Added and Updated FamilySearch Record Collections - Week of 23 to 29 May 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 29 May 2026, there are now 6,666 searchable and full-text transcribed image collections on FamilySearch Full-Text Search this week, an increase of 0 from last week. There are over 1.98 BILLION "results" in the collections.  It is not possible to see which collections are new.

 2)  As of 29 May 2026, there are now 24,857 684 browsable (some indexed, none transcribed) image collections on FamilySearch Images this week, an increase of 173 from last week. There are over 6.038 BILLION images in these collections.  There are 2,117 collections from the United States, 7,076 from Europe and 221 from Canada.  It is not possible to see which collections are new.

3)  As of 29 May 2026, there are 3,436 Historical Record Collections (many indexed, browsable) on FamilySearch (an increase of 0 from last week) on the Signed In screen.

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

--- Collections Deleted ---

--- Collections Added ---

--- Collections Updated ---

Australia, Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1770729); 412,571 indexed records with 418,870 record images (was 457,578 records with 525,179 images), UPDATED 26-May-2026
Australia, Deaths and Burials, 1816-1980 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1770857); 90,137 indexed records with 67,803 record images (was 103,977 records with 108,839 images), UPDATED 26-May-2026
Australia, Marriages, 1810-1980 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1770858); 130,519 indexed records with 119,060 record images (was 140,493 records with 149,669 images), UPDATED 26-May-2026
Australia, Queensland, Cemetery Records, 1802-1990 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1927198); 2,147,363 indexed records with 1,121,438 record images (was 2,168,403 records with 1,121,438 images), UPDATED 26-May-2026
Australia, Queensland, Maryborough, Public Records, 1847-1989 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2065713); 17,156 indexed records with 1,844 record images (was 17,156 records with 1,844 images), UPDATED 26-May-2026

Canada, Newfoundland, Census, 1945 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2246699); 293,503 indexed records with 7,457 record images (was 328,362 records with 7,457 images), UPDATED 22-May-2026
England Marriages, 1538–1973 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1473015); 10,303,121 indexed records with 2,429 record images (was 10,303,917 records with 12,511,919 images), UPDATED 26-May-2026
England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1473014); 39,146,412 indexed records with 529,095 record images (was 39,148,902 records with 529,095 images), UPDATED 26-May-2026
Find a Grave Index (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2221801); 268,931,463 indexed records with 1,088,742 record images (was 266,995,561 records with 1,088,742 images), UPDATED 28-May-2026
Honduras, Civil Registration, 1841-1968 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2135627); 12,532,093 indexed records with 337,976 record images (was 12,403,202 records with 337,976 images), UPDATED 22-May-2026

Italy, Como, Como, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1929 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2043815); 1,215,851 indexed records with 1,475,606 record images (was 1,215,604 records with 1,475,606 images), UPDATED 26-May-2026
Italy, Messina, Patti, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1823-1941 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1946858); 148,561 indexed records with 891,170 record images (was 147,853 records with 891,170 images), UPDATED 26-May-2026
Maine, United States Naturalization Records, 1790-1991 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2613134); 85,306 indexed records with 29,001 record images (was 83,914 records with 29,001 images), UPDATED 22-May-2026
New Zealand, Cemetery Transcriptions, 1835-2006 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2780088); 2,169,283 indexed records with 103,037 record images (was 2,168,814 records with 103,037 images), UPDATED 26-May-2026
New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2697870); 2,331,241 indexed records with 2 record images (was 2,276,966 records with 2 images), UPDATED 22-May-2026

Philippines Civil Registration (National), 1945-1996 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1852584); 5,508,941 indexed records with 20,274,621 record images (was 5,500,027 records with 20,274,621 images), UPDATED 27-May-2026
Philippines, Bicol, Civil Registration, 1783-2008 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000343); 20,169 indexed records with 803,949 record images (was 20,169 records with 816,539 images), UPDATED 27-May-2026
Philippines, Central Luzon, Civil Registration, 1852-2010 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000349); 126,942 indexed records with 885,825 record images (was 126,942 records with 856,617 images), UPDATED 27-May-2026
South Africa, Cape, Western Cape Archives Records, 1792-1992 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1935348); 146,155 indexed records with 1,016,009 record images (was 144,566 records with 1,016,009 images), UPDATED 26-May-2026
Texas, Swisher County Records, 1879-2012 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2103490); 11,410 indexed records with 93,205 record images (was 11,109 records with 93,205 images), UPDATED 27-May-2026

--- Collections with new images ---

Argentina, Military Records, 1911-1936 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000280); 2,929,239 indexed records with 2,929,272 record images (was 2,929,239 records with 2,929,262 images), last updated 03-Apr-2026
Brazil, Maranhão, Civil Registration, 1827-2022 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4469402); 1 indexed records with 906,193 record images (was 1 records with 906,190 images), last updated 07-Jun-2024
Ohio, Wills and Deeds, ca. 1700s-2017 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3158863); 1 indexed records with 11,138 record images (was 1 records with 11,137 images), last updated 07-Jun-2024

