Saturday, November 15, 2025

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun -- Which Blog Article Helped, Touched and/or Impressed You?

Calling All Genea-Musings Fans:

It's Saturday Night again -

time for some more Genealogy Fun!!

Hey boys and girls, it's time for more genealogy fun.

Here is your assignment, should you decide to accept it (you ARE reading this, so I assume that you really want to play along - cue the Mission Impossible music!):

1) Review the last three or four "Best of the Genea-Blogs" posts (see https://www.geneamusings.com/search/label/BestofGeneaBlogs).

2) Pick one of the articles listed that either helped you with your research or your writing, and/or that touched your emotions, and/or you are really impressed by.

3) Tell us which article you picked (and link to it), and why you chose that article, and how it helped, touched or impressed you.

4) Tell us about it in your own blog post, in a comment to this blog post of mine, or in a comment on Twitter or Facebook in response to this post.

Here's mine:

A) I was impressed by Thomas MacEntee's article Blackstone’s Plans for Ancestry.com: What Could It Mean for Genealogists? on Genealogy Bargains . Thomas reviews the news information, provides some Ancestry.com history, analyzes why this may happen now, how will it affect Ancestry users, reviws lessons from other company histories, and offers key takeaways for genealogists. He did use Artificial Intelligence to frame the article but he assured the reader that the story was shaped by himself.

B) I was touched by Jenny Mackay's story Twenty Years of Silence on Jenny’s Scrapbook of Family History Stories. Yeah, it used AI, but she had to feed the information to the AI in order to get the story about Deborah Crawford's life, and have the AI make sense of the documents.

C) I was helped by Carole McCulloch's post The AI Genealogy Revolution: Streamlining Ancestor Profile Creation with Comet & Perplexity on Coach Carole Online . I had not tried the Comet browser on Perplexity, or the AI Assistant that is featured there, to make biographies of my wife's ancestors from an Ancestry, MyHeritage or FamilySearch profile page, and now I am using it occasionally.

Is it strange that the three articles I chose include an artificial intelligence flavor?

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The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/11/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-which-blog.html

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

A New Children's Book About Family History - "Too Tall Tilly"

I was contacted by the author of this children's book because I write about ancestors family stories, and I am happy to share the information about the book and about the author's.

The book is Too Tall Tilly be Melissa Beardall and Rebecca Nichols, illustrated by Emma Valenghi.

Here is a blog post written by Melissa Beardall to describe her book:

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How to Instill a Love of Genealogy in Children

As adults, many of us are passionate about genealogy. Our hearts race with excitement when we discover a new ancestor or when long-lost pieces of the puzzle finally come together. I was blessed to grow up in a family that instilled in me a deep sense of family pride.

Though my grandmother passed away before I was born, I grew up hearing stories about her life—stories that made me feel connected to her. I wanted to know everything about her. That same longing extended to other relatives who had gone before me. I was fascinated by old photographs, especially of the stone home my great-grandfather built. I loved seeing faces, learning their stories, and hearing who I resembled. I often wondered where my personality traits and quirks came from.

This joy—the thrill of discovery, the emotional connection to those who came before—is something so many of us feel. But if these stories aren’t told and retold, they risk being lost forever.

So how do we pass this love of family history on to our children—especially when they’re growing up in a very different world than we did?

Soon after my mother and I co-authored and published the book Twirl with Me, Mama!: Helping a Child Understand a Loved One with a Chronic Illness, we realized we had more to share—more stories that could help children face today’s complex world.

Out of late-night inspiration and many conversations with a heart full of purpose came our next book: Too Tall Tilly.

Meet Tilly—a relatable and imaginative character who helps children connect with their roots.

Too Tall Tilly is a whimsical, heartwarming picture book about embracing who you are—even when it feels easier to be someone else. Spunky Matilda—Tilly for short—is tired of being the tallest kid in her grade and of being called names like “Too Tall Tilly.” So she comes up with a plan: she’ll change her name and become someone spectacular.

With her colorful imagination, Tilly transforms into a graceful ballerina, a wise teacher, a world-famous painter, and even a royal princess. Surely life would be better as someone else.

That is, until her parents show her a special family book filled with old photographs she’s never seen before. Through this treasured keepsake, Tilly embarks on a different kind of journey—one that helps her see herself through the stories of those who came before her.

Can a connection to her family’s past help Tilly embrace who she really is?

Too Tall Tilly helps children discover that their identity is richer and deeper than they might think. It shows them that knowing where they come from can help them face life’s challenges with confidence and pride.

While it’s not always easy to get kids excited about genealogy, stories like Tilly’s offer a fun and engaging entry point. Children will relate to her struggles and delight in her imaginative adventures—but they’ll also experience how family stories can shape and strengthen their own.

We are all connected.

Genealogy isn’t just about names and dates—it’s about connection. When we help children discover the stories in their family tree in a playful way, we give them a sense of belonging and identity that can last a lifetime.

Whether you’re a parent or a family historian, Too Tall Tilly is a meaningful way to spark that first spark of interest—and help them learn to stand tall just as they are.

