Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Genealogy Education Bytes - Week of 8 to 14 January 2026

 Welcome to Genealogy Education Bytes, posted on Wednesday afternoon for the past week, where we try to highlight some of the most important genealogy and family history education items that came across my desktop since the last issue.


1) Upcoming Conferences and  Institutes 

* Conference Keeper Calendar - has many links to register for and/or view conferences and institutes.

*  RootsTech 2026 ($$, In-person in Salt Lake City, Free Virtual) -- 5 to 7 March 2026.

*  National Genealogical Society 2026 Family History Conference ($$, In-person and virtual, in Fort Wayne, Indiana) - 27 to 30 May 2026.

2 ) Upcoming Seminars, Webinars and Online Classes (times are US Pacific):

* Conference Keeper Calendar - has many links to register for and/or view seminars, webinars and classes.

*  FamilySearch MonthlyWebinars (Free)

*  Legacy Family Tree Webinar - Wednesday, 14 January 2026, 5 p.m.:  Foundations in AI for Family History 1 of 5: What Is AI and Why It Matters to Genealogists by Andrew Redfern.

*  Legacy Family Tree Webinar - Friday, 16 January 2026, 11 a.m.: Using Marriage Dispensations to Find Ancestors in Mexico by Nefi Arenas Salazar.

*  Legacy Family Tree Webinar - Tuesday, 20 January 2026, 5 p.m.: Beyond the First Clue: Unraveling a Genealogical Mystery with the GPS by Gary Ball-Kilbourne.

*  Legacy Family Tree Webinar - Wednesday, 21 January 2026, 11 a.m.:  Advanced Topics in DNA 1 of 5: Advanced Y-DNA Evidence by Blaine D. Bettinger.

*  Legacy Family Tree Webinar - Wednesday, 21 January 2026, 5 p.m.:  Foundations in AI for Family History 2 of 5: Prompt Power—Getting Better Answers from AI by Andrew Redfern.

*  Legacy Family Tree Webinar - Tuesday, 27 January 2026, 5 p.m.: Sorting DNA Matches with MyHeritage’s Theory of Family Relativity by Shauna Hicks.

3) Recent Podcasts: 


*  Family Tree Talk:  Thinking about marriage records…


4) Recent YouTube Videos 



*  BYU Library Family History Center:  Findmypast.com Update – James Tanner (11 Jan 2026)



*  Denyse Allen • Chronicle Makers:  Your Family Doesn't Want Perfect
*  Denyse Allen • Chronicle Makers:  Why Your Most-Researched Ancestor Is Your WORST First Story











*  Int'l Institute of Genealogical Studies:  DNA Doctor: Diagnose Your Endogamy in 7 Steps, part 1
*  Int'l Institute of Genealogical Studies:  Palaeography: What Day is it on OS/NS Calendar?

*  Italian Roots and Genealogy:  The Stories Behind A Sicilian American Comedy



*  Marcia Philbrick:  Hiram Currey Song Miles of His Name



*  Randy Seaver, Geneaholic:  Isaac Buck's (1757-1846) Revolution War Service
*  Randy Seaver, Geneaholic:  Betty and Fred's Story: The Days Before" I Do"



5) Did you miss the last post in this series - Genealogy Education Bytes -  Week of 1 to 7 January 2026


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NOTE:  If  I missed an upcoming conference or webinar, or a useful podcast or video, in this time period, please let me know in a comment or an email. 

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 your comment 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. 

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ABC Biography of Revolutionary War Soldier Philip Row (1752-1817) and His Wife Mary (Smith) Row (1750-1843) of New Jersey

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

1)  One of my Revolutionary War ancestors is Philip Row (1752-1817) , and his wife is Mary (Smith) Row (1750-1843) of Hunterdon County, New Jersey.  Their genealogical sketches are in 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 94: #114 Philip Row (1752-1817) and 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 95: #115 Mary (Smith) Row (1751-1843), respectively. They are my 4th great-grandparents.


