Genealogy Matters

10/07/2022

10/05/2022

SUNYA at night is quite beautiful......

03/28/2020

Now is a good time to stay home and do research online! Check to see if your local library offers Ancestry.com online, or check out Fultonhistory.com if you live in upstate NY. FamilySearch has added lots of new features and updates- check them out at familysearch.org and don’t forget to fill out your census form for 2020!!!!

Discover your family history and start your family tree. Try free and access billions of genealogy records including Census, SSDI & Military records.

01/05/2017

There is something called a first death. This happens when the breath leaves the body for the last time. The second death occurs when a persons' name is spoken aloud for the last time. Why do I do this crazy stuff called genealogy? To prevent the second death of all the people I have known and loved over a lifetime. Each time their name is read out loud, a person comes to life again, if only in our memories...

01/04/2017

A cautionary tale.........someone I know who believed himself to have Native American heritage recently found out from his DNA test that he has zero markers for that history. Sometimes getting your DNA tested can be shocking but as I told him, "The truth shall set you free." This has taken him some time to adjust to, but he is now starting to see himself in a new light, and embracing it as well. We also discussed the age-old question of "nature Vs. nurture" and what it is that truly makes us who we are. Now that the shock has worn off, he is discovering the role that migration played in his own ancestry.

01/04/2017

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12/28/2016

Happy New Year!! How about getting your DNA tested this year? You might learn things you never knew about yourself.... I noticed there are sales going on for Ancestry.com and others as well. It is so simple - all you need to do is provide a saliva sample and they do the rest. Not only that, but they keep your DNA and as the science evolves, you'll get more and more information. I found out that 24% of my DNA is Italian! It's so much fun and may provide evidence to support some of those family stories about who your ancestors were.

11/15/2016

If you are looking for a unique Christmas gift for someone, why not buy them a DNA testing kit? They're made by several different companies like Ancestry.com and sold for very reasonable prices. It's very exciting to see where your DNA leads you....

11/15/2016

What do you do when someone passes away but there is no obituary published? Approximately six months after death a death certificate should be available. These are usually completed by the attending undertaker, with personal information provided by a relative or close friend of the deceased. The full name of the deceased and place of birth is included when known, as is also the names of his or her parents. In addition to this, the date of death and place where the person was buried is often included. Some even list the section and plot number of the cemetery. Many funeral parlors also keep record of this information as well.

10/20/2016

08/29/2016

Never knew there was a baseball pool in Albany, NY back in 1929 until I researched it for a client. It started small and grew into a monster, until it's own weight killed it.

07/02/2016

If making an entire family tree seems overwhelming, start small.
For example, choose something you remember about someone in your family and write it down. If you have nice handwriting or a computer you can even make it look nice, frame it and put it up. I made a list the other day about stuff I have done with my Dad, like bike rides, vacations, and swimming with him in the ocean etc... and put it all in a card I gave to him for Father's Day. Then I thought, that would make a great memory page if I included a picture of me with my Dad and framed it. Isn't that a great way to keep those memories fresh and share them with others?