Ancestry Hints Update: My Notes Are Back!

I posted an update on the original post as well, but thanks to a commenter here at A Tree With No Name, I was made aware sometime between yesterday mid-afternoon (the last time I worked with hints) and now, the checkboxes and comments for accepted/rejected/undecided hints are BACK!!! I am so thankful to the Ancestry development team for fixing this (and I know a lot of others are as well).

As for the rest of the Hints changes, I will adapt. I still wish clicking the person hyperlink on the All Hints page took us directly to the profile but it's not the end of the world. I do understand change is sometimes necessary. 

I've also seen a potentially positive change in how hints are updating. Yesterday, I corrected a birth date on a child who died in infancy. Immediately, hints for people who lived into teenage years and adulthood were removed. I haven't seen this happen widely on other people yet, but potentially the algorithms are being tweaked to provide better overall results. I'll give Ancestry a slight win on this while we wait to see if it's a true change or just a coincidence.

Credit where credit is due—thank you to the Ancestry development team for restoring the user-entered notes so quickly. Let me know how you're finding the changes overall. Are you settling in or are you struggling a little?

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with a title and search description. Post content is my own.

Three Years, 201 Posts and Counting

Three years ago today, I started my blog (and it just so happens I restarted my tree on July 14th, 2023). My blog and my tree are "almost" twins! As an amateur genealogist, my goal is to document and share my journey, and all the things I've learned (and am still learning) along the way. I enjoy writing, and blogging is good for my soul. If I can help motivate other family historians by sharing my progress, it's all worthwhile.

So here I am, 201 blog posts later, with a growing tree comprised of over 3200 people, spanning 10 generations (going back to 1689) and 950+ different surnames. I'm just as excited about doing genealogy today as I was when I first started — though I still try hard to gather every detail from each record so I won't ever feel the need to start my tree all over again. And because a tree is never truly "done", I'll constantly be learning and discovering for....well, forever!

Over the past 3 years, my site has had over 116,000 pageviews. I'd like to offer my heartfelt thanks to each and every visitor to my site (even the bots and crawlers). I very much appreciate all the comments and shares. With your help, I'm able to reach a wider audience. 

It's hard to see, but in the graphic, the notebook says "Passion, Purpose, Community". I am definitely passionate about genealogy. Anyone who's ever listened to me prattle on as their eyes glaze over will attest to it! And both my blog and my tree have a definite purpose. Community is the big one! I've found the genealogy community is filled with wonderful people. Sure, there are some who protect and guard their trees fiercely, but there are many more who freely share their trees, expertise and knowledge. I'm truly blessed to have made many new friends, and virtually "met" some amazing cousins. 

The genealogy community is welcoming and warm. I feel truly blessed to be a member of such an amazing group of people, and to share my journey with you. I look forward to many more years of blogging ahead.

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to create the graphic, assist in a title and search description. All other content is my own.

Ancestry's New Hints Page: More Than a Layout Change

Update: As of 20 Jul 2026 the checkboxes and notes appear to be back!! (A big thank you to the person who commented on my post!)

I truly have no words (well, no words I can share here) for the abysmal change Ancestry rolled out to me today. The change is to the Hints screen within a person's profile. At first, I thought I was just dealing with another frustrating layout change. Then I discovered something far worse.

First, from the All Hints page, if you click a person's name (a hyperlink) instead of being taken to the person's profile, you're now unceremoniously dumped on their Hints page (and no, it doesn't look anything like it did before!) One would think a name hyperlink would take you to the person, but now, you have to backtrack to get to the profile. So if you like to review your person before working with new hints—you now have the joy of more clicks.

Once you do manage to get to the person profile, Hints is no longer a nice easy separate tab. It's a button underneath the relationship. 

When you click said button, all your hints, accepted, rejected or otherwise, are now on one big long page. If you want to see previously accepted, rejected or undecided hints, you'll need to scroll to the bottom of the page, past all the unreviewed hints and then click to expand the section you want to see. I know, I know, scrolling and extra clicking is obviously a great use of our time...NOT! And undecided only shows as an option if something exists in the category. If not, it doesn't show as an option.

But the thing frustrating me the most is the checkboxes and comments on why a hint was accepted, rejected or left undecided. Maybe not everyone uses them, but I've meticulously documented my reasons for every hint I've ever worked with. Those notes are invaluable as I'm trying to see why I did or didn't accept something. They're critical to evaluating name twins. And now? The checkboxes are blank, as is the comment field (see the image above). Tens of thousands of hints worth of documentation appear to be gone in one fell swoop. Hundreds upon hundreds of hours of work...

I hold out very little hope any of my hard work will be recovered (though I have posted in a Facebook forum where employees of Ancestry are known to pop on from time to time). I've posed the question, and now I wait and hope I'll receive an answer. Hopefully, it's simply a glitch they can resolve. In the meantime, I guess I'll have to decide if I'm going to boycott researching until I get an answer, continue as I have been and write off all my previous work and carry on with a move forward plan, or proceed with researching and never again give Ancestry one iota of information they might be able to use to improve their algorithms. 

If the fields had been eliminated, I'd still be upset, but I'd understand. But it's not the case. All the fields still exist—they're simply all blank. For me, the loss of this information borders on catastrophic. Next time I encounter a name twin I've previously documented, none of my research notes will be available to me. While I don't care for the new hints page, I'm not actually suggesting they roll it back entirely. I'm only suggesting they restore the user-entered information they deleted.

If you're like me, and you document everything, please take time to submit feedback or post in one of the many Facebook forums for Ancestry users. I've done both. If enough users voice their concerns, Ancestry has occasionally rolled back changes.

The new hints page does not appear to be a beta feature. I received a pop up telling me to take a look at the new hints page the first time I landed there. Ancestry needs to know if users are happy or unhappy with new changes. If you're so inclined, you can submit feedback using this link once you've received and had a chance to work with the new layouts. I guess I had more words than I thought...

If I hear any updates or the notes are restored, I'll update this post with the outcome.

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with a title and search description. Post content is my own.

