The Legacy Tree Genealogists Blog

Hand-picked, tested and trained, our professional genealogist team knows how to find your story. We search the world for answers. Find the un-findable. And we’re experts at everything from tracking down rare international records to analyzing DNA test results. Based near the world’s largest family history library in downtown Salt Lake City, we also work with researchers and archives around the globe. Contact us today if you would like help discovering your ancestors!

Super Human? Magician? Freaking Miracle Worker? Close…We’re Genealogists!

September 6, 2019 by Katy - Legacy Tree Genealogists Project Manager Leave a Comment

Have you hit a brick wall in your genealogy research? Have you considered hiring help? We share 4 tips for managing expectations when hiring a professional genealogist.As Legacy Tree’s high client ratings can attest, hiring a professional genealogist can be a deeply rewarding and exciting process. In fifteen years of service, we have helped thousands of clients learn about their heritage, identify biological parents, join lineage societies, break down brick walls, trace their immigrant origins, and so much more.However, genealogy can also lead to disappointments, surprises, and frustration—especially if you’re not prepared for those realities up front. An awareness of the following four principles is key in having realistic expectations about your experience working with a professional genealogy company like Legacy Tree Genealogists.#1: Consider the Limitations of Historical ResearchFirst things first, there is a key misconception to dispel: genealogists do not have …

What Language Did My Scottish Ancestors Really Speak?

September 3, 2019 by Maggie - Legacy Tree Genealogists Project Manager 2 Comments

Have you ever stopped to think about the language that your Scottish ancestors spoke? Gaelic? English? Something else? The answer is not as straightforward as you may think. English has been the “official” language of Scotland since the 18th century. Prior to this, Scots Gaelic had already been systematically suppressed by several acts of parliament, starting at the beginning of the 1600s.[1] One of the last Scottish kings to speak Gaelic was James IV who reigned from 1473 to 1513. It’s hard to estimate how many people spoke Gaelic between the beginning of the 1600s and the end of the 1800s. Donald McAulay, a native Gaelic speaker who wrote extensively about Celtic languages, estimated that by 1775 only about a quarter of Scots knew Gaelic.[2]How do I determine what language my Scottish ancestors spoke?The 1891 Scottish census included a question on language. Specifically, residents were asked if they spoke Gaelic only, or both Gaelic and English. An …

Will the Real Frank Stanley Please Stand Up? How to Confirm Genealogy Research with DNA

August 26, 2019 by Carolyn - Legacy Tree Genealogists Project Manager Leave a Comment

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, staying active in the business community until his death in 1940. The Obstacle: Conflicting Information in Genealogy RecordsSeveral biographical sketches of Frank M. Stanley said he was born in New York and arrived in Seattle in 1887. The census reports from 1900 to 1940 agree he was born between 1853 and 1855, but provided conflicting information, reporting birthplaces as New York, Michigan, and Maine. Though he was married three times, to Jennie Alice Myers in about 1888, Bessie Mable Blake …

Amerasian unknown parentage case resolved with genetic genealogy

“Children of the Dust”: How Genetic Genealogy Helped an Amerasian Woman Locate Her G.I. Father

August 16, 2019 by Jessica - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher Leave a Comment

With client permission, we share one woman's experience of growing up "Amerasian" and the important role genetic genealogy played in helping her locate her G.I. father.Growing Up AmerasianWhen Anni was little, she would often ask about her father, but her mother always gave her the same vague reply, “I met him Taichung, then I had you.” Anni was born in the 1960s - the daughter of a Taiwanese mother and an unknown U.S. serviceman fighting in Vietnam. Anni said she always felt different, realizing early on that she didn’t share the same facial features the other children in her village had, her skin was lighter, her face more “European” than the rest of her family. People in her village were quick to point those differences out as well, often taunting her into tears. Recounting as an adult, Anni said she could tell that her inquiries about her father were painful for her mother to discuss, and she would often shy away or blatantly refuse to talk about him.(top) Anni, around …