[Genealogy] Tips of Day, Stories Becoming Truth, Username Clues, and more

Wed Apr 22 09:11:31 CDT 2026

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Genealogy Update 22 April 2026

** Recent Genealogy Tips of the Day
** When the Story Becomes the Truth
** Clues in the DNA Account Username
** Keep Getting the Update
** Webinars

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Recent Genealogy Tips of the Day
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   - Simple Ways to Break Through
   <https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/04/21/simple-ways-to-break-through-2/>
   - A Cheat Sheet
   <https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/04/19/a-cheat-sheet-2/>
   - Vetting Your Feathered Wildcard Approach
   <https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/04/18/vetting-your-feathered-wildcard-approach/>
   - Registers versus Certificates
   <https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/04/17/registers-versus-certificates/>
   - AncestryDNA Webinar
   <https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/04/16/ancestrydna-webinar/>
   - Opening Up After a Death
   <https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/04/16/opening-up-after-a-death/>
   - Migration Streams
   <https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/04/15/migration-streams-2/>
   - Occupation Specific
   <https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/04/14/occupation-specific/>
   - Prioritizing Acquaintances
   <https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/04/13/prioritizing-acquaintances/>
   - Brick Wall Busters 2026
   <https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/04/12/brick-wall-busters-2026/>
   - At a Long-Ago Event
   <https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/04/12/at-a-long-ago-event/>
   - Clues to Burial in Probate File?
   <https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/04/11/clues-to-burial-in-probate-file/>
   - Introduction to Artificial Intelligence for Genealogy
   <https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/04/10/introduction-to-artificial-intelligence-for-genealogy/>
   - Be Specific
   <https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/04/10/be-specific-4/>
   - Died At Some Point in Some Place
   <https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/04/09/died-at-some-point-in-some-place/>
   - Neighbors as Memory Prompts
   <https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/04/08/neighbors-as-memory-prompts-2/>

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When the Story Becomes the Truth
--------------------------------

I’ve taken an ancestral incident in Kentucky in the early 19th century and
turned it into a bedtime story for my grandson.

I did not review the records of the resulting court case before I started
telling the story. There was no preconceived plan to tell the story. I just
started one afternoon when it was naptime and a book was not within reach.

The story had been told several times before I reviewed the actual records.
My concern when telling it had been to keep it age appropriate and not
overly detailed. The story originated from a court case over the theft of
some hogs in Kentucky in the 1810s. I took out some of the gruesome details
involving the actual butchering of the hogs and the inclination of my
ancestor to attempt to murder the perpetrators of the crime.

I knew before looking at the court records that the story I told my
grandson was not the story given in the court records. But I thought I knew
what the actual story was.

I was wrong. There were details I thought were in the court records that
were not. Sometimes my memory was close to what was in the records. Other
times it seemed I had consumed too much Kentucky bourbon when I read the
records the in the first place (I had not).

I’m a fan of telling children stories of their ancestors–just make them age
appropriate. It is a great way to potentially generate some interest in
family history. If you’ve altered the story slightly, just remember that
you’ve done it.

The lesson? The reminder? Our memories of events can easily be incorrect
and it’s important to review any materials before quoting them, discussing
them, or analyzing them.

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Clues in the DNA account username?

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DNA matches that have no trees or whose submitters fail to respond can be a
challenge to those working through their genealogy DNA matches. Sometimes
there’s a clue in that username that may help you to determine who that
match likely is.

These approaches are best done after you’ve worked on matches that you can
determine. That work usually allows a researcher to have an idea of what
general part of your tree a match is from. Two treeless matches with
submitters who did not respond were likely determined using their username.
Unfortunately those usernames did not appear to be the actual name of the
submitter.

In both cases, the shared matches that I had with the match in question
allowed me to know which portion of DNA testee’s tree the match was related
through. That helped.

*The MySpacer*

This match was known to connect to the test kit submitter through the
submitter’s maternal grandmother. The connection to the kit submitter was
in the second-third cousin range and not someone who could easily be
identified as closer matches were. This match had no tree and did not
respond to a couple of contact attempts. A Google search was conducted for
their username that was used for their DNA results. It turned out an old
MySpace account had the same user name. Looking at the public information
on that page (including their actual name) provided enough identifying
information that the match’s identity and relationship to the DNA kit I
managed could be determined.

*Named for my parents*

This match was known to connect to my DNA results through one of my
paternal great-grandfathers George Trautvetter. The username, which I have
changed, was of the form “bobandesmerelda.” There was no attached tree and
no response to communication. In reviewing all the descendants of George
Trautvetter’s grandfather (also a George Trautvetter), I located a deceased
great-granddaughter named Esmerelda who I had not researched any further.
Information on her indicated her husband was named Robert. While I’m not
certain exactly who the match is, it seems possible that the submitter
named the account for their parents–Bob and Esmerelda. The genealogical
cousinship I have with Esmerelda is consistent with the predicted
relationship range based upon the shared DNA. Not 100% proof, but
suggestive enough for me to classify the match as determined.

In both cases, my analysis is in my DNA match notes so that I remember
later exactly how these matches were determined and can re-evaluate later
if necessary.

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Introduction to Artificial Intelligence for Genealogy

 ------------------------------------------------------------

Been curious about using artificial intelligence for your genealogy
research? In this hour-long session, we will provide an overview of
responsible and simple ways to use artificial intelligence to assist with
your genealogy research. Our focus will be practical, easy-to-follow
techniques to use artificial intelligence to jumpstart your research in a
responsible manner. We won’t talk about ways to create images or fiction
but will show you how to incorporate AI into your research in down-to-earth
ways that don’t waste your time. We will see how to use AI to get research
ideas, focus your research, transcribe handwriting, organize and extract
information—and how to create your own research prompts.

AI can be used as a research assistant that’s always available. See how to
take advantage of it without the hype. Available 24 April  (revised date).

 Pre-order price is $22
<https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=2DJMKLMETRABQ>
—order yours today
<https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=2DJMKLMETRABQ>.
Price after 24 April is $30.

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Brick Wall Busters 2026--New!
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This hour-long presentation is geared towards advanced beginning or
intermediate genealogists. Our focus will be on problems in the United
States between roughly 1700 and 1900. Brick wall ideas will be pulled from
consultations with clients and personal research experience. Approaches
will be practical and down-to-earth. Presentation approach will be through
a series of examples from a variety of time periods, locations, and social
classes. Handout included. Presentation made by Michael John Neill.

Presentation (video/audio) and handout will be released for viewing on 24
April 2026 (revised date). Pre-order price is $22–order today
<https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=E26EPTPJ3C7AU>.
Price after 24 April 2026 will be $30.

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------------------------------------
Michael John Neill
Genealogy Tip of the Day
PO Box 17, Henderson, IL 61439
http://www.genealogytipoftheday.com
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