Honoring those memorialized in family trees everywhere...and the ones yet to be discovered. Sharing inspiration, information & opinions for the journey finding family.
This math book, Arithmetical Solutions and Mensuration by L. M. Sniff, A.M., fifth edition, with copyright dates of 1879 and 1887, belonged to my great-grandfather, Francis Asbury James (1875-1950). According to the inscription, it was given to him by Henry Jacot. His son, Virgil Ray James (1901-1979), used the same book in high school (per my father's recollection to me), and he wrote a note in 1917, when he was 15, and placed it inside the front cover, where it still remains. The book was passed to my father and now belongs to my son.
I was able to identify a Henry Robert Jacot (1867-1962) who lived in Wayne County, Ohio. I don't know who he was to my great-grandfather, but if I've located the correct person, the 1910 census lists him as a probate judge (District 0187, Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio).
This historical math textbook was published in the late 19th century. It was written by Littleton Moore "L. M." Sniff, a well-known educator and long-time president of Tri-State Normal College (now known as Trine University) in Angola, Indiana.
I had not known the bit about L.M. Sniff until I was writing this post. Both my father and my brother attended, and graduated from, Tri-State University (now Trine University). It makes the history of the book even more interesting!
While my grandfather's penmanship was pretty good for a 15-year-old, I did need a bit of transcription help from ChatGPT. I believe this is a relatively accurate transcription:
Notice
This was written shortly after my graduation from the Geitgey school. May, 2, 3, 1917.
In the eighth grade at the— time there were three pupils!
Names Mary Shreve Harold Geitgey Virgil James.
I went to this school the years of one thousand nine hundred seventeen and sixteen
I was completely unfamiliar with the school name he mentioned. It took a little searching to properly identify it. Once I had the spelling correct, it revealed a bit more about the one-room schoolhouse located on the border of Wooster and Franklin Townships in Wayne County, Ohio. It was located on the Geitgey property—and I suspect Harold Geitgey was a member of that family.
The book is hardcover, but quite compact—measuring only 5" x 7" x 1/2" thick. While the book has little monetary value, at almost 140 years old, it's a priceless piece of family history.
Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with transcription of the handwritten notice, a title and search description, and to review this post for clarity, punctuation and grammar. Except where otherwise indicated, the content is my own.
Have you ever accepted a hint on Ancestry, only to realize as you're filling in the information—the hint actually doesn't match up? It happens! Probably to all of us at some point. For ages, once you accepted an incorrect hint, the only thing you could do was delete any incorrect facts, sources and potential images, and then make a note the hint was subsequently removed. Frustratingly, the hint itself stubbornly remained as Accepted. I never understood why this wasn't addressed. I’ve wondered whether this could affect future hints for the person.
Before I explain my latest discovery, I want to be clear—I have no clue if this is an oversight on the part of Ancestry's programmers, or if it's an intended new (as of yet undisclosed) feature. I haven't seen any official mention of this. While I've tested it on a couple of different occasions, and it seems to work, I cannot conclusively say it will work for every situation. And I can't promise it will remain available. With caveats in place...here's the big reveal!
So, you've just realized you accepted a hint in error? First, go back to the hints page for the person. I did test this from the person profile, by viewing the source and choosing View Record, but it does not work from the person profile:
Don't try this from the person profile
You want to go to the person's Hints page, scroll to the bottom where you can see Undecided, Ignored and Accepted hints. Expand the Accepted section and find the hint you want to change. Right-click to reopen the hint in a new browser tab. (Note: I did try single click to open the slider and while some hints worked, others did not show all the options to reselect. Opening in a new tab seems to behave consistently.)
Access accepted hints from the person's hint page
This will open the hint again. You'll notice from the highlight below, it clearly shows as attached to a person in the tree. But you also have the ability to choose again: Yes, No or Maybe. On the Hints page, those choices appear under Accepted, Ignored and Undecided, respectively.
