Hi there! I'm Lisa Lisson, and I'm passionate about helping people like you discover their ancestors and expand their family tree without feeling overwhelmed or uncertain about the next steps.
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Missing clues in your family records? 🔍
Published 30 days ago • 3 min read
Welcome to the Are You My Cousin? newsletter! Each week, I share actionable genealogy research advice to help you grow a healthy - and accurate - family tree. Did someone forward this to you? Subscribe so you never miss an issue.
Hi Reader,
I'm packing my bags and heading to RootsTech 2025 in Salt Lake City this week, and I'm so excited to be able to connect with many of you in person!
One of my favorite spots at RootsTech is the Expo Hall. That's where I not only connect with genealogy friends but also get to see the new products and services in the genealogy world. After the conference, I will be creating new videos demonstrating the new things I find and my takeaways from the conference. Be sure and subscribe to my Youtube channel to say in the know!
As I've been preparing my presentation materials, I've been reflecting on how the smallest details in our ancestors' records that are often overlooked can lead to our biggest breakthroughs. That's why this week's newsletter is all about becoming a better "document detective" and finding all the clues in an ancestor's document.
🤝 AFFILIATE SPOTLIGHT - MYHERITAGE
UPLOAD YOUR DNA TO MYHERITAGE!
If you or your family members have already taken a DNA test with another provider, you can upload the DNA data to MyHeritage and enjoy advanced DNA features for free, forever!
It’s the perfect opportunity to explore MyHeritage’s recently updated Ethnicity Estimate model, which almost doubled the number of percentage ethnicities from 42 to 79!
[This is a limited time offer and expires March 9th (11:59 P.M.)]
I've just released two new resources to help you become a better document detective and ensure you are extracting every last clue from your genealogy records.
Have you ever stared at a census page, only to realize months later you completely missed an important detail? In this comprehensive guide, I walk through why we miss critical information (hint: it's not just you!) and share my 7-steps for analyzing documents like a professional genealogist.
What record have you found most challenging to fully analyze? Hit reply and let me know - I might feature your question in an upcoming video!
📅ON THE CALENDAR
ROOTSTECH 2025 - 6-9 March 2025
RootsTech 2025 is THIS WEEK!!!! Whether you are attending in-person or virtually, you are in for a treat. Find everything you need to know on the RootsTech website and/or the RootsTech app on your phone.
DNA DISCOVERIES
24 March - 24 April 2025 (Online Event)
My friends over at Family Tree are excited to announce the programme for the second annual DNA DISCOVERIES event, taking place online from 24 March to 24 April 2025. Watch for more details in an upcoming newsletter.
One of the most frustrating research scenarios is when your ancestor seems to vanish from records—even though you know they didn't move. The solution might be simpler than you think: your ancestor didn't move, but the county lines did!
Throughout American history, counties have been continuously created, dissolved, merged, and had their boundaries redrawn. This means your ancestor could have lived in the same house their entire life, been recorded in 2-3 different counties over time, all without ever packing a single box or moving an inch.
This boundary-shifting can create a research challenge. If you're searching for records in County A when your ancestor's farm actually fell into newly formed County B after a certain date, those vital records, deeds, and tax lists will seem to have vanished.
When your ancestor seems to disappear from records:
Determine the exact county boundaries for each time period you're researching
Identify all "parent" counties (the original counties that contributed land to form new ones)
Check records in ALL potential counties for the time period
Look for boundary disputes that might have created record confusion
Understanding the details and nuances of county formations is an important and frequently overlooked part of research.
✏️GENEALOGY RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
THE FAMILYSEARCH WIKI
The FamilySearch Wiki is an essential tool for efficient genealogy research. This free resource contains detailed information on records, research strategies, and historical context for locations worldwide.
I particularly value the U.S. county pages, which provide formation dates, boundary changes, and available records - critical details when tracking ancestors across changing jurisdictions. Whether you're researching in a familiar location or venturing into new territory, you want to use the Wiki as a starting point to understand what records exist and where to find them.
Ready to find more clues in your family records? Start by revisiting one document you've already found and apply these techniques - you might be surprised what new details emerge!
Actionable genealogy advice that you'll want to save in a special Gmail folder to grow your healthy family tree, sent weekly to 10,000+ readers.
Hi there! I'm Lisa Lisson, and I'm passionate about helping people like you discover their ancestors and expand their family tree without feeling overwhelmed or uncertain about the next steps.
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Welcome to the Are You My Cousin? newsletter! Each week, I share actionable genealogy research advice to help you grow a healthy - and accurate - family tree. Did someone forward this to you? Subscribe so you never miss an issue. Hi Reader, Genealogy research rarely follows a straight path—some days we're deep in document analysis, others we're tracking surname changes, and sometimes we're exploring new research tools or connecting with local libraries. This wonderful unpredictability is what...
Welcome to the Are You My Cousin? newsletter! Each week, I share actionable genealogy research advice to help you grow a healthy - and accurate - family tree. Did someone forward this to you? Subscribe so you never miss an issue. Hi Reader, Last week was a double celebration for me – not only was it my birthday (hello, new year of life!), but I also launched my completely redesigned website. 🎉 Consider this my birthday gift to you – a more intuitive, streamlined experience that makes finding...
