The Anoaʻi Family: Four Generations of Wrestling Greatness
You’ve probably heard of wrestler and actor Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson—but did you know that he comes from a family with four generations of accomplished wrestlers? The Te Anoa’i family is known as one of the most influential families in the history of professional wrestling.
Ten Steps to Writing & Publishing Your Family History
Writing and publishing your genealogy is a great way to preserve your family history for future generations and to share it with others. Join American Ancestors Vice President of Publishing Sharon Inglis as she discusses her top tips. Register Now
Coming in November!
In Search of Mayflower Pilgrim James Chilton of Canterbury by Sue Allan
In this latest book in her popular “In Search of” series, Mayflower Pilgrim historian Sue Allan uses her firsthand knowledge of James Chilton’s home county of Kent to pinpoint his house at Canterbury and reconstruct the life of the man and his family. Sign up today to be notified of the release date. Learn More
The Weekly Genealogist Survey
This Week's Survey:
Your Ancestors and Cooking
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.
Hiring an Organization or Individual to Conduct Genealogical Research
Total: 2,647 Responses
33%, Yes, I have paid to have genealogical research done.
34%, No, I have not paid for genealogical research, but I might in the future.
31%, No, I have not paid for genealogical research and will not in the future.
16%, I have been hired to conduct genealogical research for others.
Readers Respond
Scott Wilson, College Park, Maryland: I have twice hired American Ancestors/NEHGS researchers to conduct research on the ancestors of one of my great-great-grandfathers—he is a longstanding “brick wall.” I'm happy to report I received useful results that made a very plausible case for the identities of my Wilson ancestors.
Ashley Morin, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey: My “brick wall” was published the spring 2024 issue of American Ancestors magazine. I was looking for the identity of Mary (_____) Wheeler, wife of Warham Wheeler (1740-1779) of Concord, Massachusetts. After months of searching and no results from the public, I had a consultation with Chief Genealogist David Allen Lambert. He quickly determined that Mary was not Warham’s wife—she became pregnant out of wedlock with their son, William. Mary died shortly after William’s birth, hence the lack of birth and marriage documentation. I learned that she was Mary Haynes of Sudbury, Massachusetts, daughter of James Haynes who marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775. James was ultimately awarded guardianship of William after Warham Wheeler’s death.
Elizabeth Prosser, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: I hired an English genealogist from the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA) to transcribe and translate wills and other legal papers for me. She also keeps me from making errors when analyzing those documents.
Daniel M. Woodruff, Atlanta, Georgia: One of my distant cousins, John Black, commissioned American Ancestors/NEHGS to research his entire family history, so I have one-eighth of my family history solved! Leonard Woodruff, another distant cousin, commissioned research into our English immigrant ancestor, which informed my own later research. I’d have had a lot more to do if it weren’t for their generous sharing of research for which they had paid.
American Classics “The works highlighted in this [Library of Congress] blog post seek to furnish a brief, sometimes amusing, and often touching history of classical studies in early America through the material history of printing.”
“I Can See My Family In Her” “A chance moment in [Smith College] Special Collections sets one Smithie on a journey into the past—and future.”
Oxford County, seated in the town of Paris, is located in western Maine. The Oxford County Gravestones database is one of the resources for genealogists and family historians offered on the Maine Genealogy website. The database can be searched by first and last name. Search the entire collection of nearly 50 Oxford County cemeteries at one time or limit your search to a single cemetery. Click the name link in the search results to open a page with the name of the cemetery where the deceased was buried, a photograph of the gravestone, and a transcription of the inscription. Search Now
Database News
Portsmouth, New Hampshire: School Records, 1846-1958
We have added 103 volumes of school records to our Portsmouth, New Hampshire: School Records, 1846-1958 database. This addition of records from the late 19th and early 20th centuries includes children whose families emigrated from Eastern Europe, Italy, and Greece.
The result of a partnership between the Portsmouth Athenaeum and American Ancestors, this database includes students’ names, information about their studies, when they graduated, and, occasionally, students’ birth dates and names of parents or guardians. This database is available to Individual-level and above members only.
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
