Saturday NIght Genealogy Fun - Questions 16-20

Last week I answered 15 questions for Randy Seaver's Genealogy Fun at Genea-Musings. This month he asked genealogists to answer the 20 questions Ellen Thompson-Jennings posed at her blog, Hound on the Hunt, a few weeks ago as "Even More Questions About Your Ancestors and Maybe A Few About You".

I'm looking forward to reading all the answers. Hope someone has compiled these. 

From the Rogers recipe box. Now - which Jean gave this recipe out? 

I think I know but if you ate these cookies too, please contact me. 

For my answers to questions 1-10, please follow this link to my July 20th post.. 

And for questions 11-15, please follow this link to my July 14th post.


QUESTIONS 16-20


16. If you’re into DNA which would you say you work on more? Genealogy or DNA? Or about the same? 

'Genealogy' more likely for my own families. To me, the DNA test results provide me with new information and some new genealogy tools, alongside the documents, and interviews, etc. And in genealogy research, the more tools the better. Of course, sometimes you start out with only DNA results, but confirmation usually involves other sources.  

17. Do you think that your genealogy is ever really done? 

No. I’m sure I’ll never run out of people and associated places and time periods to research. There’s always something new (old) and even new people to be found.

18. Did you ever search an ancestor’s name on the internet and you were surprised at what you found? 

I do have Google Alerts for many family names and places. That’s how I learned quite a while ago that one relative is a politician. That was a bit of a surprise. My dad would have liked to know this – he was quite political himself.

 19. Do you ever feel like your ancestors are nudging you in the right direction in your research?

Well…. I’m not usually thinking like that, but there have been times. Mostly in cemeteries, when it seems I’ve walked up and down the aisles fruitlessly searching for an hour, and ‘something says’ “make a little turn and look again”. ‘Aha!’  Then again, maybe like many of my ancestors, I’m just stubborn, and won’t give up.

20. If you could give one piece of advice to someone new to genealogy, what would you tell them?  


Enjoy the genealogy hunt! Yes, be methodical and thorough, yes, cite those sources. But never stop thinking of family history research as a chance to satisfy your curiosity about people and places you knew - and those you never knew in person - and, indeed, to meet new-to-you relatives and make genealogy friends too 

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - More Questions 1-10

Love this photograph of a woman and her dog. Don't they look smart! She's a mystery still, though I think she must be a Saggers or Staines relation. From my grandmother's album.

Last week it was time for more of Randy Seaver's Genealogy Fun at Genea-Musings. This month he's asking genealogists to answer the 20 questions Ellen Thompson-Jennings posed at her blog, Hound on the Hunt, a few weeks ago as "Even More Questions About Your Ancestors and Maybe A Few About You".

For my answers to questions 11-15, please follow this link to my July 14th post.

QUESTIONS 1-10

1. Which ancestor had the most children? It can be a couple or a single person.

I believe that is my second great grandparents with 11 children – Mary Ann Adams and Lancelot Rogers. But it seems too likely that for some older families (and even perhaps Mary Ann and Lancelot), there were babies I do not know about.

2. How many years have you been working on your genealogy/family history?

In an organized fashion? Since about 1988.

3. Do you collaborate with other genealogists on your family history?

Not that many are researching our families. One cousin, Ross Irwin, did ‘the’ research in Ireland and in Ontario on our Irwin-Livingston families from County Cavan, Ireland. When I started, I came across his queries and contacted him. He shared information on my family branch and I gave him updates.

4. Have you hired a professional genealogist to work on your family history? Even if it was just a small branch of the family.

No, but I would not rule this out.

5. If you have family heirlooms what’s your plan for their future?

I have lists of who should get what. I’m just reviewing these now. However, I think most things will eventually be ‘lost’ to the family. That’s why, on and off, I started writing about my ‘heirlooms’.  Now I wish I’d started out earlier and doing that all on-line. I should at least work on consolidating those I’ve done. Sigh… another genealogy project!

6. How many DNA companies have you tested with or transferred to? Have you tested at all the 5 major companies?

All 5 and a few more. Started out with the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation. That was the beginning, now 'the olden days'. Then 23andMe first when consumer testing was available. After that it snowballed.

7. Do you have an ancestor that had a successful business? Is it still in business?

None that are still in business. I think all, including all the farms but one, are out of family hands now.

8. How long ago was your last “genealogy/DNA happy dance?” 

Oh, about a month ago. I'm due another 😊 

9. Did you ever discover that a friend was also a distant cousin?

Indeed, while perusing a DNA match list for one of my genealogy students I saw my own name! And recently another student joined my classes. I was quite surprised to realize hearing her family story that she was a cousin (not DNA related). And while checking another genealogist's library and workbook lists, I realized we are likely related. But I haven't nailed down that connection yet. Always more to find.

10. Do you have a genealogy brick wall? Do you think you will be able to use DNA to work past it?

Yes, I do have some challenging families, the worst? Currently the Whites. Possibly someday DNA will help, so far it’s found me a few more recent cousins, but this is a very common English surname line. But I never give up.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - More Questions 11-15

Fun at the Photographers!

The Rogers children, 1950s, Vancouver, BC

It was Saturday Night again - and time for some more Genealogy Fun at Randy Seaver's Genea-Musings!! This Saturday he's asking genealogists to answer Part 3 of the 20 questions Ellen Thompson-Jennings posted at Hound on the Hunt two weeks ago - "Even More Questions About Your Ancestors and Maybe A Few About You" (27 June, 2019).

I'll catch up with the rest this week but here are my answers to #11-15. Check out Ellen's blog (link above) to see all the questions.

11. If money wasn’t an issue; where would you go to do genealogy research?

Sweden! 

Yes, I could do some research there, although now I do a lot on-line, but better yet, I could take my kids. We would see all the places their families lived, visit the churches, learn about the country, and likely meet some living family. Now, of course, I’d want us to go to Norway (there are a couple of Norwegians who married in), and Denmark and Iceland and Finland too. And maybe on the way home, we could hop over to Scotland? To get them a drink at the Canal Inn in Falkirk (our James and Judith Scott ran the Inn way back) and the Orkneys and the Hebrides. Lots of Scandinavian influence (and DNA) in those places.

12. Do you ever feel like you’re the only person researching your family?

Definitely! 

But the ease and lower prices of DNA kits for genealogy have interested some of the younger family members. I’m hoping they start branching out their own trees, and take up a surname or two.

13.Why do you think you’re interested in your family history and other family members might not be?

I grew up with some stories about my mum’s side of my family, but very few about my dad’s. And because of migration and geography, and since I’m one of the young cousins in my generation, I didn’t know my cousins or other closer relatives as many of my friends did. And I was always interested in history, especially Canadian history. I started genealogy to answer questions from Mum’s stories, but I think I got hooked when I realized I felt myself ‘finding family’ even though most were gone.

14. Do you intend to write about your genealogy/family history findings?

I do write about my family history finds – sometimes here on my blog or in a genealogical society journal, but much of my writing is still on my computers. I’m not thinking of ever writing ‘the one big family book’ though, perhaps several smaller books on the various lines, or a few special topics. I’m working on one right now about a set of family postcards, for example.

15. Did you ever make a genealogy mistake that caused you to have to prune your family tree?

Not yet! But then I think I’m pretty wary of adding people till I’ve got lots of evidence, perhaps because most of my family names are so common.  I do have a number of speculative files and trees. And a small collection of ‘not us!’ BMD certificates. (Mostly surname: White)