Start your research off on the right foot this year! Do you have any genealogical bad habits which could be keeping you from achieving the results you want? Learn how the professionals do it, from identifying resources to writing up your findings for posterity, with help from American Ancestors. Learn More
Recently on Vita Brevis
A Complicated Legacy at Freeman Beach
When Researcher Zobeida Chaffee-Valdes saw that the cause of Rufus Freeman's death in 1923 was listed as "justifiable homicide," she knew there must be more to the story. In looking for answers, she uncovered the fascinating legacy of the Freeman family and the community they built on the shores of North Carolina. Read More
Upcoming Online Seminar
Join Our Virtual Preservation Roadshow!
Is your closet full of boxes of old family photographs? Chances are you have a stack of family papers and albums tucked away that need attention. This virtual preservation roadshow will teach you best practices for surveying, handling, and storing family materials, and provide you with expert advice on how to care for items in your collection. Register Now
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:
Family Research You've Done for Others
Total: 3,421 Responses
76%, I have traced the ancestry of my spouse/partner or former spouse/partner.
37%, I have traced the ancestry of the mother or father of my child/children.
37%, I have traced the ancestry of one or more of my sons- or daughters-in-law.
38%, I have traced the ancestry of one or more of my aunts or uncles by marriage.
35%, I have traced the ancestry (that I don't share) of one or more of my cousins.
64%, I have traced the ancestry of at least one of my friends.
25%, I have traced ancestry that I don't share with at least one person I met researching genealogy online but don't personally know.
35%, I have traced ancestry that I don't share for someone who is in a category not mentioned above.
6%, I have only ever researched my own genealogy.
Readers Respond
Barbara Conner, Auburn, Michigan: My greatest achievement was helping a friend find his younger siblings. The five children had been made wards of the state when they were very young. They were split up and sent to different facilities. After fifty years, my friend was able to meet his sister, and I was there to witness the reunion. The memory still makes me tear up.
Clark Bagnall, Nashua, New Hampshire: For the past 35 years I have been working on a genealogy of my high school graduating class. I have been tracing connections between the students; to date, I have been able to document connections between all but two students. I discovered recently that one person whom I had long believed was unrelated was in fact a tenth cousin of our class president.
Madeleine Fischer, Metairie, Louisiana: At age 83, my friend discovered she was adopted. I recently helped her trace her biological family tree. We had her biological mother’s name, and through traditional genealogical methods we connected my friend with a first cousin (who was also adopted). The cousin shared memories and pictures of my friend’s biological mother, who had died in 2001. We hope to determine the identity of my friend’s biological father through DNA testing.
Sarah W. Langdon, Granby, Connecticut: My 2023 Christmas gift for my sister-in-law, Lisa, was a genealogy of her family. Lisa’s mother’s side of the family was from Bere Island, Co. Cork, Ireland. Annals of Beara by Riobard O'Dwyer (available online at AmericanAncestors.org) was an invaluable resource. In the course of my research, I became friends with one of Lisa’s cousins. A generation older than Lisa, he had wonderful stories to share and provided me with many photos—including one he took last fall of the family homestead on Bere Island. We kept our collaboration a secret. Lisa was surprised and profoundly moved by her gift.
Marcia White, Gardner, Massachusetts: I volunteer in the local history room of my city library providing genealogical research assistance to patrons. I also volunteer for my local genealogy society on programs and courses in senior centers and libraries. Over the years I have helped many people who are just beginning their genealogical journeys, as well as more experienced researchers who hit brick walls. I find this work extremely fulfilling. I enjoy helping others discover their family history and the stories found within.
A Life in Six Paragraphs This article reflects on reconstructing the life of Jacob Hodnefjeld, a Norwegian immigrant who was buried in the Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery in 1875.
The Mystery of the Wedding Dress A genealogist researched a wedding gown donated to a thrift shop in San Clemente, California, and found relatives of the bride who wore it in 1911.
The city of Sedalia, seat of Pettis County, is located in central Missouri. Sedalia owns and operates two cemeteries, Crown Hill Cemetery and Hebrew Union Cemetery, and is responsible for maintaining a third, Calvary Cemetery. Burial records can be searched on the city's website. Data fields included are last name, first name, dates of birth and death, and cemetery name. Click the green button to view additional information about the deceased, including middle name, residence, interment date, birth date, death location, and funeral home. Search Now
2024 Mayflower Descendant SubscriptionsNow Available
The highly respected scholarly journal of Pilgrim genealogy and history is back! Our upcoming issue includes the Mayflower ancestry of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, continuations of the Rickard and Curtis families of Plymouth, and genealogical sketches of later Mayflower descendants in Maine, New York, and Michigan. Subscribe today to get both 2024 issues as soon as they are released! Subscribe Now
American Ancestors Magazine
Cartoon Caption Contest
American Ancestors, our quarterly magazine, is seeking a caption for its next cartoon (pictured left)! The winning entry will be featured in our winter issue. Enter Now
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
