Human Interest Archives - Megan Smolenyak

Genealogy Roundup, March 4

Megan Smolenyak — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 22:39:24 +0000

The Quest for Annie Moore of Ellis Island – Since March is both Irish American Heritage Month and Women’s History Month, you won’t be surprised that I’d like to suggest that you consider snagging a copy of The Quest for Annie Moore of Ellis Island – either for yourself or perhaps a friend. Reviews have been kind, so I think you’ll enjoy it! (Shares appreciated!)

‘Meeting my dad was a D:Ream’ – pop star’s 50-year search for his birth father – If you’re one of those who believes non-physical traits are also passed on, you’ll enjoy this one.

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Genealogy Roundup, February 25

Megan Smolenyak — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:28:21 +0000

Globle – In my experience, most genealogists are into geography, too. If that’s you, you might enjoy this globle game.

Soldier Accounted For From World War II – Welcome home, Pvt. Donald Roger Lichty. Honored to have researched your family. #hero #WWII

Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash

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Genealogy Roundup, February 18

Megan Smolenyak — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 19:25:02 +0000

The Case of the Disassembled Lady – So this isn’t exactly genealogical, but I know a lot of us do jigsaw puzzles, and this is an appreciation for them. If you read it, I suspect you’ll recognize some of your own attributes or experiences.

After 70 years overseas, he returns to complete the genealogy – Way back on the first TV show I ever worked on, I got to tackle a story involving a Chinese woman who had a family tree that went back 4000 years! This is an article about finding the *recent* missing piece of the puzzle! Fun video, too.

Green-Wood Merchandise Design Contest – If you’ve got some artistic flair, here’s a chance to design for Green-Wood, an amazing cemetery!

Photo by Alyssa Coulter on Unsplash

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Genealogy Roundup, November 26

Megan Smolenyak — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 00:26:30 +0000

6 Things You Didn’t Know about Mark Kelly’s Roots – Seems a good time to share this piece I wrote about Mark Kelly’s roots.

Inside the Surprisingly Intense World of Competitive Steinholding – Have my German & German-American friends been holding out? Why have I never heard of steinholding before?

I’m pleased to say that 215 of the soldiers I’ve researched over the years have been identified. This represents roughly 12% of my cases to date and that percentage is slowly inching upward for a variety of reasons. #nomanleftbehind

Photo: John Klemmer, United States Senate Photographic Studio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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Genealogy Roundup, September 24

Megan Smolenyak — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 12:30:18 +0000

The Women Naming Their Babies After Themselves – A few weeks ago, I posted about the resurgence of old-timey first names. This article is 3 years old, but talks about another naming phenomenon – women naming their daughters after themselves. #genealogy

Could your ancestry DNA results unlock citizenship? – Uptick in people using DNA for citizenship

A massive mural honoring NYC immigrants now fills the entrance to St. Patrick’s Cathedral – A massive mural honoring NYC immigrants now fills the entrance to St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Photo by Douglas Lopez on Unsplash

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Genealogy Roundup, September 17

Megan Smolenyak — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 17:59:26 +0000

Soldier Accounted For From Korean War – Welcome home, PFC Vincent Angelo Vega. Honored to have researched your family (just this year!). #Hero #KoreanWar

Ancestry’s Irish unit fails to secure rights to millions of Scottish records – Scotland says nae to Ancestry. #genealogy

1923: The Mystery of Lot 212 and a Tour de France Obsession – Unusual book to recommend perhaps, but it certainly helps that I’ve been lured into the Tour de France world these last couple of years (lovely mash-up of sport and geography/history/culture). What the genealogist in me loves is the deep dive this author took to find out everything he could about a 2.5 minute bit of footage from 1923. Puts me in mind of my Annie Moore quest, though this was his COVID obsession. Also, there’s a surprising amount of historical context. I learned a lot about Europe in 1923.

‘It kinda made me laugh’: Mother of Brooklyn pre-schooler sees a big shift in baby names – Old names new again: “my old lady gang” & preschoolers with Ellis Island names

Photo by Joe Richmond on Unsplash

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Genealogy Roundup, September 10

Megan Smolenyak — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 15:49:58 +0000

Under The Missiles: The Women Racing To Save Ukraine’s Photographic Treasures – A timely and invaluable initiative.

“Buzko and her team have a generator that keeps their scanners going through blackouts, and the women work through the air-raid alerts that frequently interrupt public life in Kyiv.”
“When there are students in the archive, of course I take them to the bomb shelter because I’m responsible for them,” the archivist says. “But for my colleagues, it’s their own decision.””

Top photo by Marjan Blan on Unsplash

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Genealogy Roundup, September 3

Megan Smolenyak — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 22:32:37 +0000

A Flower Traveled In My Blood – If you’re curious about the early days of genetic and forensic #genealogy – and I mean the 1980s – then this is a must read. Also, if you’re not familiar with the brilliant accomplishments of Mary-Claire King, this is a great way to rectify that!

The Baby Died. Whose Fault Is It? – Twiblings, eh? Good luck, future genealogists.

10 Cemeteries to See Before (or After) You Die – Cool cemeteries to ponder over the holiday weekend and put on your to-visit list.

Taylor Swift’s Formidable Female Forebears – Seems a good time to share my research about Taylor Swift’s fascinating ancestors!

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Genealogy Roundup, August 6

Megan Smolenyak — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 20:44:12 +0000

Queen Chapel Independent Methodist Church in Kingston, GA – the church whose graveyard holds the memorial of Melvin(i)a Shields, great-great-great-grandmother of Michelle Obama – has incurred some weather-based damage that insurance won’t cover and needs help making repairs. If, by any chance, you’re in a position to assist, I would be very grateful if you would consider making a modest donation (view appeal). Thank you!

Total Treecall – What are they thinking?!

Genealogy Classic: Getting the Most from Your Genealogy Trips to Europe – Another one of my Genealogy Classics articles. This one is about planning family research/reunion trips in Europe, and though it’s about 20 years old, almost all of it still applies!

Queen Victoria, her ‘secret love child’ and me – #genealogy (The article is more reasonable than the headline suggests.)

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Genealogy Roundup, July 30

Megan Smolenyak — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 15:17:34 +0000

Why 18th-Century Americans Were Just as Obsessed With Their Genealogy as We Are Today – I’ve been a professional genealogist for more than 25 years, but never truly appreciated how integral genealogy has been in the shaping of America. Using copious examples – entertaining and sometimes startling – unearthed from countless sources, Karin Wulf methodically builds an eye-opening case. After reading “Lineage,” you will never look at genealogy – or our history – the same way. Seriously!

Hart Island – The Bronx – I’ve always found Hart Island tragic, but fascinating. Think of all the literally buried stories.

Airman Accounted For From WWII – Welcome home Cpl. Bruce Hamilton Penny. Honored to have researched your family.

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