Category: Research and Resources
Posts that discuss specific books or databases for finding information about ancestors.
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What to expect when you’re expecting collaboration By now, you may have noticed that I love using WikiTree. I do my original research primarily using my Ancestry membership (which is expensive and not an option for everyone), and then take what I learn about each family/relative and craft it into a biographical profile on WikiTree…
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Behind the curtain at Mightier Acorns At the risk of sounding pleased with myself, I wanted to share some of the habits and organization that go into this newsletter. Folks new to writing often start a project like this only to tire of the constant deadlines. They may feel like they’ve run out of things…
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Taking stock of the journey so far We have been climbing a ladder of evidence for a couple of months now – a metaphorical ladder leaning against the side of one of my “family palm trees”. The first several rungs felt like very solid footing, but the last three have been increasingly shaky. Depending on…
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A tour of an excellent secondary source Let’s do a little bit of math, just for fun. (A thing my math teachers would never have predicted I would say.) Starting with “one” – that’s you – and working backward through preceding generations, you have probably already noticed how each generation doubles in size. You, your…
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Sometimes it’s okay to fantasize I spend a lot of time on this blog emphasizing the importance of evidence and critical thinking in assembling a factual family history. But as some of my Substack friends will tell you, context and the construction of a narrative are also important elements for telling your family’s story. CuZens…
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A valentine for my surname A couple of weeks ago, I had some unexpected time off (thanks, persistent pandemic!) and since my brain was still functional, I decided to use that time to launch a One-Name Study for my surname on WikiTree. (This post is short because I want you to follow that link.) I…
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A Quick Overview of my work under this surname When I was new to genealogy, I did what a lot of people do: I uncritically relied on the work of others. A lot of what I know about the Huff family came to me via the late Max Huff. Unfortunately for me, by the time…
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Perfection is the enemy The Devil is in the details. Or, so I have heard. But that aphorism, according to Tally over on Medium, “derives from an earlier German proverb — “Der liebe Gott steckt im detail”, which translates as ‘God is in the detail’.” Any genealogy researcher can tell you that both are true.…
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originally posted on Friday, February 13, 2015 Normally, I would give you a brief overview on Wednesday followed by a story or essay on Friday – but this post sort of fits both descriptions, so I’ll think of something else to share on Friday. This 2015 post buries the lede, but it is about the…
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Looking for the father of Abraham Witter (1786 – 1882) A few weeks ago, I published Family Reunion: Witter, which prompted a conversation about Abraham Witter (1786-1882) with my dad’s first cousin, Pat Witter. Pat had sources connecting Abraham to the family of Joseph Witter and Hannah Washburn; however, those sources proved that a different…
Mightier Acorns 