FamilySearch 2024 Genealogy Highlights

 I received this information from FamilySearch recently:

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

 

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—Join FamilySearch, the world’s largest nonprofit genealogy organization, in looking back at 2024 to recap some of its most notable highlights. FamilySearch celebrated its 130^th anniversary as an organization in 2024, and the 25^th anniversary of its popular website, FamilySearch.org. Millions of visitors made fun new ancestor discoveries during the year thanks to advancements in FamilySearch’s artificial intelligence, new historical records collections, and RootsTech by FamilySearch, which continued its global reach in helping individuals make new family connections.

 

FamilySearch enjoyed more than 285 million visits from across the planet in 2024. Patrons frequented FamilySearch’s growing record collections, interactive discovery experiences like Surnames and Ancestors, and helpful articles on the FamilySearch Wiki and Blog.

 

Free Genealogical Records

 

The most popular reason for visiting FamilySearch.org in 2024 was free access to massive amounts of the world’s genealogical records. FamilySearch offers online access to records for more than 170 countries and principalities. More than 2.5 billion new searchable records and images were added in 2024—totaling more than 20.5 billion for the website. FamilySearch began publishing the Africa oral genealogies with searchable indexes for 12 African countries. The country collections receiving the greatest increase on FamilySearch were the USA, Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Portugal, France, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Argentina, Chile, and Ireland. Search the expanded collections now.

 

The Collaborative FamilySearch Family Tree

The world’s largest online family tree grew by more than 150 million people in 2024, totaling 1.67 billion searchable people. Contributors also added 530 million sources to their ancestors in the tree—which helps increase accuracy and collaboration. In addition, three new user features were added to the FamilySearch Family Tree:

• Merge Analysis Feature simplifies the ability to review and correct merges, and you can better understand the “before and after” of each merge.
• Portrait Pedigree View Update allows you to view siblings, a single-family line, and multiple family lines at the same time; add relatives quickly without leaving the page; and distinguish living individuals more easily.
• 3 Star Record Hints introduce a broader range of record considerations for experienced researchers to explore.

                      

FamilySearch Digital Books Online

The FamilySearch Digital Library added more than 45,000 new books in 2024. Users now have more than 630,000 free historical publications available to search. Digitized books are full-text searchable, making it easy to discover who, or what, you're searching. 

FamilySearch Library and Centers

The FamilySearch Library and its global network of FamilySearch centers and affiliates help expand access to FamilySearch’s vast resources and discovery experiences. They also offer individual search assistance and free access to premium genealogy websites.

FamilySearch added 324 new FamilySearch centers in 2024, totaling more than 6,500 locations worldwide. FamilySearch Help was updated to help family history researchers get more answers to their ancestral questions.

The library offered 85 free webinars this year, including more classes in Spanish and Portuguese. It offers hundreds more on demand in multiple languages. Review the list of classes in the library’s Learning Center.

RootsTech 2024 Quick Facts

RootsTech 2024 inspired and entertained participants from all over the world. Millions more continue to enjoy the free 2024 content online year round and on demand at RootsTech.org.

• Participants joined from 232 countries and territories.
• More than 4 million participants attended in person and online.
• More than 500,000 participants viewed 5.9 million ancestral relationships through a popular, global Relatives at RootsTech experience that will be repeated in 2025.

 RootsTech 2024 Keynotes included:

• Steve Rockwood, the CEO of FamilySearch International.
• Kristin Chenoweth, Emmy® and Tony Award®-winning actress and singer.
• Lynne M. Jackson, author and president and founder of the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation.
• Nancy Borowick, world-renowned Sony artisan photographer and humanitarian.
• Henry Cho, acclaimed comedian, and the first Asian-American to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.
• Katie James, famous Colombian singer and songwriter and guitarist was a virtual keynote.
• Kirby Heyborne, popular actor, comedian, and narrator, was the RootsTech 2024 emcee and made many appearances on the main stage.

New to RootsTech 2024 were 4 special forum sessions addressing some exciting, innovative developments contributing to new, fun, personal and family discoveries.

• Innovation and Tech Forum. Seriously cool technological developments from AI to predictive analytics will help make family connections in ways never imagined.
• Impact Forum. Distinguished researchers delved into the profoundly positive ways that knowing your family history can impact personal resilience and mental health.
• FamilySearch Tech Forum. FamilySearch tech leaders discussed the latest with artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics and the positive impacts they will have on family history.
• FamilySearch Global Forum. FamilySearch’s global leadership discussed the organization's homeland efforts to make family discoveries accessible to individuals worldwide.

