Category: Family Trees

Stop Researching Your Ancestor

Yes, I know.

That is strange advice on a genealogy blog.

But if you’ve searched for the same person 847 different ways and you’re still getting nowhere, stop.

Leave Grandpa alone for a while.

Go bother his neighbors.

Our Trees Give Us Tunnel Vision

Most of us build family trees upward.

You.

Parents.

Grandparents.

Great-grandparents.

Keep going until somebody disappears into the mist.

That makes sense for organizing a family tree, but it isn’t how people actually lived.

Your ancestors had brothers and sisters. They had cousins, in-laws, neighbors, friends, business partners, employers, church members, and probably at least one person in town they couldn’t stand.

They belonged to communities.

When direct records stop giving me answers, I start looking sideways.

Genealogists usually call this cluster research or FAN research. FAN stands for Friends, Associates, and Neighbors.

It’s a fancy name for being nosy about everybody.

I’m quite good at that.

Start With the Census Page You Already Have

Pull up a census where you know you’ve found the right family.

Now look around them.

Who lives next door?

Who lives a few households away?

Do any surnames keep appearing?

Are there people born in the same unusual place?

If your Scottish ancestor is surrounded by people born locally except for two Scottish families living nearby, I’d write those names down.

They may be relatives.

They may have come from the same parish.

They may have immigrated together.

They may have absolutely nothing to do with each other.

Don’t decide yet.

Just notice.

Follow the Land

I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of time in land records lately.

They are worth it.

Who sold your ancestor the property?

Who witnessed the transaction?

Who owned the adjoining land?

Did familiar names buy property nearby?

Did several families sell their land around the same time?

Then look at where everybody went.

I’ve been working with families who moved from Scotland to Nova Scotia, and land records have been especially useful for sorting out who was living near whom and which names repeatedly appeared together.

That doesn’t make them relatives.

I know I keep saying that, but it matters.

We’re looking for patterns first.

Relationships have to be proven.

Research the Siblings

If Grandpa refuses to tell you who his parents were, try his sister.

I’m serious.

Your ancestor may have a useless death record.

His sister’s death certificate may name both parents.

Your ancestor may have no obituary.

His brother may have received half a newspaper column describing where he was born, when he immigrated, who his siblings were, and where everyone moved.

Why?

Because genealogy enjoys tormenting us.

Research every sibling you can identify.

Follow them through censuses.

Find their marriages.

Look for their death records.

Read their obituaries.

Find out where their children went.

I have solved questions about one person by researching somebody else in the family more times than I can count.

Watch Who Moves Together

This is another thing I pay much more attention to now.

Families didn’t always move alone.

Relatives moved together.

Neighbors followed one another.

Friends and church members moved to the same places.

Someone who had already settled in a new area might encourage people back home to come join them.

So when your family disappears from one place and pops up somewhere else, look around the new neighborhood.

Do you recognize anybody?

Then go back to the old neighborhood.

Were those families there too?

Now I’m interested.

Keep a Side List

You don’t need to add every person you encounter to your family tree.

Keep a separate list.

I usually want:

Name
Approximate age
Birthplace
Spouse
Where they lived
How they connect to the family I’m researching
Where I’ve seen them before

After a while, certain names may start repeating.

Those are the people I investigate.

Some will lead nowhere.

Others may lead straight through the brick wall you’ve been banging your head against.

The Answer May Be Next Door

This kind of research becomes even more useful as we move farther back in time.

Records get thinner.

Women disappear behind their husbands’ names.

Censuses stop naming everyone in the household.

Birth and death records may not exist.

That’s when the people surrounding the family can help put the pieces together.

So if you have searched Grandpa’s name every possible way and he still isn’t cooperating, give him a rest.

Research his brother.

His neighbor.

The witness on his deed.

The family living three farms away.

Go sideways for a while.

Grandpa will still be there when you get back.

And with any luck, you’ll know a whole lot more about him.

When the Evidence Changes the Family Tree

I changed my mind about someone recently.

Genealogically speaking.

I had been working with a possibility that two people might actually have been the same man.