A Hidden Resource for Historic Genealogy Software

A few months ago, while researching ways to improve my process of transcribing US Censuses, I stumbled on a site with a bit of a different twist. I was looking for information on a discontinued program (called GenScriber) and this site had a detailed write-up as well as download links. While I didn't end up pursuing the software, I did take time to poke around the website and I was impressed. GenealogySoftware.net is dedicated to—you guessed it!—genealogy software, with a focus on historical software (although it does reference some newer updates as well). From the website:

GenealogySoftware.net will be at its core, a database of genealogy and genealogy-related software (programs, applications, whatever term you want to use) – a collection of information and news about genealogy software stretching from the very humble beginnings of genealogy programs in the 1970s up through the 2020s.

The premise behind the site appears simple. There are family historians who've been using the same software for many years. Some still utilize programs no longer updated, or even available. Or perhaps they have old files they can no longer access (floppy disks anyone?). Just because software is no longer "current" doesn't make the files created in it any less valuable. Family history is still family history. So if your Great Aunt Edna, who still used her old DOS computer for her research, left you all her research in her will...maybe this site will help you access it! Or perhaps like me, you were looking for a program to assist with a specific task. Just because software is no longer updated or distributed doesn't mean it wasn't very good at doing the task it was designed for. It's up to individual users to choose the software and utilities for their personal needs. New and shiny doesn't always mean better. 

The site creator attempts to acquire copies of all the software he comes across. While the site does not host software downloads or user manuals, unless given approval from the developer to do so, they do provide links or other potential ways of sourcing older software. They do not include links to third-party sites offering unauthorized downloads. From the website, "We want to actively promote the development and distribution of genealogy software, but only through the appropriate (and approved) methods." They also attempt to remain neutral. They aren't going to tell you "this is the best software for....." Their goal is simply to provide information for upwards of 1000 different applications.

It appears this site was created in 2024, so it's not terribly old. But there have been no recent updates I could find since spring of 2025 (though the footer of the site does say 2026). I did try to find the creator on other blogs and social media, but those too have had little or no activity. I'm not sure if there will be future updates (I hope so!) but nonetheless, the historical value is still the same. 

Whether you're looking for information on an old piece of software you used to use, or are looking for software for a specific purpose, when it comes to genealogy software and applications, you can probably find information of use. Despite not being 100% up to date, I've included the link in my Genealogy Toolbox. So if Great Aunt Edna leaves you her genealogy research, maybe this site can be of use to you.

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with a title and search description. All content is my own.

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

Celebrating Independence Day Through Family History

I wish everyone a very Happy 4th of July and a Happy 250th Birthday to America!

On this, the 250th birthday of our country, I took a moment to review my previous July 4th posts. I realized I've already written from my heart about this holiday. Most of this post was originally published July 4th, 2024 here on A Tree With No Name, but I've added a few extra thoughts on this, the anniversary of our shared independence.

On this day when many are gathering with family and friends to celebrate the holiday, take time to share about your genealogy journey. Yes, yes, I know - some eyes may glaze over as you speak, but don't give up! Talk to the children and regale them with interesting stories you've discovered. Show them pictures from times gone by. Listen, so the older generations might share their stories with you. Record them if possible or take notes so you can write their recollections down for future generations. One day, you'll be very glad you did. Share new discoveries with your elders. They may be thrilled to hear the stories you've uncovered. And, it may spark memories you've never heard from them before.

This is a day to celebrate our country, our independence, and, most of all, our family journeys. Many of us have traced far enough back in our lines to discover ancestors who fought for independence. We owe these ancestors a great debt of gratitude. Other families immigrated to this country later, leaving all they knew behind. It doesn't matter from where your ancestors came, or when they came, today we celebrate together!

Remember all those who've bravely served their country. If possible, thank them for their service. For those no longer with us, say a silent thank you to honor their memory and the sacrifices made to ensure the independence we enjoy today. For 250 years, the men, women, and even children (we can't forget the littlest drummers of the Revolutionary War) who have served have fought for and defended the freedom we enjoy today.

Today is a day to be grateful for all who came before. It's a day to be thankful for all the resources available so we can uncover and discover our ancestors. Today, I'm deeply thankful I embarked on my genealogy journey, and for all the wonderful discoveries I've made (and have yet to make). Happy Independence Day!

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with a title and search description. All content is my own.
Image by free stock photos from www.picjumbo.com from Pixabay

Getting the Most Value From Genealogy Subscriptions

Note: I do not receive any compensation (affiliate or otherwise) from any of these sites. This post is simply my observations on the value of various genealogy subscriptions and ways to save money accessing subscription resources.

Subscriptions come and subscriptions go. For several years, I maintained a lot of genealogy subscriptions. Truth be told, I still have more than I need. But I get really excited when one of the sites I subscribe to rolls in a new membership benefit providing access to another site I'd otherwise have to pay to access. Each site below offers many on-site features, but this post focuses on the additional website access provided with each subscription. Prices shown are regular price. Many sites have sales throughout the year to help make subscriptions more affordable. (All prices are shown in US dollars).

Let's start with the big sites:

Most everyone knows, Ancestry.com offers several membership levels. Personally, I stick with the All Access Family Plan ($269.00 every 6 months). Not only have I been able to share the subscription with 4 others (encouraging new family historians) but I also get full access to Fold3 military records and Newspapers.com including Publishers Extra. You can find out more about the All Access Family Plan here. The value of having Fold3 and Newspapers works out to about $30 every 6 months (based on the current pricing I've found). The biggest value in this plan is the ability to share it with 4 others (and they don't need to be related to you). You can ask the others to contribute to the cost if you need to bring your price down, but this is something you coordinate yourself. You cannot split the price between members directly on the Ancestry site. 

At MyHeritage, the Omni Plan comes with access to OldNews (newspaper archive). The cost is currently $399 per year. Additionally, you receive access to GeniPro and Legacy Family Tree Webinars. On the MyHeritage site, you'll also have access to some outstanding photo and AI features at your disposal. More information on all the benefits of the Omni Plan can be found here. If you subscribed separately to all the features it would cost over $600 per year!

FindMyPast offers an Everything subscription. This includes not only all their record collections, but all the newspapers you'd have access to with a British Newspaper Archive subscription (a value of $133 per year). They also offer a 15% discount on continued subscriptions (no playing games, cancelling and resubscribing necessary). The current price is $299 per year. The 15% discount works out to about $45 per year off the annual price (so $254 as of this post). For more information on their subscriptions please click here.