Here is a page from the book:

The book is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Too-Tall-Tilly-Melissa-Beardall/dp/B0FV21NCVP/

Also on our personal website hazymaybooks.com. where purchasers can receive 10% off by typing in the code TILLY10.

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Disclosure: I have not received any remuneration for this post. My thought is that this may make a nice Christmas gift for a grandchild between four and ten years old.

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/11/a-new-childrens-book-about-family.html

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com. Please note that all comments are moderated, and may not appear immediately.

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ABC Biography of Shubael Seaver (1640-1730) and Hannah (Wilson) Seaver (1646-1722) of Massachusetts

Using the ABC method described in Using Artificial Intelligence In the Ancestor Biography Creation (ABC) Process, here is another ancestor biography using the Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.5 AI tool.

1) I wrote genealogical sketches for almost every known ancestor back through 9 generations in blog posts based on 38 years of genealogical research in my 52 Ancestors/Relatives Biographies series. The genealogical sketch for my 8th great-grandparents, Joseph and Hannah (Wilson) Seaver, including family members, record abstracts and sources, is in my files waiting to be published.

(AI ChatGPT5 image of Shubael Seaver family in 1690)

2) For the Claude AI biography, I attached the PDF of the genealogical sketch for the specific ancestor using the plus (+) icon, and then prompted the AI tool with: "You are an expert genealogist and family historian. Please create a biography based on information in the attached file for Shubael and Hannah (Wilson) Seaver family. Include parents, siblings, spouses and children (with birth and death dates and places). Summarize life events, add historical events as appropriate, but do not add or embellish any extra genealogical details. Use section headings. Expand the information in each section to add more details. The tone should be engaging and suitable for family members."

3) The Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.5 biography (lightly edited) is:

The Life and Legacy of Shubael Seaver and Hannah Wilson

Early Life and Family Origins

Shubael Seaver's Beginnings

Shubael Seaver entered the world on January 31, 1639/40, in the young settlement of Roxbury in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. As the firstborn child of Robert Seaver and Elizabeth Ballard, who had married in 1634, Shubael arrived during a formative period in colonial New England history. His parents were among the early settlers establishing communities in the wilderness of Massachusetts.

Shubael grew up in a substantial family with six siblings. His brothers Caleb (born 1641) and Joshua (born 1641) would remain close throughout their lives, even working adjacent properties in later years. His sister Elizabeth (born 1643) married Samuel Craft in 1661, while his brother Nathaniel (born 1646) married in 1671 but died young at age thirty in King Philip’s War. Tragically, the family experienced the loss of two infant sisters both named Hannah -- one who lived only a year (1647-1648) and another who survived to age four (1650-1654). These early losses would have been felt deeply in a time when childhood mortality was an ever-present reality.

Hannah Wilson's Heritage

Hannah Wilson was born before May 2, 1647, when she was christened at the church in Roxbury. She was the daughter of Nathaniel Wilson and Hannah Craft, who had married in 1645. Hannah's mother came from the prominent Craft family of Roxbury, connecting her to an established network of colonial families.

Hannah grew up as the eldest surviving daughter in a large and thriving family. Her siblings included Susanna (born 1649), who married Thomas Gill; Nathaniel (born 1653); Benjamin (born 1655); Joseph (born 1656); Isaac (born 1658); Mary (born 1661); Abigail (born 1663); and Samuel (born 1666). The Wilson family had also lost their first child in infancy in 1646. This large, interconnected family would provide support and community connections throughout Hannah's life.

Marriage and Family Life

On February 7, 1668, Shubael Seaver and Hannah Wilson were married in Roxbury. Shubael was twenty-eight years old, while Hannah was approximately twenty-one. Their union joined two established Roxbury families and would last for over fifty-three years.

Their Children

The couple welcomed six children over sixteen years:

Robert Seaver was born on June 7, 1670, and christened on April 14, 1672. Sadly, there are no further records of Robert -- no marriage, death, land, or probate records survive. It is likely that he died as a child or young man, another painful loss for the family.
Joseph Seaver arrived on June 1, 1672. He would marry Mary Read on October 13, 1700, in Sudbury and settle in Framingham, where he died before August 26, 1754; they had six children. As the eldest surviving son, Joseph would receive a double portion of his father's estate.
Hannah Seaver was born on September 1, 1674. She waited until she was fifty years old to marry Patrick Gregory on November 26, 1724, in Boston—an unusually late marriage for the era, suggesting she may have remained at home caring for her aging parents. They had no children.
Abigail Seaver came into the world on July 23, 1677. She married Edmund Cole on March 29, 1705, in Roxbury, and they had three children. Edmund was a cordwainer (shoemaker), and the couple received land from Shubael and Hannah as a wedding gift in 1700.
Shubael Seaver Jr. was born on October 10, 1679. He married Abigail Twelves on June 12, 1704, in Roxbury and followed his father's trade as a wheelwright; they had seven children. He died before January 14, 1757, in Roxbury.
Thankful Seaver, the youngest, was born on April 6, 1684. She married Richard Mowear (also recorded as More) on March 29, 1705, in Roxbury—the same day her sister Abigail married. They had four children.