The dates made it possible. Other pieces of the family story made it worth investigating. I certainly didn’t have enough evidence to say they were the same person, but I had enough to wonder.

So I wondered.

And researched.

Then more evidence came along.

Nope.

Two men.

Fine.

I’ll just be over here rearranging everything.

This Happens

When you’re working on a family with missing records, repeated names, questionable dates, and people who apparently considered leaving a clear paper trail beneath them, you have to develop theories.

There is nothing wrong with that.

The problem comes when we forget which parts are theories.

That’s why I’ve become pretty particular about the words I use in my research notes.

Confirmed.

Probable.

Possible.

Unproven.

Conflicting.

Those words keep me from turning “this could be him” into “this is him” somewhere along the way.

It is surprisingly easy to do.

I Really Thought It Might Be Him

In this particular case, I had good reasons to keep the possibility open.

Then family photographs and additional records supported the existence of two separate men.

That didn’t mean the earlier research was bad.

The evidence changed.

So did my conclusion.

I could have tried to explain away the new information because it didn’t fit my theory.

That would have been a terrible idea.

Unfortunately, once we become attached to a theory, explaining away inconvenient evidence can be awfully tempting.

Especially after we’ve spent three weeks on it.

Write Down the Problem

If records disagree, I don’t like forcing them into agreement.

Say one record gives a birth year of 1826.

Another points toward 1827.

Don’t quietly pick one because it fits your tree better.

Write down both.

Then start comparing everything you can find.

How close was each record created to the actual birth?

Who supplied the information?

Would that person have known?

Are there other records?

Could two people with similar names be getting mixed together?

Could both people actually exist?

That last possibility deserves more attention than it sometimes gets.

Families reused names constantly.

Cousins could have the same name.

A child could be named for another child who died, although don’t assume the first child died without finding evidence.

Two men with the same name could live in the same county.

And just when you think you’ve sorted them out, one of them will marry a woman with the same first name as the other one’s wife.

Because genealogy.

Don’t Ignore What the Family Kept

The evidence that changed my recent theory included material preserved by the family.

Photographs, letters, Bibles, diaries, funeral cards, and family recollections don’t automatically outrank official records.

They don’t automatically rank below them, either.

You still have to ask questions.

Who labeled the photograph?

When?

Was the label contemporary or added fifty years later?

Who wrote the Bible entry?

Was the person there when the event happened?

Who told the story?

A photograph labeled by someone’s daughter during his lifetime is different from one labeled by a great-grandchild who never met him.

Both are clues.

They just aren’t the same kind of evidence.

The Tree Is Allowed to Change

I think this is hard for some researchers, especially after years of work.

Removing a relationship can feel like admitting you were wrong.

Well, sometimes we were.

Welcome to genealogy.

We work with the records we have. Then another record turns up, and we know more than we did before.

I’d much rather change my tree than spend the next ten years researching the wrong family because I couldn’t bear to let go of an old conclusion.

And sometimes the best answer really is:

We don’t know.

I know.

Terribly unsatisfying.

But “we don’t know” leaves the question open for more research. A made-up answer sends everyone down the wrong road.

I’ve kept one phrase from this whole recent adventure because I think it’s worth remembering:

A good genealogist isn’t the person who never gets it wrong.

It’s the person willing to change their mind when the evidence says they should.

I still would have preferred being right the first time.

Just saying.

The Record That Wasn’t Supposed to Matter

You finally find the record you’ve been looking for.

There is your ancestor’s name.

You grab the date, place, maybe the spouse’s name, save the image, and move on to the next thing.

I’ve done it.

Then six months later I’m back looking at the same record and notice a name I completely ignored the first time.

Who is THAT?

And down the rabbit hole we go.

Some of the best clues I’ve found in genealogy belonged to people I wasn’t researching.

At least, I didn’t think I was researching them.

Read Past Your Ancestor’s Name

When we’re starting out, finding our person feels like the whole point.

Find Grandpa. Get Grandpa’s information. Add it to Grandpa’s profile.

But look at the rest of the record.

Who witnessed it?

Who signed it?

Who administered the estate?

Who posted bond?

Who bought property?

Who owned the land next door?

Those names may mean absolutely nothing.

