Category: 52 Ancestors
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He Stayed: One Man’s Quiet Life in Sweden
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Not every ancestor chased adventure. Some stayed. Sven Svensson lived a quiet life in rural Sweden for ninety-two years, and without it, none of the dramatic stories in my family tree exist. Born illegitimate in 1867 in Näsum parish, he spent decades as a farmhand and stone worker, moving between…
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A Box, Two Extracts, One Unexpected Discovery
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I inherited a box of family papers from my uncle, Eva Marcisak Dubinsky’s son, and set it aside for two years. In early April 2026, I finally went through it. What I found was an unexpected discovery I wasn’t prepared for: two formal church-issued baptismal extracts for children of my…
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A Brick Wall Revisited: Ten Hours, Seven Suspects, One Direction
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The mystery of Clifford Max’s father has been one of my most stubborn brick wall revisited genealogy cases for years. Clifford was born June 18, 1929, to Myrtle June Thompson in Edwardsville, Illinois. His father was never named on any record. DNA testing points clearly to the Pitts family of…
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The Family Pattern I Didn’t See Until Now
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The theme for Week 13 of the #52Ancestors challenge is “A Family Pattern.” I have been turning that phrase over since I first read it. Naming patterns are everywhere in my family tree. Occupations repeat. Migration routes repeat. But none of that is what has been on my mind. What…
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My Childhood Home in Lynbrook, New York
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My childhood home in Lynbrook, New York wasn’t the oldest house in my family’s story — that distinction belongs to the Brooklyn duplex my great-great-grandparents bought in 1905. But it was the first place I remember. A white clapboard house on the south shore of Long Island, where I lived…
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WWII POW Aftermath: The Haunting Collapse of a Promising Army Officer
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In January 1940, Stephen Marcisak walked into a recruiting office in Fort Bliss, Texas, and enlisted in the Regular Army. Within two years, his commanding officer described him as “highly intelligent,” “direct,” and “forceful” — a natural leader destined for greater things. By December 1942, he had earned his commission…
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The Truth About Oäkta in some Swedish Birth Records
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The first time I found oäkta in Swedish birth records, I felt something close to embarrassment. My ancestor’s story, I assumed, was one she would have wanted hidden. I was wrong. Sissa Andersdotter was twenty years old when her son Sven was born in 1867 in Näsum parish, Sweden. The…
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RootsTech 2026 Day 2: Five Advanced Sessions and One Very Tired Brain
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RootsTech 2026 Day 2 was a full day — and a heavy one. Seven sessions, most of them Advanced/Professional level, plus a running battle with the session calendar to figure out what to watch now, what to move to replay, and what to add to the wish list for next…
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When Your Mom & Dad Disagree: Conflicting Evidence in Genealogy
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Two naturalization papers. The same daughter. Two completely different birthdays. When my great-grandfather Vasil Marcisak filed his Petition for Naturalization in 1935, he listed his daughter Eva’s birth date as March 4, 1911. Eight years later, Eva’s mother Anna filed her own petition and recorded May 15, 1911. One of…
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Why Attending RootsTech 2026 Virtually Is the Right Move Right Now
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Six years ago, I started attending RootsTech virtually. I haven’t looked back. With nearly 300 sessions completed, I’ve learned that virtual attendance isn’t a consolation prize — it’s a legitimate, powerful way to engage with the world’s largest genealogy conference. This year, attending RootsTech 2026 virtually is my deliberate, strategic…