Ancestral Findings
HistorieThese brief historical and informational snippets about genealogy and history should encourage and help you advance your family tree.
Siste episoder av Ancestral Findings podcast
- AF-1158: Genealogy MythBusters: DNA Testing Will Solve Every Brick Wall | Ancestral Findings Podcast (00:07:47)
In recent years, DNA testing has become one of the hottest tools in genealogy. It promises quick answers to old questions, colorful charts that tell you your ethnic breakdown, and even lists of genetic cousins you never knew you had. For many researchers, DNA has been a game-changer. It has reunited families, broken through long-standing mysteries, and added a powerful new dimension to traditional research. But with all that excitement comes a myth: the belief that DNA testing will solve every brick wall. Many people assume that if you just spit in a tube, all of your genealogical puzzles will untangle themselves. That simply isn’t true. DNA is powerful, but it is not magic. It has limits, and those limits matter. In this essay, we’ll look at why this myth exists, where DNA really shines, where it struggles, and how you can use it wisely as one tool in a larger toolkit... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/dna-testing-genealogy-brick-wall/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1157: Genealogy MythBusters: Was Your Ancestor Truly 100% One Ethnicity? (00:07:42)
Many of us grow up hearing stories about our family’s background. Maybe your grandmother insisted her side of the family was “pure Irish.” Or perhaps your grandfather proudly declared that his ancestors were “completely German, no mixture at all.” In some households, there is even the belief that one particular ancestor was “full-blooded Cherokee,” “100 percent Scottish,” or “pure Italian.” These stories are often told with pride. They give families a sense of identity and belonging. But when we hold them up to the light of history and genealogy, a different picture emerges. The idea that an ancestor was “100 percent” one ethnicity is rarely true, and it is almost never as simple as the stories make it sound. The myth of pure ethnicity is powerful because it speaks to human longing. People like neat boxes and clear categories. We want to know where we come from. We want to say, with confidence, “My ancestors were entirely Irish,” or “We have nothing but German blood.” The problem is, history is messy, borders change, and people have always moved, married, and mixed. This time, we are going to explore why the myth of pure ethnicity exists, where it came from, how DNA testing complicates it, and what the records really show. By the end, you’ll see that your ancestors, like everyone else’s, were part of a long story of blending, migration, and mixing. And that makes your family history far more interesting than the myth of “100 percent” purity. Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/pure-ethnicity-ancestor-myth/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1156: Genealogy MythBusters: Does a Master Family Tree with All the Answers Actually Exist? (00:07:57)
One of the most tempting shortcuts in genealogy is the idea of the “master family tree.” A single, giant, authoritative tree where everyone is already linked, all the names and dates are correct, and all you have to do is plug your family into the right spot. You’ll hear this myth from new researchers, see it implied in online ads, and sometimes even find it in casual conversations: “Isn’t there one big tree somewhere that already has all of this figured out?” It’s a nice idea. Imagine logging in, clicking a few buttons, and instantly tracing your family back ten generations. But here’s the truth: a flawless, universal master tree does not exist, and probably never will. That doesn’t mean there aren’t shared trees online. It just means they are often riddled with errors, duplications, and contradictions. Today, we’ll dig into where the myth came from, how shared trees can be both helpful and dangerous, and what you should do instead to build a reliable family history. Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/master-family-tree-genealogy-myth/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1155: Genealogy MythBusters: Is All of Genealogy Really Online Now? (00:08:00)
The internet has changed genealogy forever. A few clicks can uncover census records, passenger lists, or even digitized newspapers that once took months of travel and library time to access. Companies like Ancestry, FamilySearch, and MyHeritage have built enormous databases. Google can even surface obscure family references. With so much at our fingertips, it’s easy to believe the myth: “All of genealogy is online now.” But here’s the truth: while the internet is an incredible tool, the majority of genealogical records are still not online. Many live in courthouse basements, small-town libraries, church archives, or dusty boxes in county offices. Some will never be digitized. If you rely only on online databases, you’ll miss out on huge parts of your family story. Let’s explore why this myth is so common, what’s really available online, and how to push your research further by going offline... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/genealogy-records-online-myth/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1154: Genealogy Mythbusters: Can You Really Trust the Census to Be 100% Accurate? (00:10:18)
For genealogists, the census is like a treasure chest. Those big sheets of names, ages, occupations, and birthplaces are often the first stop when we start tracing a family tree. They feel official, stamped with the authority of the government, and that makes them seem ironclad. But here’s the myth we need to bust: the census is not always correct. Yes, census records are invaluable. They offer details you won’t find anywhere else. But they are also full of quirks, errors, contradictions, and missing information. If you take every line at face value, you could easily chase the wrong ancestor or miss the right one altogether. The good news? Once you understand why the census is imperfect—and how to work with those imperfections—you’ll unlock its real power as a genealogical tool. Let’s dive deep into this myth, explore why mistakes happened, and discover how to read between the lines. Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/census-record-accuracy-myth/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1153: Genealogy Mythbusters: Was Your Ancestor Really a Cherokee Princess or Royalty? (00:08:07)
