Photo by Oshin Khandelwal on Unsplash

The post Genealogy Roundup, December 18 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Dr. George Schweitzer, longest serving professor at University of Tennessee at Knoxville – RIP, Prof. George K Schweitzer. His efforts assisted countless genealogists during his 99 years.

Hey, y’all, Have you tried Google NotebookLM? I just fed it my article on Tim Walz’s Irish roots and had it create a podcast-style discussion between a man and a woman about the research. And you know what? It did a really good job! A couple of minor hiccups, sure, but so much better than a lot of AI I’ve played with. Whether you’ve read that article or not, you might enjoy giving this a listen:

French dig team finds archaeologist’s 200-year-old note – OK, what’s your plan for a time capsule? What message to the future are you leaving and how??

In North Texas, some unclaimed bodies go to UNT for research — often without permission of next of kin – There’s no excuse for this. Shame on Texas.

Jimmy Fallon’s Family Tree – In honor of Jimmy Fallon’s 50th, here’s a peek into his past – and I mean deep past!

Photo Credit: Ronel Reyes under Creative Commons license

The post Genealogy Roundup, September 25 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Reclaim the Records: Going Nuts in the Nutmeg State – Reclaim the Records has done it again – this time with Connecticut! I’m already filling in gaps in my family tree! Thanks, RtR!

‘The odds are insane’: Adopted siblings find out they are related – Another DNA stunner – a happy one!
h/t Dick Eastman

Just read a letter from a WWII widow saying she’d rather not receive the 3 photos her husband was carrying since they were apparently damaged by a bullet, and I …

A stroll down memory lane for me. The research accumulates, eh?

Millions of old printed photos are sitting in storage. Digitizing them can unlock countless memories – Since I’m in the same boat in terms of having a *lot* of images/videos of all types to preserve, I really enjoyed reading about the experiences of Ed Asner’s son, a diplomat, and a war correspondent. Nice to see @ScanMyPhotos recognized, too!

New mural of Joe Biden appears near his ancestral home after landmark visit to Ireland – I get a kick out of seeing the unexpected outcomes that trace in some way to my research, and this is the latest. Nice touch including a shoemaker!

Police Are Getting DNA Data From People Who Think They Opted Out – This article has been making the rounds and for good reason. I hope those involved in genetic genealogy will take the time to read it all. Aside from the database backdoor mentioned in the title, it covers several other issues that have left me hesitant and wary.

Maybe it’s due to my personal experience. Back when I launched Unclaimed Persons, I was forced to put a fair bit of effort into damage control in the first year or so because zealous researchers sometimes overstepped boundaries. I knew that if I didn’t rein things in swiftly, the whole initiative could blow up and even backfire on the genealogy community as a whole.

Sometimes the noble-cause aspect is so strong that it’s tempting to downplay legitimate concerns, but I’m glad they’re being discussed a little more widely. There’s enormous potential here, so it would be tragic if the brakes were slammed on because we were reluctant to consider a bit more in the way of guardrails.

Family takes 96-year-old grandfather to visit his hometown in Ireland – This is delightful!

Lancashire and South Carolina pen pals of 70 years meet for first time – As someone who loved having pen pals as a youngster, and is still friends with one decades later, I love this kind of tale.

A Grandma’s Quirky Collection | Margie Soudek’s Salt and Pepper Shakers – One of the more unusual family history videos I’ve seen. Not sure which set is my favorite.

Sean Kirst: For childhood witness to Pearl Harbor, a Hollywood life comes to an end – Another great article by Sean Kirst that, among other things, reminds us why it’s important to reach out today! It would have been so unfortunate if this story had slipped through the cracks. Can’t promise you won’t hit a paywall, but please give it a go.

‘I booked a last-minute flight and bought a castle’ – My fantasy! (h/t Jonny Perl)

Top Photo Credit: Antonio Marín Segovia under Creative Commons license

The post Genealogy Roundup, August 30 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

A New Front in Reparations: Seeking the Return of Lost Family Land

Records Reveal Mario Changed Name From “Jumpman” at Ellis Island – Even when it’s a joke, it irritates me. Consider this your periodic reminder that names were NOT changed at Ellis Island!

We’re Taking Our Children’s Names: Honouring legacy in broken families – Interesting read. My first thought was that this would confuse future genealogists, but unless this couple has additional children of their own, the exact opposite is true. Descendants of the now 4-year-olds will have an easier time picking up their trail

With no next of kin, the dead tax county resources. How they end up in coroner offices. – This is one of the best series of articles I’ve seen on Unclaimed Persons since I began researching them back in 2005. Still helping Lackawanna, PA – the first county I ever worked with – with their cases. 5 in just the last week.

A New Book About Madonna and Other Hollywood Stars of Abruzzo Origins – Italy following in Ireland’s footsteps ramping up its efforts to attract roots tourism.

Fort Polk is now Fort Johnson after US Army moves to honor World War I hero – Honored to have researched Sgt. Henry Johnson in preparation for his posthumous Medal of Honor Award and so very pleased that this base will be named after him.

Photo Credit: James McNellis under Creative Commons license

The post Genealogy Roundup, June 14 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

So my friend June Black (Scottish cousin of Chris Haley and the rest of the Alex Haley family) reached out to tell me that Nathan Goodwin’s latest book, “The Sawsooth Slayer” (Venator Cold Case Series Book 2) included a shout-out for Unclaimed Persons (thanks, Nathan!).

