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“Everything is relative except relatives,
and they are absolute.”

-Alfred Steiglitz

Family history is a way to bring our ancestors to life.

This blog details my journey as a genealogist and is a means to record my notes, recent discoveries, and the stories of my ancestors. The goal of Relatively is to inspire other family historians to preserve and share their own family stories.

RECENT POSTS

countdown to certification

I’m on the Clock!

The countdown has begun — I’m officially on the clock! I submitted my preliminary application to the Board for Certification of Genealogists, kicking off the…

Elizabeth (Madden) McKnight and twin boys John and Frank. |

Photogenetic: My Earliest Known McKnight Ancestors

My father’s cousin, Ann Dalton provided me with photos of my earliest known McKnight Ancestors – Elizabeth (Madden) McKnight and twin boys, John and Frank.

collage of Viola and her vital records

Viola’s Vital Records Vitally Misleading

Vital records are often the first documents researchers turn to when investigating family history. These records are crucial to genealogical research because they document significant…

Twenty-One Souls Hidden in Plain Sight at Green-Wood Cemetery

Twenty-One Souls Hidden in Plain Sight at Green-Wood Cemetery

As a genealogist, one of my favorite places to visit is cemeteries. While that might seem odd to some, there’s so much to learn about…

Citizen Alfred Knowles

Citizen Alfred Knowles

It’s unclear when most of my ancestors became American citizens. Some immigrated to the U.S. before the American Revolution, while others arrived as late as…

Ewart's Hotel

John Ewart’s Golden Opportunity

Lured by the excitement of gold discoveries in America, Australia, and in the newly settled colony of New Zealand, my 4x great-uncle, John Ewart, and…

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