Have you ever heard a family story that sounds just a little too good to be true? Maybe it’s the tale of a “Cherokee princess” somewhere in your tree. Or maybe a great-aunt swore that your family is connected to European royalty. These are two of the most popular legends in genealogy, and they’ve been told so many times that they start to feel like fact. Here’s the truth: Native tribes didn’t have “princesses,” and most family lines don’t secretly lead back to kings and queens. Still, these stories stick around because they’re exciting, a little glamorous, and they give us a sense of pride. That doesn’t mean your family history isn’t fascinating—it just means the real story might be very different than the legend. And honestly, that’s where the fun begins. In this article, we’ll look at where these myths came from, why they’ve lasted so long, and how you can check the facts for yourself... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/cherokee-princess-royal-ancestor-myth/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1152: Genealogy Mythbusters: Did Ellis Island Really Change Your Ancestor’s Name? (00:07:40)
Family stories have a way of becoming family legends, and one of the most common you’ll hear in genealogical circles is this: “Our ancestor came through Ellis Island, and the clerks changed the family name because they couldn’t spell it.” It’s dramatic, almost cinematic. Imagine the scene—ships crowding New York Harbor, weary travelers clutching suitcases, and an impatient official scribbling down a “new” surname that forever altered the family’s story. But here’s the reality: Ellis Island clerks did not change names. The truth is both less theatrical and more interesting, because it says something important about how myths form, how families adapt, and where the real records are hiding... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/ellis-island-name-change-myth/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1151: Nela Park in Cleveland, General Electric’s Landmark of Light | Postcards from the Past (00:10:37)
This postcard shows Nela Park in Cleveland, Ohio, home to the General Electric Company’s experimental headquarters. More than just an industrial site, Nela Park became one of the most famous research campuses in the United States. It represented innovation, wartime contributions, and the lives of thousands of Cleveland-area families. Mailed in 1944, the card also carries a personal note that connects the grand story of science and industry to the smaller, everyday rhythms of life... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/nela-park-cleveland-postcard/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1150: Bridgeport and the Island: Wheeling, West Virginia | Postcards from the Past (00:09:57)
This vintage postcard captures a sweeping view of Bridgeport, Ohio, and Wheeling Island in Wheeling, West Virginia. The Ohio River bends through the middle of the scene, crossed by several bridges that carried workers, families, and goods from one side of the river to the other. Postcards like this were small treasures of the early 20th century. They preserved local landmarks, and today they serve as important historical records for genealogists and historians alike... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/wheeling-west-virginia-postcard/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1149: Chester Park Cincinnati History | Postcards from the Past | Ancestral Findings Podcast (00:06:49)
Cincinnati has always been a city that valued its public spaces, and one of its most fascinating historic gathering places was Chester Park. While the postcard image gives us only a glimpse of a statue in a pavilion with the clubhouse in the background, the story of Chester Park goes much deeper. For decades, it was one of Cincinnati’s favorite spots for leisure, recreation, and community life. To understand its history is to open a window into how people in the late 19th and early 20th centuries lived, worked, and played. Chester Park was established in the 1870s, during a period of explosive growth in Cincinnati. The city had become a hub of industry, trade, and immigration. As families flocked to Cincinnati for work, city leaders and entrepreneurs realized the importance of creating spaces where people could escape from crowded neighborhoods and the smoke of the factories. Parks were not only beautiful, but they also reflected civic pride and offered healthier surroundings for the public. Chester Park was designed with this in mind. It wasn’t just a simple green lawn—it was a planned space filled with gardens, statues, fountains, and tree-lined walkways. It was meant to be a place where families could stroll together, young couples could walk arm in arm, and civic organizations could hold meetings or events in elegant surroundings. The grand clubhouse, seen in this postcard, became a centerpiece for gatherings, dances, and social events... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/chester-park-cincinnati-history/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1148: The Heart of Cincinnati at Fountain Square | Postcards from the Past (00:06:31)
Every city has a spot that feels like its true center, the place where people gather and memories are made. For Cincinnati, that place has always been Fountain Square. It’s where families have met up for generations, where kids toss coins into the water, and where people pause for a moment to take in the rhythm of the city. This old postcard brings that feeling back, showing the Tyler Davidson Fountain—better known as the Genius of Water—standing tall in the middle of downtown... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/fountain-square-cincinnati-postcard/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1147: Chimney Rock History and Memories | Postcards from the Past | Ancestral Findings Podcast (00:08:31)