(AI NotebookLM Infographic of the Philip and Mary (Smith) Row Family)

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

3)  The Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.5 biography (lightly edited), after requesting more detailed information, is:

The Philip Row and Mary (Smith) Row Family of New Jersey

Early Life and Origins

Philip Row was born in December 1752, likely in New Jersey, though the exact location remains uncertain. His heritage was probably German, reflecting the strong German settlement patterns in colonial New Jersey. The identity of his parents has not been conclusively established, though some genealogists have suggested various connections to German immigrant families in the region.

Mary Smith entered the world in November 1750, also believed to be in New Jersey. Like Philip, she was likely of German ancestry, part of the vibrant German-speaking community that had established roots in the colony. Details about her parents and early childhood have been lost to time, leaving only her later life documented through official records.

Marriage and Building a Family

On July 9, 1772, nineteen-year-old Philip Row married twenty-one-year-old Mary Smith in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. The ceremony was performed by Reverend Frederick Dellicker, marking the beginning of a partnership that would endure through war, hardship, and the challenges of frontier life. Philip carefully recorded the details of their marriage in his German family Bible, noting both their ages at the time of their union—a document that would prove invaluable decades later.

Just over a year after their wedding, on July 19, 1773, their first child Mary arrived, beginning what would become a family of eight children. The young couple settled in New Germantown (now Oldwick) in Tewksbury Township, Hunterdon County, where they would raise their family and build their lives. The area was home to many German-speaking families, and five of the Row children were baptized at the Zion Lutheran Church in Oldwick, with their names recorded in the German style as "Rau."

The Revolutionary War Years

When the American Revolution erupted in 1775, Philip Row answered the call to defend the new nation. He served as a militia soldier in the New Jersey Line throughout the entire conflict, from its beginning to its end. His service took him away from home repeatedly, sometimes for weeks or even months at a time, leaving Mary to manage their farm and care for their growing family alone.

Philip began his service as a private in Captain Godfrey Reinhardt's company of the Hunterdon County Militia, carrying his rifle into battle. As the war progressed and Captain Reinhardt was promoted to Major, Philip rose through the ranks himself, first becoming an Ensign and later achieving the rank of Lieutenant. Mary would prepare his knapsack with provisions, fit him out with clothes and ammunition, and send him off wearing his officer's regimentals—a blue coat faced with red and bearing an epaulette on his shoulder.

The militia operated on a rotation system, with different classes called up for month-long tours of duty. When danger from the British was particularly acute, the entire militia would be mobilized. Philip's service record reads like a chronicle of New Jersey's Revolutionary experience. In July 1776, he served under Captain Reinhardt at an undisclosed location. The following month found him at Elizabethtown. In October and November 1776, he served under Lieutenant Cramer at Raritan and Elizabethtown, following General Washington's retreat through Jersey from Elizabethtown to New Brunswick during those dark days when the Continental Army seemed on the verge of collapse.

The winter of 1776-77 brought Philip to Trenton and New Brunswick, where he served under Captain Emmam during the critical period following Washington's famous Christmas crossing of the Delaware. These tours often extended beyond their expected duration—what should have been month-long assignments sometimes stretched to six weeks or more as military necessity demanded.

Philip participated in several significant engagements. He fought at the Battle of Millstone during the winter, serving with the Somerset troops under various commanders including Colonel Frelinghausen. Mary later recalled Philip pointing out to her the spot at Van Eps Mills where a battle had occurred as they rode toward New Brunswick. He served at Crane's Point near Elizabethtown in the fall, and on one memorable occasion, crossed at night from Elizabethtown to Staten Island for a raid on enemy positions. During this engagement, Philip lost his gun flint in the action and had to stop behind a corn crib to replace it and reload his rifle while the enemy closed in around him. As he rejoined his comrades and fired at the approaching enemy, their shots flew thick around him.

The Battle of Monmouth in June 1778 found Philip serving at Freehold and Englishtown, where he participated in the fighting, by then holding the rank of either Ensign or Lieutenant. He also fought at the Battle of Springfield, as well as at Short Hills and Ash Swamp. Near the end of the war, in February or March of 1780 or 1781, he was called out when the Pennsylvania troops mutinied, and the militia was mobilized to intercept them near Pluckemin.

Throughout these years of conflict, Mary managed the family farm and cared for their children, demonstrating the resilience and strength that characterized Revolutionary-era women. She would later testify that she believed Philip had faithfully performed not less than ten months of actual military service, though he was subject to militia duty throughout the entire war.

