Sharing case studies, methodologies, and resource materials. I’m working to add generations to my tree using full documentary evidence confirmed by DNA analysis.
Welcome!
I started this blog because I was frustrated with having to “reinvent the wheel” —- mothers and fathers are attached to trees in ancestry.com with no sources. The familysearch.org One-World Tree is riddled with folks attaching whole generations of people with no sources. Even my family lines within Wiki-Tree are filled with errors and sources that say, “Personal knowledge of Joe-Shmoe”.
And most of the time, once I put in the work and pay for the records, the random mothers and fathers listed end up being correct. So, listen, I’m not pretending that I’m up-ending long-held beliefs about family lines or anything. However, I am providing direct evidence of family relationships or strong circumstantial cases along with DNA correlation to confirm family lines. And yeah, sometimes I break down a brick wall and discover a new grandfather or grandmother and those are fun too. And I provide the documentary evidence for all to read and review.
Please browse around a bit. My posts tend to be quite Florida- and Georgia-heavy because, well, all the branches of my family have been in Florida since the early 1900s and most of them came from Georgia before that. But there are a few things sprinkled in there from Alabama, North Carolina, and South Carolina as well.
If I run across a really fun resource, I like to share that here as well. My case studies are presented informally and every detail presented is sourced by documentary evidence that I provide directly to you, the reader.
Please follow along to read stories of discovery and heartbreak, to learn tips and tricks, organization and research strategies, and (if you are a cousin) to learn more about the details of our shared family lines.
Recent Posts
Join me in my adventure in family discovery!
Identifying Brothers for Harriet C. Howard
Bounty Land Application for Hillsborough County Pioneer Seth Howard
Hillsborough Florida Pioneer and Settler Seth Howard at the Beginning of the Second Seminole War
The Second Seminole War is considered to have officially begun on December 23, 1835, when 110 enlisted men marched out of Fort Brooke (Tampa, Hillsborough County) under the command of Bvt-Major Francis L Dade to relieve the Company of men stationed at Fort King (close to modern-day Ocala, Marion County)
An Efficient Method for Transcribing Genealogical Records
I did not always believe in transcribing the records that I found for my ancestors and their descendants. Obviously, it is a ton of work to transcribe the original records. But now I consider it a necessary part of research.
Mary M Howard: DNA Project to Support that her Parents were James Seth and Harriet C Howard
My 3rd great-grandmother, Mary M Howard, was born May 1, 1848, in Hillsborough County, Florida. She married Wilson Elihu Stephens on March 25, 1869, in Manatee County, Florida. She died April 12, 1879, in Manatee County, Florida. She and Wilson had at least eight children before her death.
Mary M Howard Stephens: Documentary Evidence that her parents were James Seth and Harriet C Howard
A man named Wilson Elihu Stephens is one of my 3rd great-grandfathers. He married Mary M Howard on March 25, 1869, in Manatee County, Florida.
DNA Project: Cassa Ann Weeks Descendants
I’m looking for volunteers to particpate in a DNA study. Any descendents of Cassa Ann Weeks should reach out to join.
George Hanson “Hans” Montgomery, Part 3
Using Excel as a Research Log
There is no right way, wrong way, or best way to keep a research log. There is simply a way that works for you. I have managed my research in many sloppy ways over the years, but I finally hit upon one that works well for me. I use Excel to organize my research and log my findings.
Discovery of a Wedding Trousseau
A few weeks ago, I told you about my adventures confirming that John Hays was both my 5th and 6th great-grandfather. One of the documents I uncovered during that process led me to a sweet discovery. As noted in the blog post referenced above, Elizabeth Jane Hays was the daughter of Gilbert “Bird” Hays.
South Florida Pioneers Quarterly
A fabulous resource for anyone with ancestors who were Florida Pioneers is the South Florida Pioneers Quarterly .
When it Appears No Records Exist for an Ancestor, Research Possible Father Candidates Instead
One of my 3rd great-grandfathers on my maternal line was a man named Daniel Pate. He lived a relatively short life. According to his gravestone, his middle initial was “S” and he was born February 18, 1856, and he died March 8, 1904. He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Arcadia, Florida.
“Pioneer Florida” Series in the Tampa Tribune
Recently, I stumbled across a recurring series called “Pioneer Florida” that ran in the Tampa Tribune in the 1950s. It was written by D. B. McKay, who was a former mayor of Tampa. It is full of fascinating articles about various folks who lived and worked in central Florida and the Gulf Coast of Florida.
My Two-for-One Grandpa: A Tale of Pedigree Collapse
Years ago, I was communicating with someone that I had contacted through ancestry.com. She was helping a cousin of mine build out her family tree. She noted, “My family tree is more like a family bush.” I absolutely adored this statement and I have adopted it ever since then. I, too, have a family bush.
The Lost Female Ancestor: A Case of the Double “s”
I am currently working on a project to determine my 4th great-grandfather’s parentage. His name was Aaron Weeks and he was born in South Carolina around 1825 and died in Lafayette County, Florida around 1878. Circumstantial evidence leads me to believe that his father was a man named Thomas Weeks.
County Tax Rolls
One of my favorite record sets for 19th-century research is county tax records. There is no doubt that this process can be a bit tedious, but very few items can give us such a clear picture of a person's movements and life events year-over-year than tax records.
George Hanson “Hans” Montgomery; Part 2
I’ve told you the story of how I got my first leads on determining who the parents of my third great-grandfather, George Montgomery, were. You can read about it here . After I attached Robert Montgomery (b. abt 1807) to my family tree within Ancestry.com and waited for ThruLines to do its calculations.
Index of Settlers’ Land Applications in Florida through the Armed Occupation Act of 1842
I have been using the Bureau of Land Management website to look for land patents for my Alabama and Florida settlers almost since the beginning of my genealogical journey. One of the first classes I took described this resource and taught me how to use the site.
Index of Hooker's Independent Company, Florida Mounted Volunteers Third Seminole War
My fourth great-grandfather, Seth Howard, served in the Third Seminole War as a Private in Hooker’s Independent Company of the Florida Mounted Volunteers.
When in Tallahassee…Go to the State Archives
When a search at the county level turned up no records, a trip to the Florida Supreme Court was the next step. One of my second great-grandfathers is a man named Howell Romulus “H R” Montgomery. He was born in Georgia in 1880 and later moved to Florida with his wife, Ella Lane.