The best Family History Finds this week:

NOTE: I’ve been on the road this week and I tried to leave comments on several posts in my list this week. However, my laptop has been weird lately and, for some reason, it wouldn’t let me comment on some sites. I did enjoy your articles and stories.

Family Stories

Adalaide Blanche Bartlet and The Rev. George Dyson: Got Away with Murder by Gwen Kubberness on Criminal Genealogy

Pierre Goicheau (c1652-after 1698) and the Silence of Famine – 52 Ancestors #482 by Roberta Estes on DNAeXplained – Genetic Genealogy

Well-to-Do Girls, Indeed! by Joy on Joy Neal Kidney

Jane’s Illness: Home Life, Beginnings of Mania, and Mental Illness as a Cause of Death by Nancy Gilbride Casey on Leaves on the Tree

Summer on the Farm: Remembering How Our Ancestors Lived by Doris Kenney on A Tree With No Name

Research Resources

Substitutes for the (Mostly) Lost 1890 Federal Census by Nancy Maxwell on Grapevine Public Library Local History & Genealogy Blog

Tech News

Changes When Searching the NARA Catalog by Dr. Mac on A Week of Genealogy

Three New History Mapping Tools by Jason on Jason Duncan – webjmd

New Map Overlay Tool by Jason on Jason Duncan – webjmd

Genetic Genealogy

Big news from MyHeritage:
New on MyHeritage: Trace Your Paternal Line Back Thousands of Years with Y-DNA by Daniella on MyHeritage Blog

Ancestry’s Updated ThruLines: What I Like and What I’d Like To See In Future Updates by Marie Cook Beckman on MarieB’s Genealogy Blog

Autosomal DNA Unlock at FamilyTreeDNA to Be Retired August 18th by Roberta Estes on DNAeXplained – Genetic Genealogy

Methodology

Why I Don’t Start My Genealogy Research Online by Diane Henriks on Know Who Wears the Genes in Your Family

SNGF: Verify, verify, verify…especially newspaper articles… by Teresa on Writing My Past

Finding William Henry Kelsey’s Naturalization in a Utah County Minute Book by Nicole Dyer Elder on Family Locket

John Michael Gleason’s Birthdate: Untangling Nine Conflicting Sources by Don on Don Taylor Genealogy

Education Is for Everyone

Postcards and Family History by Maureen Taylor on The Photo Detective News

Why Did Your Immigrant Ancestors Leave Home? by DiAnn Iamarino Ohama on Fortify Your Family Tree

Fall 2026 Mastering Genealogical Documentation Study Group by Cari Taplin on Genealogy Pants

Colonial Craftsmen: Skilled Labor of Enslaved Africans in 18th Century New England by Anna Ruane on Vita Brevis

Genealogy Myths – Census Takers Always Visited the Household by Kenneth marks on The Ancestor Hunt

Escheating by Michael John Neill on Genealogy Tip of the Day

A Major Update of Keep or Throw Away: The Challenge of Genealogical Documents and Photos by James Tanner on Genealogy’s Star

Keeping Up with the Times

Lost & Found by Lisa Rogak on Rooting Around

The best Family History Finds this week:

Family Stories

Migration Stories: Explore the Paths by Barbara Tien on Project Kin

Unique in my family tree – My Loyalist Robert Carlisle defended while my Patriot Robert Wilson of Camobello Island attacked with the American forces:
250th Anniversary of Siege of Fort Cumberland by Brian McConnell UE on UE Loyalist History

The Heroes History Almost Forgot by Paul Chiddicks on Stories Behind the Records

Introducing the Glassmire Brothers by Maureen Taylor on The Photo Detective News

The Calumet, Michigan Italian Hall Disaster by Kimberly Mannisto on Vita Brevis

Research Note: Detroit’s Grand Old Man by Patrick Lacroix on Query the Past

Hiram Cronk: The Last Soldier of 1812, Part 2 by Lori Olson White on The Lost & Found Story Box

Inheritance from Great Grandmother: Pes Planus by Joy on Joy Neal Kidney

Research Resources

An OMPF Mini Reconstruction File – A Source I Want to Understand Better by Kirsten M. Max-Douglas on Our Growing Family Tree

Thanks to Some Genealogical Kindness by Jacqi Stevens on A Family Tapestry

Tech News

A Free, New Family Tree Tool for Map Lovers by DiAnn Iamarino Ohama on Fortify Your Family Tree

Ancestry Smart Search: Old Wine, New Bottle? by Marian B. Wood on Climbing My Family Tree

Free ChatGPT Users Will Get a Huge Upgrade Next Week by Jake Peterson on Lifehacker