But I write them down.

I’ve learned my lesson.

That Witness May Not Be Random

One witness on one document isn’t enough for me to get excited.

Then I find him again.

And again.

Now I want to know who he is.

Suppose a man named Thomas Brown witnessed your ancestor’s deed.

A few years later, he’s involved in another transaction.

Then you notice Thomas Brown living nearby in the census.

Later, one of your ancestor’s children marries a Brown.

Well, hello, Thomas.

We still haven’t proven he’s related to anybody. Maybe he was simply a neighbor who was handy when someone needed a witness.

But I’m going to research him.

There is a reason his name keeps showing up, even if that reason turns out to be boring.

Probate Files Are Full of People Worth Researching

I love probate records for this.

A man dies without a will.

Someone has to administer the estate.

Someone may have to post bond.

Property may be sold.

Debts have to be settled.

People show up.

If another man becomes administrator of your ancestor’s estate, don’t immediately make him a brother.

Please don’t do that.

Find out who he was.

I’ve seen online trees where “appeared in the same document” apparently became a relationship category.

It is not.

But the administrator had some reason for being involved, and figuring out that reason may tell you quite a bit about the family.

Land Records Are Sneaky Little Things

I have become a big fan of deeds.

They don’t always look exciting at first.

John sold land to William. Here’s the acreage. Here are the boundaries. Money changed hands.

Next.

Except those boundaries may name the people who owned the surrounding land.

The witnesses may be familiar.

A wife may be named when she relinquishes her rights.

Several relatives may transfer pieces of the same property.

Then you find another deed and some of those names appear again.

Now we have something to work with.

I’ve been doing a lot of land research lately, and it has reminded me how much information can hide in a document that appears to be about nothing more than a piece of property.

Keep Track of the Repeat Offenders

When I’m working on a difficult family, I keep notes on people who repeatedly appear around them.

I don’t add everybody to the family tree.

I’d need a bigger tree.

I just want to know who keeps showing up.

A witness here.

A neighbor there.

Someone involved in an estate.

A familiar surname in a marriage record.

One appearance can be chance.

Repeated appearances make me curious.

Eventually, you may find the connection.

Sometimes it’s family.

Sometimes it’s business.

Sometimes they came from the same place.

Sometimes you spend two hours researching the man and discover he was simply the neighbor.

That happens too.

At least now you know.

Go Back and Look Again

Every so often, go back to the records you found early in your research.

You’ll be surprised what you see the second time.

When you first found the record, you didn’t know the names you know now.

You didn’t recognize the places.

You didn’t know which families would become important.

A name that meant nothing two years ago may jump off the page today.

I’ve had records become more useful after sitting in my files for years.

The record didn’t change.

I did.

So the next time you find your ancestor’s name, resist the urge to grab the information and run.

Read the rest.

Especially the names you don’t recognize.

One of them may be the reason you finally figure out the people you do.

The Census Said WHAT?

Why You Shouldn’t Believe Everything You Read

I love census records.

I also argue with them regularly.

If you’ve been researching your family for any length of time, you’ve probably found an ancestor who aged twelve years between censuses, changed their birthplace, or suddenly had a mother who was born in an entirely different country.

Before you decide you have the wrong family, remember that we often don’t know who answered the census taker’s questions.

It could have been your ancestor. It could have been his wife. It could have been an older child. In some cases, someone else may have provided the information.

So before you carve that 1826 birth year in stone, it’s worth seeing what the other records have to say.

About Those Birth Years

Let’s say Margaret was 32 in 1850.

That puts her birth around 1818.

Ten years later, she’s 45.

Okay. Maybe 1815.

Then we find her in 1870, and she’s 49.

Margaret, we need to talk.

This happens all the time.

Instead of choosing whichever age agrees with the date already in your tree, write down all three.

Then start looking.

Is there a baptismal record? Marriage record? Death certificate? Cemetery record? Obituary? Family Bible? Military record?

Pay attention to when each record was created and who probably supplied the information.

A birth date written in a family Bible by someone’s mother in 1820 deserves different consideration than a birth date supplied on that person’s death certificate by a grandson in 1902.

