical research or where to locate a particular record? Stumped on border changes in a particular town or how to access an online database? We are here to help! Learn More
Sunday's Super Bowl halftime headliner Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, known as Bad Bunny, has deep Puerto Rican roots. In the latest from Vita Brevis, Senior Genealogist Chris Child explores whether our Editorial Director Cécile Engeln might share a distant family connection. Read More
Your Legacy. Your Peace of Mind. Your Free Will.
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