 Other FamilySearch 2024 News

FamilySearch Get Involved: Volunteer Impact

Online volunteers continue to help FamilySearch users make even more fun family discoveries. Volunteers are integral in supporting the FamilySearch Community forums, and also  Get Involved, where they help make millions of images of historical records easily searchable. They improve upon FamilySearch’s artificial intelligence by refining computer-generated indexes from hundreds of millions of record images.

100 million record images of 19^th century US land records and deeds were added to the Get Involved Quick Name Review. These are the best pre-census materials available for genealogical research in the US. Other country records were also added in 2024.

If you want to help even more, consider trying out the Get Involved Full Name Review. Like Quick Name Review, you’ll improve upon FamilySearch’s computer-generated indexes. One difference is that Full Name Review has you check whether a person’s full name was indexed, including name prefixes, given names, surnames, and name suffixes.

To see the full list of projects available, and if you want to help "pay it forward" for others, learn more at FamilySearch Get Involved.

 FamilySearch Labs

FamilySearch Labs was introduced in 2024 to engage interested users of FamilySearch’s potential features and improvements. Tens of thousands of users have generously logged in to use and improve features—from the FamilySearch Family Tree to mobile apps to artificial intelligence applications. If you’re the curious type or like to influence future experiences, check out FamilySearch Labs. There are currently several features available to explore: Full-Text Search, Family Group Trees, Find Help with AI Search, Together by FamilySearch, Family Group Trees, Find Help with AI Search, Together by FamilySearch, and Data Quality Score.

FamilySearch Full-text Search

Artificial Intelligence is changing the world in so many amazing ways. FamilySearch Full-text Search is training its AI to unlock hidden discoveries in millions of its handwritten historical records. Using handwriting recognition and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software, FamilySearch can convert an image of text into a machine-readable text format giving users the ability to search the full text of the records. Check it out, and browse the extensive list of collections currently available in the FamilySearch Full-Text Search.

 The 10 Million Names Project

FamilySearch announced its collaboration with American Ancestors on 10 Million Names, an exciting initiative to recover the names and restore information to families of the estimated 10 million men, women, and children of African descent who were enslaved in pre- and post-colonial America. FamilySearch is sharing its artificial intelligence and technology solutions to help identify enslaved persons from its millions of searchable historical records and help 10 Million Names identify, digitize, transcribe, and publish new, previously unavailable collections.

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

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/01/familysearch-2024-genealogy-highlights.html

Copyright (c) 2024, 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 appear immediately.

Subscribe to receive a free daily email from Genea-Musings using www.Blogtrottr.com.

Final Report on My 2024 Genealogy Goals

 Here are my 12 Genealogy Goals for 2024 and my comments on how well I did, along with a grade (original goals in green, achievements in purple, grade in red):

1)  Write weekly "52 Ancestors" and/or "52 Relatives" genealogical sketches, and to add them to my Ancestry Member Tree and to the FamilySearch Family Tree life stories.

I think I missed one week, but excellent!  I switched to 52 Relatives for close relatives who deserve a genealogical sketch.  An A grade.  

2)  Write weekly "Amanuensis Monday" and "Seavers in the News" transcription posts for Seaver persons in my database, and add the record transcriptions to profiles in my family tree.

I think I missed one week, but excellent!  FamilySearch Full-text Search really helped reduce my transcription times on deeds.  An A grade.

3)  Research descendants of my 4th great-grandparents, mainly to support finding lines to my DNA matches.  Write 6-generation reports for lines that are nearly complete.

I slowed down in this effort, but work on descendants occasionally.  I added more ancestral families on the "new" Partridge line, dscovered from the first FamilySearch Full-Text Search I did!  I wrote no 6-generation descendants reports.  A C grade (A for descendants, F for reports).

4)  Search Ancestry, MyHeritage, FamilySearch, Findmypast and American Ancestors for new information to add relationships, events, names, dates, places, sources, images and notes to the profiles in my RootsMagic family tree.  

I used Ancestry, MyHeritage, and FamilySearch extensively every week, but not the other sites that much due to the availability of specific record collections.    A B grade. 