More records don’t always mean better evidence, either. Five later records can repeat the same wrong information.

Apparently Nobody Knew Where Grandpa Was Born

Birthplaces can be just as entertaining.

One census says Scotland.

The next says Nova Scotia.

Another says Canada.

I’ve run into versions of this more than once in my own research.

Sometimes there is a reasonable explanation. A person may have immigrated when they were very young and grown up believing they were born in one place when they were actually born in another. Geographic descriptions changed. Questions changed from census to census.

And other times somebody simply got it wrong.

That happens.

Don’t change the birthplace in your tree every time you find a new census. Keep track of what each record says and see what else you can find.

Names Are No Better

Our ancestors were not sitting around worrying about how their names would appear on Ancestry 150 years later.

Spelling changed.

Nicknames were used.

Middle names came and went.

Elizabeth became Eliza, Lizzie, or Betsy.

Margaret became Peggie.

McLeod might become MacLeod.

Then you have accents, handwriting, spelling by sound, and whatever the census taker thought he heard.

If you can’t find someone, play with the search.

Try a first name and approximate birth year without the surname. Search for a spouse or child. Try spelling variations.

I’ve found people by searching for everyone except the person I was actually looking for.

Sometimes you have to sneak up on your ancestors.

Don’t Close That Census Yet

You found Grandpa.

Great.

Now ignore him for a minute.

Who lives next door?

Who is three houses away?

Are there people nearby with the same surname?

Is there an older couple who could be parents?

Does someone in the household have a different surname?

Do several nearby families come from the same place?

I used to be much more interested in the household than the neighborhood. The longer I research, the more time I spend looking at both.

Those neighbors have a funny habit of turning up again.

One witnesses a deed.

Another appears in probate papers.

A daughter marries into one of the families.

Ten years later, two of the families have moved to the same county.

Suddenly the people you almost skipped over aren’t so unimportant.

So, Is the Census Wrong?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Sometimes the census is the record that turns out to be right.

I don’t give it the final word because it happens to be the first record I found.

If the ages don’t agree, write them down.

If the birthplace changes, make a note.

If the surname is spelled differently, don’t panic.

And if something looks strange, don’t immediately “fix” it to match your tree.

That odd piece of information may be wrong.

Or it may be the clue you’ve been waiting for.

Either way, it’s worth paying attention to.

Even if Margaret still refuses to tell us how old she really was.

The Importance of Collateral Relatives in Family History

What is a collateral ancestor? In genealogy, collateral relatives are the siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and other family members who branch off from your direct line. They may not be your direct ancestors, but they often hold the clues, stories, and records that can help fill in the gaps of your family history.

During the COVID years, I was contacted by a cousin who found me through my blog. She was researching her Logan family and reached out, hoping I might be able to help. At first, I wasn’t sure how much information I could offer. Most of what I knew came from my own research, but we soon discovered we shared an interest in the Logans of Restalrig and had a DNA connection. I shared what I knew about the family, the Logan clans, and a few resources that might help her continue her search.

Several months later, she mentioned that she had old family photographs of some of her Logan relatives. My first thought was that they probably wouldn’t have much relevance to my own line. Fortunately, I was wrong.

I’ve often encouraged researchers to “go sideways” and learn about collateral relatives, not just direct ancestors. This was a perfect example of why. Among her collection was a photograph of my third-great-grandfather, Lemuel Logan (1797–1869). Until that moment, I had never seen a picture of him.

These photographs were found in an old album that belonged to her great-grandfather, who was my second cousin, twice removed. What makes the story even more interesting is that she descends from Lemuel’s first wife, while I descend from his second wife. Without the records, photographs, and stories preserved by another branch of the family, I might never have seen an image of my third-great-grandfather.

This experience is a great reminder of why collateral research matters. Family history is not just about tracing a single line backward. It is about understanding the entire family and the connections between its branches. The relatives who seem unrelated to your immediate research question may be the very people who hold the missing photograph, family Bible, letter, or story you’ve been searching for.

When we research siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and their descendants, we often uncover information that would never appear in our direct ancestral line. In my case, a cousin’s old photograph album provided a priceless glimpse of an ancestor I thought I would never see.

