Hi Friends,
This week at Ancestral Findings, we spent time on one of the hardest parts of family history, the places where the trail goes quiet. In “The Power of ‘I Don’t Know,’” I talk about the blank spaces that show up even after careful searching, and how those gaps can keep us honest and steady in our work. If you’ve been staring at an empty box on your tree, this one is for you.
We also dug into a record set that gets missed far too often. “Divorce Records and What They Reveal About Your Ancestors” is a reminder that court files can explain why people vanish from a household, why children end up in unexpected places, and why property changes
hands in ways that do not match the neat version of the story.
And as always, I posted This Week’s Free Genealogy Lookups, so be sure to take advantage of those resources. I also shared “Before Safety Nets, There Was Each Other,” which examines how families and neighbors helped each other through difficult seasons and how that kind of support can still show up in the records if you know where to look.
If you’re feeling stuck right now, keep going. One small step at a time, one record at a time, and write down what you’ve checked so you do not chase the same paths again next week. Progress in genealogy is often quieter than we want, but it adds up.
Happy Searching!
Will