--- Collections with images removed ---

BillionGraves Index (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2026973); 31,122,746 indexed records with 31,122,741 record images (was 31,122,746 records with 31,122,744 images), last updated 06-Aug-2024
England, Manchester, Miscellaneous Records, 1700-1916 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2075052); 10,592,399 indexed records with 15,918,116 record images (was 10,592,399 records with 15,918,117 images), last updated 26-Dec-2025
Guatemala, Deaths, 1760-1880 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1520636); 20,912 indexed records with 16,995 record images (was 20,912 records with 20,912 images), last updated 04-Feb-2020
Netherlands, Archival Indexes, Public Records (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2841008); 5,886,927 indexed records with 5,886,925 record images (was 5,886,927 records with 5,886,927 images), last updated 04-Mar-2019
United Kingdom, British Armed Forces and Overseas Vital Records, 1761-2005 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4324570); 2,878,200 indexed records with 2,802,124 record images (was 2,878,200 records with 2,861,334 images), last updated 22-Sep-2021

United Kingdom, Funeral Notices, 1914-2023 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000184); 4,987,936 indexed records with 4,972,610 record images (was 4,987,936 records with 4,972,635 images), last updated 28-Oct-2023
United States, Google, United States Inventors Index (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000136); 1,048,575 indexed records with 1,046,568 record images (was 1,048,575 records with 1,048,575 images), last updated 21-Nov-2023
Wales, Anglesey, Parish Registers, 1538-1912 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2072798); 162,277 indexed records with 484,820 record images (was 162,277 records with 484,848 images), last updated 23-Sep-2025
Wales, Denbighshire, Parish Registers, 1538-1912 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1419318); 692,437 indexed records with 336,997 record images (was 692,437 records with 718,898 images), last updated 25-Jan-2026
Wales, Flintshire, Parish Registers, 1538-1912 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1426674); 498,887 indexed records with 484,753 record images (was 498,887 records with 518,367 images), last updated 25-Jan-2026

Wales, Glamorganshire, Parish Registers, 1538-1912 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2075047); 734,794 indexed records with 739,791 record images (was 734,794 records with 753,761 images), last updated 25-Jan-2026
Wales, Monmouthshire, Parish Registers, 1538-1912 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2075051); 254,998 indexed records with 427,685 record images (was 254,998 records with 432,421 images), last updated 26-Dec-2025
Wales, Montgomeryshire, Parish Registers, 1538-1912 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2075048); 380,258 indexed records with 415,934 record images (was 380,258 records with 416,043 images), last updated 23-Sep-2025
Wales, Pembrokeshire, Parish Registers, 1538-1912 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1419323); 317,650 indexed records with 374,830 record images (was 317,650 records with 378,652 images), last updated 23-Sep-2025
Wales, Radnorshire, Parish Registers, 1538-1912 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2075050); 101,258 indexed records with 115,670 record images (was 101,258 records with 115,726 images), last updated 23-Sep-2025

West Virginia, Deaths, 1804-1999 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1417434); 2,214,804 indexed records with 2,378,801 record images (was 2,214,804 records with 2,378,802 images), last updated 07-Apr-2026

--- Collections with new records ---

--- Collections with records removed ---

United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, Births, and Marriages, 1980-2015 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2333694); 28,662,177 indexed records with 46,919,022 record images (was 28,662,178 records with 46,919,022 images), last updated 29-Apr-2026
United States, Public Records, 1970-2009 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2199956); Index only (875,600,606 records), no images (was 875,600,615 records with 0 images), last updated 23-Dec-2025
United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000290); Index only (413,858,256 records), no images (was 413,858,331 records with 0 images), last updated 22-Jun-2024

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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:

• 3,436 Historical Record Collection entries
• 0 removed entries
• 0  added entries 
• 20 updated entries
• 19 entries with more or fewer images 
• 3 entries with more or fewer records

Marshsll's list shows 3,436 Historical Record Collections this week, an increase of 1 collections. The image above shows 3,436 collections, so the Image number is in sync with Marshall's list number.

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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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Added and Updated Ancestry.com Record Collections - Week of 23 to 29 May 2026

  The following genealogy record collections were added to the Ancestry.com Card Catalog page by "Date Updated" during the period from 23 to 29 May 2026:  

The ADDED and Updated collections include:

