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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

James Joseph McKnight

Poppy

On my last trip to New York, I visited a family member whom I hadn’t seen in a long time. Before I left, she handed…

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…

Brooklyn Navy Yard, 1911

Clarkson V. Hendrickson vs. the United States

My great-great-grandfather Clarkson V. Hendrickson, Sr., and Jasper Chisholm, a coworker, filed a claim against the United States in 1912 for payment of overtime work…

Carlton Norman Hendrickson Sr.

Just the Facts: Carlton Norman Hendrickson, Sr.

A brief look at the life of my paternal grandfather, Carlton Norman Hendrickson Sr. (1914–1976), with key facts and photographs.

Frances (Ewart) Hendrickson, Desiree Hendrickson and Hazel (Knowles) Ewart Rankin

Mum’s the Word

Today is Mother’s Day in the United States. As we celebrate and honor our mothers today, I’d like to share some photos of the mothers…

family heirlooms

Behind the Scenes: Preserving Family Heirlooms

A few years ago, my mother entrusted me with our family heirlooms. It included documents, photos, and various artifacts such as my grandfather’s military medals, his…

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