Discover Your Roots: 'Genealogy Just Ask' Updates on Substack

We have added an additional place to discover your roots! Genealogy Just Ask - Robin on Substack. We have put up seven posts so far, and that adds to your reading material. You can bounce back between here and Substack. To make it easier we will provide a rundown of posts. As you read, be sure to like, comment, and Restack, so I will know what posts appeal to you the most. Also, feel free to subscribe, and you will get the posts regularly in your email. Each of these posts showcases your dedication to preserving family histories, utilizing modern tools, and fostering connections across generations.

Welcome to My Substack, GenFriends! Let’s Find Your Ancestors Together (Feb 28)

You introduce your new Substack platform, expressing enthusiasm for guiding readers in genealogy and family history research. You highlight the availability of RootsTech 2025 sessions in the online library and outline upcoming topics, including utilizing FamilySearch's Full-Text Search, navigating the Research Wiki, and breaking down genealogy brick walls. You also mention insights from your genealogy books and encourage community engagement by inviting readers to share their RootsTech class interests.

Global Keepsakes at FamilySearch.org (Mar 2)

This post guides readers on creating visual family trees using FamilySearch’s Global Keepsakes. You provide step-by-step instructions on selecting from over 80 unique designs, customizing visibility preferences, adjusting background opacity, and choosing the starting person for the tree. You emphasize the meaningfulness of preserving and celebrating heritage through these visual representations.

Finding Comfort and Connection Through Family Photos (Mar 2)

You share a personal story about receiving cherished photos of your husband's parents, Archie and Inez McClure. The experience of uploading these photos to FamilySearch and sharing them on social media led to a profound sense of connection and the feeling of their presence during challenging times. You encourage readers to preserve family photos and share them, highlighting how these images can strengthen familial bonds and keep memories alive.
A Prayer Answered in Color (Mar 3)

In this heartfelt narrative, you recount how your husband, Ellis, prayed to see colorized versions of black-and-white photos of his parents. Remarkably, shortly after his prayer, a friend sent colorized versions of those very photos using an app called AI Hug & Photo Enhancer, Evoke. This experience reinforced your belief in the enduring presence of ancestors and the power of modern technology to bring historical images to life, deepening connections across generations.

Create Stunning Photo Collages with Ease! (Mar 5)

You introduce FamilySearch’s Photo Collage Creator as a user-friendly tool for designing and sharing beautiful collages. The post provides instructions on selecting designs, adding photos from FamilySearch Memories or personal devices, and customizing the collage. You highlight the versatility of the tool for various occasions, such as family memories, celebrations, social media posts, and gifts, encouraging readers to have fun while preserving their heritage.

Capture Their Story: Encouraging Young People to Interview Relatives Before It's Too Late (Mar 8)

This post emphasizes the importance of young people interviewing older relatives to preserve family stories before they are lost. You discuss the urgency of capturing these memories, the benefits of strengthening intergenerational relationships, and provide practical steps for conducting successful interviews. Suggestions include choosing the right person, creating a comfortable setting, planning thoughtful questions, recording the conversation, and preserving the stories through various mediums like memory books or video montages.

Remembering John Patterson: A Family Story of Strength and Resilience (Mar 12)

You delve into the life of your ancestor, John Patterson, brother of your great-grandmother, Mary Liza Patterson Foster. The narrative traces the family's journey from North Carolina to Mississippi post-enslavement and John's later years in Missouri. Through interviews with relatives like Johnnie Mae Wright Davis and examination of documents such as John's death certificate, you paint a picture of resilience and determination. You reflect on physical resemblances and the ongoing quest to uncover more about the Patterson family's origins, inspiring others to explore and honor their own family histories.