Category Archives: Research Tips

Howell’s in the Censuses – Henry, Gideon, and Peter

Posted on September 21, 2025 by Don Taylor

Exploring the census records of Henry, Gideon, and Peter Howell in Buckingham County, Virginia, to uncover clues about the father of Peter M. Howell (1805–1865). This research examines 1840–1870 census evidence, agricultural schedules, and possible family connections. Continue reading →

Posted in Brick Wall Ancestors, Howell-Hobbs, Censuses | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Breathing New Life into Old Blurry Photos with AI

Posted on August 12, 2025 by Don Taylor

Tuesday’s TipsBy Don Taylor Sometimes I’m genuinely astonished by what new technology can accomplish. Recently, a friend asked if I could help clean up a couple of old, blurry images that had been cropped from a much larger family photograph. … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, Research Tips | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Using mtDNA to Tackle a Maternal Brick Wall:

Posted on April 16, 2025 by Don Taylor

Exploring mtDNA matches to solve the mystery of Fanny Taylor’s maternal origins, I traced several exact matches but found no direct link—yet. This post outlines recent findings, including surnames from match lines and next research steps. The goal: to break through the maternal brick wall that is Fanny Taylor (1806–1889). Continue reading →

Posted in mtDNA, Brick Wall Ancestors, DNA & Genetic Genealogy, Research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ancestry, The 1950 Census, &  Grandma Donna

Posted on May 31, 2022 by Don Taylor

Tuesday’s Tips By Don Taylor I received an email from Ancestry that indicated due to their “proprietary AI technology,” they have an early index of the records. My recollection said it took several months to index the 1940 census ten … Continue reading →

Posted in Brown-Montran, Research Tips | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Finding Canada Census images.

Posted on April 14, 2022 by Don Taylor

Tuesday’s Tips By Don Taylor During my recent research into William Francis Halcro, I needed Canada Census Records. Certainly, Ancestry.Com has the records, but it requires a World Explorer membership. I don’t do enough research outside of the United States … Continue reading →

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