So the next time your research seems to hit a brick wall, consider looking sideways. Your collateral relatives may be holding the piece of the puzzle you’ve been missing all along.

A vintage photograph of a man with a signature that reads 'grandfather Logans.' The photo has a watermark indicating it belongs to someone named C. G.

Avoiding Genealogy Mistakes: Trust the Records, Not Trees

If you’ve been researching your family history for more than five minutes, chances are you’ve seen it happen.

One person adds a name to their online family tree. Another copies it. Then another. Before long, twenty trees claim your third-great-grandfather was born in “North Carolina, Ireland” and fought in three wars before age twelve.

Welcome to genealogy.

One of the biggest mistakes beginner researchers make is assuming that if multiple online trees say something, it must be true. Unfortunately, family trees can spread mistakes faster than gossip in a lunchroom.

And once incorrect information gets attached to your tree, it can lead your research completely off track.

Why Online Family Trees Are Helpful… But Dangerous

Online family trees can absolutely be useful tools.

They can:

  • provide clues
  • suggest possible family connections
  • help identify records to investigate
  • point toward locations and migration patterns

But here’s the important part:

A family tree is only as reliable as the research behind it.

Many online trees are built quickly, copied from other users, or created years ago before additional records became available. Some include excellent documentation. Others include… well… optimism.

I once saw a tree attach the wrong parents to an ancestor simply because the names “looked about right.” Genealogy is not horseshoes. Close does not count.

The “Copy and Paste” Problem

It’s tempting.

You find an ancestor with matching dates, matching children, and a dozen other trees connected to them. Clicking “Save” feels easy and productive.

But if no one checked the records carefully, you may inherit years of mistakes with a single click.

Common problems include:

  • combining two people with the same name
  • attaching children to the wrong parents
  • incorrect birthplaces
  • wrong spouses
  • incorrect military service
  • family legends treated as facts
  • unsourced information copied repeatedly

One small mistake can create an entirely incorrect branch of your family tree.

And unfortunately, the more a mistake spreads online, the more “real” it starts to look.

Records Matter More Than Trees

Experienced genealogists use family trees as clues, not proof.

The real evidence comes from records like:

  • census records
  • wills and probate files
  • land deeds
  • tax lists
  • church records
  • marriage licenses
  • military records
  • newspapers
  • cemetery records

A well-documented record is far more valuable than fifty unsourced online trees.

Think of family trees like breadcrumbs leading you toward records. The records are what actually help prove relationships.

Names Alone Are Not Enough

This surprises many beginners.

Just because someone has the right name in the right place does not automatically mean they are your ancestor.

In some areas, entire communities reused the same names for generations. In Scots-Irish research, especially, you may find:

  • multiple John Logans
  • multiple William Browns
  • three cousins named James living within five miles of each other
  • entire census pages that look like a copy machine malfunctioned

This is why experienced researchers study:

  • neighbors
  • migration patterns
  • land ownership
  • occupations
  • witnesses on documents
  • family associates

Sometimes, the people around your ancestor help identify the correct person more than the name itself.

Be Careful with Hints

Those little green leaves can be both exciting and dangerous.

Hints are suggestions generated by computer systems. They are not confirmations.

Some hints are excellent.
Some are wildly incorrect.
Some appear to have been generated during a caffeine shortage at 2 AM.

Always ask:

  • Does this record fit the timeline?
  • Does the location make sense?
  • Are the ages reasonable?
  • Do other records support this?
  • Is there actual evidence connecting this person to my family?

If the answer is “maybe,” keep researching before attaching it permanently.

It’s Okay to Leave Questions Unanswered

One of the hardest lessons in genealogy is learning to be comfortable with uncertainty.

Sometimes, the evidence is incomplete.
Sometimes, records were destroyed.
Sometimes, two people truly cannot be separated with the available information.

And that’s okay.

Good genealogy is not about building the biggest tree possible. It’s about building the most accurate one possible.

Slow Research Often Leads to the Best Discoveries

Some of the best genealogy breakthroughs happen after months of careful research.

A forgotten deed.
A witness on a marriage record.
A tax list.
A probate file.
A church entry hidden in old handwriting.