Shubael's Trade and Community Standing

The Wheelwright's Craft

Shubael Seaver established himself as a wheelwright, a skilled craftsman essential to colonial life. Wheelwrights built and repaired the wooden wheels used on carts, wagons, and carriages -- critical infrastructure for transportation and commerce in the growing colony. This was demanding work requiring knowledge of wood properties, metalworking for iron rims and fittings, and precise measurements to create wheels that would withstand the rough colonial roads.

The earliest record of Shubael's work comes from February 24, 1661, when "Shewbell Seaver" was paid sixteen shillings for "whels" by the town. He would have been just twenty-one years old, already established in his trade. Throughout his life, he also took on other carpentry work -- notably, he was chosen on January 13, 1678, as one of three men to make coffins for the following year, a somber but necessary service to the community.

Land Grants and Business Development

On January 18, 1663, the town voted Shubael a parcel of land near his father's property specifically "to build a shopp upon for his trade, and fence in part of the Towne land to lay his timber in." This grant came with conditions -- he couldn't block neighbors' access to water for their cattle, and when he stopped using it for his trade, he was required to remove his structures and return the land to common use.

By February 3, 1675, Shubael received another grant of land "on the west side of stony river nere the now dwelling house of John Craft" for building a shop and storing timber. This location near Stony River would become central to his life and business. The grant required that a shop be built within two years, and he had to relinquish previous land grants in the area. The specificity of these arrangements shows how carefully colonial towns managed their limited land resources.

In February 1682, the town granted Shubael "a parcell off land absolutely...lying before his door among the rocks," formalizing his use of what had been marginal land. Later, in February 1702/3, the selectmen met "at the request of Shoball Sever to see if he might be accommodated with a small slipe of land, before his dore," with neighbors present and "none making any opposition." These grants suggest Shubael was well-regarded in the community and gradually consolidated his home and business properties along Stony River.

Faith and Community Involvement

Church Membership

Faith played a central role in colonial Massachusetts life, and church membership was both a spiritual commitment and a mark of full community standing. Hannah was admitted to the First Church of Roxbury in 1671, shortly after her marriage. Shubael and his brother Caleb joined in 1674, demonstrating their standing as respectable members of the Roxbury community.

Civic Responsibilities

Beyond his craft, Shubael participated in community affairs in various ways. In January 1657, when he was only seventeen years old, "Shuball Seuer" was part of a group who ran the boundary lines between Roxbury and the neighboring towns of Boston, Cambridge, and Dedham -- important work in an era when property boundaries determined town governance and tax obligations.

In May 1694, Shubael was paid one pound and fourteen shillings "for mending country bridges," showing his skills extended beyond wheelmaking to general carpentry and infrastructure maintenance. From May 1698 until May 1700, the town paid him about one pound per quarter for keeping Sarah Parker, providing her with maintenance and clothing -- a form of poor relief common in colonial communities where individuals took responsibility for those unable to care for themselves.

Managing Property and Estate

Land Transactions

Throughout his adult life, Shubael was actively involved in buying, selling, and managing land. After his father Robert's death in 1683, Shubael inherited all of the salt marsh from the estate, with additional property to be divided after his mother's death.

The documentary record shows numerous land transactions. In June 1687, Shubael and Hannah sold about six acres of land called "Boston Field" to John Parker for sixteen pounds sterling. In March 1689, he sold twenty acres of pasture land near Stony Brook to Robert Thompson of London (represented by William Stoughton) for thirty pounds. Notably, this pasture was bounded on the west by land belonging to his brother Caleb, showing how family members often held neighboring properties.

In November 1690, Shubael made a significant transaction, selling his dwelling house, messuage (property with outbuildings), and three acres of adjoining land in Stony River to George Clark of Boston for twenty-five pounds. This suggests he may have moved to a different location or built a new home.

Connecticut Land Holdings

Like many Roxbury residents, Shubael held land in Woodstock, Connecticut Colony, which was settled by people from Roxbury seeking additional land opportunities. In 1698, he held lot 62 in the third range, comprising forty acres. By September 1715, his holdings had increased to sixty and a half acres. He eventually sold his Woodstock land to Ichabod Holmes in May 1710 for thirty-five pounds, apparently deciding to focus his holdings in Roxbury.

Final Years and Property Management

Between 1700 and 1701, Shubael and Hannah sold several parcels to Isaac Newell, including twenty acres and seven acres in different divisions of Roxbury land. In September 1700, they deeded land to their son-in-law Edmund Cole for "a godd and valuable sum in hand"—a half acre located across from their dwelling house. This deed, executed in 1700, was remarkably acknowledged by Shubael "in the 90th year of his age" on March 25, 1727, when legal formalities required his confirmation.

Later Life and Testament

A Long Partnership

Hannah Wilson Seaver died on February 13, 1721/2, at the age of seventy-three. She was buried at the Eliot Burying Ground at the Roxbury Church, the final resting place for many early Roxbury families. After more than fifty-three years of marriage, Shubael faced his final years as a widower.

Final Arrangements

Shubael lived almost eight more years after Hannah's death, dying on January 18, 1729/30, at the remarkable age of eighty-nine. In an era when life expectancy was much shorter, Shubael's longevity was exceptional. He was buried beside Hannah at the Eliot Burying Ground.