5)  Create PDF ancestry reports for ancestral families of myself and my second great-grandparents, plus descendant reports for key surname groups, using genealogy software and put them on Scribd (I last did this in 2012).  Do it for my wife's ancestry also.  

I'm still looking for the "best" family tree software to do this task - I wish they all could do what Family Tree Maker 16 did!  Family Tree Maker 2019 seems to come the closest to what I want to do.  So, I haven't done this so far in 2024.  An F grade.

6)  Publish the StoryWorth book that I have written 40 stories for and gift them to my daughters and grandchildren.  Write stories for another StoryWorth book compiling some of my "Wordless Wednesday" blog posts.

I started the year off by editing and embellishing the stories I wrote, and added some more photographs.  I edited the stories again (poorly I feel), and published the book in September, and gave a copy to my two daughters for Christmas.  I didn't get a new StoryWorth book contract so didn't work on more stories.  A B grade.

7)  Work on the photograph collections on the computer, and do enhancement and colorization using MyHeritage and Ancestry photo tools as necessary.  Share not-seen-before photos on "Wordless Wednesday" blog posts.  Add more family photos to my RootsMagic family tree and FamilySearch Family Tree profiles.

This task has been "hit and miss" all year.  I keep finding photographs in my family file folders and surname file folders that are not in the "My Pictures" file folder.  So I copy them to "My Pictures," and use the MyHeritage Photo tools to enhance and colorize them, and save the modified photos too.  I have re-organized the "My Pictures" folder to add photos from years before 1999, and I have shared photos weekly on the "Wordless Wednesday" theme.  I have not added many photos to my RootsMagic tree or the FamilySearch Family Tree.  A C grade.

8)  Chase more autosomal DNA matches to find common ancestors when possible using AncestryDNA ThruLines, MyHeritage ToFRs, and my "skeleton tree" on Ancestry.  

This task is now weekly - I check my new AncestryDNA Matches and my new MyHeritageDNA matches every week, and add Notes to those with a known common ancestor or with high value cMs.  I add the ancestral lines of my DNA matches when I know them from AncestryDNA, MyHeritageDNA, FamilyTreeDNA and 23andMe.  I make lists of  the AncestryDNA "Common Ancestor" matches every two months using the WikiTree DNA Match Table spreadsheet developed by Greg Clarke, and now using the Genealogy Assistant.  Finding my 4th great-grandmother Mary Partridge earlier this year added a number of previously unknown DNA matches with a Partridge and/or Wakeman line.   An A grade.

  

9)  Make more photograph slide shows for myself, Linda, my parents, and my grandparents, including photographs and records to tell their stories.  Narrate Zoom videos of the slide shows and share them on my YouTube channel with my family members.

Um, I haven't done anything here except think about doing these tasks when I find another round tuit.  I found two previous slide shows and need to update them with recently found photographs.  An F grade.

10)  Investigate the best uses of Artificial Intelligence to create historical biographies of myself and my ancestors.  

I have used the Ancestry and MyHeritage AI Biography tools, but find they are too limiting to do a decent genealogical sketch.  I used ChatGPT and other AI tools (Claude, Gemini, Meta, Grok, CoPilot and Perplexity) to take a list of events for a person to create a biography of the person, and that works, but the result is not as extensive as I would like.  I used the EmulateMe avator tool to create a talking Randy - ask him a question and he will answer in his own voice, based on the photograph and 20 page biography I uploaded.  I asked the AI tools lots of questions to enhance my family history education and to explore their knowledge base.  I tried several new tools to do routine genealogy research tasks.  I have written genealogy-related poems and song lyrics that tell ancestor stories using ChatGPT and other AI tools and created songs on Suno.  All of my AI efforts for 2024 are listed in Randy's Artificial Intelligence and Genealogy Posts in 2024.  An A grade.

11)  Serve the Chula Vista Genealogical Society (CVGS) on the Board of Directors as newsletter editor and Research/DNA chair, organize and present monthly Research Group and DNA Interest Group meetings on Zoom, and attend and contribute to the in-person education group meetings.

I missed several Education meetings, but have attended every CVGS program meeting, research group and DNA interest group meeting.  An A- grade

12)  Watch more Family Tree Webinars and YouTube videos, attend CVGS, SDGS and WAGS program Zoom meetings, and attend RootsTech 2024 virtually, in order to keep up-to-date with research techniques, and new genealogy industry features.

