Jeanie DiLeonardo's Blog – July 2009 Archive (3)

I happened to notice this Slate headline: Gates and Crowley Share DNA - So What?



Had a discussion over lunch with a friend about it. I touched on three things that the article brought to mind.



The first thing I thought when I read the article was: are you kidding? I've spent hours adding up to YEARS researching my family, and… Continue

As I mentioned in response to "Too Many Groups," most of my greatest progress in research has come as a result of focusing on location more than surnames in general. This approach has helped me make connections that I really am sure I couldn't have made otherwise. It has also enriched my appreciation for different communities in the United States and Canada, and what makes them unique. I've learned more about their geographies, histories, cultures, etc. It has made genealogy more meaningful to… Continue

File this under "Pet Peeves" if you like, but one of the things that drives me just a little bit nuttier every time I see it is when people use "USA" as a location for ancestors born, married, living or died before there actually was such a political entity.



Now, I realize I could be accused of being a bit nitpicky over this, but every time I see it, one of the voices in my head screams "THERE WAS NO USA IN 1752!!!!" (or whatever date before at least 4 Jul 1776, which is leeway I… Continue