• Norway, Find a Grave® Index, 1800s-Current; 270,381 indexed records without record images, Updated 5/28/2026. This database contains an index to cemetery and burial details posted on Find a Grave® from Norway. The records are dated between the 1800s and the present. 
• Australia and New Zealand, Find a Grave® Index, 1800s-Current; 12,722,601 indexed records without record images, Updated 5/28/2026. This database contains an index to cemetery and burial details posted on Find a Grave® from Australia and New Zealand. The records are dated between the 1800s and the present.
• Mexico, Find a Grave® Index, 1800s-Current; 100,290 indexed records without record images, Updated 5/28/2026. This database contains an index to cemetery and burial details posted on Find a Grave® from Mexico. The records are dated between the 1800s and the present.
• U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current; 186.160.642 indexed records without record images, Updated 5/28/2026. This database contains an index to cemetery and burial details posted on Find a Grave® from the United States. The records are dated between the 1600s and the present. 
• Germany, Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current; 4,661,779 indexed records without record images, Updated 5/28/2026. This database contains an index to cemetery and burial details posted on Find a Grave® from Germany. The records are dated between the 1600s and the present. 
• UK and Ireland, Find a Grave® Index, 1300s-Current; 25,876,135 indexed records without record images, Updated 5/28/2026. This database contains an index to cemetery and burial details posted on Find a Grave® from the United Kingdom and Ireland. The records are dated between the 1300s and the present.
• Brazil, Find a Grave® Index, 1800s-Current; 320,127 indexed records without record images, Updated 5/28/2026. This database contains an index to cemetery and burial details posted on Find a Grave® from Brazil. The records are dated between the 1800s and the present. 
• Sweden, Find a Grave® Index, 1800s-Current; 1,173,987 indexed records without record images, Updated 5/28/2026. This database contains an index to cemetery and burial details posted on Find a Grave® from Sweden. The records are dated between the 1800s and the present. 
• Italy, Find a Grave® Index, 1800s-Current; 490,777 indexed records without record images, Updated 5/28/2026. This database contains an index to cemetery and burial details posted on Find a Grave® from Italy. The records are dated between the 1800s and the present. 
• Global, Geneanet Cemetery Index, 1500-current; 21,919,815 indexed records without record images, Updated 5/28/2026. This collection contains an index of cemetery information posted on Geneanet.org for over 135 countries and territories including France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and the United States. 
• Virginia, U.S., Divorce Records, 1918-2014; 2,887,463 indexed records with record images, Updated 5/28/2026. Sometimes marriages don’t work out—and you may be able to find out why in these Virginia divorce records.
• Global, Find a Grave® Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current; 24,575,697 indexed records without record images, Updated 5/28/2026. This database contains an index to cemetery and burial details posted on Find a Grave® for burials at sea and other select burial locations. 
• Canada, Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current; 12,676,127 indexed records without record images, Updated 5/28/2026. This database contains an index to cemetery and burial details posted on Find a Grave® from Canada. The records are dated between the 1600s and the present. 
• Hampshire, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1921; 622,661 indexed records with record images, Updated 5/28/2026. This collection includes Church of England parish registers of burials between 1813 and 1921 from the historic county of Hampshire, England.
• Hampshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1536-1812; 2,974,276 indexed records with record images, Updated 5/28/2026. This collection includes Church of England parish registers of baptisms, marriages, and burials between 1558 and 1812 from the historic county of Hampshire, England.
• Suffolk, England, Bishops' Transcripts, 1538-2000; 8,876,507 indexed records with record images, ADDED 5/27/2026. This collection includes Church of England bishops’ transcripts of baptisms, marriages, and burials from 1538 to 2000 for the historical county of Suffolk, England.
• Pennsylvania, U.S., Railroad Workers Relief Cards, 1886-1968; 435,511 indexed records with record images, ADDED 5/27/2026. This collection contains records of railroad workers in Pennsylvania dated between 1886 and 1968.
• Midlothian, Scotland, Burials, 1834-2025; 75,602 indexed records with record images,   ADDED 5/27/2026. This collection contains records from cemeteries in the county of Midlothian, Scotland, dated between 1834 and 1997. 
• Malta Notarial Deeds, 1500-1900; 468,122 indexed records with record images, ADDED 5/27/2026. This collection contains various types of notarized legal documents from Malta between 1500 and 1900. The collection includes a variety of legal record types, including wills, marriage contracts.
• England, Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's to current; 2,026,165,614 indexed records without record images, Updated 5/27/2026. This index allows you to search for your ancestor by name in English newspapers that are available on Newspapers.com™ from the 1800s to the present.

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

By my count, there are 4 NEW record collections ADDED this past week, per the list above. There are now 33,942 collections available as of 29 May, 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/2026/05/added-and-updated-ancestrycom-record_0548603636.html

 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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Ask AI: "Describe Rudolf Spangler's Revolutionary War Military Service"

I wondered if the FREE AI tools could provide me with information about the events in the Revolutionary War experienced by my 4th great-grandfather, Rudolf Spangler (1738-1811) of Pennsylvania.

My ABC Biography for the Rudolf  Spangler family is ABC Biography of the Rudolf and Dorothea (Dinkel) Spangler Family of York, Pennsylvania (1738-1835), which included a summary of his military service was attached to the prompt.

(AI NotebookLM Infographic of Rudolf Spangler's Revolutionary War service)

1)  My Prompt to free Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.6 was:  "Please describe Rudolf Spangler's (1738-1811) Revolutionary War military service based on the attached document."

2)  The AI tool responded with:

Rudolf Spangler's Military Service, 1775–1776

Background: York County and the Associator Movement

To understand Rudolf Spangler's service, it helps to know the military culture of York County in the years before independence was formally declared. There is not a part of Pennsylvania wherein the love of liberty displayed itself earlier or more strongly than in the county of York. Military companies with a view to resisting Great Britain were formed in York while the people of the neighboring counties slept. The first company that marched from Pennsylvania to the fields of war was a company of rifle-men from the town of York, who left on the first of July 1775.

At the outbreak of hostilities between the Crown and the colonies in 1775, activist elements among Pennsylvania's population organized local volunteer "associations" that were eventually formed into fifty-three battalions. These voluntary "Associators" never represented more than a fraction of the state's total population. Rudolf Spangler was among the most active of these early volunteers in York town.

