Genealogy Insight – The Record That Doesn’t Exist Can Still Tell You Something

Sometimes the most important clue in your research is the record you expected to find—but didn’t. The Insight Missing records are not always dead ends. Often, they are clues that point your research in an entirely new direction. Most genealogists focus on finding records. Experienced researchers also pay close attention to the records that should […]

MyHeritage New and Updated Collections – June 1-15, 2026

MyHeritage continues to add or update its record collections at a fast pace for us to search. For June 1-15, 2026, there are 3 new and 5 updated collections. The new and updated collections are: I hope that some of these are what you have been waiting for! Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

Genealogy Insight – Your Ancestor Wasn’t Waiting to Be Found

The records you expect may not exist, but the records you need often do. The Insight Many researchers begin with a mental picture of the records they expect to find. When those records are missing, they assume the trail has ended. In reality, ancestors often leave evidence in places many researchers never think to look. […]

Genealogy Insight – The Timeline Doesn’t Lie

When the dates don’t fit, neither does the conclusion. The Insight Many researchers become attached to a theory because it feels right. The problem is that genealogy is ultimately constrained by time. A person cannot be born after their mother dies. A father cannot appear in two places at the same time. A child cannot […]

FamilySearch New and Updated Collections – June 1-15, 2026

FamilySearch continues to add or update its record collections at a fast pace for us to search. ​​For the period of June 1-15, 2026, the added/updated collections are: For a complete list of all added/updated collections, go to https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list​ I hope that some of these are what you have been waiting for! Good Luck and […]

Online Newspaper Database Updates for May/June

Over 1,100 New titles were added by various Free and Subscription databases in the last month. Here are links to all the updates:

8,215 Free Mid Atlantic States Online Historical Newspaper Titles Now Available

535 new and updated Free Online Historical Newspaper Links have been added to the Mid Atlantic States’ free “newspaper link lists”: These were all updated in June 2026, and represent additions from the past 12 months. There is a total of 8,215 historical newspapers available to search for free from the Mid Atlantic States. Just […]

Genealogy Insight – A Blank Search Result Is Still a Research Result

What you don’t find can be just as important as what you do. The Insight Genealogists naturally focus on finding records. Every search is performed with the hope that a census entry, obituary, marriage record, newspaper article, or probate file will appear and provide the next clue. Yet some of the most important information in […]

Genealogy Insight – Your Ancestor’s Neighbor May Appear More Often Than Your Ancestor

Sometimes the fastest way to find your ancestor is to stop searching for them. The Insight Some ancestors left very few records of their own. Their neighbors, however, often left extensive paper trails. Families migrated together, attended the same churches, witnessed one another’s marriages, bought adjoining land, appeared together in tax rolls, and were frequently […]

Genealogy Insight – The Person Who Signed the Record May Be the Most Important Person on the Page

The name that solves a genealogy problem is often not the one you were searching for. The Insight Many researchers focus only on the primary names appearing in a record. A marriage record, deed, probate file, court record, birth certificate, or death certificate, however, often contains additional names whose significance may not be immediately obvious. […]