I attended RootsTech 2024 virtually, watch several Family Tree Webinars every month, and have attended most SDGS program meetings and several WAGS meetings, plus several GSSCC meetings.  I review over 100 YouTube channels every week and watch the most interesting videos.  An A- grade.

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

Only 12 goals, and they were all achievable.  I think I've done pretty well so far this year.  Several other "important new things" have popped up to interfere with the pursuit of some of my 2024 goals. 

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

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/01/randys-autosomal-dna-test-and-analysis.html

Copyright (c) 2025, 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 Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Randy's Autosomal DNA Test and Analysis Summary - 3 January 2025

 The last list of my Autosomal DNA test and analysis results was posted in Randy's Autosomal DNA Test and Analysis Summary - 27 April 2021.  I guess that I forgot to update it since then.  Life happened! Bad geneablogger!!  

Here is the update, with comparison to 44 months ago (27 April 2021).  I'm curious to see how my numbers have increased:

1)  Ancestry DNA:

*  Total Matches (8 cM or more):  47,611 matches (was 36,443 matches on 4/27/2021)
*  Matches with 68 cM (1.0%) or more: 28 matches (was 26 on 4/21/2021)
*  Matches with 34 cM (0.5%) or more:  172 matches (was 148 on 4/27/2021)
*  4th Cousins or closer (20 cM or more): 2,010 matches (was 1,616 on 4/27/2021)
*  Matches with Common Ancestors (per Ancestry):  624 (was 428 on 4/27/2021)
*  Highest match has 779 cM (11.5%), and is a known first cousin.

2)  MyHeritageDNA:

*  Total Matches (8 cM or more):   13,120 matches (was 9,591 on 4/27/2021)
*  Matches with 68 cM (1.0%) or more:  6 matches (was 5 on 4/27/2021)
*  Matches with 34 cM (0.5 %) or more:  154 matches (was 108 on 4/27/2021)
*  Number of Theories of Family Relativity:  21 (was 11 on 4/27/2021)
*  Highest Match has 512 cM (7.1%), and is a known first cousin once removed.

3)  23andMe:

*  Total DNA Relatives Matches (7 cM or more):  1,510 Matches (was 1,522 on 4/27/2021)
*  Matches with 68 cM (1.0%) or more:  12 Matches (was 11 on 4/27/2021)
*  Matches with 34 cM (0.5%) or more:  142 Matches (was 128 on 4/27/2021)
*  Highest Match has 163 cM (2.33%), and is a known 1st cousin twice removed.

4)  FamilyTreeDNA:

*  Total Family Finder Matches (now 8 cM or more):  5,451 Matches (was 4,029 on 4/27/2021)
*  Matches with 68 cM (1.0%) or more:  0 (was 19 on 4/27/2021)
*  Matches with 34 cM (0.5%) or more:  61 matches (was 2,722 on 4/27/2021)
*  Highest Match has 67 cM (0.99%) and is a known 3rd cousin.

5)  LivingDNA (no longer available to me):

*  Total Matches (9.5 cM or more):  ??? (was 345 on 4/27/2021)

*  Matches with 68 cM (1.0%) or more:  0 (was 0 on 4/27/2021)
*  Matches with 34 cM (0.5%) or more: ?? (was 20 on 4/27/2021)
*  Highest Match had 62 cM and is an unknown relative.

6)  GEDMatch:

*  Matches with 68 cM (1.0%) or more:  1 (was 1 on 4/27/20210)
*  Matches with 34 cM (0.5%) or more: 41 (was 44 on 4/27/2021)
*  Highest Match has 86.8  cM and is a known 3rd cousin

7)  Observations:

*  Ancestry continues to add new DNA matches (an average of about 250 per month), as does MyHeritageDNA (an average of about 80 per month).

*  Ancestry ThruLines have added about 4.5 "Common Ancestors" matches per month, while MyHeritageDNA has added about 0.2 Theory of Family Relativity matches per month.

*  Over 44 months, all of the autosomal DNA providers have added only 5 high-value matches (1% or more DNA sharing) to my match lists.

*  FamilyTreeDNA's decision to exclude small DNA segments really affected my match list!

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

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/01/randys-autosomal-dna-test-and-analysis.html

Copyright (c) 2025, 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, and may not appear immediately.

Subscribe to receive a free daily email from Genea-Musings using www.Blogtrottr.com.