I, of course, already had it downloaded, but hadn’t had a chance to read it yet. I knew I was in for a riveting ride, but the moment that really grabbed me was when two genealogists met while plopped down outside of the FHL in Salt Lake City trying to research off the library’s wifi during the COVID lockdown. Click here to continue reading.

Image Credit: mcmurryjulie via Pixabay

The post Genealogy Roundup, December 7 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Geary, S.) – Another case I handled quite a while ago – this time, 2008. Welcome home, PFC Sterling Geary. Honored to have researched your family.

Grynoriai: Lithuanian-American life in the early 20th century – Where my Lithuanians at?

A symbol of slavery — and survival

Learning My Father’s Language – OK, I’m intrigued.

How Technology Could Revolutionize Refugee Resettlement – I that this was named after Ellis Island’s Annie Moore.

VIDEO: Arsonist lights fire outside National Archives – What makes someone try to set NARA on fire?

Very cool to get a shout-out from Julián Castro in New Yorker. He’s got a great memory. Only change is that this former NJ genealogist is now in FL. Here’s the article he recalls.

The post Genealogy Roundup, May 1 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Tips for Tracing Your Family Tree – Um, so my “Who Do You Think You Are?” book was supposedly the inspiration for the series Who Do You Think You Are?

#HeyJohnKelly: Trump Chief of Staff Takes Heat Over Assimilation Comments

Unclaimed but still remembered – I have worked with Lackawanna County, PA for over a decade to keep the number of unclaimed people to a minimum, but it’s lovely to see the way the exceptions are treated.

My great-grandfather had the awesome name of Yurko Sydorko. What’s the most amusing/unexpected name in *your* family tree?

Photo Credits: Chuck Kennedy/Public Domain (photo of Michelle Obama) and Northern Ireland Office/Creative Commons license (photo of Meghan Markle)

The post Genealogy Roundup, May 17 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

#IAmAnImmigrant Starring Lupita Nyong’o, Wilmer Valderrama and More! – Though every school child knows that America is a nation of immigrants, I think we as genealogists are hyper-aware of this – which is why I love this. As a French-born, Irish-Rusyn American, I am so grateful to those in my family tree who had the guts to leave everything familiar behind to take a chance on something better. Members of my family were illiterate as recently as the 1940s, and now I get to be a writer.

In Philadelphia, finding dignity for bodies left unclaimed – Here’s the recent interview Janis Martin and I did re: Unclaimed Persons (radio & text).

Taken from life: The unsettling art of death photography

Lost and Found in Uzbekistan: The Korean Story, Part 1 – This is a new one to me. Uzbek Koreans. Who knew?

How do your 20,000 genes determine so many wildly different traits? They multitask.

Obama Fest returns to Moneygall – One of the more unexpected outcomes of my previous research

Photo Credit: From the exhibit, “Striking Resemblance: The Changing Art of Portraiture,” at Zimmerli Art Museum

The post Genealogy Roundup, June 8 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

A grandmother’s trove of Civil War photos goes to Library of Congress

Genealogy lesson from Michelle Obama on Twitter . . .

Forgotten Lives Remembered in Special Funeral Service – Love this. Ann Lacertoso-Berardelli, who works with the Lackawanna County Coroner’s Office, was the one who sent it to me. Lackawanna was the first county I ever worked with on Unclaimed Persons cases. They’re the ones I cold-called after reading an article about this phenomenon that was entirely new to me at the time. They invited me to visit and entrusted me with cases when no one else was even thinking of genealogists in this capacity. So ultimately, they were the impetus behind the creation of the volunteer Unclaimed Persons group. Lovely to hear of local students getting involved this way.

Trace the face: how tech has changed the way we find missing people – “Google for refugees”

Photo Credit: The James and Sophia Clemens Farmstead, one of the oldest and last remaining landmarks in Longtown, Ohio. The Clemens house is listed by the National Register of Historic Places and Longtown is recognized by the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Photo by Nyttend | Public Domain

The post Genealogy Roundup, June 1 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.

Mildred Gale’s Burial Site: The final resting place of George Washington’s Grandma.

Odd ones out: share your photos of the most out of place city buildings – I’ve always loved these one-of-these-things-is-not-like-the-others buildings!

Unearthing the Secrets of New York’s Mass Graves – No matter how familiar you are with the concept of unclaimed persons, hearing the individual stories always gets to you . . .

New ‘Purple Rain’ tartan created in tribute to icon Prince

Passed and Present: Keeping Memories of Loved Ones Alive – You want to read this. You know you do! Check it out!

On the Prowl for Springsteen’s Irish Roots – With Bruce Springsteen about to perform in Ireland, now seems a good time to re-share this about his Irish roots from Irish America Magazine

‘Roots’ Reborn: How a Slave Saga Was Remade for the Black Lives Matter Era – Sounds as if the new version of “Roots” will be quite different from the original. Hard to watch, but for all the right reasons.

Photo Credit: George Washington’s Mount Vernon 12, by smilla4 under Creative Commons license

The post Genealogy Roundup, May 25 appeared first on Megan Smolenyak.