Shubael did not write a formal will, but shortly before his death, he made careful arrangements for his estate. On January 3, 1729/30 -- just fifteen days before he died -- he executed an indenture requesting Edmund Weld Jr. to hold his lands in trust for his children, to be divided after his death. Weld paid five shillings to receive the trust, and the document specified that the estate should be "disposed of to and for the Use of his two Sons Joseph and Shubael Seaver and his three Daughters Hannah Grigory Abigail Cole and Thankful More them and their heirs forever part and part alike save only a double part & portion to the said Joseph Seaver" -- following the traditional practice of giving the eldest son a double portion.

Dividing the Estate

On March 13, 1730, just two months after Shubael's death, his children gathered to formally agree on the settlement of their father's estate. The document they signed provides a detailed picture of what Shubael had built over his lifetime.

Joseph Seaver, as the eldest son, received the mansion or dwelling house, garden, and part of the orchard (about one and a half acres) bounded by the country road to Dedham. He also received the barn on the other side of the highway and one full half of the salt marsh at a place called "the Island," containing about two acres—the same salt marsh Shubael had inherited from his father Robert nearly fifty years earlier.

Hannah Gregory received the remaining part of the house lot and orchard land, about four and a half acres, bounded by various neighbors' lands and the country road.

Abigail Cole received part of the pasture land extending to "Whortleberry Hill" near Mr. Abbot's land, about five acres bounded by Isaac Curtis's land to the south.

Shubael Seaver Jr. and Thankful More shared the remaining pasture land of about ten acres, to be equally divided between them. Shubael Jr. also received the other half of the salt marsh on the Island.

Interestingly, the personal estate (movable goods, tools, household items) was given entirely to Hannah Gregory "out of the good Will and Affection" the siblings bore her. This unusual arrangement may reflect Hannah's long years caring for her parents -- she had remained unmarried until age fifty and likely served as their primary caregiver in their final years.

Final Transactions

The estate's division wasn't quite complete with that agreement. In November 1734, Patrick Gregory (Hannah's husband) sold the property he had received through his wife to his brothers-in-law and sister-in-law for four hundred pounds. Subsequently, in March 1734 and November 1735, various combinations of Joseph, Shubael Jr., Edmund Cole with Abigail, and Richard Moore with Thankful sold portions of the estate to Thomas Boylston of Boston, consolidating the properties and fully settling Shubael's legacy.

Historical Context

Life in Colonial Roxbury

Shubael and Hannah lived through a transformative period in New England history. Roxbury, established in 1630, was one of the earliest colonial settlements, located just southwest of Boston. During their lifetimes, the colony grew from a precarious frontier outpost to an established community with churches, schools, roads, and civic institutions.

The Seavers witnessed King Philip's War (1675-1678), a devastating conflict between English colonists and Native American inhabitants that came close to destroying the colonial settlements, and lost their son Nathaniel in the conflict. They lived through the Salem witch trials of 1692 and the political turmoil of the Glorious Revolution's impact on Massachusetts governance. They saw Roxbury transform from a village of scattered farms into a more organized township with defined boundaries, regular town meetings, and established social hierarchies.

The World of Colonial Craftsmen

As a wheelwright, Shubael occupied a respected position in colonial society. Skilled craftsmen were essential to the functioning of agricultural and commercial life, and their work required years of training and considerable expertise. The numerous land grants Shubael received for his workshops demonstrate how the community valued and supported his trade.

The various spellings of Shubael's name in the records -- Shuball, Shewbell, Shoball, Shobal -- reflect the fluid nature of spelling in an era before standardization, when even educated people spelled phonetically and names were recorded as they sounded to the town clerk of the day.

A Lasting Legacy

Shubael and Hannah Seaver's lives spanned nearly the entire first century of English settlement in New England. They raised five children to adulthood (likely losing at least one), saw them all married and established, and built a modest but solid estate through hard work and careful management. The detailed records of their land transactions, church membership, and community involvement paint a picture of steady, respectable citizens who contributed to building a new society in the wilderness.

Their descendants spread throughout Massachusetts and beyond, carrying forward the family name and the values of hard work, faith, and community service that Shubael and Hannah exemplified. The care Shubael took in his final days to ensure his estate would be fairly divided among all his children speaks to a man who valued family harmony and wanted to leave his affairs in good order.

Today, their graves at the Eliot Burying Ground in Roxbury stand as quiet monuments to lives well lived in challenging times—lives that helped lay the foundation for generations to come.

4) An Audio Overview (essentially a podcast) created by the Google NotebookLM AI tool) describing and celebrating the lives of Shubael and Hannah (Wilson) Seaver can be heard here (click on "Audio Overview" and wait for it to load).

5) The Video Overview discussing Shubael and Hannah (Wilson) Seaver's lives created by the Google NotebookLM AI tool is:

6) I edited the Claude biography text to correct minor inconsistencies and errors. Every large language model (LLM) AI tool writes descriptive text much better than I can write. I was an aerospace engineer in my former life, and my research reports and genealogical sketches reflect "just the facts gleaned from my research." The AI tools are very perceptive, insightful and create readable text in seconds, including local and national historical events and social history detail when requested.

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Links to my blog posts about using Artificial Intelligence are on my Randy's AI and Genealogy page. Links to AI information and articles about Artificial Intelligence in Genealogy by other genealogists are on my AI and Genealogy Compen dium page.

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/11/abc-biography-of-shubael-seaver-1640.html

Friday, November 14, 2025

Added and Updated FamilySearch Record Collections - Week of 8 to 14 November 2025

Each week, genealogy record collections are added, removed, and/or updated on FamilySearch and listed on the Historical Record Collection list at https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list. In addition, I try to keep track of the number of Full-Text Search collections (indexed, searchable) and the Images collections (browsable but not searchable) - see Sections 2) and 3) below..

1) As of 74 November 2025, there are 3,404 historical record collections on FamilySearch (a decrease of 1 from last week) on the Signed In screen (and 3,404 on the Signed Out screen).

The added, deleted, and updated collections this week from FamilySearch (from a list supplied by Marshall Clow):

--- Collections Added ---

* Italy, Piacenza, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1662-1930 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4117582); 1,458,343 indexed records with 640,514 record images, ADDED 12-Nov-2025

--- Collections Updated ---

Albania, Catholic Church Records, 1736-1968 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4293706); 68,435 indexed records with 8,414 record images (was 97,663 records with 8,414 images), UPDATED 10-Nov-2025
Albania, Census, 1930 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2221967); Browse 3,899 Images only, no index (was 15,737 records with 3,899 images), UPDATED 10-Nov-2025
Austria, Births and Baptisms, 1651-1940 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1520584); Index only (57,126 records), no images (was 62,610 records with 0 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025
Austria, Burials, 1768-1918 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1520587); Index only (27,242 records), no images (was 31,539 records with 0 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025
Austria, Catholic Church Records, 1565-2007 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000002); 6,394,733 indexed records with 1,055,155 record images (was 6,793,815 records with 1,055,155 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025

Austria, Marriages, 1722-1898 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1520586); Index only (23,868 records), no images (was 25,289 records with 0 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025
Austria, Seigniorial Records, 1537-1920 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1929847); Browse 8,171,455 Images only, no index (was 0 records with 8,171,455 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025
Austria, Upper Austria, Catholic Church Records, 1581-1919 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1394580); 126,317 indexed records with 533,306 record images (was 126,317 records with 533,306 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025
Austria, Upper Austria, Linz, Citizen Rolls, 1658-1937 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1923991); Browse 2,295 Images only, no index (was 0 records with 2,295 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025
Austria, Vienna, Jewish Registers of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1784-1938 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2028320); 469,103 indexed records with 206,316 record images (was 469,040 records with 206,316 images), UPDATED 07-Nov-2025

Austria, Vienna, Population Cards, 1850-1910 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1404451); 283,565 indexed records with 185,801 record images (was 480,049 records with 185,801 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025
England, Warwickshire, Parish Registers, 1535-1972 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1462403); 2,370,925 indexed records with 134,087 record images (was 2,370,835 records with 134,087 images), UPDATED 07-Nov-2025
Great Britain, Deaths and Burials, 1778-1988 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1770890); Index only (61,160 records), no images (was 61,251 records with 0 images), UPDATED 10-Nov-2025
Guatemala, Catholic Church Records, 1581-2023 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1614809); 4,991,140 indexed records with 1,160,338 record images (was 4,991,140 records with 1,160,338 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025
Honduras, Civil Registration, 1841-1968 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2135627); 4,346,497 indexed records with 337,976 record images (was 3,446,033 records with 337,976 images), UPDATED 11-Nov-2025

Hungary, Church Books, 1624-1950 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4133831); 7,595,008 indexed records with 866,978 record images (was 7,595,398 records with 866,319 images), UPDATED 10-Nov-2025
Hungary, Civil Registration, 1895-1980 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1452460); 13,081,517 indexed records with 5,864,285 record images (was 13,081,580 records with 5,864,285 images), UPDATED 10-Nov-2025
Italy, Agrigento, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1820-1865 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2480962); 817,954 indexed records with 1,218,927 record images (was 126,466 records with 1,218,927 images), UPDATED 11-Nov-2025
Italy, Alessandria, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1800-1865 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2197595); 13,182 indexed records with 8,072 record images (was 12,437 records with 8,046 images), UPDATED 14-Nov-2025
Italy, Ancona, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1544-1945 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2310701); 201,763 indexed records with 148,240 record images (was 200,273 records with 146,266 images), UPDATED 13-Nov-2025

Italy, Asti, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1803-1814, 1911-1935 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2146198); 69,739 indexed records with 279,461 record images (was 69,235 records with 279,461 images), UPDATED 13-Nov-2025
Italy, Avellino, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1947 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2484771); 2,333,014 indexed records with 3,099,458 record images (was 389,784 records with 3,099,458 images), UPDATED 13-Nov-2025
Italy, Bari, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1908 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1968511); 7,593,992 indexed records with 2,870,392 record images (was 6,197,458 records with 2,870,392 images), UPDATED 10-Nov-2025
Italy, Bergamo, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1866-1903 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1986789); 2,554,208 indexed records with 2,514,754 record images (was 1,696,709 records with 2,514,754 images), UPDATED 14-Nov-2025
Italy, Bologna, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1806-1899 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2185174); 480,689 indexed records with 294,377 record images (was 480,526 records with 294,377 images), UPDATED 11-Nov-2025

Italy, Brescia, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1797-1943 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2158242); 313,254 indexed records with 620,801 record images (was 312,830 records with 620,801 images), UPDATED 14-Nov-2025
Italy, Cagliari, Cagliari, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1934 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2043426); 631,847 indexed records with 1,791,108 record images (was 565,891 records with 1,791,108 images), UPDATED 14-Nov-2025
Italy, Caltanissetta, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1820-1935 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1986780); 1,163,713 indexed records with 470,099 record images (was 1,163,406 records with 470,099 images), UPDATED 11-Nov-2025
Italy, Campobasso, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1918 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1968528); 1,897,477 indexed records with 2,171,605 record images (was 1,197,291 records with 2,171,605 images), UPDATED 13-Nov-2025
Italy, Catania, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1820-1900 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2821289); 3,020,277 indexed records with 2,852,068 record images (was 1,847,852 records with 2,852,068 images), UPDATED 11-Nov-2025

Italy, Catanzaro, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1865 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1937913); 1,714,561 indexed records with 436,534 record images (was 761,856 records with 436,534 images), UPDATED 13-Nov-2025
Italy, Chieti, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1931 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2419833); 1,256,268 indexed records with 3,714,370 record images (was 764,538 records with 3,714,370 images), UPDATED 13-Nov-2025
Italy, Cuneo, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1795-1915 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1392991); 121,405 indexed records with 267,978 record images (was 115,652 records with 267,978 images), UPDATED 13-Nov-2025
Italy, Enna, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1866-1944 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2068343); 1,863,222 indexed records with 837,356 record images (was 1,840,375 records with 837,356 images), UPDATED 13-Nov-2025
Italy, Foggia, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1902 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2821290); 2,897,985 indexed records with 1,392,272 record images (was 2,158,034 records with 1,390,391 images), UPDATED 10-Nov-2025

Italy, Genova, Chiavari, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1941 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1482818); 693,473 indexed records with 650,745 record images (was 552,879 records with 650,745 images), UPDATED 14-Nov-2025
Italy, Isernia, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1914 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3049866); 1,597,851 indexed records with 1,021,993 record images (was 798,644 records with 1,021,993 images), UPDATED 10-Nov-2025
Italy, L'Aquila, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1944, 1911-1943 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1937372); 135,343 indexed records with 2,754,472 record images (was 134,901 records with 2,754,472 images), UPDATED 13-Nov-2025
Italy, La Spezia, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1780-1865 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2477527); 33,435 indexed records with 3,588 record images (was 33,162 records with 3,588 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025
Italy, Lecco, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1911-1947 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3031547); 13,191 indexed records with 11,698 record images (was 14,434 records with 11,241 images), UPDATED 10-Nov-2025

Italy, Mantova, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1496-1906 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1934580); 1,105,961 indexed records with 855,316 record images (was 1,104,922 records with 855,316 images), UPDATED 13-Nov-2025
Italy, Matera, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1925 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2819382); 913,957 indexed records with 1,323,614 record images (was 0 records with 1,323,614 images), UPDATED 11-Nov-2025
Italy, Milano, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1866-1942 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2537277); 2,382,705 indexed records with 1,064,144 record images (was 1,187,968 records with 1,042,250 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025
Italy, Modena, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1806-1942 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1968527); 562,110 indexed records with 2,114,742 record images (was 566,338 records with 2,114,742 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025
Italy, Modena, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1920-1946 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000266); 68,918 indexed records with 51,102 record images (was 68,566 records with 50,751 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025

Italy, Napoli, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1866 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1937990); 5,224,806 indexed records with 12,795,172 record images (was 4,261,640 records with 12,795,172 images), UPDATED 14-Nov-2025
Italy, Oristano, Oristano, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1941 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1947719); 629,521 indexed records with 342,194 record images (was 578,452 records with 342,194 images), UPDATED 14-Nov-2025
Italy, Padova, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1621-1936 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2120751); 158,373 indexed records with 601,344 record images (was 155,606 records with 601,344 images), UPDATED 13-Nov-2025
Italy, Padova, Padova, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1871-1929 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1946877); 1,171,155 indexed records with 1,745,536 record images (was 1,136,772 records with 1,745,536 images), UPDATED 11-Nov-2025
Italy, Palermo, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1820-1947 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2608509); 1,900,320 indexed records with 4,331,932 record images (was 969,235 records with 4,331,932 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025

Italy, Parma, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1626-1921 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3743481); 23,154 indexed records with 1,524,790 record images (was 16,788 records with 1,514,287 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025
Italy, Pesaro e Urbino, Urbino, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1866-1942 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1977027); 210,963 indexed records with 709,381 record images (was 210,293 records with 709,381 images), UPDATED 13-Nov-2025
Italy, Pescara, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1929 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2013532); 1,162,394 indexed records with 2,022,109 record images (was 1,150,062 records with 2,022,109 images), UPDATED 13-Nov-2025
Italy, Potenza, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1697-1923 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2450876); 3,083,609 indexed records with 3,139,547 record images (was 2,238,056 records with 3,139,547 images), UPDATED 10-Nov-2025
Italy, Reggio Emilia, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1769-1944 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2388826); 830,575 indexed records with 643,483 record images (was 830,575 records with 643,483 images), UPDATED 11-Nov-2025

Italy, Rieti, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1840-1945 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2146202); 214,319 indexed records with 448,819 record images (was 219,852 records with 448,819 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025
Italy, Salerno, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1806-1949 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1935404); 4,563,213 indexed records with 5,929,638 record images (was 1,712,070 records with 3,615,090 images), UPDATED 13-Nov-2025
Italy, Siracusa, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1943-1945 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2612833); 2,087,795 indexed records with 782,755 record images (was 992,640 records with 672,652 images), UPDATED 10-Nov-2025
Italy, Torino, Diocese of Torino, Catholic Church Records, 1801-1899 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000113); 1,970,133 indexed records with 758,733 record images (was 1,949,243 records with 758,733 images), UPDATED 08-Nov-2025
Italy, Trapani, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1906-1928 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2052404); 468,519 indexed records with 1,371,292 record images (was 286,289 records with 1,371,292 images), UPDATED 11-Nov-2025

Italy, Treviso, Treviso, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1871-1941 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1947831); 321,679 indexed records with 427,232 record images (was 234,533 records with 427,232 images), UPDATED 11-Nov-2025
Italy, Trieste, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1924-1944 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2684447); 15,381 indexed records with 118,496 record images (was 15,381 records with 118,496 images), UPDATED 10-Nov-2025
Italy, Venezia, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1806-1817 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1928858); Browse 254,674 Images only, no index (was 70,033 records with 254,674 images), UPDATED 12-Nov-2025
Italy, Verona, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1630-1946 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2016225); 207,584 indexed records with 2,976,910 record images (was 201,581 records with 2,976,910 images), UPDATED 14-Nov-2025
Moldova, Church Books, 1811-1936 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1943763); Browse 3,386,730 Images only, no index (was 0 records with 3,386,730 images), UPDATED 10-Nov-2025

Panama, Catholic Church Records, 1707-1982 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1913397); 676,566 indexed records with 240,799 record images (was 676,441 records with 240,799 images), UPDATED 07-Nov-2025
Slovenia, Prekmurje and Međimurje, Civil Registers, 1895-1918 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1985107); Browse 116,428 Images only, no index (was 0 records with 116,428 images), UPDATED 10-Nov-2025
Spain, Asturias, Municipal Records, 1470-1897 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2015322); 156,109 indexed records with 102,181 record images (was 156,094 records with 102,181 images), UPDATED 07-Nov-2025
Sweden, Household Examination Books, 1874-1931 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2790465); 46,977,151 indexed records with 87,177 record images (was 46,977,151 records with 87,177 images), UPDATED 13-Nov-2025
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Church Census Records (Worldwide), 1914-1960 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3438701); 3,267,429 indexed records with 2,315,996 record images (was 3,267,371 records with 2,315,738 images), UPDATED 07-Nov-2025

United Kingdom, British India Office, Births and Baptisms, 1712-1965 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000023); 460,458 indexed records with 145,138 record images (was 464,084 records with 145,138 images), UPDATED 10-Nov-2025
United States, Census, 1940 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2000219); 134,774,707 indexed records with 3,841,151 record images (was 134,774,708 records with 3,841,151 images), UPDATED 11-Nov-2025
Utah, Salt Lake, Salt Lake City, Cemetery Records, 1847-1976 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2094273); 297,751 indexed records with 70,504 record images (was 297,224 records with 70,504 images), UPDATED 07-Nov-2025
Venezuela, Archdiocese of Valencia, Catholic Church Records, 1760, 1905-2014 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2076861); 1,406,773 indexed records with 665,914 record images (was 1,401,030 records with 665,914 images), UPDATED 07-Nov-2025
World Miscellaneous Births and Baptisms, 1534-1983 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1783956); Index only (26,906 records), no images (was 27,455 records with 0 images), UPDATED 10-Nov-2025

--- Collections with new images ---

Argentina, Military Records, 1911-1936 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000280); 1 indexed records with 2,926,815 record images (was 1 records with 2,926,814 images), last updated 31-Oct-2024
BillionGraves Index (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2026973); 31,122,746 indexed records with 31,122,744 record images (was 31,122,746 records with 31,094,606 images), last updated 06-Aug-2024
Brazil, Maranhão, Civil Registration, 1827-2022 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4469402); 1 indexed records with 905,550 record images (was 1 records with 905,535 images), last updated 07-Jun-2024
England and Wales, Census, 1911 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1921547); 36,354,828 indexed records with 8,573,331 record images (was 36,354,828 records with 8,573,328 images), last updated 01-Aug-2019
Netherlands, Archival Indexes, Population Registers (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2821274); 20,361,614 indexed records with 20,391,486 record images (was 20,361,614 records with 20,390,976 images), last updated 22-Feb-2018