1775: Joining Eichelberger's Company

Rudolf's military career began in late 1775. On the 27th of December 1775, Colonels James Smith, Thomas Hartley, and Majors Michael Swope and Joseph Donaldson authorized George Eichelberger, Michael Hahn, Balzer Spangler, Rudy Spangler, and Geo. Stake to raise a Company of Militia in York Town, as soon as thirty men had signed, the said Company to be a part of the first Battalion. This authorization is a remarkable document: it places Rudolf — listed familiarly as "Rudy Spangler" — among the founding organizers of York's militia alongside his own brother Baltzer Spangler and the man who would become his commanding officer.

Rudolf thus joined Captain George Eichelberger's company, which was listed as part of the First Battalion of York County Associators, with Eichelberger's commission dating to 27 December 1775.

Spring 1776: Election as Captain of the Sixth Company

The Sixth Company of the York Town militia was formally constituted in the spring of 1776. The sixth company was formed in May of the same year, and was commanded by Captain Rudolph Spangler. His neighbors and fellow citizens had elected him to this rank — the standard practice for Associator companies, in which the men themselves chose their officers by vote. This was not a ceremonial appointment; it reflected genuine trust from the men he would lead into danger.

The first and second companies formed in town had long since been dissolved, and the soldiers thereof joined and became a part of the fifth and sixth companies: so that in June 1776, there were four different military associations of the town of York — the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth companies. Captain Spangler's Sixth Company was therefore one of the four active York town units on the eve of the march to New Jersey.

July 1776: The March to New Jersey and the Flying Camp

The summer of 1776 brought the most consequential episode of Rudolf's military life. Congress, on the 3rd of June, 1776, resolved that a Flying Camp be immediately established in the middle colonies, and that it consist of 10,000 men, to complete which number Pennsylvania was required to furnish 6,000 of the militia. The militia were to be engaged until the 1st of December following — about six months.

In July 1776, five battalions of York County militia marched to New Jersey. This massive mobilization demonstrated both the county's commitment to independence and Congress's strategy of displaying colonial military strength. From these battalions emerged two units for the Flying Camp, a mobile reserve force designed to respond quickly to British movements. The remaining soldiers returned home.

Captain Spangler marched with this force. The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth companies constituted a part of those five battalions which marched to New Jersey in 1776 to form the Flying Camp.

What exactly was the Flying Camp? The term was a literal translation of the French camp volant, which, in the military terminology of the day, meant a mobile, strategic reserve. Washington met with Congress between 24 May and 4 June 1776; one decision was that Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania would furnish until December 1776 a total of ten thousand men from their militias to constitute a flying camp that, unlike the regular militia, could be ordered to go where it was needed. Congressional authorization came on 3 June, and Brigadier General Hugh Mercer was designated commander.

Men arrived slowly, and they all lacked training; by 25 July, Mercer had only three thousand men in eastern New Jersey, mostly at Perth Amboy. When Washington called for two thousand men to assist in the fortification of New York City, Mercer was hard put to find this number of reliable soldiers.

The Flying Camp's two York County battalions were organized under distinguished officers. The brigadier general of the first brigade was James Ewing of York County; his brigade consisted of three battalions, the first of which was commanded by Colonel Swope of York County, the second by Colonel Bull of Chester County, and the third by Colonel Watts of Cumberland County.

August–November 1776: Battles of the New York Campaign

The Flying Camp found itself at the center of the most desperate phase of the war. Units of the Flying Camp were stationed from Amboy to Long Island before and after the British attacked there on 27 August 1776. Elements of five battalions of the Pennsylvania Flying Camp fought well at Long Island.

The catastrophe came in November. The Flying Camp's most notable exploit was participating in the gallant defense of Fort Washington on 16 November, where four Pennsylvania battalions were overwhelmed and captured by the British and Hessian assault. Colonel Michael Swope of York County — commander of the First York County battalion — was personally involved in the tense final hours: before the British offensive commenced, General Howe sent an officer under a flag of truce to Fort Washington, and his message was received by Colonel Michael Swope of the Pennsylvania Flying Camp. The message was simple: surrender or the entire garrison would be annihilated. The Americans refused, fought, and were overwhelmed.

On November 16, 1776, Howe's forces attacked the fort from three sides. After strong resistance, Colonel Magaw was forced to surrender his garrison of 2,837 men to the British. Of the prisoners, only 800 survived their captivity to be released eighteen months later in a prisoner exchange. Most enlisted men died within a few months from disease or starvation on prison ships off the shores of Brooklyn.

The battalion of Colonel Swope suffered as severely as any one during the revolution. The company of Gerhart Graeff belonging to that regiment was taken at the battle of Long Island, and but eighteen of the men returned to join the regiment. The place which proved the grave of their hopes was Fort Washington, on the Hudson, near the city of New York. The officers belonging to Swope's battalion that were taken at that place on the 16th of November 1776 included Colonel Michael Swope, Major William Baily, Surgeon Humphrey Fullerton, and nine captains and lieutenants.

Rudolf's Role and the End of the Campaign

The genealogical record states that Rudolf Spangler served in Captain Eichelberger's Company in 1775 and was elected Captain of the Sixth Company, which "constituted a part of the five battalions that marched to Eastern New Jersey in 1776 to form the Flying Camp." The historical record confirms that the Sixth Company was among those York town units that marched. Crucially, Rudolf returned home — he was not among the officers listed as captured at Fort Washington. His Sixth Company, as part of the larger York County contingent, appears to have been among those who were not trapped in the Fort Washington disaster, though the campaign was harrowing for all involved.

