The Determination of an Immigrant Family: Part II
[I wrote this essay for my high school's literary magazine this past spring, and it tells the story of my family's escape from Vietnam on a tiny fishing boat. The essay was so long that I decided to divide it into two, and this is the second part.] In total, the boat...
The Determination of an Immigrant Family: Part I
[I wrote this essay for my high school's literary magazine this past spring, and it tells the story of my family's escape from Vietnam on a tiny fishing boat. The essay was so long that I decided to divide it into two parts; the second part of this essay will be...
Memories of my Great-Great Grandmother
Hello! My name is Tyler’s Lineage and it has been over a year since my last blog post for the Hidden Branch. I’m so glad to be back! To celebrate, I want to write about what originally sparked my interest in genealogy - when I met my great-great-grandmother (or my...
MyHeritage Photo Tools: The Unofficial TARDIS
So one way or another, you've probably heard about the MyHeritage photo tools. This started a whole episode of excitement to try these tools out. To this day, they are some of the most exciting things you can try out on old photos. I'm always (along with many others)...
Where Your German Ancestor’s Resume is Hiding
My family was quick to dismiss our German ancestors as “all just farmers.” It was not until after researching German church records that I found various roles that my ancestors played in their villages. You might be able to find the same for your ancestors and reveal...
Mapping Your Surname through Time
Now, if you're someone who's not based in Ireland but does roots in the Emerald Isle but you're hitting the time where it's getting harder to trace your ancestors in Ireland (pre Civil Registration in 1864) you might be wondering how to pin your surname in question to...
Evolution of Race Labels in the U.S. Census
In honor of the 1950 census records release, let’s talk about the history of the census. The first United States Census was taken in the year 1790. Every 10 years since the U.S. Bureau of Commerce has conducted a census, collecting the population data of the...
Pinpointing Tenant Farmer Ancestors in the USA
Sometimes, finding where a farmer ancestor lived is not as easy as discovering a land deed. Many farmers were landless, raising crops and livestock on rented land, subject to certain financial arrangements. These tenant farmers frequently moved from place to place,...
Review of History For Genealogists (revised ed. 2016)
When Judy Jacobson's team reached out to The Hidden Branch in search of a book review for History For Genealogists (revised ed. 2016), I was delighted. Not only do I love the combination of reading and genealogy, but as a history major who loves providing context for...