These discoveries usually do not come from copying someone else’s tree. They come from patient, careful work.

Genealogy is part history, part detective work, and occasionally part stubbornness.

Probably a lot of stubbornness.

Final Thoughts

Online family trees can be wonderful starting points, but they should never replace real research.

Do not add someone else’s family tree to your tree until you:

  • look for records
  • compare timelines
  • study locations
  • evaluate evidence carefully

Your family history deserves more than guesswork copied from strangers on the internet.

And trust me, future generations will appreciate not discovering their ancestor somehow fought in the Civil War at age six.

Need more help? Visit Loganalogy.com Research Specialist page. I offer guidance to streamline your research, provide expert tips, and help you build a family tree that future generations will cherish.

Explore Affordable Genealogy: Best Free Tools Available

Close-up of a computer monitor displaying a design layout with multiple images and text sections.
Photo by Tranmautritam on Pexels.com

Let’s just say it out loud.

Genealogy can get expensive fast.

Subscriptions, record fees, DNA tests… it adds up before you know it.

But here’s the good news.

Some of the best genealogy tools out there are completely free. And if you’re not using them, you’re probably missing valuable records.

1. FamilySearch

This one should be at the top of everyone’s list.

FamilySearch offers access to millions of records from around the world, including census records, probate files, land records, and more.

Their “Full Text” search feature alone can uncover documents you might never find otherwise.

2. Find a Grave

Gravestones can tell you more than you’d expect.

Dates, family connections, military service, and sometimes even full obituaries are linked here.

Just remember, it’s a helpful tool, but always double-check details against other records.

3. National Archives

If your ancestors were in the United States, this is a must.

Military records, immigration documents, and federal records can all be found here.

Some collections are digitized, while others may guide you on where to look next.

4. Chronicling America

Newspapers are one of the most overlooked genealogy sources.

Obituaries, marriage announcements, and even local gossip columns can give you insight into your ancestor’s daily life.

5. Internet Archive

Local histories, county books, and rare publications live here.

If you’re researching early American families or small communities, this site can be incredibly helpful.

6. USGenWeb

This one feels a bit old-school, but don’t let that fool you.

Volunteers have compiled records, transcriptions, and local knowledge that you won’t always find anywhere else.

7. WikiTree

A collaborative family tree where researchers work together.

It’s especially useful for connecting with others researching the same lines and seeing how your family might fit into a bigger picture.

Why These Matter

You don’t need every paid subscription to make real progress.

These free tools can:

  • Help you find records
  • Point you toward new sources
  • Confirm or challenge what you already know

And sometimes, the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for is sitting in a free database you just haven’t checked yet.

Final Thoughts

Good genealogy isn’t about how much you spend.

It’s about how you search.

Start with these free resources, use them well, and you’ll build a stronger, more accurate family tree without feeling like you need to buy every tool out there.

Need more help? Visit Loganalogy.com Research Specialist page! I offer guidance to streamline your research, provide expert tips, and help you build a family tree that future generations will cherish.

No-Fluff Family History Tips Straight to Your Inbox

If you have a “someday” family history project sitting in your brain, you are exactly who the Loganalogy newsletter is for.

Over the past few months, I’ve been sending out short, beginner-friendly emails packed with simple tips, honest encouragement, and practical tools to help you make real progress on your family tree. Think of it as family history help in plain English, from a researcher who has made all the mistakes so you do not have to.

And if you have not hopped on the list yet, now is the perfect time.

What the newsletter has been doing for readers

From the very beginning, the goal has been “No Fluff, Just Family History Help.” That is not just a cute slogan on the signup page. It is how I plan every issue.

So far, newsletters have focused on things real people actually struggle with, like:

  • Getting started without feeling lost. We talk about how to take that big messy pile of names, screenshots, and half-finished trees and turn it into a simple, step-by-step plan.
  • Avoiding common beginner mistakes. If you grabbed the freebie “12 Mistakes New Family Researchers Make,” you know I am serious about helping you dodge the time-wasting, head-smacking stuff early on.
  • Keeping family stories from disappearing. One of the first topics I wrote about was how easily family stories vanish by the second generation, and what you can do right now to save them with simple tools like voice memos, journals, and family interviews.
  • Using tools and cheat sheets instead of guesswork. I love sharing quick reference guides, worksheets, and checklists, so you can spend less time wondering what to do next and more time actually doing the research.
  • Building confidence, not just trees. Every issue is written to remind you that you can do this, even if you are brand-new to genealogy.