On 30 November 1776 the Flying Camp came to an end when its final two thousand enlistments expired, although few soldiers actually remained in the field by that point. Rudolf would have returned to York by December 1776.

The Pennsylvania Flying Camp fought in the battles of the New York campaign in the fall of 1776, often commendably. Yet the campaign as a whole was a grim experience, and the pace of operations in the second half of 1776 around New York City was too rapid to allow the Flying Camp time to prepare adequately for active service. The Flying Camp was plagued throughout its short existence by the same lack of organization, supply, and training that afflicted Continental Army and other state units.

Legacy of Service

Rudolf Spangler served during the most critical and dangerous phase of the entire Revolutionary War — the New York and New Jersey campaigns of 1776, when Washington's army came closest to total destruction. He served not as a draftee but as a volunteer who helped organize his own company, was elected its captain by his peers, and marched hundreds of miles from home at the age of thirty-eight, leaving behind a wife and several young children.

The title "Captain" followed him for the rest of his life and was engraved on his gravestone at Prospect Hill Cemetery in York, where it can be read today: Capt. 1775. His SAR (Sons of the American Revolution) membership application, filed by a descendant, formally documented his service as the basis for patriotic lineage — a recognition that his sacrifice in those desperate months of 1776 helped secure the independence that all his descendants would enjoy.

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3)  Here is the Video Overview of this post by Google NotebookLM. 

4)  I have no doubt that the battle descriptions are correct - history books have been written about the battles and the AI tools were pre-trained on the history books.  This particular post is an excellent example of asking the AI tool to summarize the submitted information from a number of sources and put my Revolutionary War soldier in the middle of the historical narrative.

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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 Compendium page.

Copyright (c) 2026, Randall J. Seaver

The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2026/05/ask-ai-describe-rudolf-spanglers.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.  Note that all comments are moderated, so they may not appear immediately.

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Findmypast Friday: Explore More Manchester Records Than Ever

 I received this information from Findmypast today:

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There are rate books, electoral registers and more to discover this week.

There's a trio of Manchester additions for you to explore this week, helping to tell the stories of your ancestors from the North-West in more detail than ever.

We've also added six titles to our newspaper archive, with over 360,000 new pages to discover.

Manchester Rate Books

We've added 433,105 records spanning the 19th and 20th centuries to our existing collection of Manchester rate books.

Manchester Faces and Places

This brand new record set comprises 5,455 scanned images, covering 1889 to 1906.

Manchester Electoral Registers

To round off this week's Manchester trio, we've added 172,404 electoral register records, spanning 1820 to 1940.

New pages which span the globe

We've added six new titles to our archive this week and updated 25 existing publications, with a total of 360,654 new pages added.

New titles:

• Accrington Advertiser, 1889-1896, 1898-1902
• County Herald, 1818-1843, 1858-1860, 1862-1864
• Hednesford Advertiser, 1884-1896, 1899
• Jackson's Woolwich Journal and Army and Navy Gazette, 1877-1878, 1881-1882, 1885-1887, 1890
• Rhyl Record & Advertiser, 1855-1869, 1874-1877
• The Tricyclist, 1884

Updated titles:

• Alloa Advertiser, 1912–1919
• Bath Herald, 1870, 1879
• Berwick Warder, 1838–1839
• Birkenhead News, 2000–2005
• Burton Daily Mail, 2002–2003
• Caithness Courier, 1986, 1991, 1993
• Carlisle Journal, 1806
• Colchester Mercury and North Essex Express, 1869–1870, 1874–1875, 1877–1878, 1881–1882, 1884–1885, 1887–1888, 1891–1892, 1895
• Dartmouth & South Hams Chronicle, 1884, 1892–1894
• Derby Daily Telegraph, 1983
• East Somerset Telegraph, 1886
• Glasgow Evening Post, 1882
• Glasgow Times, 1868
• Greenock Elector, 1884
• Hawick Telegraph and Border Times, 1884–1890
• Homeward Mail from India, China and the East, 1914
• Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 2001–2003
• Kilkenny Journal and Leinster Commercial and Literary Advertiser, 1873–1882, 1888–1893, 1895–1900
• Kinematograph Weekly, 1966
• Lancashire Evening Post, 1994, 1996–2001, 2003–2004
• Lincolnshire Free Press, 1855, 1857, 1894, 1908–1910, 1912–1914, 1919–1920, 1930–1933
• Lloyd’s List, 1911
• Matrimonial Post and Fashionable Marriage Advertiser, 1912
• Newry Telegraph, 1928, 1934, 1966
• North Cheshire Herald, 1883–1888
• North West Evening Mail, 1913–1914, 1916–1918
• North Wilts Guardian, 1897–1900, 1903–1910, 1912
• Pall Mall Gazette, 1903–1904, 1909, 1911
• Pateley Bridge & Nidderdale Herald, 1878, 1911, 1930–1937, 1939, 1986, 2005
• Reformer (Edinburgh), 1868–1869
• Royal Devonport Telegraph and Plymouth Chronicle, 1856, 1860–1861
• Salford Chronicle, 1880, 1887
• Scottish Banner, 1862
• Shoreditch Observer, 1868–1869
• Silurian, 1849
• Staffordshire Newsletter, 1990

A Family History of... The General Strike

Newspapers don’t just record history. They help decide how it’s remembered. In this bonus episode, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin explores how newspapers shaped public understanding of the 1926 General Strike as it unfolded.