Family Life in Peacetime

Between 1773 and 1796, Philip and Mary welcomed eight children into their family, all born in Hunterdon County:

Mary Row (July 19, 1773 - May 17, 1862) married John Hubert on March 6, 1794, in Oldwick. Though they had no children, Mary lived a long life, dying at age 88 in Tewksbury.

Elisabetha Row (January 13, 1776 - May 1, 1857) married Jacob Adam Apgar before 1805. They had three children, and she spent her final years in Lebanon, Hunterdon County.

John Jacob Row (April 7, 1779 - February 2, 1837) married Elizabeth Hueven on December 13, 1803, and they had eight children together. After Elizabeth's death, he married Rebecca Vesselus on April 19, 1823, though this second marriage produced no children.

Peter Row (born about 1782, died 1816) married Catherine Case on March 12, 1808, in Oldwick. They had one child, but Peter's life was cut short when he died at age 34.

William Row (August 16, 1785) was baptized on September 7, 1785, in New Germantown. No further records of his life have been found.

Anna Row (born about 1787 - June 12, 1860) married Johannes Auble on July 15, 1804, in New Germantown. They had nine children, and Anna eventually relocated to Stillwater in Sussex County, where she died.

Phillip Johannes Row (born before October 11, 1791 - April 15, 1874) married Jane Johnson on January 26, 1815, in Somerset County. They had seven children. Phillip eventually moved westward, dying in Franklin, Indiana, at the age of 82 or 83.

Johannes Row (born about January 1795) was christened on September 4, 1796, in New Germantown. Like his brother William, no further record of his life has been discovered.

Philip kept his accounts and personal records in German, maintaining the language and customs of his heritage even as his family put down deep roots in American soil. He could not write in English, and when business required translation, he relied on neighbors like schoolmaster John Beammer who understood both languages.

Philip's Final Years and Death

On June 9, 1817, Philip Row sat down to write his will, describing himself as being "in a weak and low State of health but of sound mind and memory." He knew the uncertainty of life and wanted to ensure his family would be cared for after his death. His will directed that his personal estate be sold and enough of his real estate as well to pay all his debts. He made careful provision for Mary's support, directing that his sons Jacob and John should maintain her "in a decent and Comfortable manner during her Natural life" at equal expense, this arrangement serving in lieu of her dower rights.

To his daughters Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna, and to his son Peter (if living), he bequeathed five dollars each—token amounts suggesting these children had already received their portions. To his son Philip, he left fifty dollars. The residue of his estate, both real and personal, he divided equally between his sons Jacob and John, always subject to their responsibility to support their mother.

Philip died shortly after completing his will, before July 2, 1817, when his sons Jacob and John appeared before the Surrogate's Court in Flemington to prove the document. He was approximately 64 years old. His burial location in Hunterdon County has been lost to time.

Mary's Long Widowhood

Mary Row outlived her husband by more than a quarter century. She continued to live on the family farm in Tewksbury Township, likely residing with one of her sons' families. As she aged, her sight failed, and she became unable to distinguish one neighbor from another except by voice. Age brought physical infirmity that made travel impossible, leaving her largely confined to home.

In February 1840, at the age of 89 or 90, Mary made the arduous journey to provide testimony for a Revolutionary War pension application. Because of her blindness and infirmity, Judge Joseph Smith of Morris County came to her in Washington Township, just across the county line, rather than requiring her to travel the twenty miles to the Hunterdon County courthouse.

Mary's testimony, given under oath, provided a detailed account of Philip's Revolutionary War service—the battles he fought in, the officers he served under, the months he spent away from home. She recounted how she had prepared his knapsack and sent him off to war, how she had managed the farm and children in his absence, how he had pointed out battlefields to her in their travels together. Her memory, though frail, retained vivid details of those tumultuous years.

The pension application process proved frustratingly slow. Mary's claim was rejected or suspended for several years, caught up in bureaucratic delays. Finally, in 1849, her pension was approved at the rate of twenty dollars per annum. By a cruel irony, the certificate was dated March 1, 1849—over six years after Mary had died.