Reselect the appropriate choice
Before I change this hint (as it is actually correct and I will accept it again when I’m done), I want to show you how many hints showed as accepted before I do this:
Before the change
After I go back and click "No", now look at the results:
After the change
For this test, I did not delete anything on the person's profile before making this change. I wanted to be sure of what happens when this is done. I want to emphasize—my test shows the hint moved out of Accepted while the attached source and facts stayed on the profile. Ancestry does not make any changes to the person profile.If you want to remove the incorrect Source and any associated facts, you still need to do this yourself manually.This is exactly as it should be. Ancestry does not make changes to people in your tree - you do!
My workflow for these cases is as follows:
Remove facts first.
Then remove the source. Note: Any time you remove a source, it also removes any corresponding image from the Source tab in the gallery (such as census or death certificate images). This is not new and is exactly as I would expect it to be since the source image is part of the Ancestry source.
If you checked a box to use the image as the profile picture (such as a yearbook photo) and it was saved in the Gallery separately from the source image, you may still need to remove it manually.
Then I go back to the Accepted hint and reselect either No or Maybe.
So, for my like-minded OCD fellow family historians, it certainly seems you can now "clean up" when you make a bit of a mistake. As far as I know, there has been no change to how you remove a photo you've saved. You've always been able to delete those directly in the Gallery. We've also been able to move between Ignored and Undecided for ages, but Accepted was completely different. Now it seems, at least for the moment, we have an option to correct these little Oopsies!
Once again, no promises this will remain available. I can also only say it seems to work on the US site. If you use one of the international domains and try this out, please comment and let me know if it also works for you.
Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with a title and search description, and to review this post for clarity, punctuation and grammar. Unless otherwise indicated, the content and all opinions are my own.
Although I'm still settling in to the numerous changes with Ancestry hints and person profiles, I would like to mention a change I don't have any real complaints about—the new ThruLines® presentation. The redesign of this page has been done somewhat more thoughtfully and was rolled out without the jarring feeling of being dumped into a completely different interface. It's a little different, but not as much as it may first seem. For me, it does still show as Beta, so there's always a potential for additional changes. This is not an all-inclusive tutorial. I'm only touching on some of the highlights.
After navigating to DNA > Matches > By Ancestor, I'm presented with a few options. I can choose vertical, horizontal or card view to see all my ancestors. I prefer the card view (very much the same as it was before), but I'm sure others may prefer the more familiar tree views. Good news is—you have options! Pick the one you're most comfortable using. One thing I've seen in user groups is people saying "everything is too small to read" in the tree view. But you can actually scroll, using your mouse, to increase or decrease the size of the display. Card view can be adjusted, but you'll need to do so via your browser, not just by scrolling.
Once you've selected an ancestor, you'll be presented with a tree in vertical view (horizontal isn't an option here, possibly because you'll be expanding generations down to your DNA match(es)). If there are too many generations to fit on the screen all at once, you'll see a small image with a number in a black oval shape under some of the names. It looks something like the image at the left. Clicking on this image will expand the generations below, down to your DNA match(es). You can also scroll to enlarge or shrink the information on this screen. If some descendants are not already in your tree, they may have a dashed line and show a tag of "Evaluate". If not already in your tree, your actual DNA matches will say "Potential" next to the relationship. If they are already linked to your tree, it won't say "Potential". If you prefer to work from a list view instead of the tree view, you can still select it and use it just like the "old" list view. I like the list view, but it does not easily indicate who may already be saved to your tree. It appears you have to click on "View Relationship" to figure it out.
Now is a good time for a friendly reminder—ThruLines® may connect you with actual DNA matches, but the suggested family-tree connections between you and a common ancestor still need to be researched and verified. While many potential ancestors may be completely correct, and they could be great leads, please do the research and verify for yourself so you don't find yourself deleting a whole bunch of people later. Obviously, a true DNA match is a true DNA match. But the path between a DNA match and your common ancestor needs to be investigated and documented.