And now for a few of the lesser known sites offering a good value:

A few years ago, the National Genealogical Society (NGS) added access to Newspaperarchive.com and Storied. My $85 membership to NGS (already providing many nice benefits and access to their Family Papers Collection) was expanded to save me $95 on a separate NewspaperArchive and Storied membership (based on the current pricing shown on their website). It's worth noting, while Storied does have the option for a standalone membership at $99.99 per year (for Unlimited), all the features are included in a regular NewspaperArchive subscription. The subscription to NGS literally pays for itself! For the complete list of member benefits visit this page.

One super value is AmericanAncestors. A regular price Individual Membership is $99.95 per year. In addition to their databases, you also get access to an impressive list of partner databases. For a full price membership, you can also get discounts with partner sites, including a $10 discount on a GEDmatch Tier 1 membership. But let's circle back to the partner databases for a moment. While they don't disclose the full value of all the partner databases, NewspaperArchive is $95.00/year, a New York Times subscription can run in excess of $150 per year, Genealogical Publishing Company (GPC) eBook Collection (a subscription I used to maintain) is worth $135 per year. And there are many more partner databases. Even if you only use one, you've paid for your membership. You can find out more about a membership here. While the full membership is already a great value, I don't use any of the on-site benefits or discounts on services. Last year, I considered letting this membership lapse. I received a couple of discount emails (as most sites tend to offer) but was still on the fence —until I received an email for a truly amazing deal...digital access for just $49.95 per year! This still includes all the partner databases! While they don't seem to advertise this level on their site, here's a link to the digital membership page from the email I received. If it doesn't work for you, I'd suggest reaching out to them to inquire about this membership. 

And finally, there's the Conococheague Institute. This is a "hands on regional learning center" in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. A membership is only $25 per year for an individual. The added value is in the History Commons (formerly Accessible Archives) access they provide as a membership perk, a $90 value per year. From the website, "History Commons presents a curated universe of landmark primary-source collections presented on Coherent Digital’s award-winning, next-generation platform." This is not a one-size fits all site. I needed it for some specific Pennsylvania newspapers, so it was useful to me. But if you're considering it, I'd suggest checking the site out first. For more information on joining the Conococheague Institute, visit this page.

One other resource worth noting is libraries! If you don't often access the brick and mortar building for your local library, you may be able to register for a digital card. Many libraries offer in-branch access to library editions of the big genealogy sites for free. They may also offer digital access to a wide variety of various databases and newspaper resources. And it's worth noting, if the resources at a given library outside your local area are valuable enough, you may even be able to obtain access even if you aren't a resident of the area. The cost and availability vary considerably, but depending on the materials you need, it could be an option. (If you can't find the information for out of state residents online, I'd suggest emailing or calling for more information.) Many libraries now offer some genealogy resources free on their websites. And several offer amazing on-site research areas with collections, manuscripts and other resources not available elsewhere. You can't go wrong checking out library websites for areas you're researching. Family Tree Magazine has a wonderful list of the best libraries for genealogy research. 

I've added all the links in this post to my Genealogy Toolbox (including a new section for both Books and Libraries, and expanding Articles, Tips/Tricks, Guides, to include Webinars and Videos). The cost of doing genealogy can vary greatly. If you're willing to put in the time, many records can be found for free. But sometimes we need a subscription. Finding the ones with the most bang for your buck is always a great feeling.  If you've discovered any other genealogy subscriptions with great bundled perks and membership benefits please share them!

Image by Foundry Co from Pixabay

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist in titling this post, and for the search description. All content is my own.

A Day Makes A Difference | Ancestry's New Record Viewer Layout

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday, most everything in my Ancestry world was fine. I've been adapting to the many (many) recent layout and display changes. Today, I right-clicked to open a census record and the result was a complete (and somewhat unpleasant) surprise. 

Ancestry is at it again with the new interface. By now, you know I'm not a big fan of change....though I've been trying to keep an open mind as they obviously modernize their interface. After the initial shock wore off...I tried opening and reopening a couple times to see if it would magically revert...then sighed and settled in to take stock of the changes.

The information displayed in the past is all still there, just in a bit of a different layout. One advantage (yes, I actually see a couple of them) is the source information now displays without having to click a link. Just scroll down below the details. Clicking on "learn more" in the source description still opens the additional search features for the database.

There's also a timeline and family drop-down. It's convenient not to have to go back to another tab to see the person profile, but clicking on a family member still doesn't open anything. It would be wonderful if someday it would allow us to open another tab for selected family members (just like can be done on the person profile).

One small gripe - the person's name shows at the top of the screen, but it's not a hyperlink. You have to go down just a bit to the "In Your Tree" section to open the person profile (if you don't already have it open in another tab).

The suggested records are a bit improved! It now indicates if a record is already saved in your tree. This saves having to open each one to find out if you've already reviewed it. 

For those of you using the Genealogy Assistant browser extension, you'll see an additional Search button right above the Yes, No, Maybe buttons. This is the same as the Advanced Search from a person profile and opens new tabs for any of the websites you've selected.

Do I like the change? I suppose. The information hasn't changed, just the way it's presented. It's a pleasant change to have a few new positives. For several days, I'll struggle with feeling like my workflow is disrupted...but I will adapt. 

Have you seen this change yet? If so, how do you feel about it? 

Image by geralt from Pixabay
Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to help with the title and search description. All content is my own.

Honoring the Fathers in Our Family Trees

 

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers, grandfathers, and, for a lucky few, the great-grandfathers! 

Happy Father's Day to all the single parents who play the role of both father and mother. It takes a lot of strength to be both!

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers who came before - shaping our lives in ways we will never fully understand. 

Today, I celebrate the memory of my father. He is always with me in my heart. And I give thanks for all the fathers in my family tree - those I've discovered and learned about, and those still waiting to be found. 

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to help me title and create the SEO description for this post. All content is my own.

Reaching Out to DNA Matches: Better Than I Expected

I've typically added DNA matches "organically" as I happened to come across them. But lately, I've been on a slow mission to start adding DNA matches shown by ancestor in Ancestry's ThruLines®. I've come to realize, if I'm ever going to break down brick walls, I'm going to need to cast a wider net and build out some of these lines. Reading blog posts by those who do this regularly helps. Their stories and successes inspire me to put in the effort. 

While ThruLines® is only as accurate as the trees the information is derived from (sometimes questionable at best), thus far they've been fairly accurate for me. I'm only up to my 2nd great-grandparents on this project though. I suspect the farther back I go, the less reliable they'll become. But DNA doesn't lie. As long as we're above the 6cM threshold, where it becomes very important to watch out for false positives, we're likely related in one way or another (maybe even more than one!) 