52 Relatives: 2nd Great-GrandUncle Augustus Brigham (1820-1909) of Sterling and Worcester, Massachusetts

 Augustus Brigham[1–4], son of Lambert Brigham and Sophia Buck, was born on 26 May 1820 in Sterling, Worcester, Massachusetts[1,4] He died on 10 June 1909 at the age of 89 in Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts.[3-4] He was buried after 10 June 1909 at Hope Cemetery in Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts.[4]  

Augustus had a brother, Aurelius Brigham (1830-1878) and a sister, Sophia Newton (1834-1923). His father, Lambert Brigham, passed away in 1834 in Sterling, Massachusetts.  His mother, Sophia (Buck) Brigham was pregnant with daughter Sophia when Lambert Brigham died, and she married Thomas J. Newton in about 1834; the daughter Sophia took the Newton last name, and they had a son Thomas Jefferson Newton (1836-1915).  Sophia (Buck) (Brigham) Newton (1797-1882) married (3) Jonathan Stone ( 1795-1868) in 1862.

Augustus Brigham married Mary Ann Allard on 9 November 1841 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts.[2]

 Mary Ann Allard was born on 21 June 1822 in Montpelier, Washington, Vermont.[5] She died on 2 April 1909 at the age of 86 in Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts.[5–6] She was buried after 2 April 1909 at Hope Cemetery in Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts.[5]

 Augustus Brigham and Mary Ann Allard had the following children:

• Henry Francis Brigham, born 3 May 1842, Wayland, Middlesex, Massachusetts; married Lillie Jeanette Himebaugh, about 1882, Ohio; died 10 June 1911, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan.
• Mary A. Brigham was born on 2 October 1843 in Natick, Middlesex, Massachusetts. She died on 11 September 1866 at the age of 22 in Westborough, Worcester, Massachusetts.18
• Harriet Brigham was born on 14 October 1845 in Framingham, Middlesex, Massachusetts. She died on 18 July 1864 at the age of 18 in Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts.
• James Augustus Brigham, born 26 November 1846, Princeton, Worcester, Massachusetts; married (1) Hannah Entwistle, 4 January 1873, Sturbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts; married (2) Abbie Jennie Melville, 4 April 1901, Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts; died 6 January 1913, West Boylston, Worcester, Massachusetts.
• Oren W. Brigham was born on 26 April 1848 in Sterling, Worcester, Massachusetts. He died on 30 May 1870 at the age of 22 in Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts.
• Charles E. Brigham was born on 26 January 1850 in Sterling, Worcester, Massachusetts. He died on 5 September 1850 at the age of 0 in Sterling, Worcester, Massachusetts.19
• Frances A.W. Brigham was born on 1 June 1851 in Sterling, Worcester, Massachusetts. She died on 8 August 1870 at the age of 19 in Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts.
• Enoch Alambert Brigham was born on 5 September 1853 in Sterling, Worcester, Massachusetts. He died on 4 September 1877 at the age of 23 in Westborough, Worcester, Massachusetts.
• Ella E. Brigham, born 1 March 1855, Shrewsbury, Worcester, Massachusetts; married Henry L. Engley, 15 October 1874, Hopkinton, Middlesex, Massachusetts; died 18 April 1915, Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts.
• Rosanna Augusta Brigham was born on 1 September 1856 in Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts. She died on 9 January 1876 at the age of 19 in Westborough, Worcester, Massachusetts.

A newspaper report of the 61st wedding anniversary celebration of Augustus and Mary Ann (Allard) Brigham in 1901 in Worcester, Massachusetts, was reported in the Worcester Daily Spy newspaper on 10 November 1901:[7] 

SURPRISE FOR AGED COUPLE

---------------

Relatives and Friends of Mr. and Mrs. Augustus Brigham Plan and Execute a Celebration of Their Wedding Anniversary

---------------

WEDDED LIFE SPANS 61 HAPPY YEARS

---------------

Mr. Brigham's Comrades in the Grand Army Remembered Their Associate and Among the Warmest Congratulations were Those from the Boys of '61

Mr. and Mrs. Augustus Brigham of 51 Abbott Street celebrated the 61st anniversary of their wedding yesterday.

The celebration took the form of a surprise party for the couple, and the day will be long remembered by both of them. Sergt. Brigham is 80 years old and his wife is 78. He is, with one exception, the oldest Grand Army man in the city.