My one "wish list" item on ThruLines® would be a way to visually see how many people are not already attached to my tree in card view and list view. I'd love to see there are 40 potential matches, and 10 are not already attached (and to be able to see who those 10 are). Since a DNA match will likely show under more than one ancestor as you move back through the generations, it feels repetitive to me to have to re-verify over and over. Rather than looking up the same person 4 times, I'd rather have a quick way to know "Oh! They're already attached to my tree." It seems a different color DNA icon for an attached DNA match, or "View in Tree" instead of "See Relationship" would immediately make it clear if I needed to check the person or not.
If you prefer the old view, you can still toggle to "Classic View" for a few more days. This is currently slated to be removed October 1st. Personally, I had issues with the old view. When working on a small screen, it was a challenge to drag the various branches around on the screen. I know it shouldn't have been difficult, but I always ended up dropping the person and it would take me 4–5 tries to move across the screen. I'd often have to shrink the view drastically, just to move it and then enlarge it again. This wasn't an Ancestry problem, it was a me problem. I found myself using list view only because it caused fewer headaches, even if I had to click on the same people more than once. This new layout, with smooth scrolling, has solved this issue for me. But I can only speak for myself, and clearly some folks have felt the changes more than I have.
Ancestry has much more detailed information on ThruLines® available here. It does a great job explaining what the various views include. Fall is also the time Ancestry has historically updated ethnicity reports. I've seen a few people who've already received theirs, but as the rest of us wait with bated breath for the new results to drop, it's a great time to check out the new ThruLines® if you haven't already. Comment below and let me know your experience with the new layouts.
Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with a title and search description, and to review this post for clarity, punctuation and grammar. Unless otherwise indicated, the content and all opinions are my own.
As I'm winding down my end-of-summer staycation, I took time to do a little housecleaning on my blog. Below are the updates I made to the general layout.
Removed links to social media sites I'm no longer monitoring. Ancestry (patndoris94) or Threads (@patndoris) have evolved into the best "off-blog" ways to contact me. Of course, you're always welcome to leave comments directly on any posts here on Blogger!
Added a text link to show I'm a member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS).
Updated disclosures to include how I use ChatGPT for titles, search descriptions, and to review posts for clarity, punctuation and grammar. I will continue to use disclosures on individual posts as well.
Updated disclosures to clarify that prices and features of any site I review were current at the time the post was published.
Updated my notice regarding sharing to clarify it's fine to share my posts on other social media sites by linking directly to a post.
And my favorite! It's been 2 years since I posted my first surname word cloud using ChatGPT. I've updated it to reflect the current distribution of names in my tree. The current surname word cloud appears in my sidebar.
Take a little peek at the changes to my surname distribution. The first image is the newly generated image for 2026. The second picture is the original surname cloud from 2024. While they look similar, some of the names have grown in font size, indicating I now have more of these family members in my tree. My original 2024 image was based on 677 individual surnames. The new 2026 image is based on 971 individual surnames—an increase of approximately 43%!
Surname word cloud 2026
Surname word cloud 2024
Generating a word cloud with ChatGPT is very easy! I used the Publish feature of Family Tree Maker (FTM) to create a Surname Report. I chose to include all individuals, but you can also select immediate family, extended family, or choose specific individuals. I generated the report and then exported it to a CSV file. I removed the total line (otherwise the word Total will be included as a surname). Then I asked ChatGPT to create a word cloud using the attached CSV file, with the font size reflecting the number of individuals for each surname. I was happy with the default colors it used last time, but you could absolutely prompt it to use alternate color schemes if you wish.
As always, I'm thankful for everyone who stops by to read my blog. I'm especially grateful to those who regularly share my posts so they can reach more family historians, and to those who comment to let me know when a post resonates in some way. I know housekeeping updates aren't exciting, but I do want to be transparent—especially about my use of AI and how to best share my content with others.
Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to create my surname word cloud. I also used ChatGPT to assist with a title and search description, and to review this post for clarity, punctuation and grammar. Unless otherwise indicated, the content and all opinions are my own.