More on this topic:     english records

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

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:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2026/05/findmypast-friday-explore-more.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, 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 MyHeritage Record Collections - Week of 22 to 28 May 2026

  The following Record Collections were ADDED or Updated in the MyHeritage Collections Catalog during the week of  22 to 28 May 2026:

• California, County Death Registers, 1873-1994 (Death, Burial, Cemetery & Obituaries), ADDED May 26 2026, 8,838,880 records
• New York State Deaths, 1880-2017  (Death, Burial, Cemetery & Obituaries), Updated   May 26 2026, 9,812,128 records.
• Baltic Newspapers from OldNews.com (Newspapers), Updated May 26 2026, 1,710,677 pages in 618 newspaper titles
• United States Newspapers from OldNews.com (Newspapers), Updated May 26 2026,   115,455,080 pages in 5,309 newspaper titles

The number of collections at the top of the list shows 1,685 collections (a decrease of 1) with 40,399,469,537 records (an increase of over 363 million records). 

Two weeks ago, the "Last Updated" list showed 7,550 collections.  What happened to over 5,800 collections that are not on any collection list?  See the list for two weeks ago in 

Added and Updated MyHeritage Record Collections - Week of 8 to 14 May 2026.

Something is very wrong with the "Last Updated" collection list!!!  Or did MyHeritage remove or combine over 5,800 record collections?

The Family Tree collections are not on the "Last Updated" list at all.  I collected the latest numbers for the Family Tree collections from the "Number of Records" list which does have the Family Tree collections (and a total of 1,685 collections).

• MyHeritage Family Trees (Family Trees), Updated May 27 2026, 6,920,147,375 entries 
• FamilySearch Family Tree (Family Trees), Updated May 27 2026, 1,222,686,100    entries
• Search Connect™ - Searches by MyHeritage Members (Family Trees), Updated May 27 2026, 581,123,861 entries
• MyHeritage photos & docs (Images), Updated May 27 2026, 489,927,831 entries
• Geni World Family Tree (Family Trees), Updated May 27 2026, 373,993,857 entries.
• Filae Family Trees (Family Trees), Updated May 27 2026, 322,663,098 entries
• MyHeritage Family Sites (Family Trees), Updated May 27 2026, 100,054,890 entries
• MyHeritage members (Family Trees), Updated May 27 2026, 81,188,784 entries  

 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/2026/05/added-and-updated-myheritage-record_0149425488.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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Ask AI: "Describe Benjamin Seaver's Life at Age 13 in 1805 in Westminster, Massachusetts?"

I wondered if the FREE AI tools could provide me with information about a young Westminster, Massachusetts boy's life in 1805.  My 3rd great-grandfather, Benjamin Seaver (1791-1825) was age 13 in 1805.  The ABC Biography for Benjamin is in ABC Biography of #32 Benjamin Seaver (1791-1825) of Massachusetts.

1)  My Prompt for Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.6 was:  "Please describe the life of 13-year-old Benjamin Seaver on the Seaver farm in Westminster, Massachusetts in 1805, based on the attached biography? Family, work, education, community activities, entertainment, fun?

(AI NotebookLM infographic -- Benjamin Seaver in 1805)

2)  Here is the Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.5 response:

A Day in the Life: Benjamin Seaver Jr., Age 13

Westminster, Massachusetts, 1805

The Crowded Seaver Household

In 1805, thirteen-year-old Benjamin Seaver Jr. lived in one of the most crowded households in Westminster. His father, Benjamin Seaver Sr., was now forty-eight years old, a prosperous Revolutionary War veteran and established farmer. His mother, Martha (Whitney) Seaver, was forty-one and still bearing children—in fact, just the year before, in 1802, she had given birth to young Benjamin's brother Isaac.

The Seaver home was bursting with children spanning twenty years in age:

The Older Siblings (Young Adults)

• Achsah (20 years old) had married Abraham Mosman three years earlier in 1802 and was already producing grandchildren for Benjamin Sr. and Martha
• Abigail (18) was still at home, helping their mother immensely with the younger children
• Job (16) was essentially a full-time farm hand now, working alongside their father

Benjamin's Generation (The Middle Children)

• Benjamin himself (13) - old enough to do real work but still young enough to play
• Susannah (11) - a companion and playmate, helper to mother
• Martha (8) - still considered one of the "little ones"

The Younger Children

• Silas (5) - getting into everything
• Isaac (2) - a toddler requiring constant watching

And there was more to come—young Benjamin didn't know it yet, but his mother would give birth to Rozilla the very next year in 1806, when she was forty-two, and incredibly, to Mary Jane in 1812 when she would be forty-seven years old!

A More Prosperous Farm Than Grandfather's

Young Benjamin was growing up in circumstances more comfortable than his father had known at the same age. By 1805, Benjamin Sr. owned substantial property:

• The home farm of nearly 200 acres
• Additional parcels totaling over 150 more acres
• Multiple buildings and outbuildings
• Considerable livestock
• Farm equipment and tools
• A pew in the Westminster meetinghouse

The house was larger than the cramped dwelling his father had grown up in in Shrewsbury, but with eight children still at home, space was still precious. Young Benjamin likely shared a sleeping chamber with his brothers Job, Silas, and baby Isaac, while his sisters shared another room.