Genetic Genealogy

X-DNA Matters: Following the Trail from Mississippi Through South Carolina to Virginia by Melvin Collier on Roots Revealed

Methodology

We often don’t “research” ourselves:
Our Memories Are Family History, Too by Doris Kenney on A Tree With No Name

What to Do about Multiple Sources for One Event by Lisa S. Gorrell on My Trails into the Past

Following the Evidence: Finding Martin Morris, Son of Amie Nalle by Cathy Meder-Dempsey on Opening Doors in Brick Walls

Be a Better Genealogy Helper by Ken McKinlay on Family Tree Knots

Education Is for Everyone

Wake Up! Back Up! Don’t Lose Your Blog Content by Nancy Gilbride Casey on Leaves on the Trees

Citing Your Sources by Janice Heppenstall on English Ancestors

Ask AI: “Describe 20 Free or Low-Cost Genealogy Education Opportunities” by Randy Seaver on Genea-Musings

Writing a Case Study for Publication: 7 Tips for Success by Diana Elder on Family Locket

When a Census Hides As Much As It Shows: The 1891 Census of Victoria, BC by Linda Yip on Past Presence

Three New Videos on International Institute of Genealogical Studies’ YouTube Channel by Gail Dever on Genealogy a la Carte

Keeping Up with the Times

Computer Generated Family Trees Ignore the Heart and Soul of Genealogy by James Tanner on Genealogy’s Star

AI Can Save Your Life by Roberta Estes on DNAeXplained – Genetic Genealogy

The best Family History Finds this week:

Family Stories

The Casket in the Attic by Misty Hamilton Smith on Appalachian Genealogy & History

Sandals in the Snow: The Gift of Not Fitting In by Paige on Dirt & Yellow Flowers

Oh Sugar! Corrections and Connections by Zoe Pullman on The Family Archives Substack

Jane’s Illness: What Did Acute Mania Look Like in the 19th Century? by Nancy Gilbride Casey on Leaves on the Tree

Just Returned from Vietnam, the Airlines Refused His Personal Check by Joy on Joy Neal Kidney

Research Resources

A Connection Between the Past and the Future: The Local History & Genealogy Web Archive on The Signal

The Record That Names the Father When the Birth Entry Won’t by Chris on Scottish Genealogist

Interactive Map of Ontario Patent Plans Now Available Online by Gail Dever on Genealogy a la Carte

Tech News

10 Snipping Tool Hacks Every Windows 11 User Should Know by Pranay Parab on Lifehacker

Under Certain Conditions, Quick Edit Can Quietly Delete a Death Fact by Doris Kenney on A Tree With No Name

Checking Out Jason Duncan’s “Ancestor Map Builder 2.0” by Randy Seaver on Genea-Musings

The Family Historian’s AI Brief: August 2026 by Denyse Allen on Chronicle Makers

Five Weeks of AI-Assisted Genealogy: Discoveries and Disappointments by Lisa Rex on Ancestor Audit

Here’s Why Microsoft Is Encouraging Users to Stay Off Public Wifi Networks by Emily Long on Lifehacker

Genetic Genealogy

An Explosion of New Tree Tools by Jonny Perl on DNA Painter Blog

Methodology

How to Use Hints Without Making a Mess by DiAnn Iamarino Ohama on Fortify Your Family Tree

Finding Judith’s Family: Tracing a Trail from Tennessee Back to North Carolina by Cathy Meder-Dempsey on Opening Doors in Brick Walls

An Evidence Timeline for Sarah Larkin by Teresa on Writing My Past

Education Is for Everyone

Ask AI: “Describe 20 Hacks That Every Genealogist Should Know and Use” — Google Gemini’s Response by Randy on Randy Seaver, Geneaholic

Revisiting My Roots: My System by Cari Taplin on Genealogy Pants

How to Read a Book on Culture Explorer

Ask AI: “Describe 20 Genealogy Pitfalls While Researching and Building a Family Tree” – Gemini Response by Randy Seaver on Genea-Musings

Keeping Up with the Times

The Dangerous, Dark Side of AI, and How to Protect Yourself by Roberta Estes on DNAeXplained – Genetic Genealogy

A Fundamental Flaw Leaves LLMs Strikingly Vulnerable to Attack by Will Douglas Heaven on MIT Technology Review

AI Note-Taking Apps Are Violating User Privacy by Ritoban Mukherjee on Lifehacker

Real Genealogy Threatened by Illiteracy by James Tanner on Genealogy’s Star

AI Bots Can Steal Your Login Credentials, but You Can Protect Yourself by Ritoban Mukherjee on Lifehacker