Archives

A Tale of Two DNA Matches

At RootsTech last month both MyHeritage and AncestryDNA announced new DNA tools and features. For MyHeritage, these were AutoClusters and Theory of Family Relativity (TFR); for AncestryDNA they were enhancements to DNA match lists and ThruLines. Like everyone in the genetic genealogy community, I’ve been exploring the new tools...

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A Tribute to My Veterans

Each year on November 11, we pause to remember those who served in our military. Here is the roll of the veterans in my affinity. In my generation (Vietnam and post-Vietnam): My husband Jere Gene Mackin, United States Navy My brothers-in-law Patrick Charles Mackin, United States Navy, and Richard...

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Observing the 4th of July, 2017

The 4th of July–the nation’s birthday, independence, parades, fireworks, picnics and cookouts, family gatherings. For genealogists and family historians, it’s a chance to savor our family’s role in creating our great country, and share it. Maybe our ancestors arrived in one of the original thirteen colonies, or maybe they...

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Memorial Day, 2016, Part 2–Generations 5 and 6

Continuing our virtual visit to my family cemeteries with my great-great-grandparents, let’s start with my mother’s side, where we’re coming to the Civil War generation. Her paternal grandfather Roland R. Neifert’s parents were Martin Neifert (1840-1912) and Harriet (Gerhard) Neifert (1939-1915). Martin is buried in Christ Church Cemetery, Barnesville,...

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Gratitudes for Thanksgiving 2015

As I was sitting in a car being driven through Chicago en route from Rhode Island to Minnesota, reading compiled military service records and pension files for five Civil War veterans pulled from the collections of the National Archives by a researcher in Washington, DC, and sent to me...

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