Our Growing Family Tree

When Genealogy Stops Being Solitary: The Ellen McAuliffe Story

January 19, 2026

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This post explores genealogical collaboration between the author in Cincinnati and a DNA cousin in Brisbane, Australia. Together, they’re researching whether Ellen McAuliffe (Brooklyn, 1857) and Margaret McAuliffe (Australia, 1845) were sisters, both daughters of Florence McAuliffe and Ellen Healey from Listowel, County Kerry, Ireland. Using DNA matches across multiple…

StoryTeller Tuesday Challenge: An Ordinary Day in the Plunkett Household

January 12, 2026

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Kirsten M. Max-Douglas

At 418 Van Brunt Street in Brooklyn’s Red Hook waterfront neighborhood, an ordinary day for the Plunkett household began with the sounds of dock work in January 1875. Peter operated as a middleman in the rag trade while Julia managed eight children at home. Every family member played a role…

Beyond the Barbed Wire: What Stephen Marcisak’s POW Journal Reveals About Survival

January 11, 2026

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Kirsten M. Max-Douglas

On April 29, 1945, Lieutenant Stephen Marcisak watched a Sherman tank roll through the gates of Stalag VII-A and wrote in his POW journal: “ALLIES TAKE OVER – FREE.” That journal (actually two versions documenting his 435 days as a prisoner of war) reveals what official military records never could.…

Declaring My Bold Genealogy Goals 2026: Accountability Starts Now

January 11, 2026

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Kirsten M. Max-Douglas

After a successful first year as a genealogy blogger—including selection for Robin Stewart’s GenStack Anthology—I’m declaring my bold genealogy goals for 2026 with public accountability. This year focuses on certification preparation through National Genealogical Society courses in old handwriting and transcription skills, preparing me for the Advanced Skills in Genealogy…

Storyteller Tuesday Challenge: A Turning Point: When Everything Changed at No. 6 Östad

January 5, 2026

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Kirsten M. Max-Douglas

Sometimes a turning point doesn’t announce itself with fanfare—it arrives quietly, in the realization of an unexpected pregnancy. In the spring of 1866, two nineteen-year-olds lived and worked at the same farm in Näsum, Sweden: Sven Mattisson and Sissa Andersdotter. When Sissa became pregnant, Swedish church records documented what happened…

Sixteen Years Old and Brave Beyond Measure: Why I Admire My Great-Aunt Alma

January 4, 2026

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Kirsten M. Max-Douglas

When I was sixteen, my biggest worries revolved around my high school classes, whether the cute boy outside Moeller High School noticed me, and getting my first job at McDonald’s. My great-aunt Alma Svensson was also sixteen once. But on January 11, 1912, she boarded the S.S. Oscar II in…

Hello Again: The Genealogist Behind These Stories

January 3, 2026

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Kirsten M. Max-Douglas

Hello again! As I begin my second year of the #52Ancestors challenge, I wanted to re-introduce myself and share who I am as a genealogist. I’m the researcher behind Our Growing Family Tree, where I’ve spent 25+ years tracing my Irish, Slovak, Polish, and Swedish immigrant ancestors. This genealogy blog…

Memorable Genealogy Year: A Year of Growth and Discovery

December 28, 2025

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Kirsten M. Max-Douglas

When I started this year’s #52Ancestors challenge, I knew I was committing to write 52 blog posts about my ancestors. What I didn’t know was how this memorable genealogy year would transform me as a genealogist, writer, researcher, and storyteller. From finally discovering what happened to my great-grandmother Julia Knysz…

Our Growing Family Tree

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