You do not have to be an expert. You do not have to know what a “FAN club” or a “soundex code” is. You just need a little curiosity and a willingness to learn one small thing at a time.

What you get when you subscribe

When you sign up for the Loganalogy newsletter, you get two big things right away:

  1. A free Genealogy Quick Reference Guide
    This is a handy cheat sheet to keep nearby while you research. It is designed to help you quickly remember key details and stay on track without flipping back and forth between a dozen tabs.
  2. Ongoing help directly in your inbox
    The newsletter is:
    • Short and easy to read
    • Beginner-friendly
    • Focused on practical tips, free resources, and tools to make family history feel less overwhelming

You will also hear about new blog posts, fresh free resources, and helpful goodies in my shop, so you always know what is available to support your research.

How often does it show up?

I respect your inbox. This is not a daily sales pitch or a never-ending stream of noise.

You can expect issues a couple of times a month, with occasional special notes if something especially helpful or time-sensitive comes along.

The goal is simple: every email should either teach you something, save you time, or give you a tool you can use right away.

Who this newsletter is for

You will feel right at home on this list if:

  • You are just starting your family tree and do not know where to begin
  • You have been poking around Ancestry or FamilySearch, but it all feels scattered
  • You keep thinking, “I really should write down Grandma’s stories before it is too late.”
  • You like the idea of getting guidance from someone who explains things like a friendly teacher, not a textbook

If you are further along in your research, you are still welcome. Many subscribers with experience tell me they enjoy the reminders, tools, and encouragement to stay organized and keep sharing their stories.

Ready to join us?

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Tracing Prussian Ancestry: The Story of Augusta

When we trace our family history, sometimes we stumble on a name that looks plain on paper but represents an entire life full of struggle, love, and resilience. For me, one of those names is Augusta Reikowska, the mother of Clara Elizabeth Schwitkowski/Hennig.

A Name, A Journey

Augusta was born in Prussia in the mid-1800s, a time when political upheaval and economic challenges pushed many families to seek a new start. Immigration records hint at her journey across the ocean, though the details of her passage are still foggy. What we do know is that she settled into a new country, carrying with her the traditions, strength, and determination of her homeland.

S.S. Switzerland

Life as a Mother and Immigrant

Like so many women of her time, Augusta’s story is often hidden in the shadows of census records and marriage certificates. Yet, her legacy shines through her children — especially her daughter Clara, who went on to raise her own family in America. Behind every census tick mark is the reality of daily survival: learning a new language, making a home in a foreign land, and holding a family together through uncertain times.

Digging into Prussian Roots

If you have Prussian ancestors like Augusta, you know how tricky records can be. Borders shifted constantly, and “Prussia” covered areas that today belong to Germany, Poland, Lithuania, and beyond. That means Augusta’s hometown might not appear under the same name today.

 Marriage of John Schwittkowski and Augusta Reikowski

A few tips if you’re researching Prussian records:

  • Check the church books: Lutheran and Catholic parish registers are often the best source for births, marriages, and deaths. Many have been digitized by FamilySearch or regional archives.

  • Look at gazetteers and maps: Historical maps can help you pinpoint a village’s modern location. The Meyers Gazetteer is a great free tool.

  • Explore immigration records: Passenger lists, naturalization papers, and local newspapers sometimes provide the only clues to an ancestor’s origins.

Even if you don’t find a detailed record for someone like Augusta right away, piecing together these breadcrumbs can reveal the bigger picture of your ancestor’s journey.

Hennig Family circa 1918

Why Augusta Matters

It can be tempting to skip past names like Augusta’s when we’re building a family tree, but pausing to dig deeper reminds us that every ancestor has a story worth telling. Augusta’s life reflects the broader immigrant experience of the 19th century — the courage to leave home, the resilience to start over, and the determination to create a better future for her children.

