Fatal Duels and Fake Family Trees

Orphans, Grifters, and a mountain hike

The Dancestors Genealogy Newsletter provides a multifaceted look into family history by combining historical legal records with ancestral legends. A significant portion of the text chronicles the hardships of the Stevenson and Belsher families, detailing the tragic impact of cholera outbreaks and subsequent court battles over child guardianship and property. The newsletter also highlights the Dutch lineage of the Van Kirk family, tracing descendants back to early New York settlers and a storied figure known as Anthony the Turk. Additional sections explore the Knights of the Golden Circle, a nineteenth-century secret society, and the mythical origins of "Chief Summerfield," an alleged Indigenous traveler from Maine. The source concludes by profiling the remarkable longevity of Anthony Carroll and the social activism of women involved in the Christian Temperance Union. Ultimately, these accounts serve to encourage readers to document and preserve their own family legacies before they are lost to time.

Pirate pumpkin raids, Rockefeller fugitives, and the dancing plague

This genealogy newsletter provides a diverse collection of historical accounts and family research updates. It explores the troubled lineage of the Rockefeller family, detailing the patriarch "Devil Bill's" criminal past and bigamy. Other segments investigate the legal struggles of the Stephenson orphans in the 1800s and the wealthy Manhattan estate of a 17th-century Dutch settler known as the Turk. The publication also examines the mysterious dancing plague of 1374 and traces the tragic life of a minister identified through a vintage family Bible. Ultimately, the text serves as an invitation for readers to document their own heritage through professional genealogical services.

Fatal Duels and Fake Family Trees

This edition of the Dancestors Genealogy Newsletter explores a variety of historical mysteries and biographical sketches centered on the author's ancestral research. The text untangles the confusing identities of multiple women named Phebe Belshe in Virginia and recounts the life of Jochem Pietersen Kuyter, a prominent Danish settler in New Amsterdam who was ultimately murdered. It also details a fatal duel involving Supreme Court Justice Brockholst Livingston and provides a warning against the fraudulent genealogical work of Gustave Anjou. Readers are introduced to the espionage activities of the Moon sisters during the Civil War and the complex origins of the unique name Santarelli Sydenham Galitzin Franklin. Throughout the newsletter, the author emphasizes the importance of preserving family legacies through professional genealogical services and permanent book formats.

Pirates and my Dutch ancestors, along with Cuban defectors

The Dancestors Genealogy Newsletter serves as a multimedia resource for individuals interested in family history, offering both written articles and a podcast format. This edition highlights the lives of the Tilghman family, tracing their lineage from British surgeons and Maryland chancellors to a World War II veteran who survived a harrowing B-29 crash. The author also documents personal research trips to Virginia and the Netherlands, identifying ancestral ties to colonial landholders and a prominent Dutch diplomat named Nicasius de Sille. Further narratives explore the Polhemus family, connecting a 17th-century minister who survived pirate attacks to a New York hospital featured in modern film. Additionally, the text reviews the history of Cuban defections to the United States before concluding with an appeal for readers to professionally document their own legacies. This compilation emphasizes how genealogical research connects historical events to contemporary life and preserves fading memories for future generations.

Why You're Ancestors aren't who you thought they were!

The Dancestors Genealogy Newsletter for May 30, 2026, offers a multimedia exploration of American family histories, connecting modern descendants to figures from the Revolutionary War and the Mormon movement. It details the life of Tench Tilghman, George Washington's bilingual aide-de-camp, and investigates the lineage of Hyrum Smith, brother of Joseph Smith. The text also traces the history of the Harison family, responsible for the famous yellow roses of New York, and the Nevius family, who operated a ferry in colonial Manhattan. Readers are introduced to the Ridgely estate at Hampton, which highlights unique records of enslaved people who possessed their own surnames. Ultimately, the source emphasizes the importance of professional genealogical research in safeguarding family legacies before oral traditions and documents are lost to time.