Below the 6cM threshold, matches may still be very distantly related (called identity by descent) or they may not be related at all (called related by state). Identity by state means while there is a match at a specific DNA location, it's simply chance. It can be hard to know the difference when the match is so small. 

• 6cM-15cM generally share a common ancestor 5-8 generations back
• 4cM-6cM take time to look at shared matches if you're really trying to break down brick walls in this range. If you have some, you'll probably need to build out their trees to find the connection 
• at 2cM-4cM there's a 67% chance you're not related
• below 2cM 70-99% will be unrelated

This week, I've linked 14 DNA matches to my tree! I know there are some researchers who can add 100 or more in a month. I'm not so quick and I'm happy at a much slower pace. I don't want to end up with a tree full of names and no records to back them up. I also want to balance my time so I continue to research those already in my tree. 

Despite the age of technology we live in, some of the younger generations (those in their 20's or 30's) have a surprisingly small digital footprint when it comes to online records. Not only can it be hard to identify them specifically, it can be challenging to find the missing generations between them and my known ancestors to build the lines of descent. I do try to figure out connections on my own before reaching out. Public records and social media have provided some decent results, however, after several days of trying, I just wasn't finding a few of the connections I wanted to this week - so I reached out to four DNA matches (or those who manage their DNA) to see if they could help me fill in my blanks. 

Messaging DNA matches is something I haven't done terribly often. This is probably because I see so many posts with frustrated users who reach out over and over and never get responses. I'm well aware people take DNA tests for various reasons, and they may or may not have an active interest in building a tree or connecting with relatives. Even those who do share an interest may be busy with life and simply don't log in often. It could simply be users are wary of chatting with someone they don't know.

I personally feel it's important to include enough information for the contact to discern the validity of the message and to verify I've identified actual people from their tree. In essence, I want to reassure them I'm genuinely researching and am asking for their help. I was careful to do the following in each message:

• introduce myself 
• explain the common ancestors from whom we descend
• state the connections I have found
• indicate the missing generations I'm looking for
• politely ask if they'd be willing to share the names of those missing links with me if they're comfortable doing so
• include a polite closing or thank them for taking the time to read

I don't use a template when I message. Each message is carefully and thoughtfully crafted. I am fully prepared some messages may never receive a response. Some people simply don't have a desire to connect. Some people are hesitant to take a DNA test in the first place, and they may or may not be comfortable sharing. They may also manage someone else's DNA and are hesitant to divulge someone else's data. And when I'm missing those "in between generations," perhaps they only have a placeholder in their tree and truly have nothing definite to add. There are a myriad of reasons someone might not respond. When I reach out, I'm doing so with the hopes I'll receive an answer, but I'm well aware no one owes me a response.

I've been quite pleasantly surprised with the results this week! Two of the four people I reached out to have already responded, and have been willing to share with me. I feel it's important to:

• acknowledge and thank them for their response (regardless of whether they provided information or simply responded they have none to share)
• let them know I've added the match to my tree (if applicable)
• offer my assistance if they ever want to collaborate 

In short, I try to make my interaction as pleasant as I can. And if they don't reply (or they have a negative response)? I do not send multiple messages demanding or begging for information. I simply sit back and hope when the time is right I may hear from them. Based on other people's experiences, I think a 50% response rate for one week is pretty darn good! 

One of the responders was able to provide the specific connection I needed. The other, not only provided the name I was looking for, but we struck up a conversation, shared information and have now connected on multiple sites and by email. I am beyond thrilled to have a new enthusiastic family researcher to correspond with! This contact has already provided me with new information I'll be checking out in the hopes it helps me expand several more generations back in another of my lines. I try to make an effort to stay in touch with those passionate about family research. Sometimes, I just reach out to wish them a happy holiday, share a new discovery, or bounce ideas around when I'm stumped. These connections mean a lot to me and collaborating is always beneficial.

If you're not already reaching out to DNA matches, it is well worth the time to do so when you've put in the effort and determined you're at an impasse. It should not be done as a way to avoid doing your own research. Especially for adoptees, who start in a much different place than those of us who have some of our family history, I'm sure the situation feels very different. But even in those cases, you can use both matches and shared matches to try to begin finding patterns. When you reach out, you may have some small but key details to smooth the way to a conversation. 

I truly believe the more information you can include in your DNA match messages, the more likely you are to get a positive response. Use messaging wisely and you just may be rewarded with the information you need. And you never know, the next message you send may be the one to break open a family mystery!

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to help title this post and create the SEO description. All other content is my own.

New Ancestry Features: One Disappeared and One Made Me Smile

As I was working on my tree this weekend, I noticed 2 new features on Ancestry. At least one appears to be a potential future feature, because it disappeared when I refreshed my screen and I was not able to get it to reappear. Thankfully, I grabbed a screenshot to share with you. The other feature has been present for two days. I can't say if it's a beta feature or a forever feature - but I sure hope it stays right where it is!

To the left is the "disappearing" potential beta feature. On the All Hints page, I noticed a section for "Free Hints". Since I have a paid subscription, this wouldn't be meaningful for me. But there are lots of users who don't have paid subscriptions. This would be a great way for them to focus on the records Ancestry can offer them, without the frustration of clicking hints and not being able to see anything. Interestingly, there were no free hint counts showing for me, just the verbiage. I wouldn't expect the results to be tied to subscription level. This, in conjunction with the new option disappearing as soon as I refreshed the screen, leads me to believe it may be a future feature they're considering and they haven't yet finished the implementation. It very well may show up as a beta feature in the coming weeks or months.

I'm not a big fan of "live testing" changes. I personally think all potential new features should be extensively beta tested to avoid issues with general rollout - preferably with a group of users who agreed to beta test knowing there could be unexpected problems. But, for a site the size, and immense complexity, of Ancestry, traditional beta testing may not be realistic. Live testing may be the only viable option. 

The second new item has been present all weekend for me - and I've been doing a happy dance since I noticed it! There's now an option to collapse Stickies. You can simply select the up or down arrow to expand or collapse the section. While the concept behind Stickies is great, I was originally very annoyed by the implementation. It ate up significant screen space on small screens, rendering Notes almost unusable. The ability to collapse Stickies is a workable compromise. Though Notes are still slightly impacted, it is significantly better than the original display. I can't say if this is a permanent feature or not. I suspect, given how many users were frustrated with the original roll out, this option may remain. If you don't have it yet, and you don't like Stickies taking up so much space, keep an eye out to see if it magically appears for you.