Benjamin's Daily Work: More Varied Than His Father's Youth

At thirteen in 1805, young Benjamin's experience differed from his father's youth in important ways. While the work was still hard, it was more varied, and he had older siblings to share the burden.

Morning Chores (5:00 AM - 7:00 AM)

Benjamin's day started early, but unlike his father at the same age, he wasn't the only boy old enough to work. Job, at sixteen, did much of the heaviest work. Benjamin's morning tasks included:

• Helping Job milk the cows (the Seavers had more cows than Grandfather Norman ever had)
• Feeding pigs and chickens
• Gathering eggs
• Bringing in firewood for the day's cooking
• Hauling water from the well

His mother and older sisters prepared breakfast—a more substantial meal than his father had known, with eggs, bacon or salt pork, cornbread, and milk.

Farm Work (7:30 AM - 12:00 PM)

Young Benjamin worked under his father's direction and often alongside his older brother Job. The Seaver farm was more diversified and prosperous:

Spring 1805:

• Plowing fields (Job handled the oxen; Benjamin followed, breaking up clods)
• Spreading manure on the fields
• Planting corn, wheat, rye, oats, potatoes, and vegetables
• Repairing stone walls and fences
• Helping with sheep shearing

Summer 1805:

• Haying—still brutal work, but shared among more hands
• Weeding the extensive vegetable gardens
• Hoeing corn and potato fields
• Tending to the livestock
• Beginning early harvests

Fall 1805:

• Harvesting corn, wheat, and other grains
• Digging potatoes and other root crops
• Threshing grain
• Helping with butchering
• Cutting and stacking firewood for winter
• Making cider from the apple orchards

Afternoon Work (1:00 PM - Dusk)

After the midday dinner, work continued but was sometimes lighter or more varied:

• Maintenance work on buildings and fences
• Splitting firewood
• Going to the gristmill to have grain ground
• Trips to neighboring farms to borrow tools or return labor
• Hunting or fishing—his father encouraged this both for food and for teaching outdoor skills
• Helping his mother by hauling water or bringing in vegetables

Education: Better Opportunities Than His Father Had

This is where young Benjamin's life differed most from his father's childhood. Massachusetts had strengthened its commitment to education, and Westminster had improved its schools.

Winter School (December - February)

Young Benjamin attended the district school for about 10-12 weeks each winter. By 1805, schools were somewhat better than in his father's youth:

• A dedicated schoolhouse (not just a home or meeting house)
• Slightly longer school terms
• Sometimes better-trained teachers
• More textbooks and materials available

Benjamin was learning:

• Reading: Bible, psalters, Webster's spelling books, and increasingly, readers with patriotic American content
• Writing: Penmanship practice, composition, letter writing
• Arithmetic: More advanced than his father learned—fractions, decimals, practical business mathematics
• Geography: Maps of the new United States and the wider world
• History: Increasingly, American history including the Revolution his father had fought in
• Declamation: Public speaking and recitation, valued in the new republic

The schoolmaster still used the rod, but education was becoming slightly less harsh. Students brought their lunch in pails, and the older boys took turns keeping the fire going in the schoolhouse stove.

At Home

Benjamin's education continued at home:

• His father taught him surveying and land measurement (important for a property owner's son)
• His mother insisted on Bible reading—Benjamin could read well
• His father told stories of the Revolutionary War, making history vivid and personal
• He learned practical mathematics through farm accounts and transactions

Young Benjamin, born in 1791, had never known British rule. He was a child of the new American republic, and this shaped his world:

Patriotic Education

Everything from his schoolbooks to town celebrations emphasized American identity:

• Fourth of July celebrations in Westminster with speeches, parades, and feasting
• Washington's Birthday observed
• Veterans like his father honored in the community
• Stories of the Revolution told and retold

Newspapers and Information

By 1805, newspapers were more common. His father might have subscribed to a Worcester newspaper or at least saw papers at the tavern. Young Benjamin grew up hearing:

• News of President Thomas Jefferson and national politics
• Stories of the Lewis and Clark expedition (still ongoing in 1805!)
• Concerns about conflicts with France and Britain at sea
• Local news and advertisements

A More Connected World

Transportation and communication had improved since his father's youth:

• Better roads connecting Westminster to Worcester and Boston
• More regular mail service
• More travelers passing through, bringing news
• Growing commerce and trade

Entertainment: Still Limited but More Varied

Sabbath Day

Sunday remained a day of rest and worship, but the atmosphere was slightly less severe than in his father's youth:

• Two long church services
• Socialization between services—this was crucial social time
• Young Benjamin might catch the eye of girls his age (though formal courting was years away)
• Sunday dinner was special—often the best meal of the week
• Afternoon visiting with relatives or neighbors

Seasonal Celebrations and Gatherings

Life in 1805 offered more organized entertainment than 1770:

• Fourth of July: A major celebration with speeches, music, militia drills, games, and feasting—young Benjamin loved this day
• Thanksgiving: A day of religious observance and feasting
• Training Day: Militia musters were social events—Benjamin watched the men drill and couldn't wait until he was old enough to join
• Husking Bees: Corn-husking parties where neighbors gathered—work mixed with fun, food, and music
• Barn Raisings: Community work parties that included food, competition, and socializing
• Singing Schools: Popular in early 1800s New England—young people learned hymns and folk songs
• Spelling Bees: School competitions that were community entertainment

