Hi Reader,

We're heading into the final 10 weeks of 2025, and I've been thinking about research do-overs.

You know that ancestor you've been stuck on for years? The one where you've searched every obvious record, tried every database, followed every lead—and you're still at a dead end?

What if the problem isn't that you can't find the records? What if it's that you're building on a foundation you never verified?

I spent YEARS stuck on my 4th great-grandmother Sarah Blanks because I made one critical assumption at the very beginning of my research. I assumed she and Langley Talbott were actually married.

They weren't.

The clues were there all along—in the family Bible, in the will, in the census records. But I was so certain they were married that I never questioned it. I just continued to search for marriage records that never existed.

And it cost me years of frustration and dead ends.

Here's what finally broke it open: going back to the beginning like I knew nothing and questioning everything I thought was true.

​

📚 BLOG POST

THE CRITICAL MISTAKE KEEPING YOU STUCK

Most genealogists hit brick walls the same way: by accepting something as fact without ever verifying it. A family story. A "known" maiden name. A marriage everyone assumes happened. An immigration date passed down through generations.

The problem? Once you accept something as true, you stop looking for proof. You build your entire research strategy around that assumption. And when nothing fits, you blame the records—not your foundation.

Here's the shift that changes everything: You're not the same researcher you were when you started investigating that stuck ancestor. You have more experience now. Better instincts. Sharper analytical skills. When you revisit those same records with fresh eyes, you'll see details you completely missed before.

What you'll find in this post:

• The specific types of assumptions that keep researchers stuck for years
• How to identify which "facts" in your tree you've never actually verified
• My complete Sarah Blanks breakthrough story—from false assumption to grand jury summons

The bottom line: Sarah's marriage wasn't documented because it never happened. But I spent years searching for marriage records that didn't exist because I never questioned my starting assumption. Don't make the same mistake.

📖 Read the full story: Avoid This Critical Genealogy Mistake in Your Research

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📆MARK YOU CALENDARS

REGISTER FOR ROOTSTECH 2026

Registration is OPEN! Have you registered yet? You definitely want to join the world's largest family history conference free online and in person on March 5–7, 2026. It's three days of inspiring speakers and webinars to help you grow your family history research skills!

Register Here!

💡 QUICK WIN OF THE WEEK

THE 15-MINUTE BRICK WALL RESET

Pick your most frustrating stuck ancestor. This week, spend just 15 minutes writing down everything you "know" about them—facts, dates, relationships, places.

Then look at that list and ask: Which of these have I actually proven with primary sources?

That's it. No searching, no analyzing yet. Just identify what you're assuming vs. what you've verified.

Why this works: You'll probably realize you've been treating assumptions as facts. (I did for YEARS with Sarah Blanks.) Once you see it, you'll know exactly where to focus your research energy.

Hit "Reply" and let me know what you find!

That's it for this week—keeping it short and focused as we wrap up October.

Next week: I'm sharing an interview about creating family history legacies your descendants will actually want. Plus some Halloween fun to close out the month.

Keep questioning,
Lisa

P.S. The best time to challenge your assumptions? When you've been stuck long enough to be frustrated but not long enough to give up completely. That's your sweet spot.

Lisa Lisson Genealogy Researcher, Author & Speaker