Ancestry used to have a direct way for users to indicate their preference to be included in beta testing. There used to be an option for "Ancestry Lab" accessed from the Extras option in the main menu. However, the Extras option appears to be gone and Ancestry Lab does not appear on the Site Map. Likewise, searching for "beta" in the support articles does not return any results. You can still find the Ancestry Lab link from a Google Search, but it loads saying there was an error and to refresh the page. On refresh, it simply returns "We’re sorry, this page is temporarily unavailable." Perhaps they're working on a new way for users to participate in betas, or maybe they're simply removing it as a whole. 

One existing feature I've noticed is not working as it used to is the checkboxes for why you accepted, ignored or marked a hint undecided. The option to select no longer appear directly after submit your choice on the person profile. In order to check the boxes and add notes now, you have to take the extra step of going to the accepted, undecided or ignored hints page, scroll to find the hint in question, and expand the option to show the checkboxes and reason. If you're like me, and you use this for every hint, it's a considerable amount of extra clicks and scrolling. Presumably, Ancestry uses this information to improve the algorithms, so I'd think they'd encourage users to use this feature. I hope this change is temporary and they return the former function soon. Note: This feature does still work on the All Hints page. Only the person profile seems to have changed.

Many people complain about the cost of Ancestry subscriptions. I personally feel the cost of making records available and maintaining a functioning site are considerable. For-profit companies have to make money - otherwise they'll cease to exist. Certainly, a part of subscription costs go towards the expansion of record sets, but some is earmarked for continual updating and maintenance of the site. While both of the potential features I've mentioned are relatively small, they are solid changes and may benefit many. It's nice to see Ancestry considering new beneficial features. And, as with the change to Stickies, they're clearly listening to some of the feedback from users. 

Have you noticed any new features while you're working on Ancestry? Not all users see the same features at the same time, so please share in the comments if you've noticed anything new lately!

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist in titling this post, and creating the SEO description. All content is my own and was not edited using AI.

Drastically Improved Newspapers.com Clipping Tool

Have you tried the new and improved clipping tool at Newspapers.com? It was rolled out about a month ago but I just finally got around to trying it this afternoon - and I absolutely love it! You no longer need to clip and save multiple images when the article isn't a perfect square or rectangle. 

As an example, I'm going to use the wedding announcement for my brother and his first wife. Neither is still living and this is from 50 years ago, published in the Baltimore Sun on February 15, 1976, page 113. As you can see, the article spans over 3 columns (including the photo), but the 2nd column also includes information for a completely different wedding. I don't want the other wedding to be in the area of focus.

Previously, I'd either have to save three separate images or clip the entire area, including the information I don't really want. Now, I can outline the three different areas and create one, much cleaner, image. Here are the steps:

Outline the first area you want to include. Then, you'll see a little blue box with a plus in it:

Click on the "+" and you'll be presented with another box you can adjust the size on. 

In my case, I want to add a third area, so I click the plus again to bring up yet another box I can resize. 

Now, I'm done adding areas and I can save the clip. (But you could keep adding additional areas if you needed to). When I open the clip, I see this:

It's a perfectly highlighted area, clearly indicating the article I want to save. I've long wanted a way to do this, and Newspapers.com finally delivers! This improvement is both intuitive and easy to use. You can even go back and edit previously clipped items. The one thing I don't see any way to do is to combine if the article is on totally different pages. I did try, but it doesn't appear to be an option. 

If you've not yet tried the new and improved clipping tool, I highly recommend giving it a spin. You won't be disappointed!

My Complicated Relationship With AI Creations in Genealogy

Linda Stufflebean, (Empty Branches on the Family Tree) recently posted MyHeritage Introduces Family Infographics and Tribute Reels. Family Infographics uses your family tree and photos to create an AI generated piece of artwork. Tribute reels use photos to create a visual story of the subject. It was really interesting to see these new features in action! Her post got me thinking...

MyHeritage has been at the forefront when it comes to engaging users with AI features. They provide many AI-assisted tools including:

• Colorizing and enhancing photos
• Estimating dates of old photos (PhotoDater™)
• Animating photos (Deep Nostalgia™)
• Creating animated video clips from a photo (LiveMemory™)
• Transcribing and analyzing an uploaded document (Scribe AI)
• Turning a series of photos into a visual story (Tribute Reels)
• Using tree information and photos to create shareable artwork (Family Infographics)

I readily embrace using AI for many tasks:

• Formatting data just the way I like
• Newspaper or document transcriptions
• Helping me come up with a catchy title or SEO description for my posts. 
• Searching for public information on an ancestor, and providing me with research suggestions
• Double checking my blog post for grammar and punctuation

Just to be clear, I do not ask AI to create my blog content for me. While it's certainly capable of generating a post in just seconds, I prefer to do my own writing. And I never use AI as a source for facts in my tree. It's just not reliable enough yet. When it comes to genealogy, AI is no substitute for actual research. As I sit here looking over this list, I realize, most of my uses for AI are data-driven.

When it comes to photos, artwork and animations (the creative side of AI), I've steered clear of using it. I truly prefer photos as close to the originals as possible. For me, even the hue of a photo tells a story. The faded colors, speckles, spots and creases all add character. I don't really care for colorized photos (though I do understand the appeal). I've dabbled with minimal photo enhancement, but I generally stay as true to the original as I can.

When it comes to animated photos (or worse, talking animations)...well...truth be told, they creep me out more than a little. I enjoy studying the subject(s) of old photos, dissecting the minute details and shadows like a fine piece of art. But I don't enjoy those same subjects turning their heads, moving or talking to me. I'd rather let my imagination bring photos to life, much as the subjects and recipients of the originals would have done. 

For ages, family historians have shared GEDCOMs, hand typed remembrances, or even summaries created by the software and websites we choose to use. Family histories may be passed out at reunions, or even published in a tidy little book and distributed to family members. But in most cases, information provided in this manner is merely a distillation of facts (perhaps with a few photos thrown in for good measure). It does little to bring our ancestors to life. While genealogists certainly appreciate any and all details we can get our hands on, the vast majority of our family probably finds these same details boring. Younger generations, with far more exposure to AI-assisted creations, might well find these new AI creations far more captivating than traditional presentations of family facts. I could easily see how they might even inspire a new generation of family historians! 