I primarily research online. I have really bad anxiety, and driving outside of my immediate comfort zone (a few miles around my hometown) is something I simply don't do. This makes any meaningful in-person research trips pretty much impossible. Vacations (like my current 10-day time away from work!) are staycations. For this reason, I'm always on the lookout for ways to maximize my research online. This is also the reason for having so many online subscriptions. It dramatically expands my research world.
The "Big 4" sites certainly present me with more hints than I'll ever work through. These help me find out where my ancestors lived or moved, their occupations, military service, many family members and (hopefully) the important birth, marriage and death dates. Newspaper articles (if available) can help fill in more about their daily lives. And obituaries often contain a wealth of information. But I always feel there's more to be found, so I keep an eye out for other ways I might find additional information. And I'm always interested in continuing my education to make my journey as rewarding as possible.
When I came across Genealogical.com a few years ago, I felt like I hit on a gold mine. This publisher focuses on genealogy and family history and has been publishing for 65 years. From the website:
"Genealogical.com is the leading–and oldest–publisher of genealogy books in the country. Under the Genealogical Publishing Company (GPC) and Clearfield Company imprints, Genealogical.com features a catalog of more than 2,000 publications..."
In addition to providing physical books, they offer an eBook subscription called the GPC eBook Library. It provides access to a collection of over 800 books through the Bookshelf platform. The library can be accessed from any internet-connected device. You can also download your books for offline access. The website also says the eBook library contains "Books of records focusing on Colonial America to about the Civil War" and "The undisputed best and most comprehensive collection of How-To and Guide Books." This includes Evidence Explained, 4th Edition by Elizabeth Shown Mills!
Subscriptions to this eBook library can be purchased directly on the website for 3 months ($45), 6 months ($75), or 1 year ($135). Access to 800+ books for this price is definitely a bargain. But an even better deal may be an American Ancestors Digital Access Membership at a cost of $49.95. Since I'm focusing on Genealogical.com, if you want to learn more about the many valuable perks of the American Ancestors Digital Access Membership, please read my post American Ancestors: Perks Well Worth the Cost. A membership with American Ancestors includes access to the GPC eBook Library at no additional cost. For $5 more than a direct 3-month subscription, you get a whole host of resources!
One great feature of the GPC eBook Library is the ability to search across all books at one time. This saves a ton of time scrolling through titles and reading book summaries. They've also added an AI assistant to help clarify and explain various concepts in each book. "...it’s like having the author sitting next to you, explaining laws, customs and processes." You can also copy, paste and print. Understandably, the amount of a book you can print is limited, to respect the work of the authors. You can also highlight, make notes and set bookmarks if you wish. Please note: If you download and access offline, highlights, notes and bookmarks will sync when you reconnect online. If you prefer, you can use search filters to limit the GPC eBook Library by region, subject or time period.
I firmly believe continuing to study and learn is every bit as important as working with hints and records. While you may or may not find any books specifically mentioning your ancestors, this library provides a wonderful opportunity to access reference books to help you expand your knowledge, improve your skills, and become more efficient in your research. As always, this site is linked in my Genealogy Toolbox. If you're already using Genealogical.com's GPC eBook Library, comment below or reach out and connect with me on social media. I'd enjoy hearing about your experiences with the eBook library.
Note: Prices and features referenced in this post were current when I reviewed the sites in August 2026.
Disclosure: I use ChatGPT to assist with a title and search description. I also used ChatGPT to review this post for clarity, punctuation and grammar. Unless otherwise indicated, the content and all opinions are my own.
I've never done a Wordless Wednesday post—and since I'm rarely wordless—this one is a "Not Too Wordy Wednesday" post!
My father told me my grandfather, Virgil Ray James (1901-1979), received this monogrammed Hallmark pocket watch from his father, Francis Asbury James (1875-1950), as a reward for reaching adulthood without smoking or drinking. Although I can't recall exactly, I believe it was for his 21st birthday. This would have been in 1922. It was passed on to my father, and he passed it on to my son. At 104 years old, it's a treasured James family heirloom.
Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with a title and search description, and to check for grammatical or punctuation errors. All content is my own.