A Story Waiting in Your Tree

Augusta’s story made me think about the other “quiet” women in family history — the ones who don’t always have headlines or detailed obituaries, but whose lives were no less extraordinary. If you’ve ever looked at a name in your tree and thought, There’s not much to find here, I challenge you to pause. Ask yourself: what might their life have been like in their time and place? What history were they living through?

Sometimes the most meaningful stories are the ones waiting in the margins.

1529 S. 26th St

Augusta lived in the house above from 1910 until her death in 1964 at the age of 94. Her service was held at St. Lawrence Church.

St. Lawrence Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

She is buried with her husband at Mount Olivet Cemetery; Location: Block: 9 Section: 2 Row: Lot: 8-s Grave:

Obit

You’ll notice in this obituary that it says “née Reik,” meaning her maiden name. Yes, the Reikowskis changed their surname as well.

 

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Smart Content Strategies: Ditch What Doesn’t Work

How I’m Using Pinterest, ChatGPT, and a Bit of Common Sense to Work Smarter (Not Harder)

Lately, I’ve been rethinking how I manage my time, especially when it comes to juggling genealogy research, client work, blog updates, and social media. I’ll be honest: some platforms just aren’t worth the energy anymore. Twitter (or X or whatever it’s calling itself this week)? Noise. Spam. Trolls. Nope. And LinkedIn? A good idea in theory, but it just doesn’t work for my audience.

I gave both another shot recently, but the interactions felt hollow, the effort didn’t match the return, and honestly, I’d rather spend that time untangling a 19th-century census record.

Medium and Fiverr? Same deal. I learned that if I don’t own my content (like on Medium), I’m at the mercy of the platform—and I’m not about to lose hours of writing to a deleted post. Fiverr, while useful for some, didn’t generate leads for my genealogy services. So I walked away from both and haven’t looked back.

Enter: Pinterest, ChatGPT, Claude, and Content Strategy Magic 🪄

One thing I have added back into the mix is Pinterest—and this time, I’m actually seeing results. Thanks to analytics (and some trial-and-error), I’ve noticed Pinterest drives steady traffic to my blog and Etsy shop. It’s not just a place for recipes and DIY crafts anymore. It has become a visual search engine, especially for Gen Z, who now prefer it over Google for daily decisions.

Even better? Pinterest content sticks around way longer than a Facebook post or Instagram story. That’s what we call “evergreen,” baby.

I’ve also been using AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude, plus content strategist-approved tips to help me plan smarter, not harder. Tools like Canva have made it easier to create posts that look good and connect with the right audience without sucking up all my time. I now batch content, reuse templates, and prioritize engagement over perfection.

To make the most of what I create, I’ve started reposting my Instagram Reels to YouTube Shorts—same video, more reach. I’m also on BlueSky, but I use it mostly to network with fellow family historians rather than as a primary platform.

These updates have freed up my time and helped me stay sane.

What’s Working (and What’s Out)

Here’s my current social media + content strategy lineup:

✅ Instagram – Best for connecting with the genealogy community, sharing Reels, and building relationships
✅ Pinterest – Great for evergreen content, traffic, and reaching new audiences (especially younger ones)
✅ Facebook – Still solid for group engagement and community support
✅ YouTube Shorts – I’ve started reposting my Instagram Reels here for more reach without extra effort
☑️ BlueSky – I’m not actively posting, but I do use it to network with other family historians
❌ Twitter/X – Too noisy, too spammy, and too short-lived
❌ LinkedIn – Not the right vibe or audience
❌ Medium + Fiverr – Didn’t bring leads or lasting value

The Bottom Line

Sometimes the best way to grow is to stop doing what isn’t working. Once I let go of platforms that weren’t giving me value, I had the time and energy to focus on what does, and it shows in the quality of my audience connections and my productivity.

I’m keeping things simple, meaningful, and strategic. If it’s not moving the needle for Loganalogy, it’s off the to-do list.

Thanks for being part of this journey—I’ve got more tips, tools, and content updates coming your way. Let’s keep learning, sharing, and building those trees 🌳 together.

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