Another very real benefit may be for the older generations (meaning those who do not readily use computers or smartphones for much more than email). I realize this population is rapidly shrinking, and with them so do the memories they have tucked away. Animations or colorful artwork may very well spark something within them. Perhaps they'll say "Aunt Edna's nose isn't quite right" or "My grandpa's eyes were a more brilliant blue," and segue into stories we've never heard before. While they may be very interested in the facts, they may not have the computer skills, eyesight or knowledge to do research on their own. AI-generated content may be very intriguing to them (even if they don't understand how it's done). Grandparents often proudly point out pictures of their children and grandchildren, or drawings created by little ones and they might very well do the same with colorful artwork about an ancestor. 

While MyHeritage isn't the only site to integrate AI tools for users, it certainly is the leader of the pack in genealogy. FamilySearch.org is also ahead of the curve with their Full Text Search. Their AI integration was done with thought and purpose and has been beyond helpful for many family historians. In this arena, Ancestry and FindMyPast both offer photo colorization and restoration and a few other AI features, but they don't compare to MyHeritage in scope, or FamilySearch in usability. I'll probably continue to focus on data-driven uses for AI. But I'll watch quietly from the wings as others share their photo, artwork and video creations. It will be interesting to see how each of the big four companies move forward, maximizing and expanding the capabilities of AI functions for family historians.

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to check grammar and punctuation, provide minor titling assistance, and creation of the brief description of this post. All content is entirely my own.

Image by Artapixel from Pixabay

Ancestry API Changes and Why Backups Matter

API stands for Application Programming Interface. It’s a set of rules allowing different software applications to "talk" to each other. Think of it as a translator that helps different programs exchange data smoothly.

In the case of Ancestry, they have a private API. This means only select third-party companies can use it. Currently, RootsMagic and Family Tree Maker have business agreements allowing API-based syncing with Ancestry. Both programs have the ability to add, delete and change data in your Ancestry tree, so accuracy and security are vitally important. Other programs may have more open APIs, and developers may be encouraged to use their APIs to expand their functionality. A good example of this is Legacy Family Tree. While they don't have their own API, they use APIs from other services to offer more features in their software.

As of April 2026, the transition to Ancestry's new API is complete. This should improve the reliability, performance and security of how both RootsMagic and Family Tree Maker function during synchronization. While it's tempting not to update, especially when those updates have a tangible cost and you may be perfectly happy with the performance of an older version — it's important to do so if you plan on continuing to synchronize trees. 

For RootsMagic, you currently need version 11.2.0 or later. If you need to update, head over to their blog for more information on how to obtain the update. If you use Family Tree Maker, FTM2024 was developed with the new API in mind. Versions prior to 2017 no longer sync.

On another note —  please remember to back up your desktop files and media. Regardless of whether you use the latest software version, things can and will go wrong. You always want a recent backup in case you need to restore. This goes for any genealogy software you may be using, even if it's not RootsMagic or FTM. Having a solid backup plan is essential. I recommend three locations. For me, those locations include my computer, a USB drive, and cloud backups.

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to create the title, SEO description, and minor grammatical changes for better readability. The content of the post is my own.

Image by zeeve platform from Pixabay

Exploring A Lesser-Known Genealogy Resource: Sorted By Name

Occasionally, rather than using the search feature on any given big genealogy site, I'll do a Google search instead. Quite often, the top results will lead right back to one of the big sites. But, if you persevere, and scroll far enough, or jump page by page, sometimes you'll find a new resource to check out. Such was the case when I stumbled on Sorted By Name.

To be very clear, this smaller site aggregates public records derived from other sites. It does not claim to be everything for everyone. It does not claim to be a complete listing of anything. Nor does it have a fancy user interface (far from it!) It also does not provide addresses or phone number (as most databases of public information tend to do). It does provide summary information, and links for various record sets (but they don't appear to be super recent.) There's a nice range of years from the mid 1800's to the later1900's, though some states don't seem to be well represented. And if you're really ambitious, you can actually download the source files (but unless you have dreams of being a webmaster yourself, you won't need to). 

The main landing page is simplistic. For the sake of testing the site out, I used 2 names from my mother's side of the family, followed by 2 from my father's. Each search dropped me on the page with the correct surname, but I still had to scroll (or use Ctrl+F) to find the given name on the page. And in one case, I had to move a couple pages ahead (so the search was close, but not spot-on to the correct page). The first 4 searches I did weren't really helpful. Then I tried using my grandfather's name, and it did return 2 results. There was no new information for me though.

I noticed many results seemed to be from an area where my ex-husband has relatives (Missouri), so I tried a name from his side of my tree and finally had success! Was it an earthshattering wonderful result? No, it was simply a confirmation of a SSN and birth in 1885. I tried another name from his mother's side of the family, and again was rewarded with an accurate result. I was pleasantly surprised when search result showed this (I blanked out part of the Social Security number....I know it's public information but still.....):

Again, not earthshattering, but it was interesting to see the various iterations of the daughter's name spelled out. Encouraged, I spent a little time searching for 2 people I know had several marriages each, and where I'm missing the given name for some of the spouses. Sadly, my luck did not continue.

My results were slightly more miss than hit. While search capability is very limited (NO fancy filtering or full text search on this site), the simplistic format of results wasn't entirely displeasing to me (or perhaps the simple HTML site just brings back nostalgic memories of my first website). They claim to have over 400 million entries, and say search engines do not index all their pages. I noticed some areas tended to be represented better than others. New York and Missouri seemed to show up fairly frequently. While Ohio and Florida were less represented in my particular searches.

The site is free to use, and while it certainly wouldn't be my first stop for day to day research, when I find myself doing the same searches over and over on Ancestry, I might just head over to see if anything different pops up on Sorted By Name. Because really, can one ever have enough free resources to investigate? I think not! Cracking a brick wall might happen in the most unexpected place. And sometimes, a change in how data is presented can make something you might not have noticed suddenly click. 

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with the title and search description for this post. All post content was created and written entirely by me. 

Thinking About the FamilySearch Crash Course at Family History Daily? Read This First

Family History Daily just announced a new online course. It's called the FamilySearch Crash Course. Before I go into more detail, Family History Daily has a wealth of free information! Their main landing page has lots of articles, and the main menu includes Free Genealogy resources, Beginner Help, and Expert Guides. These are definitely worth checking out! You can learn a lot from their free articles, all without spending a dime.