A daughter, Mrs. Henry L. Engley, who lives with her husband and daughter, Miss Rosa, at 1 Cottage Street, conceived the plan of giving her father and mother a surprise that would be the event of their lives on the occasion of their 61st wedding anniversary. Mrs. Engley is an invalid, and it was decided to have the celebration at her home. Mr. and Mrs. Brigham were invited to spend the afternoon and meet a friend or two at the Cottage Street residence. they came unconscious of the plans and the great surprise in store for them.

On arriving at the home of their daughter they were greeted, not by a few, but by a crowd of friends and acquaintances who gathered to congratulate them on the passing of the day.

The couple were met by their son, J. Augustus Brigham, and Mrs. Brigham of Spencer, Mrs. Sophia Hildreth of Leominster, Miss Hattie Brigham of Leominster, Mr. and Mrs. Adam Shandelmayer of Springfield, Orlando Engley of West Medway and many others from Fitchburg and Newton.

There was a reception from 3 o'clock until 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and refreshments were served to the guests under the direction of Miss Rosa Engley, assisted by Miss Mertie Webber and Miss Edith Grosvenor. At Thursday night's meeting of George H. Ward Post. Information had quietly been given concerning the surprise, and Grand Army men went to the house in squads to congratulate their old comrade and his wife and wish them many more celebrations of their wedding anniversary.

Letters were read from Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Newton, residing at Albany, Vt., extending congratulations and containing a substantial sum and from Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence of Lowell also containing money. Mr. Newton is a half-brother of Mr. Brigham, also a veteran of the war, and is blind by reason of his services for the Union.

The reception was informal and was a complete surprise to Mr. Brigham. In addition to the Grand Army visitors, the aged couple were congratulated by delegations from the Woman's Relief corps, from Maple Lodge of Odd Ladies and from Trinity Church, of which both are members. There were two anniversary cakes prepared, one for Mr. and Mrs. Brigham and another one for the guests. They were made by Miss Rosa Engley. The only two children of the guests of honor, Mrs. Engley and J. Augustus Brigham of Spencer were kept busy telling tales of their father's upright and eventful life.

Augustus Brigham was born in Sterling, but has lived in Worcester for more than 40 years with the exception of a brief period spent in Boylston. He enlisted in the Twenty-first Massachusetts Volunteers, Company E, in 1861, for three years, and went to the front from Boylston, where he was at that time. A son, Henry F., now dead, enlisted and endured service with him. Mr. Brigham was quickly promoted to corporal, but at the battle of Roanoke Island, where Gen. Burnside's army charged through the swamps, he became ill from the effects of disease contracted in the marshes, and was invalided home. His services were rewarded by prompt promotion and he was made a sergeant during his illness.

As soon as health had been partially restored, Sergt. Brigham decided to enlist again, but his two sons, J. Augustus and Oren W., aged 17 and 15, respectively, bothered him because they determined to follow their father to the front. He resolved to respect their patriotic wishes and get them sworn in. He did so with some shame and hesitation, alleging that J. Augustus was 20 and Oren W. was 18 years of age. Since that time, it is said, he has never told a lie. Father and sons enlisted in the Fourth Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, Company F, and served until the close of the war in detached service in defense of Washington. After the war Mr. Brigham returned to Worcester and resumed work at his trade.

Mr. and Mrs. Brigham are both wonderfully preserved for their years. The former never wore glasses and is able to read as well as anybody without artificial aid. Mrs. Brigham attends to all the duties of her home and gets about in a manner that would do credit to one much younger.

The reception was continued between the hours of 7 and 9 o'clock last night, when a number of friends of the couple called to pay respects.

SOURCES

1. Frances Pratt Tapley, Vital Records of Sterling, Massachusetts (Sterling, Mass.: Sterling, Mass. Historical Commission, 1976), Births, Augustus Brigham entry, 26 May 1820, son of Lambert and Sophia Brigham.

2. "Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988," indexed database and digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com), Boston, "Boston Marriages, 1800-1849, Vol. 1," page 103 (penned), image 53 of 634, Augustus Brigham and Mary Ann Allard entry, 9 November 1841.

3. "Massachusetts U.S. Death Records, 1841-1915," imaged, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com), 1909 > Worcester, Augustus Brigham entry, 10 June 1909.

