EasyGenie

05/17/2026

Genealogists live for brick wall breakthroughs of vexing research questions. The family who appears in the 1880 census for the first time fully formed, without any previous evidence of existence. The 3G grandmother whose maiden name remains unknown despite years of research. The Revolutionary War-era soldier whose service at the Battle of Trenton is recorded, but whose paper trail goes cold after 1781.

What are your brick wall mysteries you are trying to solve?

05/15/2026

"According to family sources, not only is Sundling not familiar with his family’s heritage and history, but the 29-year-old also appears more emotionally attached to the fictional characters in his comic books than to many of his blood relatives." (The Onion)

LA CROSSE, WI—Returning to his hometown to attend a cousin’s wedding Saturday, Josh Sundling, 29, reportedly demonstrated on numerous occasions a vast, far more intricate understanding of the fictional Marvel Comics Universe than of his own family’s genealogy.

05/15/2026

Genealogy section at the legendary in Portland. Some unusual out of print items in the stacks!

05/13/2026

Ian spotted this fading Victorian in rural New York last summer. There were workmen in and out of the building, but it's uncertain if it was being prepared for repair or demolition. (YouTube)

✅ FREE genealogy PDF to print out: https://easygenie.org/products/digital-download-5-generation-pedigree-chart-research-log✅ FREE genealogy newsletter: https...

05/11/2026

Conspiracies abound regarding the pirates, who launched their attack on the remote village of Baltimore in southwest Ireland in June 1631. At least 107 villagers were sold into slavery in North Africa. Only 3 would ever return. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sack_of_Baltimore

05/09/2026

What do you think? Ancestry has launched a digitization service for photos, videos, and other media. It's on a per-item basis, not a subscription, with photos and documents costing $0.49 apiece and videos and tapes $14.99.

05/07/2026

From inside the former Back of the Barn antique shop in Remsen, NY. The shop closed last November after some 40 years in business and the owners decided to retire. There was always something interesting on the shelves that seemed to stretch on and on and on.

05/06/2026

Do you have any letters in your family history archive that look like this? Ian explains how the technique was used to save money on postage in the 1800s. (YouTube)

37 likes, 1 comment. "How people saved money on postage in the 1800s: Crosswriting"

05/04/2026

While other photographers feature posed figures, Charles G. Hine preferred to catch them unawares, and especially in motion through the city, hustling through the crowds of pedestrians. https://www.nyhistory.org/blogs/hine-remarkable-1905-photo-album

05/02/2026

The Wallace brothers were always a tricky pair. Via U.S. census records, we knew that John, the elder brother, came from England. His wife Sarah was born in Ireland. This family emigrated to Canada at some point in the 1850s or early 1860s, settling in Ontario near Niagara Falls where they had 4 children. The family crossed the border in the early 1870s, ending up in Niagara County, New York. They prospered there, and had two more children. This wonderful portrait shows members of the extended clan in the mid 1890s. (Via the free EasyGenie genealogy newsletter)

04/30/2026

A new history mystery is on tap for the next newsletter. Source: a local history museum in northern New York. We are happy to report not even silicon valley AIs were able to guess what it is!

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