Mary Row passed away on October 9, 1843, in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, at approximately 92 years of age. Like her husband, her burial location has not been identified. She left behind two daughters and one surviving son, Phillip, who in 1850 wrote to the Pension Commissioners noting that he was "the only surviving son of Philip Row, dec'd an officer in the War of the Revolution."

Legacy

Philip and Mary Row's story embodies the experience of countless German-American families who helped build the young United States. They served their adopted country through years of Revolutionary struggle, raised a large family on the New Jersey frontier, and established roots that would spread across the growing nation. Their children and grandchildren would carry the family name and heritage into the nineteenth century and beyond, with some eventually moving westward to Indiana and other frontier territories.

Though their graves have been lost and many details of their daily lives forgotten, the official records they left behind—pension applications, church registers, probate documents, and a treasured family Bible—ensure that Philip and Mary Row's contributions to their family and their country will not be forgotten.

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4) An Audio Overview (essentially a podcast) created by the Google NotebookLM AI tool) describing and celebrating the lives of Philip and Mary (Smith) Row can be heard here (click on "Audio Overview" and wait for it to load, then play it).

5)  The Video Overview discussing the lives of Philip and Mary (Smith) Row created by the Google NotebookLM AI tool is: 


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

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

Copyright (c) 2026, Randall J. Seaver

The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2026/01/abc-biography-of-revolutionary-war_0622445385.html

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

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Linda In the Patio in December 2025 -- (Not So) Wordless Wednesday #901

This is a priceless (to me) image in my computer file folders:

This photograph was taken 13 December 2025 of my wife, Linda Seaver, in the patio of her skilled nursing and memory care facility in Chula Vista, California.  It was a fairly warm day (probably mid-70s F) and she was enjoying the radiation from the sun. We go for walks outside when it's warmer, and walks inside when it's cooler.

This photograph is a part of my family history. 

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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 Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.    I moderate all comments and they may not appear immediately - please write only one comment.

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Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Genealogy News Bytes - Week of 7 to 13 January 2026

 Welcome to Genealogy News Bytes, posted on Tuesday afternoon for the past week, where we try to highlight the most important genealogy and family history news  items that came across our desktop since the last issue.    


1)  Genealogy and Family History News Articles:

















2)  DNA/IGG-Related News Articles


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 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.

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My America 250 Minutes Compendium - Posts About My Revolutionary War Ancestors

 The United States of America is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence (and subsequent founding of the United States). There is an effort to tell ancestral and family history stories about persons who were part of the effort 250 years ago.  

The National Genealogical Society has a website to Celebrate America 250 and Connect People To the Past.  


I have a number of ancestors who were Revolutionary War soldiers and family members, plus some who were United Empire Loyalists, so I want to share information about those ancestors of mine.

Here are blog posts about my America250 ancestors, created by Artificial Intelligence tools based on my genealogical research - Biographies, Stories, YouTube Videos, Poems/Songs:

1)  Norman Seaver (1734-1787):

  • Story: ABC Biography of Norman Seaver (1734-1787) of Massachusetts 
  • Story: Norman Seaver's Life Memories - An AI-Assisted Memoir 
  • Story: Ask AI: "Please Describe Norman Seaver's Revolutionary War Service"
  • Story: Ask AI: "Please Write a Short Story About Norman Seaver Returning Home After Lexington in 1775")
  • Story: Ask AI: "Please Create Dialogue Between Norman and Sarah Seaver in 1780 in Westminster, Mass." - Historical Fiction! 
  • Poem/Song: "The Ballad of Norman Seaver" - A Family History Poem and Song

    • Video:  Captain Norman Seaver (1734-1787) Biography
    • Video:  Life Memoir of Norman Seaver (1734-1787): A Carpenter's Legacy
    • Video: Norman Seaver's Revolutionary War 1775 Homecoming

      • 2)  Benjamin Seaver (1757-1816):

      • Story: ABC Biography of Benjamin Seaver (1757-1816) of Massachusetts 
      • Story:  Life Memories of Benjamin Seaver (1757-1816) in 1815 – A Life Memoir 
      • Video:  Benjamin Seaver's (1757-1816) Life Story

        • 3)  Martin Carringer (1758-1835):
        4)  Isaac Buck (1757-1846)
        6)  Asahel Read (1753-1775)

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        First update:  13 January 2026; Last Update: 13 January 2026

        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/2026/01/my-america-250-minutes-posts-about-my.html

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

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        What to Expect from FamilySearch in 2026: Emerging Technologies Will Help Fuel New Family Discoveries

         I received this information from FamilySearch today:

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        What to Expect from FamilySearch in 2026

        Emerging Technologies Will Help Fuel New Family Discoveries

        A white text on a yellow backgroundAI-generated content may be incorrect.















