Genealogy researchers run into dead-ends from time to time, especially when there is a limit to what information DNA testing can provide. When you have exhausted the obvious possibilities, it can be helpful to have patience and create a convincing web of evidence. Legacy Tree Genealogists’ Carolyn Tolman provides specific examples of how she used limited DNA and documentary evidence together to break down a brick wall in her family. Even professional genealogists have “brick walls” in their … [Read more...]
Setting the Record Straight: 6 Common Myths About Hiring a Professional Genealogist
One of our genealogists breaks down some of the myths about genealogical research and provides valuable insight into the process of hiring a professional. This article may answer some of the questions you have about hiring a genealogist to research your family's history. As professional genealogists, genealogy is our passion as much as it is our profession. We love nothing more than to sink our teeth into a juicy ancestral mystery, gather up all available evidence, and piece together … [Read more...]
Tying the Knot: Ancestral Marriage Records and Where You Might Find Them
Marriage records are a major source of genealogical information since they mark the merging of two families and provide what may be the only source of a married woman’s maiden surname. Searching for maiden names in marriage records is one of the first priorities of all genealogy research. One maiden name brings a whole new set of ancestors and their stories into play. Marriage has always been a very public covenant, since two people were vowing to care for each other and their children, … [Read more...]
Will the Real Frank Stanley Please Stand Up? How to Confirm Genealogy Research with DNA
A case study that demonstrates how to use DNA evidence in conjunction with document evidence to confirm genealogy research. My husband’s second great-grandfather, Frank M. Stanley, was a prominent Seattle real estate man who played a significant role in rebuilding the city after the Great Fire of 1889. He built, owned and operated several large apartment buildings including the Lenawee Apartments, the Barbara Frietchie Apartments, the Summit Vista Apartments, and the Stanley Apartments, … [Read more...]
Kosekis from Gotō: Japanese Genealogy Explained
*This article is shared with client permission. Names have been changed to protect client privacy. Requests for Japanese genealogy research are less frequent than other areas of the world, so we were excited to have the opportunity to study the ancestry of Fumiko Matsu, who was born in the early 1930s in Kishiku, Japan and later immigrated to the United States. Surnames in Japanese Genealogy The most important thing to understand about Japanese genealogy is that until the Meiji era … [Read more...]
The Wrights in America: Tracing Immigrant Ancestors
*This story of tracing immigrant ancestors is shared with client permission. Names have been changed to protect privacy. At Legacy Tree Genealogists we enjoy working with clients from all over the world, especially as they trace their immigrant ancestors through multiple countries. We were especially intrigued when a recent Brazilian client explained that in the process of immigrating from Yugoslavia to Brazil, her great-grandparents, Joseph Wright and Emily Horvay, had spent several years in … [Read more...]
Holiday Traditions from Ancestors Around the World
Holiday traditions can be simple or intricate, but when passed down through generations they become sweeter and help shed light on the way our ancestors lived and celebrated. It is the stories and traditions of our ancestors that turn our hearts to them and help us feel we are part of something greater than our individual selves. For many families the most enduring traditions have been made and kept around the holiday season -- especially Christmas. Out of my eight great-grandparents, … [Read more...]
Finding Your Heritage in Unexpected Places
**Note: The details from this French-Canadian genealogy research project are shared with permission from our client. Recently we were contacted by a client who requested we begin researching her direct paternal ancestor. This ancestor was named John Lucy, of Ontario, Canada, and was allegedly of Irish heritage. Our client explained that her father had recently died and that he would have loved to know the history of his name. She had been trying to trace the Lucy line herself and was not … [Read more...]