Several years ago, I was looking for an online course to help me improve my research. I was restarting my tree, and wanted to learn more, so I could feel more confident. I originally found the site while evaluating various course options. At the time, they offered lifetime access (including to any future courses) for just shy of $150. I signed up, and diligently worked through all the courses. I learned a lot, and I definitely became a better researcher! I've enjoyed the periodic releases of new courses, and I've always taken time to work through each new course, because we never know it all. And we can all benefit from continued learning. 

While they still offer complete access to all courses, it's now $240 per year. You can still purchase individual courses, the price ranges from $59 to $249, and those do provide lifetime access - but only to the specific course purchased. I find the current complete access pricing a bit convoluted. They say "Take advantage of everything the course center offers with monthly or yearly access." While they do indicate the cost is $20 per month, it also says it's billed annually at $240. I looked, but did not find any option to truly subscribe month to month. It is absolutely possible to finish all the courses in far less than a year, and for anyone looking for solid and easy to understand courses, $240 isn't a bad price. But to continue paying the fee year after year would certainly add up. For those who may already be paying for subscriptions to Ancestry, MyHeritage and/or FindMyPast, the cost for continued access to Family History Daily year over year could be prohibitive. After all, most people probably don't go back and do courses a 2nd time. So continued access would mainly be to get the benefit of new courses. While I love the site, and they offer a wonderful learning experience, I wouldn't pay $240 year after year. If I were looking now, I'd probably pay for a single year, and then decide whether new courses would be beneficial at an individual course price.

But in any case, I do have access to the new FamilySearch Crash Course. From the course description, "You’ll learn how to search smarter, uncover records many researchers overlook, and finally break through frustrating research dead ends." There are 3 sections, with a total of 42 lessons. There are also hands-on activities, and quizzes to help you make sure the information is sinking in.

• Section 1: Mastering Search on FamilySearch (15 lesson)
• Section 2: Making the Most of the FamilySearch Family Tree (13 lessons)
• Section 3: Focused Research Strategies (14 lessons)
• This section includes how to make the most of the FamilySearch Wiki

I don't want to sacrifice all my research time, so I'm just fitting in a little daily learning, with one lesson per day. As far as the first topics on effective searching, the information is well organized and easy to understand, and search concepts could be applied to many sites. The cost for this course individually is $99. Before I'd plunk down the money for the course (no matter how helpful it may be) I'd suggest taking a peek at the Learning Center on FamilySearch.org. There are 225 pages of resources you can review for free. You can also head over to the FamilySearch Research Wiki where there's useful information on more topics than you can imagine - and it's totally free! Or, head over to YouTube, where you have 423 videos to choose from. 

I'm definitely not saying the Family History Daily course isn't worth it. I can only offer my opinion once I fully complete the course. If you're new to researching, and your plan is to stick with FamilySearch.org because it's totally free to use, you might very well benefit from the individual course. And if you simply prefer structured learning, it's a viable option. Based on previous courses I've completed at Family History Daily, you'll receive a solid introduction to the site, how to make the most of it, good research practices, and you'll be prepared for more success in your research. And if you want to go further with your learning, a year's subscription would definitely provide a solid base of knowledge - if you work through all the courses. But I'd be careful to make sure the subscription isn't on auto-renew (or remove your credit card information after the first billing). The current pricing model isn't as beneficial as the one in place when I originally signed up. 

In summary, I'd absolutely give the site 5 stars for content and presentation (both the free articles and the courses). But my overall rating would now be 3 stars, simply because the current subscription model, in my opinion, isn't sustainable. 

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with the title and search description for this post. All post content was created and written entirely by me. 

Your Next Breakthrough Might Be Hiding on Linkpendium

I site I don't see mentioned often enough is Linkpendium. For those who've been researching for some time, you're likely already familiar with the site....but when was the last time you gave it a spin? With the monumental goal to "...index every genealogy, geneology, :) family history, family tree, surname, vital records, biography, or otherwise genealogically-related site on the Internet", you can imagine they have a massive amount of links! According to Google, more than 10 million of them. And it's totally FREE to search!

Linkpendium is an extensive resource directory with multiple ways to search. Results encompass both free and subscription sites. On the home page, there are 2 distinct search options. Prominently located on the home page is the Family Discoverer search. It looks like this:

It's a little hard to tell in the image, but it says this searches "30,491,448 FREE genealogy sources." These cover 2,800,000 pages they index. In addition to a name, you can select a location of Worldwide, or a specific state.

On the right hand sidebar, you'll find additional ways to search. 

While you can reach localities and surnames from links by scrolling farther down on the home page, the city, county or family surname searches take you right to a Linkpendium resource page. It's a bit faster than navigating through links. They also note, these pages may contain resources not included in the search engine. If you're researching, be sure to try all the various search options to get the best results.

Since I've been searching for Abijah LeRoy (or LeCroy, or Lewy or....you get the idea) for more than a decade, I typed in the name of someone who may be his father, and conveniently also the name of his brother -Thomas LeCroy. I filtered to Georgia as my location. In just 46 milliseconds, Linkpendium returned 55 results for me to check out.

 Since limiting by date range isn't a search option, it may take a little patience to review results. As with any browser page, you can still use Ctrl+F and search for specific words on the page if it's easier for you. The results did correctly identify the brother, Thomas LeCroy's marriage to Lydia McCracken, but I already had this piece of information. So, nothing new today. 

Then, I decided to take a stab using one of Abijah's known children, Benjamin Franklin LeRoy. I found information on his marriage (already know to me) but it was from a page I'd never seen before for Murray County Museum (with many links to all kinds of useful information on Murray county, Georgia), Unfortunately, the home page indicates the site founder passed away and there will be no further updates to this newly discovered site. But I'm happy it's still being hosted for researchers to find. A quick search shows there's more information for me to examine for another surname (Luffman) in my tree! While I didn't find any new breadcrumbs for the search I started with....I'm pleasantly surprised to have this new Murray County Museum page to delve into further. Were it not for Linkpendium, I'd likely never have found this page. 

First created in 2003, Linkpendium is still being actively updated (as recently as March 26, 2026). Not every search will return results. And not every result will be the one you're looking for. But if you're hunting for a great resource perhaps offering some suggestions you've not yet investigated, Linkpendium is well worth a look from time to time. With ongoing updates, you never know when a surprise result might show up! (As always, I've linked this in my Genealogy Toolbox under Link Lists/Search Tools). 