Chimney Rock is one of those places that’s impossible to forget once you’ve seen it. Rising more than 200 feet into the air, that massive granite column looks like it’s reaching up to hold the sky. With an American flag at the top, it feels like a landmark that was always meant to be there—solid, steadfast, and full of meaning. Nature shaped it, but for us, it’s been a source of inspiration, a family destination, and even a Hollywood filming location. The postcard I’ve got here captures Chimney Rock sometime around the middle of the last century. On the front, you see it rising proudly above the trees, flag waving in the mountain breeze. What makes the colors pop is that old linen-style printing that was popular in those days. Instead of a flat photograph, you get something almost painterly, with glowing colors that make the scene come alive. Flip it over, and the back is just as interesting—it calls the formation the “Mighty Chimney” and promises breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Hickory Nut Gorge, Lake Lure, and the Piedmont Plain. Even if you’d never set foot in North Carolina, just reading that little blurb would have stirred your imagination... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/chimney-rock-history-postcard/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1146: Second Lives: Closing Thoughts on the Veterans Who Came Home (00:06:53)
If you’ve followed this series from the beginning, you already know this wasn’t really about war. It was about what came after. The quiet years. The long drives to work. The nights spent filling out pension forms by lamplight. The new marriages, new names, new babies, and sometimes, the distance — emotional or physical — that never fully closed. I’ve spent years digging through military records, just like you. But I’ve come to realize that a veteran’s service file is only half the story. It might tell you where someone was stationed or what battles they were in, but it doesn’t tell you who they became when they came home. And that’s the part their descendants — you and me — need to know to truly understand our family. We call them veterans, but they were also sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, neighbors, laborers, wanderers, storytellers, and in some cases… ghosts. Not in the supernatural sense, but in that soft way a person fades out of memory when no one speaks their name anymore. This series was for them... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/veteran-second-lives-genealogy-conclusion/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1145: Rekindling a Forty-Year Quest for Family Origins (00:06:26)
“Many thanks, Will. You have rekindled my 40-year quest to find my family origins. Your weekly letters are greatly appreciated.” – Bryan When Bryan wrote those words to me, they carried more than gratitude. They spoke of a lifetime spent searching, hoping, sometimes pausing, and then returning again. A forty-year quest is no small thing. It’s the better part of a life, and it reminds me of why we keep at this work. Family history isn’t only about names and dates; it’s about our connection to those who lived before us, and it’s about the journey we ourselves take while searching for them. Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/rekindling-forty-year-family-history-quest/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1144: Morgantown’s Futuristic Ride | Postcards from the Past (00:04:55)
Some postcards capture landscapes or landmarks; others capture a moment of pride. This one from Morgantown, West Virginia, does both. On the front, a yellow Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) car glides along its elevated guideway, the Appalachian hills forming a textured backdrop. On the back, a handwritten date—October 3, 1994—sits alongside the publisher’s mark from Paige Creations and a credit to photographer Janet Paige Bonsall. For me, those small touches are what make postcards feel like secret storytellers. Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/morgantown-prt-postcard/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1143: 10 Perfect Genealogy Projects for September | Ancestral Findings Podcast (00:05:28)
The air is crisp, the leaves are beginning to turn, and children have returned to their classrooms. It’s September, and what better time to reconnect with your family history? Genealogy isn’t just a summer vacation activity; each season offers its own unique opportunities to explore your past and build your family tree. As you swap out your summer decor for autumnal wreaths and pumpkins, consider diving into these ten genealogy projects tailored for September. Each one offers the chance to learn something new about your ancestors and make meaningful progress in your research... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/10-must-do-genealogy-projects-for-september/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1142: Lost to History: Veterans Who Vanished After Service (00:06:13)
You find them in a draft card, a pension file, or a service roster—and then nothing. No census record. No marriage. No obituary. No trace. Every family historian has run into a veteran ancestor who seems to disappear after the war. These are the quiet mysteries of the family tree. They served their country, came home (if at all), and then vanished. And while they may not have left behind a full paper trail, the clues are often still there… just scattered in places we don’t always think to look. This is about those veterans—the ones lost to history—and how to find out what may have happened to them after the uniforms were packed away. Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/veterans-who-disappeared-after-war/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1141: Labor Day: A Legacy of Work, Rest, and Family (00:11:50)