Daily Fun and Games

When work allowed, Benjamin enjoyed:

With Siblings:

• Playing with younger brothers Silas and Isaac—he was old enough to be a fun older brother
• Games with Susannah and Martha—tag, hide-and-seek, ball games
• Swimming in local ponds and streams in summer
• Sledding and ice skating in winter (if he could borrow or make skates)

With Friends:

• Hunting and fishing—boys his age often went together
• Competitive games—wrestling, racing, jumping contests
• Exploring the woods and fields
• Playing with simple toys—tops, marbles, hoops

Winter Evenings:

• The family gathered around the fireplace
• Mother and sisters sewed and spun
• Father mended tools or made small items
• Children played quiet games, told riddles, or sang
• Father read from newspapers or told stories
• Benjamin practiced writing or worked on school lessons

Food: Plentiful on a Prosperous Farm

The Seaver table in 1805 was more abundant than Grandfather Norman's had been:

Regular Fare:

• Cornbread, wheat bread, rye bread (the Seavers could afford wheat regularly)
• Salt pork, bacon, fresh pork and beef in season
• Chicken and eggs
• Milk, butter, cheese
• Potatoes, turnips, onions, cabbage, beans, squash
• Apples and apple products—sauce, butter, pies
• Cider (children drank this too—water was often unsafe)
• Maple syrup and maple sugar in season

Special Treats:

• Fresh fish from streams
• Game—venison, rabbit, wild turkey
• Berries in season
• Pies and puddings on Sundays and holidays
• Gingerbread (if mother could get spices)
• Tea (expensive but occasionally affordable)

Martha Seaver was an accomplished cook, managing the hearth and brick oven to feed her large family. Young Benjamin probably took abundant food for granted, not knowing how much harder it had been for his father's generation.

Clothing: Still Simple but Adequate

Benjamin owned:

• Two sets of work clothes—linen shirts, wool or linen trousers, wool stockings
• One "Sunday best" suit—wool coat, waistcoat, good breeches
• Two pairs of shoes—work boots and Sunday shoes
• A wool winter coat
• A hat—probably a felt or wool cap
• Handknitted mittens and scarves for winter

His clothes were handmade by his mother and sisters, but the family's prosperity meant they were better quality and more plentiful than his father had known. He might even have had a third shirt, a luxury for his father's generation.

Relationship with Father: Learning from a Veteran

At thirteen, Benjamin was developing a closer working relationship with his father. Benjamin Sr., at forty-eight, was still vigorous but beginning to think about the future:

• He taught young Benjamin about land management and surveying
• He shared stories of the Revolution, making his son proud
• He began taking Benjamin to town meetings, teaching him about civic duty
• He showed Benjamin how to evaluate livestock and make trades
• He expected hard work but was less harsh than Grandfather Norman had been

Young Benjamin admired his father greatly—a war hero, a prosperous farmer, a respected man in Westminster. He wanted to be like him.

Dreams and Future

At thirteen, young Benjamin was beginning to think about his future:

• He would inherit a portion of his father's substantial estate
• He would likely marry and farm nearby (this would come true—he'd marry Abigail Gates in 1817)
• He might learn a trade as well as farming
• He could read and write well—better than many
• He was growing up in a time of opportunity in the new American nation

He didn't know that his life would be cut short at just thirty-three years old in 1825, or that he would have only twelve years of marriage and four children. But in 1805, he was a thirteen-year-old boy on a prosperous farm, part of a large, loving family, with the whole future before him.

A Changed World from Father's Youth

The contrast between Benjamin Sr.'s youth in 1770 and young Benjamin's in 1805 was striking:

Benjamin Sr. in 1770:

• British colonial subject
• Revolution brewing
• Grandfather's modest, struggling farm
• Limited education
• Uncertainty about the future
• Working to help family survive

Young Benjamin in 1805:

• American citizen
• New nation established
• Father's prosperous, expanding farm
• Better education
• More opportunities
• Working to learn the family business

Yet both boys worked hard, loved their families, attended meeting faithfully, and were learning to be men in their respective worlds. The essential character-building experiences—hard work, family bonds, faith, and community—remained the same across the generations.

Young Benjamin in 1805 was growing up in the America his father had fought to create, enjoying the fruits of that victory while learning the values and work ethic that had won independence. He was being prepared to be a farmer, a husband, a father, and a citizen of the American republic.

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

3)  The Google NotebookLM Video Overview of this post is below.

4)  As genealogists, we can usually find the 17th to 19th century town records, and the later census and vital records, for Massachusetts families, and we may find occupation, immigration, land and probate records. However, there are books and websites about the daily lives of people in those times.  The AI tools have been pre-trained on historical events, social history, geography, literature and other disciplines so they can provide information for questions like this one, and in recent months have the ability to search the Internet.  

5)  After I read these types of social history summaries, I wish that I could be a time traveler for one day to visit the Seaver family in Massachusetts and witness their daily lives.  I'm glad that the general lifestyles and occupations are known from historical records and witness accounts.

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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 Compendium page.

Copyright (c) 2026, Randall J. Seaver

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2026/05/ask-ai-describe-benjamin-seavers-life.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.  Note that all comments are moderated, so they may not appear immediately.

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