2026 Genealogy Updates

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Over the past few years, I have continued researching genealogy “in the background”, but homeschooling, moving in 2020, our co-op, household responsibilities, farm & animal care have taken up a lot of my time. I hope to post more, and consolidate a couple of my older genealogy blogs: Needham Family Genealogy & Potato Roots. Here are some long term genealogy projects that I am currently working on:

Irish genealogy ☘️

Co. Cork Map Segment, courtesy of https://griffiths.askaboutireland.ie/

Land plotting with maps using Griffith’s valuation, historical maps, and modern mapping technology to identify landmarks and locations. John Grenham’s website has been very helpful. The above image shows numbered land plots which correspond with the Griffith’s valuation. This project has become more urgent with plans to visit Ireland (hopefully in 2027)! On April 18th 2026, the 1926 Ireland Census is going to be released to the public, so I am already working on my list of ancestors and relatives to look for.

Ireland baptism & marriage records. Thanks to the National Archives of Ireland and FamilySearch, many records for baptisms and marriages are available online. I have tracked down parishes that still exist and am hoping to visit and attend Mass in some of the churches that my direct ancestors were married and/or baptized in.

DNA 🧬

Mostly using AncestryDNA these days, but I have a GEDMatch account also, and have been in touch with some cousins in Ireland over the past couple of years. Through that we have broken a few brick walls and went back further than I ever thought possible through the paper trail. I try to keep up on DNA webinars and learning opportunities. AI technology is changing some of the methods already, so the industry is rapidly evolving. (AI is also speeding up transcribing records so incredibly fast.)

On the New England front: more land platting! This time involving deeds, wills, & old and new maps for overlaying. I am primarily focused on ancestors in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. I have been using Ancestry and FS for a lot of these records. It is extremely gratifying to find the very place where you know your ancestors spent their lives. Between that and finding their graves, those are honestly the most emotional experiences of researching for me.

SAR Sons of the American Revolution at a DAR service at Cathedral of the Pines in Rindge, NH, August 2023.

DAR 🇺🇸

I joined the Daughters of the American Revolution in 2023 after many years researching my direct ancestor Peter Howe (sometimes spelled How) of NH, and have so enjoyed getting to know the ladies in the Mary Varnum-Platts Peterborough-Rindge chapter here in NH. A lot of efforts go into fundraising for local scholarships. Even more special was that my Mom joined with me! Our chapter meets monthly and has had some great speakers and discussions. I need to rack up some volunteer hours, so hoping to do some research for prospective members this year. With 2026 being the 250th anniversary of our country, it is an important and exciting milestone to celebrate our patriot ancestors.

Rootstech is March 4th-7th, so I will be glued to my screens, attending sessions virtually! It looks like many sessions are in person only this year, definitely tempting me to plan a trip for a future Rootstech conference. I wonder though, if it’s best to go for research at a different time when the library may not be as busy for research side quests. 🤔

American Ancestors exhibit in Boston

Also in March I signed up for a multi week class from NEHGS on Irish Church & Civil record research. Hoping to get some tips, and maybe think of new stones I haven’t turned over yet. 🪨 In 2025, I was able to visit NEHGS and American Ancestors in Boston in person, and I hope to visit again soon for some library research and seeing the new exhibit on the ancestry of Pope Leo XIV.

Well, that post was long, but it is a summary of things I’ve been working on over a long period of time. Hoping to plan some cemetery & historical society visits this spring and summer to various locations in MA and NH, when the snow finally melts! Until then, classes and research will keep me busy in my spare time.

Summer Genealogy ideas

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During the long hot summer, it is an excellent time to plan genealogical field trips. Visiting cemeteries is best done in good weather. Take photos of headstones instead of rubbing, and try taking pictures from multiple angles. Consider visiting indoor Repositories to enjoy the air conditioning while researching (although some local ones may not be equipped in New England at least).

I have planned vacations around stopping at specific towns where ancestors lived and/ or were buried, and historical societies. Or bring along some journals for beach reading! There are also many helpful webinars online, so you can brush up on a variety of genealogical topics in the comfort of your home.

Of course, if you are having family parties or get togethers, don’t forget to take a few photos and write down some shared memories or stories from your elders.

NERGC 2019

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Earlier this month I had the opportunity to attend the Saturday sessions for NERGC, the New England Regional Genealogical Conference, which is held bi-annually. This year it was held in Manchester, NH, and in 2021 it is scheduled to be held in Springfield, MA. I was thrilled to attend talks held by Thomas W. Jones and Blaine Bettinger. I especially enjoyed the DNA chromosome mapping talk by Blaine Bettinger, as I delve more into the study of DNA.

The luncheon, sponsored by NEHGS, featured the Great Migration Study Project and it was an honor to hear Robert Charles Anderson discuss his 30 years of work on it and his hopes for the future of it. This included the introduction of a new interactive map feature available through American Ancestors which eventually plans to track early settlers from their places of origin in England to New England.

Looking to the past

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 “Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.” — Deuteronomy 32:7

Welcome to my web site! I will include blog entries on current genealogy events as well as some interesting examples I come across in my own research.

It is a very exciting time to be involved in genealogical research, with many records becoming readily available online, and DNA knowledge and technology rapidly expanding. It is also a time to think of preservation of materials that are not online, and are perhaps sitting in your own attic, for future generations.

An important thing to keep in mind when researching: don’t trust any one source at face value, but many unique sources that add up together can help to prove compelling cases.