Labor Day arrives each September, signaling the close of summer and the approach of autumn. Many people see it as a three-day weekend for rest, cookouts, or back-to-school shopping. Yet beneath the sales and celebrations lies a deeper meaning—one that connects directly to the lives of our ancestors. It is a holiday born of struggle, built on sacrifice, and sustained by the ongoing dignity of work. Last year, I looked back at the history of how Labor Day began and why it was created. This year, I want to look at it in a more personal way—through the eyes of our ancestors, through the forgotten jobs they once held, through the local parades and traditions they passed down, through the transformation of the holiday itself, through family stories of work, and through the immigrant experience that shaped the American workforce. Taken together, these perspectives show us why Labor Day is more than just a long weekend. It is a remembrance of the labor that shaped our families, our communities, and our nation... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/labor-day-work-family-immigration/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1140: Post-War Professions: Careers That Came from Military Skills (00:08:00)
Some families have stories that begin with war but continue through decades of work that followed. A man who served in a supply battalion later owned a hardware store. A woman who drove an ambulance in Europe spent her post-war years as a nurse. A quiet grandfather who never spoke about the war was known around town as the best electrician anyone had ever seen. These are more than coincidences. They’re professional paths shaped directly by military service — by what veterans learned, endured, and adapted. This part of the Second Lives series explores how veterans took what they knew in uniform and made it into a trade, a business, or a second life they never expected... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/veteran-careers-after-military-service/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1139: Marrying After the War: Tracing Families That Began in Peace (00:07:23)
War has a way of pausing life. Plans are put on hold. Relationships are delayed. Young people grow older quickly. And when the fighting ends, the urge to settle down often comes fast — sometimes with someone they wrote to during the war, met while deployed, or reunited with after years apart. That’s why so many families — maybe even yours — began with a marriage that happened after the war. For family historians, these post-war marriages can unlock stories that explain late-in-life first children, sudden name changes, cross-country moves, or entire branches of the family tree that appear unexpectedly. These unions were often the beginning of second lives — built in peacetime, but forged in the shadow of war... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/marriage-after-military-service/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1138: WWI Doughboys and the 1920s: What Happened Next (00:07:53)
The guns fell silent on November 11, 1918. But for millions of American “Doughboys” — the nickname given to U.S. infantrymen in World War I — the story didn’t end there. They returned home changed, stepping into a country that barely resembled the one they’d left. As the 1920s roared into life, veterans tried to rejoin a world moving faster than ever before. Some blended in. Others struggled. A few stood out. And their second lives often left behind records that are waiting for you to discover... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/wwi-veterans-after-the-war-1920s/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1137: The Aftermath You Didn’t Expect: PTSD and Its Early Signs (00:06:25)
For generations, families quietly wondered why a veteran ancestor drank too much, kept to themselves, startled at loud noises, or refused to talk about the war. Some were labeled “nervous,” “moody,” or “difficult.” Others disappeared from family life altogether — emotionally, or sometimes physically. But we now understand what they couldn’t name: post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Though the term didn’t exist until decades later, the effects were already showing. And for family historians, this hidden aftermath of war can explain behaviors, disappearances, and long-standing family rifts... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/ptsd-in-war-veterans-family-history/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1136: A Life Rewritten: When WWII Veterans Changed Everything (00:06:24)
When the Second World War ended in 1945, it didn’t just bring a global conflict to a close — it launched millions of lives into motion. Soldiers, sailors, nurses, airmen, and civilians who had served in some capacity returned to a nation that was about to shift in almost every possible way. For many of our family members, the post-WWII years weren’t about returning to normal — they were about starting something entirely new. They rewrote their lives from scratch. And the paper trail they left behind is worth following... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/wwii-veterans-after-the-war/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1135: From Soldier to Civilian: Rebuilding Life After the Revolution (00:06:37)
When we think about Revolutionary War ancestors, we usually picture them in uniform—standing guard at a winter camp, marching along a dusty road, or writing letters home with inky quills and weary hands. We honor their service. We may even know where they fought and under which command. But what happened after they stacked their muskets and went home? That’s a story worth telling. Because that’s where the rest of their life began... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/life-after-the-revolutionary-war/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
- AF-1134: Discharged and Displaced: Civil War Veterans Who Moved West (00:06:22)
When the Civil War ended in 1865, the United States was scarred but standing. The fields were silent, the guns were still, and the soldiers — Union and Confederate alike — began the long journey home. But what if “home” no longer existed? For thousands of veterans, returning wasn’t an option. They had to start over somewhere else. Many of them packed up and headed west. That decision shaped the lives of entire generations. Why Go West? Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/civil-war-veterans-who-moved-west/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips