Added and Updated FamilySearch Record Collections - Week of 18 to 24 April 2026

 Each week, 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 1) and 2) below. In addition, I list the genealogy historical record collections (often name-indexed) that are added, removed, and/or updated on FamilySearch and listed on the Historical Record Collection list  --  See Section 3.

1)  As of 24 April 2026, there are now 6,661 searchable and full-text transcribed image collections on FamilySearch Full-Text Search this week, an increase of 12 from last week. There are over   1.93 BILLION "results" in the collections.  It is not possible to see which collections are new.

 

 2)  As of 24 April 2026, there are now 24,661 browsable (some indexed, none transcribed) image collections on FamilySearch Images this week, an increase of 46 from last week. There are over 5.998 BILLION images in these collections.  There are 2,101 collections from the United States, 6,895 from Europe and 221 from Canada.  It is not possible to see which collections are new.  

3)  As of 24 April 2026, there are 3,430 Historical Record Collections (many indexed, browsable) on FamilySearch (an increase of 4 from last week) on the Signed In screen.

The Deleted, Added and Updated Historical Record Collections this week include:

--- Collections Deleted ---

--- Collections Added ---

*  France, Marne, Census, 1836 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4317030); 301,502 indexed records with 5,448 record images, ADDED 02-Feb-2026
*  Italy, Salerno, Sala Consilina, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1910 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2057677); 90,407 indexed records with 30,845 record images, ADDED 20-Nov-2025
*  Italy, Vibo Valentia, Vibo Valentia, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1861-1910 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2043785); 193,059 indexed records with 73,418 record images, ADDED 08-Nov-2025
*  Philippines, Central Visayas, Church Records, 1737-2005 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000324); 341,782 indexed records with 324,524 record images, ADDED 12-Mar-2026

--- Collections Updated ---

Belgium, Antwerp, Civil Registration, 1588-1953 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2138481); 2,775,031 indexed records with 3,208,709 record images (was 2,682,068 records with 3,208,709 images), UPDATED 21-Apr-2026
Belgium, Brabant, Civil Registration, 1582-1950 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1482191); 1,023,310 indexed records with 6,411,594 record images (was 1,006,734 records with 6,411,594 images), UPDATED 17-Apr-2026
Belgium, West Flanders, Civil Registration, 1582-1950 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2139860); 596,937 indexed records with 2,612,466 record images (was 596,937 records with 2,612,466 images), UPDATED 24-Apr-2026
Brazil, Pernambuco, Civil Registration, 1804-2023 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2016195); 1,338,653 indexed records with 5,387,756 record images (was 1,338,019 records with 5,387,756 images), UPDATED 22-Apr-2026
Brazil, São Paulo, Immigration Cards, 1902-1980 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2140223); Index only (100 records), no images (was 100 records with 0 images), UPDATED 21-Apr-2026

Cape Verde, Catholic Church Records, 1787-1957 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2246703); 127,954 indexed records with 105,781 record images (was 44,934 records with 105,781 images), UPDATED 23-Apr-2026
England, Hampshire, Parish Registers, 1538-1980 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2556014); 1,726,898 indexed records with 140,183 record images (was 1,724,606 records with 139,925 images), UPDATED 17-Apr-2026
Finland, Tax Lists, 1809-1915 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2704794); 1,349,867 indexed records with 19,736 record images (was 1,349,867 records with 22,695 images), UPDATED 24-Apr-2026
Honduras, Civil Registration, 1841-1968 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2135627); 12,424,283 indexed records with 337,976 record images (was 12,424,283 records with 337,976 images), UPDATED 21-Apr-2026
Italy, Bari, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1908 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1968511); 605,987 indexed records with 2,870,392 record images (was 605,987 records with 2,870,392 images), UPDATED 24-Apr-2026

Italy, Brindisi, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1955 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2328379); 228,127 indexed records with 827,148 record images (was 228,127 records with 827,175 images), UPDATED 24-Apr-2026
Italy, Catania, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1820-1900 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2821289); Browse 2,852,068 Images only, no index (was 0 records with 2,852,068 images), UPDATED 24-Apr-2026
Italy, Genova, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1796-1812, 1838-1859, 1866-1899 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1928859); 249,878 indexed records with 445,302 record images (was 249,878 records with 445,302 images), UPDATED 23-Apr-2026
Italy, Padova, Padova, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1871-1929 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1946877); 1,141,213 indexed records with 1,745,536 record images (was 1,141,213 records with 1,745,536 images), UPDATED 23-Apr-2026
Italy, Prato, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1866-1923 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2057689); 45,813 indexed records with 227,429 record images (was 45,813 records with 227,429 images), UPDATED 24-Apr-2026

Italy, Rovigo, Rovigo, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1871-1937 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1482864); 825,502 indexed records with 1,082,856 record images (was 825,653 records with 1,082,856 images), UPDATED 24-Apr-2026
Italy, Terni, Orvieto, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1861-1910 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2043538); 128,767 indexed records with 44,289 record images (was 128,767 records with 44,289 images), UPDATED 24-Apr-2026
Italy, Treviso, Treviso, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1871-1941 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1947831); 348,515 indexed records with 427,232 record images (was 348,515 records with 427,232 images), UPDATED 24-Apr-2026
Kansas, State Census, 1915 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2640442); 1,664,168 indexed records with 301,658 record images (was 1,664,576 records with 301,658 images), UPDATED 24-Apr-2026
Louisiana, Parish Marriages, 1787-1958 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1807364); 1,795,647 indexed records with 54,003 record images (was 1,795,793 records with 54,003 images), UPDATED 20-Apr-2026

Peru, Arequipa, Catholic Church Records, 1660-2020 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4447275); Index only (79,184 records), no images (was 77,378 records with 0 images), UPDATED 22-Apr-2026
Philippines Civil Registration (National), 1945-1996 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1852584); 5,500,027 indexed records with 20,274,621 record images (was 5,500,037 records with 20,274,621 images), UPDATED 24-Apr-2026
United States, Census, 1800 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1804228); 540,398 indexed records with 18,454 record images (was 540,398 records with 18,454 images), UPDATED 21-Apr-2026
United States, Census, 1810 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1803765); 827,020 indexed records with 27,366 record images (was 827,020 records with 27,366 images), UPDATED 21-Apr-2026
United States, Census, 1820 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1803955); 1,226,220 indexed records with 37,482 record images (was 1,226,220 records with 37,482 images), UPDATED 21-Apr-2026

United States, Census, 1840 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1786457); 2,566,652 indexed records with 196,897 record images (was 2,566,652 records with 196,897 images), UPDATED 21-Apr-2026
United States, Census, 1850 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1401638); 20,224,571 indexed records with 489,683 record images (was 20,007,290 records with 489,683 images), UPDATED 21-Apr-2026
United States, Census, 1860 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1473181); 27,176,265 indexed records with 703,834 record images (was 26,936,553 records with 703,834 images), UPDATED 21-Apr-2026
United States, Census, 1870 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1438024); 40,350,030 indexed records with 1,049,047 record images (was 39,964,969 records with 1,049,047 images), UPDATED 21-Apr-2026

--- Collections with new images ---

Alabama, Births and Christenings, 1881-1930 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1661470); 158,893 indexed records with 156,842 record images (was 158,893 records with 141,331 images), last updated 07-Apr-2026
Argentina, Military Records, 1911-1936 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000280); 2,929,239 indexed records with 2,929,258 record images (was 2,929,239 records with 2,929,252 images), last updated 03-Apr-2026
Arizona, Various County Divorce Records, 1877-1937 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3734469); 64,104 indexed records with 63,966 record images (was 64,104 records with 63,965 images), last updated 27-Feb-2026
Arkansas, Births and Christenings, 1812-1965 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1674674); 3,332 indexed records with 5,169 record images (was 3,332 records with 5,006 images), last updated 17-Nov-2023
Brazil, Alagoas, Civil Registration, 1876-2023 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4469403); 1 indexed records with 454,198 record images (was 1 records with 454,187 images), last updated 07-Jun-2024

Brazil, Maranhão, Civil Registration, 1827-2022 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4469402); 1 indexed records with 906,146 record images (was 1 records with 906,113 images), last updated 07-Jun-2024
Colombia, Deaths, 1770-1930 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1520612); 24,940 indexed records with 31,305 record images (was 24,940 records with 31,295 images), last updated 06-Aug-2025
England Marriages, 1538–1973 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1473015); 10,303,917 indexed records with 12,553,096 record images (was 10,303,917 records with 12,518,979 images), last updated 06-Feb-2026
France, Loire-Atlantique, Civil Registration, 1792-1960 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3288440); 2,710,678 indexed records with 2,921,301 record images (was 2,710,678 records with 2,921,215 images), last updated 03-Feb-2026
Germany, Prussia, Saxony, Census Lists, 1585-1935 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2780641); 991,875 indexed records with 50,674 record images (was 991,875 records with 36,229 images), last updated 05-Feb-2026

Italy, Deaths and Burials, 1806-1910 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1708705); 76,671 indexed records with 428,969 record images (was 76,671 records with 428,812 images), last updated 28-Mar-2026
Luxembourg, Church and Civil Registration, 1601-1923 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000012); 3,005,872 indexed records with 1,137,384 record images (was 3,005,872 records with 1,121,652 images), last updated 01-Feb-2026
Maryland, Church Records, 1660-1996 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2385204); 80,545 indexed records with 26,267 record images (was 80,545 records with 26,237 images), last updated 06-Feb-2026
Spain, Madrid, Municipal Census Records, 1910-1945 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000004); 1,749,267 indexed records with 687,359 record images (was 1,749,267 records with 686,256 images), last updated 08-May-2025
United States, Census, 1950 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4464515); 157,892,854 indexed records with 52,742,479 record images (was 157,892,854 records with 52,740,915 images), last updated 16-Jun-2024

United States, Obituary Records, 2014-2023 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000145); 1 indexed records with 28,204,718 record images (was 1 records with 28,204,713 images), last updated 22-Jul-2024
Wales, Pembrokeshire, Parish Registers, 1538-1912 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1419323); 317,650 indexed records with 378,652 record images (was 317,650 records with 378,651 images), last updated 23-Sep-2025

--- Collections with images removed ---

Belgium, East Flanders, Church and Civil Registration, 1541-1920 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000027); 440,839 indexed records with 117,811 record images (was 440,839 records with 134,226 images), last updated 12-Feb-2026
England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1473014); 39,148,902 indexed records with 11,128 record images (was 39,148,902 records with 49,813,261 images), last updated 31-Jan-2026
France, Calvados, Military Registration Cards, 1867-1921 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2815120); 144,114 indexed records with 126,811 record images (was 144,114 records with 127,073 images), last updated 20-Feb-2026
Germany, Baden, Archdiocese of Freiburg im Breisgau, Catholic Church Records, 1463-1931 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2790181); 11,306,368 indexed records with 1,709,621 record images (was 11,306,368 records with 1,709,697 images), last updated 05-Feb-2026
Hawaii, Births and Baptisms, 1843-1925 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2390841); 73,643 indexed records with 21,410 record images (was 73,643 records with 21,448 images), last updated 18-Feb-2026

Italy, Terni, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1513-1900 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3335348); 227,101 indexed records with 89,735 record images (was 227,101 records with 92,967 images), last updated 27-Mar-2026
Philippines, Catholic Church Records, 1520-2014 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2861657); 12,300,078 indexed records with 3,050,634 record images (was 12,300,078 records with 3,050,822 images), last updated 11-Mar-2026

--- Collections with new records ---

--- Collections with records removed ---

Find a Grave Index (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2221801); 265,645,816 indexed records with 190,493,176 record images (was 265,645,823 records with 190,493,176 images), last updated 02-Apr-2026
Illinois, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1998 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1989159); 1,097,934 indexed records with 144,834 record images (was 1,097,935 records with 144,834 images), last updated 05-Oct-2025
Illinois, Northern District (Eastern Division), Naturalization Index, 1926-1979 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2040533); 550,929 indexed records with 605,084 record images (was 550,930 records with 605,084 images), last updated 13-Jun-2024
Indiana, Marriages, 1811-2019 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1410397); 5,339,975 indexed records with 1,259,299 record images (was 5,339,976 records with 1,259,299 images), last updated 27-Feb-2026
New Jersey, Births and Christenings, 1660-1980 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1675383); Index only (1,801,881 records), no images (was 1,801,882 records with 0 images), last updated 10-Oct-2023

New Jersey, Marriages, 1678-1985 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1675446); Index only (788,846 records), no images (was 788,847 records with 0 images), last updated 10-Oct-2023
United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, Births, and Marriages, 1980-2015 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2333694); 28,662,179 indexed records with 46,919,022 record images (was 28,662,188 records with 46,919,022 images), last updated 06-Jan-2026
United States, Public Records, 1970-2009 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2199956); Index only (875,600,635 records), no images (was 875,600,705 records with 0 images), last updated 23-Dec-2025
United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000290); Index only (413,858,414 records), no images (was 413,859,344 records with 0 images), last updated 22-Jun-2024
United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000016); 63,700,464 indexed records with 63,700,463 record images (was 63,700,466 records with 63,700,463 images), last updated 12-Feb-2023

Venezuela, Archdiocese of Caracas, Catholic Church Records, 1638-2020 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4465438); 349,539 indexed records with 130,870 record images (was 349,540 records with 130,870 images), last updated 17-Apr-2025
Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-2008 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2075288); 1,974,169 indexed records with 1,162,117 record images (was 1,974,170 records with 1,162,117 images), last updated 14-Jun-2024
Wisconsin, Naturalization Records, 1848-1991 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2174939); 296,014 indexed records with 176,312 record images (was 296,015 records with 176,312 images), last updated 14-Feb-2025

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

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:

• 3,430 Historical Record Collection entries
• 0 removed entries
• 4  added entries 
• 29 updated entries
• 24 entries with more or fewer images 
• 13 entries with more or fewer records

Marshsll's list shows 3,420 Historical Record Collections this week, a decrease of 0 collections. The image above shows 3,420 collections, so the Image number is in sync with Marshall's list number.

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

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

The URL for this post is:  

Copyright (c) 2026, Randall J. Seaver

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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Findmypast Friday: Trace stories from the Emerald Isle

 I received this information from Findmypast today:

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

Trace stories from the Emerald Isle

We've added two new Irish record sets this week, spanning 147 years. Within these census, directory and almanac records, you'll find over 170,000 images, helping you to trace family stories in startling detail. We've also bolstered our newspaper collection with 236,096 new pages.

Ireland, Directories and Almanacs 1844-1928

Explore Ireland's rich history from the Great Famine through the fight for home rule to the Easter Rising of 1916 and the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922. Directories and almanacs are an incredibly valuable tool for researchers and genealogists as they help bring the past to life by tracing ancestors around the streets they once inhabited and knew.

Ireland National Census Reports 1926-1991

Step into the townland your ancestor knew. Census reports reveal how people lived, worked, and endured change within the places they called home. They are incredible sources for learning more about your ancestral homeland. These reports are available from the Central Statistics Office/An Phríomh-Oifig Staidrimh.

A national paper joins our newspaper archive

Chart late 20th-century British social and cultural history with our new addition, the Daily Star. We've added over 200,000 pages, spanning back to the title's first run in 1978.

Search the Daily Star

Delve into the UK’s official public record

Have you explored The London, Edinburgh or Belfast Gazette on Findmypast yet? These often-overlooked resources contain millions of records to help you piece together your family tree. From military awards to insolvency notices and first-hand accounts of some of the most significant moments in British history, The Gazette can enrich your ancestors' stories with new details.

Search the collection

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

See all of my posts about Findmypast at   https://www.geneamusings.com/search/label/FindMyPast

Disclosure: I have a complimentary subscription to Findmypast, and have accepted meals and services from Findmypast, as a Findmypast Ambassador. This has not affected my objectivity relative to Findmypast and its products.

The URL for this post is:  

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, Instagram, Threads or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com. Note that all comments are moderated, and may not appear immediately.

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Added and Updated Ancestry.com Record Collections - Week of 18 to 24 April 2026

 The following genealogy record collections were added to the Ancestry.com Card Catalog page by "Date Updated" during the period from 18 to 24 April 2026.

The ADDED and Updated collections include:

• Arkansas, U.S., Birth Certificates, 1914-1925; 2,694,473 indexed records without  record images, Updated 4/23/2026. This collection contains birth certificates from the state of Arkansas that took place between the years of 1914 and 1925.
• Montana, U.S., Birth Records, 1897-1988; 3,307,581 indexed records with record images, Updated 4/23/2026. This collection contains birth certificates from Montana that took place between the years of 1897 to 1988.
• Wales, Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's to current; 155,387,572 indexed records without record images, Updated 4/23/2026. This index allows you to search for your ancestor by name in Welsh newspapers that are available on Newspapers.com™ from the 1800s to the present.
• Virginia, U.S., Birth Records, 1912-2015, Delayed Birth Records, 1721-1924; 9,576,337 indexed records with record images, Updated 4/23/2026. This database contains an index of birth details extracted from Virginia birth records for the years 1864-2015 as well as images of birth records for the years 1864–1924.
• Missouri, U.S., Birth Registers, 1847-2004; 8,619,176 indexed records with record images, Updated 4/23/2026. This collection contains birth information for children born in Missouri between 1847 and 2004. The collection doesn’t have records for births that occurred from 1912 through 1919. 
• 1950 United States Federal Census; 154,510,411 indexed records with record images, Updated 4/23/2026. A U.S. census record is only available to the general public 72 years after Census Day. 
• Lancashire, England, Non-Conformist Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1785-1997; 447,404 indexed records with record images, Updated 4/23/2026. This collection includes registers of baptisms, marriages, and burials between 1785 and 1997 from non-conformist churches in Lancashire, England.
• Hawaii, U.S., Certificates of Identity, 1908-1943; 92,119 indexed records with record images, ADDED 4/23/2026. This collection contains certificates of identification for people of Chinese descent who lived in or traveled to the United States between 1908 and 1943.
• Arkansas, U.S. State Licensing for Embalmers, Funeral Directors, and Midwives, 1935-1970; 30,572 indexed records with record images, ADDED 4/23/2026. This collection contains applications for embalmer and funeral director licenses and midwives submitted in Arkansas between 1935 and 1970.
• Hawaii, U.S., Sugar Plantation Records, 1909-1972; 680,302 indexed records with record images, ADDED 4/23/2026. This collection contains records pertaining to people who went to Hawaii for employment on sugar plantations between 1906 and 1972. 
• New Hampshire, U.S., American Legion Applications, 1914-1975; 305,735 indexed records with record images, ADDED 4/22/2026. This collection contains records produced by the American Legion Auxiliary in New Hampshire between 1920 and 1987. The records include membership applications and lists of members.
• Shropshire, England, Wills and Probate, 1858-1940; 205,769  indexed records with record images, ADDED 4/20/2026. This collection contains wills filed in Shropshire, England, between 1858 and 1940.

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

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 33,919 collections available as of 24 April, an INCREASE of 5 from last week.

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

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:  

 Copyright (c) 2026, Randall J. Seaver

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 Facebook, X, 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.

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Genealogical Sketch of the Jeremiah McKnew (1804-????) and Frances Allethia Pickrell (1810-1845) Family of Maryland and District of Columbia

This is a genealogical sketch of the lives of the Jeremiah and Allethia (Pickrell) McKnew family of Maryland. They are my wife Linda's 2nd great-grandparents.

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

Jeremiah McKnew’s Early Life

Jeremiah McKnew was born about 1804 in Prince George's, Maryland, the second son of Nathan McKnew (1771-1834) and his first wife, Mary --?-- (1775-1806), who married in about 1800 in Prince George’s County. They had three children:

• Samuel McKnew, born about 1802, Prince George's, Maryland; married Mary --?--, before 1831, Maryland
• Jeremiah McKnew, born about 1804, Prince George's, Maryland; married Frances Allethia Pickrell, 26 March 1829, Washington, District of Columbia; married Sarah --?--, before 1848, Maryland.
• Basil McKnew, born about 1805, Prince George's, Maryland; married Caroline Duvall, 28 September 1831, Washington, District of Columbia.

Jeremiah’s mother died before 10 February 1806, when Nathan McKnew and Jennet "Jane" Prather were married on 10 February 1806 in Montgomery, Maryland.

Nathan McKnew and Jennet Prather had the following children:

• Thomas McKnew, born before 5 June 1807, Muirkirk, Prince George's, Maryland; married Martha Maria Wall, 23 November 1827, Prince George's, Maryland; died 15 May 1856, Beltsville, Prince George's, Maryland.
• Charles McKnew, born about 1809, Prince George's, Maryland; married Sarah --?--, before 1830, Maryland; died before 1850, Maryland.
• Rachel McKnew, born about 1812, Prince George's, Maryland; married Joseph King, 28 February 1835, Baltimore, Baltimore (city), Maryland.
• George McKnew was born about 1820 in Prince George's, Maryland; no further record.
• Nathan R. McKnew, born 30 October 1823, Baltimore, Baltimore (city), Maryland; married (1) Catherine Stevens, 12 April 1844, Baltimore, Baltimore (city), Maryland; married (2) Milka Baker, 9 February 1845, Baltimore, Baltimore (city), Maryland; married (3) Mary A. Wonn, 16 November 1847, Baltimore, Baltimore (city), Maryland; married (4) Mary Ann Wilkerson Riggs, 2 September 1855, Baltimore, Baltimore (city), Maryland; died 30 December 1890, Baltimore, Baltimore (city), Maryland.
• William McKnew was born about 1825 in Prince George's, Maryland; died October 1882 at the age of 57 in Prince George's, Maryland.
• John Thomas McKnew was born about 1826 in Prince George's, Maryland, United States; no further record.

The Nathan McKnew family resided in Prince George’s County, Maryland through 1834.

Frances Allethia Pickrell’s Early Life

Frances Allethia Pickrell was born about 1810 probably in Prince George's, Maryland. She was the daughter of Benjamin Pickrell (c1780-c1845) and Allethia Prather (c1786-1841), who married in about 1802 in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Benjamin Pickrell and Allethia Prather had the following children (there may have been other children- the records are sparse):

• Catharine Pickrell, born 1804, Washington, District of Columbia; married Elijah Ourand, 20 November 1823, Washington, District of Columbia; died 17 October 1888, Washington, District of Columbia.
• Frances Allethia Pickrell, born about 1810, probably in Prince George's, Maryland; married Jeremiah McKnew, 26 March 1829, Washington, District of Columbia; died 3 May 1845, Prince George's, Maryland, United States.

The Benjamin Pickrell family resided in Washington, District of Columbia from 1804.

Jeremiah and Allethia’s Married Life Together

Jeremiah McNew and Allethia Pickrell were married on 26 March 1829 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States.[1]

Jeremiah McKnew and Frances Allethia Pickrell had the following children:

• Jeremiah McKnew, born February 1831, Prince George's, Maryland; married Rosalie B. Taylor, 29 October 1852, Washington, District of Columbia, two children; died 27 March 1860, Washington, District of Columbia.
• Catherine Louisa McKnew, born 18 October 1832, probably Prince George's, Maryland; married Elias Thomas, 9 December 1852, Powhatan, Baltimore, Maryland, nine children; died 2 October 1910, Pikesville, Baltimore, Maryland.
• Elizabeth Jane McKnew, born 1835, probably Prince George's, Maryland; married Andrew Aitcheson, 25 August 1853, Laurel, Prince Georges, Maryland, eleven children; died 1901, Alexandria, Alexandria, Virginia.
• Elijah Pickrell McKnew, born 29 March 1836, Prince George's, Maryland; married Jane Whittle, 12 November 1865, Tuolumne, California, eleven children; died 4 April 1912, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
• Benjamin Pickrell McKnew, born 25 December 1840, Prince George's, Maryland; married Diana Houston Aitcheson, 30 November 1865, Prince George's, Maryland, six children; died 14 October 1905, Prince George's, Maryland.
• Maria Louise McKnew, born about 1842, probably Prince George's, Maryland; married Peter Aitcheson, 25 December 1866, Prince George's, Maryland, five children; died 14 February 1885, Alexandria, Alexandria, Virginia.

Jeremiah’s father, Nathan McKnew, died on 27 March 1834 in Prince George’s County, Maryland. In his 1832 will, he left Jeremiah and the other two sons of his first marriage $5 “and no more”. The children of Nathan’s second marriage received the real and personal property. In the estate account, Jeremiah McKnew was paid $20 for house rent for his deceased father.

“Jerry” McKnew was enumerated in the 1840 United States Federal Census in Prince George's County, Maryland.[2] The household included:

• 3 males under age 5 (likely son Elijah and two unknown children)
• 1 male aged 5-10 (likely likely son Jeremiah)
• 1 male aged 30-40 (certainly Jeremiah)
• 2 females aged 5 to 10 (likely daughters Caherine and Elizabeth)
• 1 female aged 20-30 (certainly Allethia)

Frances Allethia (Pickrell) McKnew died 3 May 1845 in Prince George’s County, Maryland at the age of 35,[3] leaving Jeremiah with at least six children.

The death date and parents of Frances Allethia Pickrell are known only from this unusual record:

During a visit at the home of Louise and Elizabeth Marshall (Linda's cousins through the McKnew line) in Alexandria, Virginia in 1998, Randy Seaver was allowed to review family papers and a family Bible. In the process, the two little scraps of paper (approximately 1 inch by 2 inches each) fluttered to the floor from the Bible. He picked them up and read:

"Allethia MacNew the daughter of Benjamin & Allethia Pickerell deceased May 3d 1845."

"Elizabeth Barnes the mother of Benjamin Pickerell deceased June 2d 1825."

The paper scraps were placed back in the Bible, and no image of them was taken.

Jeremiah’s Later Life

Jeremiah McKnew and Sarah --?-- married before 1848, probably in Prince George’s County, in Maryland. Sarah’s parents are unknown.

Jeremiah McKnew and Sarah --?-- had the following child:

• Horace McKnew was born in 1848 in Prince George’s County, Maryland. He died before 5 December 1850 in Washington, District of Columbia.

In the 1850 United States Federal Census, the Jeremiah McNew family resided West of 7th Avenue Turnpike in Washington, D.C.[4] The household included:

• Jeremiah McNew - age 41, male, a laborer, born Md, over 20 years, and cannot read or write
• Sarah McNew - age 26, female, born Md, over 20 years, and cannot read or write
• Benjamin McNew - age 9, male, born Md
• Maria McNew - age 8, female, born Md
• Horrace McNew - age 1-8/12, male, born Md, dead

Jeremiah McKnew died after 1850 and probably before the 1860 United States Census was taken. No death date, death place, burial location or probate records have been found for Jeremiah or Sarah. Some family trees have an 1860 death date for Jeremiah, but that record is for his son, Jeremiah McKnew (1831-1860).

Sources:

1. “District of Columbia Marriages, 1811-1950,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org), Jeremiah McNew and Allethia Pickrell entry, 26 March 1829; citing Records Office, Washington D.C.; on FHL microfilm US/CAN 2,079,251.

2. 1840 United States Federal Census, Prince George's County, Maryland, population schedule, page 7 (image 41 of 64), Jerry McKnew household; imaged, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M704, Roll 169.

3. Marshall Family Bible (No title, edition number or publication date noted), handwritten loose paper scrap. Transcription made in 1998 by Randy Seaver, 1154 Via Trieste, Chula Vista CA 91911.

4. 1850 United States Federal Census, Washington, District of Columbia, Page 261A, Dwelling #30, Family #30, Jeremiah McKnew household; imaged, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com), citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, Roll 57.

Relationship

Jeremiah McKnew (1804-????) and Allthia Pickrell (1810-1845) are maternal 2nd- great-grandparents of my wife, Linda (Leland) Seaver (1942-still living), through:

•  her great-grandfather Elijah Pickrell McKnew (1836-1912) who married Jane Whittle (1847-1921) in 1865 in Tuolumne County, California.
• her grandmother Edna Catherine McKnew (1884-1974) who married Paul Frederick Schaffner (1879-1934) in 1906 in San Francisco. 
• her mother Edna May Schaffner (1913-1979)  who married Leo Severt Leland (1911-2002) in 1937 in San Francisco.

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Copyright (c) 2026, Randall J. Seaver

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2026/04/genealogical-sketch-of-jeremiah-mcknew.html

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Ask AI: "Describe Amy Frances Oatley's Life At Age 14 in 1840 in Connecticut"

  I wondered if the FREE AI tools could provide me with a story about about the life of my 2nd great-grandmother Amy Frances Oatley in 1840 at age 14 in East Killingly, Connecticut.

 My genealogical sketch for Amy Frances Oatley is ABC Biography of #23 Amy Frances (Oatley) White (1826-1864) of Rhode Island and Connecticut, based on my genealogical research.

(AI NotebookLM Infographic of the life of Amy Frances Oatley at age 14 in 1840)

1)  My Prompt to free Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.5 was:  "Please describe the life of Amy Frances Oatley at age 14 in 1840 in East Killingly, Connecticut."

2)  The AI tool responded with this description (yes, it is historical fiction, but the way it might have been), based on family and social history resources: 

Amy Frances Oatley’s Life in 1840 in 

East Killingly, Connecticut

Based on the historical records and research about rural Connecticut life in the 1840s, here's what life would have been like for Amy Frances Oatley at age 14 in East Killingly, Connecticut in 1840:

Family Life in a Crowded Household

At 14, Amy Frances lived in a bustling household with her parents Jonathan and Amy, and numerous siblings. In 1840, the census shows several siblings still at home, creating a lively and crowded domestic environment. As one of the middle daughters still at home, Amy Frances occupied an important position in the family hierarchy—old enough to take on significant responsibilities but still young enough to be under her parents' authority. Her older sisters, Almira and Nancy, had recently married and moved out of the Oatley household.

Women and their daughters played an important role in the subsistence farm, typically managing dairy and poultry operations, making soap and candles, and spending a great deal of time producing cloth. Amy Frances would have worked alongside her mother and sisters in these essential tasks.

The Oatley household was unique in East Killingly—her father was both a Baptist minister and a granite worker who owned a quarry near Killingly Old Pond. This dual identity meant Amy Frances grew up in a home where spiritual matters were discussed daily, Bible reading was central, and the physical labor of stonecutting was ever-present. Her older brothers worked the quarry with their father, and the distinctive sound of stone being cut and shaped would have been a constant backdrop to daily life.

Daily Work and Responsibilities

Amy Frances's days would have begun before dawn and extended well into the evening. Girls usually helped inside the home, cooking, cleaning, sewing and spinning. But on a farm combined with a quarry operation, her work likely extended beyond purely domestic duties.

By far the most common occasion that put women in the fields was haying, the most urgent farm labor of all, and a Litchfield, Connecticut farmer remembered of his youth in the 1840s that "all hands, women 'n' all, would turn in 'n' rake and get in" the hay. During the critical haying season, Amy Frances would have worked alongside her entire family in the fields.

Her regular domestic duties would have included:

• Textile production: As late as 1840, farm women produced more cloth at home than all American textile mills combined, with women providing one set of clothes for each family member every season. Amy Frances would have spent countless hours spinning, weaving, and sewing.

• Food preparation and preservation: Cooking over an open hearth, baking bread, churning butter, making cheese, and preserving vegetables and fruits for winter

• Cleaning and laundry: Hauling water (there was no running water), scrubbing floors, washing clothes by hand in large tubs

• Poultry and dairy care: Feeding chickens, collecting eggs, milking cows, making butter

• Gardening: Tending the kitchen garden that provided vegetables for the family table

Education

The school year was divided into two terms: a winter term from November to March, and a summer term from May to late August or early September. At 14, Amy Frances was at a transitional age for education. Girls could usually stay in school until they were seventeen or eighteen, since they were not expected to go to work like the boys.

Classes could be composed of a few students to as many as thirty, and students living in rural, agricultural communities sometimes received science lessons tailored to teach skills and knowledge that would be helpful to them on the farm. Amy Frances likely attended the local one-room schoolhouse when farm duties permitted, particularly during the summer term when her labor was less critical to the family.

The subjects she would have studied included reading, writing, arithmetic, spelling, geography, and possibly some basic sciences. Much of the learning involved memorization and recitation. Without school supplies always available, much of the students' learning involved memorization and recitation, with students called to the "recitation bench" at the front of the classroom.

However, her education extended far beyond the schoolhouse. She was learning the essential skills of running a household through apprenticeship with her mother—skills that were considered just as important as book learning for a young woman of her era.

Religious Life and Social Activities

Sundays provided respite from labor and served as the primary opportunity for social interaction, with church attendance being both a religious obligation and a social necessity in rural Connecticut, providing one of the few regular opportunities for community gathering.

For Amy Frances, church was particularly important since her father was the Baptist pastor. She would have attended services every Sunday, likely sitting with her mother and younger siblings. Sunday school, prayer meetings, and church socials were central to her social life. The time after services allowed her to interact with other young people in the community, and these gatherings were among the few opportunities for supervised socializing between young men and women.

It was likely at church or church-related activities that Amy Frances first became acquainted with Henry Arnold White, the young man she would marry four years later in 1844 when she was 18. Henry developed friendships with peers, including William Oatley, whose family resided nearby and were quarrymen, and it was likely during this period that Henry first became acquainted with Amy Frances Oatley, a sister of his friend William, who would have been about fourteen years old in 1840.

Entertainment and Fun

Entertainment in rural Connecticut in 1840 was simple and largely homemade. Amy Frances's leisure time was limited, but when it existed, it took several forms:

• Family evenings: Storytelling around the hearth, singing hymns, simple games, and conversation. Her father would have had stories from Rhode Island and from his years as a minister.

• Seasonal activities: Berry picking, nutting expeditions in the fall, ice skating in winter on frozen ponds

• Church socials: Singing schools, church suppers, quilting bees where young women gathered

• Simple recreation: Walking with friends, fishing in local streams, perhaps some informal games

• Occasionally, traveling shows and peddlers passed through Killingly, offering entertainment otherwise unavailable, including musicians, jugglers, or other performers who brought novelty and excitement to isolated rural communities—such events, though infrequent, were memorable occasions for farm families.

Any form of dancing would have been strictly forbidden in her Baptist household, as would card playing or other activities considered "worldly" by the church. Her entertainment was filtered through the lens of religious propriety.

Transition to Young Womanhood

At 14, Amy Frances was on the cusp of young womanhood. In just four years, she would be married. This period of her life was one of preparation—learning all the skills she would need to run her own household, developing the physical stamina required for farm life, and becoming acquainted with the young men of the community who might become potential suitors.

She was living in a time of transition for American women. Mill girls earned $3-4 weekly during the 1820s and 1830s, twice what women made teaching or sewing, paying under $1.25 for room and board each week. Some young Connecticut women were leaving farms to work in textile mills in places like Lowell, Massachusetts, gaining unprecedented independence. But for Amy Frances Oatley, daughter of a minister and granite worker in rural Connecticut, her path was more traditional—from her father's household to her husband's, carrying with her all the skills her mother had taught her.

Her life at 14 was one of hard work, strong faith, family bonds, and simple pleasures—a typical rural New England girlhood in the 1840s, preparing her for the responsibilities and challenges that lay ahead.

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

3)  Here is the Video Overview of this story by Google NotebookLM:  

4)  This is historical fiction based on the facts that are available for the Jonathan and Amy (Champlin) Oatley family and Amy Frances Oatley's life.  It is based on social history and society norms at the time and place, so it is likely realistic and might have happened this way. Amy Frances Oatley (1826-1864) married Henry Arnold White in 1848, had six children, and is my 2nd great-grandmother.

5)  I had to tell this story. Each ancestor faces challenges in their life, and telling stories about them helps our descendants understand their ancestors' lives and their own lives. 

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

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 Compendium page.

Copyright (c) 2026, Randall J. Seaver

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2026/04/ask-ai-describe-amy-frances-oatleys.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 appear immediately.

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Added and Updated MyHeritage Record Collections - Week of 17 to 23 April 2026

The following Record Collections were ADDED or Updated in the MyHeritage Collections Catalog during the week of  17 to 23 April 2026:

• MyHeritage Family Sites (Family Trees), Updated Apr 22 2026, 99,488,616 entries
• MyHeritage members (Family Trees), Updated Apr 22 2026, 77,347,306 entries
• MyHeritage photos & docs (Images), Updated Apr 22 2026, 476,398,726 entries
• Search Connect™ - Searches by MyHeritage Members (Family Trees), Updated Apr 22 2026, 571,629,763 entries
• MyHeritage Family Trees (Family Trees), Updated Apr 22 2026, 6,858,711,132 entries 
• Geni World Family Tree (Family Trees), Updated Apr 22 2026, 373,126,332 entries
• FamilySearch Family Tree (Family Trees), Updated Apr 22 2026, 1,243,873,528     entries
• Filae Family Trees (Family Trees), Updated Apr 22 2026, 316,649,361 entries
• Switzerland, Names & Stories in French Newspapers from OldNews.com (Newspapers), Updated Apr 20 2026, 12,279,832 records
• Netherlands, South Holland, Civil Births, 1900-1942 (Birth Records), ADDED Apr 19 2026, 184,022 records
• Netherlands, Names & Stories in Newspapers from OldNews.com (Newspapers), ADDED Apr 17 2026, 323,261,966 records
• Netherlands, South Holland, Civil Marriages, 1900-1942 (Marriage & Divorce), ADDED Apr 15 2026, 4,245,091 records
• California Deaths, 1905-1939 (Death, Burial, Cemetery & Obituaries), ADDED Apr 13 2026, 2,084,693 records
• Austria, Vienna Catholic Church Births and Baptisms, 1850-1920 (Birth Records), ADDED Apr 11 2026, 25,385,864 records

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

There are 5 ADDED record collections in the list this past week, and MyHeritage now has a total of  7,541 record collections (an increase of 5 collections from last week.  The overall set of MyHeritage collections has 39,610,971,457 records or entries (an increase of about 326 million entries from last week).  

NOTE:  The last three collections on this list  were not on the MyHeritage collection list last week for some reason.

The number of entries in the family tree collections were last updated this week. 

See previous Genea-Musings posts about MyHeritage record collections and features in https://www.geneamusings.com/search/label/MyHeritage.com.

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

Disclosure: I receive a complimentary PremiumPlus subscription to MyHeritage, and have received other material consideration in past years. I uploaded my autosomal DNA raw data to their DNA product. This does not affect my objective analysis of MyHeritage products. I am a paid subscriber to Family Tree Webinars and love it.

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2026/04/added-and-updated-myheritage-record_0976161028.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 appear immediately.

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