        SALT LAKE CITY, UT (January 13, 2026)—FamilySearch International, the world’s largest nonprofit genealogy organization, reveals some of its fun plans in 2026 to help individuals make more family connections worldwide. Upcoming experiences will use emerging technologies to provide increased access to genealogical records, expand FamilySearch’s global Family Tree, and enhance its mobile apps. (Find this announcement in the FamilySearch Newsroom.)

        More Access to Genealogy Records

        FamilySearch provides convenient access to family history records from more than 170 countries and principalities. It will continue to work with the world’s archives, record custodians, and others to help make more genealogical records accessible online. In 2026, FamilySearch plans to expand its global collections and significantly increase access to records for many countries, including the countries of Belgium, Cameroon, Malawi, South Korea, and Uruguay.

        FamilySearch Artificial Intelligence

        Full-Text Search: Reading Old Genealogy Documents

        Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to have a tremendous impact on family discoveries. FamilySearch will expand its Full-Text Search technology in 2026 to read old handwriting in additional languages, making newly digitized documents easily searchable by an ancestor’s name. Users of the free service are discovering exciting family history breakthroughs as more content is digitized and made searchable through the Full-Text Search technology.   

        Assistance with Family Discoveries

        FamilySearch site visitors will enjoy a variety of enhanced tools to help them in their quests for family connections. First, new technology will help you find answers to your questions by utilizing resources across FamilySearch.org. The interactive chatbot will search through the FamilySearch Research Wiki, blog, and help content to help answer questions quickly. Another new discovery assistant will filter through FamilySearch-generated hints to recommend which suggestions may particularly help extend the branches of your Family Tree.

         

        Be among the first to experience these and other fun new concepts throughout 2026 by visiting FamilySearch Labs.

        Exciting New Tree Features

        FamilySearch Family Tree will focus on data quality and collaboration in 2026. The popular free global community tree will enhance contributors’ abilities to accurately merge the best of each user’s contributions. Participants will also receive suggestions to improve the quality of the content they’ve personally added to the tree and will receive alerts before making edits that seem to lower the quality of existing information. In addition to the suggestion of potential parents and spouses at the ends of family lines, which FamilySearch AI began introducing at the end of 2025, look for more in-context AI assistance to improve the data quality of FamilySearch Family Tree.

         

        Family Tree app’s search function was updated at the end of 2025 to provide a unified experience, enabling mobile phone users to simultaneously search for Family Tree profiles, historical records, and memories within the app. In 2026, updates will make it easier for new users to get started with the app and navigate to the most frequently used features.

        FamilySearch Labs

        FamilySearch Labs provides individuals with the opportunity to experiment with new and upcoming features before they are fully launched. This participation helps provide useful feedback to developers. Some new experiences and features coming in 2026 are already available in Labs for user testing.  

        RootsTech 2026—a Global Family Celebration

        RootsTech, FamilySearch’s global family history event, returns on 5–7 March 2026, with a vibrant in-person experience in Salt Lake City and a free online option. Millions worldwide can enjoy hundreds of classes available in multiple languages, localized content, and can connect with presenters, exhibitors, and other attendees through e-chat and the mobile app. Discover new relatives, grow your Family Tree, explore innovative products and services, and be inspired by world-class keynotes and speakers.

         

        Online classes and participation are free. Early bird prices for in-person passes at the Salt Palace Convention Center are $129 for the full three-day pass and $79 for the one-day pass. Start building your personalized class schedule today at RootsTech.org.

        Join FamilySearch in 2026

        FamilySearch thanks patrons in advance for being part of its growing global community and using its services to make more family connections. Subscribe to or visit the FamilySearch Blog and FamilySearch Newsroom to receive the latest updates.

        Visit FamilySearch.org Today

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

        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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