4. Find A Grave, imaged,  (https://www.findagrave.com), Hope Cemetery, Worcester, Mass., Augustus Brigham (1820-1909) memorial #114117399.

5. Find A Grave, Hope Cemetery, Worcester, Mass., Mary Ann Allard Brigham memorial #114672560.

6. "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915," imaged,  New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (https://www.AmericanAncestors.org), Deaths: Volume 105, Page 93, Mary Ann Brigham entry, 2 April 1909, age at death 86 years, 7 months, 11 days.

7.  "Surprise for Aged Couple," Worcester Daily Spy newspaper, dated 19 November 1901, GenealogyBank (https://www.genealogybank.com), 60th wedding anniversary article.[7]

 =================================

Augustus Brigham (1820-1909) is my 2nd great-granduncle and the brother of my 2nd great-grandmother, Sophia (Newton) Seaver (1834-1923).   Seven of the ten children of Augustus and Mary Ann (Allard) Brigham died before the age of 20.  

I have posted over 500 genealogical sketches of  my ancestors back through the 7th great-grandparents and a number of close relatives.  Information about Lambert Brigham is in  52 Ancestors - Week 413: #38 Lambert Brigham (1794-1834) of Westborough and Sterling, Massachusetts; information about Sophia (Buck) (Brigham) (Newton) Stone is in 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 32: #39 Sophia (Buck) (Brigham) (Newton) Stone (1797-1882).

The "52 Relatives" theme is a weekly series to document the lives of siblings of my ancestors with relatively short genealogical sketches, including important events, and with source citations.  These relatives lived and died within a family structure, and deserve a genealogical sketch - they were integral parts and important persons in the lives of my ancestral families.  

I post the 52 Ancestors and 52 Relatives sketches on the 52 Ancestors/Relatives Biographies page, in my Ancestry Member Tree, in WikiTree, and in the FamilySearch Family Tree. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/01/52-relatives-2nd-great-granduncle.html

Copyright (c) 2025, 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 Twitter, Facebook, 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.

Subscribe to receive a free daily email from Genea-Musings using www.Blogtrottr.com.

Added and Updated MyHeritage Record Collections - 27 December 2024 to 2 January 2025

 The following Record Collections were ADDED to or updated in the MyHeritage Collections Catalog during the week of 27 December 2024 to 2 January 2025:

• MyHeritage Family Sites (Family Trees), Updated Jan 1 2025, 95,026,199 entries
• MyHeritage members (Family Trees), Updated Jan 1 2025, 76,153,544 entries

• MyHeritage photos & docs (Images), Updated Jan 1 2025, 444,419,027 entries
• Search Connect™ - Searches by MyHeritage Members (Family Trees), Updated Jan 1 2025,  449,601,501 entries
• 1885 New Jersey State Census (U.S. Census), ADDED Jan 1 2025, 1,158,148 entries.
• MyHeritage Family Trees (Family Trees), Updated Jan 1 2025, 6,163,195,248 entries

• Geni World Family Tree (Family Trees), Updated Jan 1 2025, 358,996,767 entries
• FamilySearch Family Tree (Family Trees), Updated Jan 1 2025, 1,160,797,361    entries
• Filae Family Trees (Family Trees), Updated Jan 1 2025, 304,629,377 entries
• 1880 Sweden Census (Nordic Census), ADDED Jan 1 2025, 4,326,549 entries.
• England, Essex Parish Baptisms and Confirmations, 1538-1924 (Birth Records),   ADDED Dec 29 2024, 6,869,770 entries
• Massachusetts Deaths, 1916-1919 (Death Records), ADDED Dec 29 2024, 267,182 entries
• United States Newspapers from OldNews.com (Newspapers), Updated Dec 28 2024,  76,448,845 pages in 15,882 newspaper titles
• United Kingdom Newspapers from OldNews.com (Newspapers), Updated Dec 28 2024, 5,873,317 pages in 41 newspaper titles

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

There are 4 ADDED record collections this past week, and MyHeritage now has a total of 7,463 record collections (an increase of 4 collections), with 32,108,305,275 entries (an increase of over 783 million entries).  The FamilySearch Family Tree added 0.0 million entries this past week.

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

Disclosure: I receive a complimentary 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/2025/01/added-and-updated-myheritage-record.html

Copyright (c) 2024, 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 appear immediately.

Subscribe to receive a free daily email from Genea-Musings using www.Blogtrottr.com.