How to Analyze GEDCOM Files Efficiently with GEDminer

I've been looking forward to trying GEDminer, a GEDCOM analyzer. I'm going to resist the temptation to compare it to other consistency checkers I've used, because this one is exceptional and outshines any other I've tried. On the features page you'll find the brief description of:

"Upload a GEDCOM file and instantly access 12+ genealogy analysis tools — demographics, migration maps, error detection, census gaps, kinship calculation, and more."

I gotta tell you, when they say "and more" they mean it! I'm not going to list every feature (the list is simply too long) but even if you don't try it, it's worth heading over to the features page to see the potential it might offer, if and when you need it. Given this is a totally FREE site, and your data is parsed in your browser so it never leaves your computer, you can feel confident when using this tool.

While the site is totally FREE, you can register for an account if you wish. You can also support the site with a donation if you feel inclined to do so. With an account, you can save up to 3 trees. The data saved is parsed and only includes names, dates, places, and relationships. One feature I don't often see, but they offer, is the option to replace a file with a newer version - a feature I've longed for on sites like MyHeritage. If you don't sign up for an account, nothing is saved at all. 

On the Overview page, you'll find some stats as well as an "on this day" feature outlining births, deaths, and marriages on given dates. My sourcing and citations were 98-99%, but my completeness score is 73% - giving me an overall score of 88.79%. Given I know I'm missing some crucial dates, this was expected. To give you an idea of the user interface, here's a screenshot of my overview:

Clicking on any of the issues listed provides more explanation and detail. There's even a section for "quick wins" (sortable by impact or effort required) to help quickly improve your scores. Each page appears to have numerous filter and sort options.

The other main pages are:

• Directory (People, Occupations, Locations and Kinship)
• Integrity (Suggestions, Errors, Vital Sharpener, and Tree Structure)
• Discovery (Migration Analysis, Census Toolbox, Gap Detector, Incomplete Families, DNA Planner and Plan Generator)

I do want to take a moment to call out the Census Toolbox. A quick look at mine shows I moved on from the 1850 to the 1860 census, and I've done a fairly good job with it. But many other census years are really lacking in my research (just as I alluded to in a recent post). 

It goes a step further and suggests all the potential missing censuses, not just from the US, but other countries as well. (Clearly, I have a lot of work to do!!)

If you're still not sure about trying it, head on over to Fortify Your Family Tree - This Free, Elegant GEDCOM Analyzer Is a Wonder for a more in depth review. 

I've barely scratched the surface on this wonderful resource. You truly have to see this in action to appreciate all the features. Each page is filled with useful insights to help you uncover patterns, find potential errors and identify where more research is needed. I find the clear graphics and color coding very satisfying. The data is presented in clear, easy to understand format. This site is also linked in my Genealogy Toolbox under GEDCOMs. 

If you aren't already using this site, give it a try and let me know your thoughts! 

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

3,129 Relatives Later…I’m Still Just Getting Started

I took a moment this weekend to reflect on my tree as it currently stands. I pondered the growth of a genealogical tree compared to real life trees. Plantd has a wonderful (quick to read and easy to understand) post on the life-cycle of real trees (not to say our genealogical trees aren't real - they very much are!) We all start our tree as a seedling. It sprouts and then goes through a period of rapid growth. Our trees may quickly develop into a sapling (young adult trees). They grow taller and stronger, supporting a growing canopy of branches and leaves. The roots grow deeper to support the tree as it inevitably grows in size. 

Over decades, our trees continue to grow stronger and larger. Eventually, they become mature trees. At this point, with a solid trunk, many branches and good set of roots - vertical growth may slow and branches and leaves tend to fill out in areas where they already exist. There is still growth, it just seems to happen more slowly. At this stage the tree becomes an integral part of the ecosystem (in our case, perhaps the basis to help other researchers). Luckily, unlike many real trees, our trees don't have to fall or decay to become the basis for new growth. We can continue to grow our trees for....well...forever if we choose! 

Indeed, even in nature, there are trees living incredible life spans. The giant redwoods (sequoias) are thought to be able to live an astonishing 3.500 years! And while written texts go back as far as 5,500 years, none of us are likely to find written traces of our ancestors anywhere near so old. The oldest traceable family tree is of the Lurie family, dating back to 1037 BC (a stunning 3,063 years!) In more recent discoveries, DNA has unlocked more information on human history. Human DNA 45,000 years old has been found in Germany. And, DNA from Neanderthals has been dated to over 430,000 years ago! Thus far, my family seems very ordinary. As we stretch back in time, ordinary becomes less and less documented, and harder and harder to find. The oldest person in my tree is my 6th great-grandfather, John Martinus Homsher (1689-1747). 337 ago years seems like forever, but it's just s drop in the bucket.

I've intentionally grown my tree slowly. Despite being in my second decade of research, my tree is still young. This is in large part because, like many new family historians, I made mistakes...and LOTS of them! I started and scrapped multiple trees before I found my footing and felt confident in my research. My most recent tree (the one I swore to myself I would "do the right way this time" and never have to start over) was created in early 2021. So it's really only 5 years old. As of this post, I have 3129 people in my tree. Of those, only 38 need some form of documentation. Because I don't place a huge emphases on DNA matches, I've only placed 53 of them thus far (combined from both my and my ex-husband's plethora of DNA matches). I tend to prefer to find where they fit organically (when possible), rather than spending hours trying to dissect and document just to add one DNA match. Eventually, if I keep at it, many will find their way to their proper leaf.

Since my original purpose was to leave a more solid family history for my son than I had, I occasionally look at my tree from the perspective of him as the home person. I've located all his direct ancestors up to and including all of his 3rd great grandparents (both maternal and paternal.) And, out of 64 of his 4th great grandparents, I'm only missing 17. I must admit, he's not nearly as interested in genealogy as I am. He does occasionally enjoy hearing an interesting tidbit or two, but he doesn't share my passion for research. No matter, because I'll continue my search for decades to come! I don't think I'll ever tire of finding new discoveries...or having 20 browser tabs open in the relentless pursuit of one ancestor...or the satisfied feeling of finding where one more DNA relative fits in my tree. 

Image by Dee Guss from Pixabay