New Jersey, Naturalization Records, 1796-1991 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2649169); 813,909 indexed records with 798,318 record images (was 813,910 records with 797,455 images), last updated 27-Oct-2025
United States, Census, 1950 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4464515); 157,892,854 indexed records with 52,721,339 record images (was 157,892,854 records with 52,720,810 images), last updated 16-Jun-2024

--- Collections with images removed ---

Canada, Census, 1931 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000196); 2,466,494 indexed records with 2,467,548 record images (was 2,466,494 records with 2,467,568 images), last updated 16-Jun-2024

--- Collections with new records ---

--- Collections with records removed ---

Find a Grave Index (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2221801); 260,518,646 indexed records with 48,080,055 record images (was 260,518,647 records with 48,080,055 images), last updated 18-Sep-2025
United States, Public Records, 1970-2009 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2199956); Index only (875,601,010 records), no images (was 875,601,037 records with 0 images), last updated 30-Oct-2025
United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000290); Index only (413,859,657 records), no images (was 413,859,722 records with 0 images), last updated 22-Jun-2024

===================================

My friend and SDGS colleague, Marshall, has come up with a way to determine which collections are ADDED, DELETED or UPDATED, and to alphabetize the entries in each category. Thanks to Marshall for helping me out here!

Marshall notes that there are:

0 removed entries
1 added entries
75 updated entries
8 entries with more or fewer images
3 entries with more or fewer records

The FamilySearch website says there are 3,404 total entries on the list (after signing in). Marshall's list says there are 3,404 (after signing in). They are definitely in-sync this week.

2) There are now 6,111 searchable image collections on FamilySearch Full-Text Search this week, an increase of 46 from last week. There are over 1.590 Billion "results" in the collections. It is not possible to see which collections are new.

3) There are now 25,215 browsable (but not indexed or transcribed) image collections on FamilySearch Images this week, a decrease of 23 from last week. There are over 5.851 BILLION images in these collections. 2,100 collections from the United States, 7,054 from Europe and 225 from Canada. It is not possible to see which collections are new.

See previous FamilySearch-related blog posts in https://www.geneamusings.com/search/label/FamilySearch

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The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/11/added-and-updated-familysearch-record_14.html

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on X, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com. Note that all comments are moderated, so they may not be posted immediately.

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Added and Updated Ancestry.com Record Collections - Week of 8 to 14 November 2025

The following genealogy record collections were added to the Ancestry.com Card Catalog page by Date Updated during the period from 8 to 14 November 2025:

The ADDED and Updated collections include:

UK and Commonwealth, Law Examination Records, 1836-1949; 563,872 indexed records with record images, Updated 11/14/2025. This collection contains registries of those who sat for their law exams from the United Kingdom and countries belonging to the Commonwealth between 1836 and 1949.
Magdeburg, Germany, Births, 1874-1903; 667.761 indexed records with record images, Updated 11/14/2025. This collection includes civil registers of births from Magdeburg.
U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942; 14,501,913 indexed records with record images, Updated 11/13/2025. This database is an indexed collection of the draft cards from the Fourth Registration. The Fourth Registration, often referred to as the "old man's registration", was conducted on 27 April 1942.
New York, U.S., State Census, 1905; 7,239,679 indexed records with record images, Updated 11/13/2025. Wondering where your “Empire State” ancestors were between 1900 and 1910? The 1905 New York State Census may be able to help you find out.
UK, Council of Legal Education Examination Records, 1861-1949; 121,201 indexed records with record images, ADDED 11/13/2025. This collection contains registries from the Council of Legal Education of people who sat for their law exams in the United Kingdom between 1861 and 1949.
Maine, U.S., Vital Records, 1775-1912; 361,610 indexed records with record images, ADDED 11/13/2025. This collection contains birth, marriage, and death records created in Maine between 1775 and 1912.
Connecticut, U.S., Vital Records, 1659-1854; 92,724 indexed records with record images, ADDED 11/12/2025. This collection contains vital civil and church records created in Connecticut between 1659 and 1854. It includes birth, baptism, marriage, marriage banns, death, and burial records.
Ontario, Canada, The Ontario Name Index, 1812-2023; 7,656,896 indexed records without record images, ADDED 11/12/2025. This collection contains an index of information about Ontario, Canada, residents extracted from records dated between 1812 and 2023. The index was created using a variety of sources, includin...
Hérault, France, Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1751-1904; 4,299,851 indexed records without record images, ADDED 11/12/2025. This collection contains civil registries of births, marriages, and deaths between 1751 and 1904 from Hérault, France. Most records are in French, but some records may be in German or Latin.

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The complete Ancestry.com Card Catalog is at https://search.ancestry.com/search/CardCatalog.aspx.

By my count, there are 5 NEW record collections ADDED this past week, per the list above. There are now 33,896 collections available as of 14 November, an INCREASE of 5 from last week.

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Disclosure: I pay for an All-Access subscription from Ancestry.com. In past years, Ancestry.com provided a complimentary All Access subscription, an autosomal DNA test, material considerations for travel expenses to meetings, and hosted events and meals that I attended in Salt Lake City.

The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/11/added-and-updated-ancestrycom-record_01774128768.html

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com. Please note that all Comments are moderated so they may not appear immediately.