Storied: The Innovative New Family History Site

Welcome to this blog post for the 22 Steps in Researching Your Family Tree

A New Way To Create Your Family Tree

Are you curious about your family history but tired of the limited options provided by traditional genealogy sites? Look no further than Storied – an innovative new platform that goes beyond the basics of building a family tree and searching records. With Storied, you can explore relationships outside of the traditional family dynamic, connect with friends and colleagues, and share stories and memories with loved ones. In this blog post, we’ll explore the unique features of Storied and how they set it apart from other family history sites. Plus, we’ll take a closer look at the different plans available and what they offer. So let’s dive in and discover how Storied can help you uncover the untold stories of your life.

Storied offers all the traditional features of a family history site, such as building a family tree and searching historical records and newspapers. However, what sets Storied apart is its focus on storytelling and the ability to document all types of relationships, beyond the typical family dynamic.

The site is built on robust graph technology, which allows for the inclusion of relationships outside of traditional family members. This means you can add friends, co-workers, teachers, teammates, and anyone else who has played a significant role in your life. By including these important connections, you create a more complete family history that tells the story of your life in a way that goes beyond just names and dates.

At the heart of Storied are the stories themselves. No family history is complete without them, and Storied makes it easy to find, write, and share your own stories as well as those of your ancestors. The site also provides a way to collaborate with family and friends through private groups where memories, photos, and stories can be shared.

But Storied isn’t just about documenting the past. It’s also about creating a living history that can be shared with current and future generations. With Storied, you can easily add new stories as they happen, keeping your family history up-to-date and relevant.

Storied offers two subscription plans: Plus and Ultimate. The Plus plan, which costs $4.99 per month, includes features such as receiving clues about people in your family tree, recording your own stories, and accessing US historical records. The Ultimate plan, starting at $11.66 per month, includes all the features of the Plus plan, as well as access to UK historical records, over 3 billion newspaper articles, and a subscription to NewspaperArchive.

As reported in a recent article by Deseret News, Storied is an innovative new family history site that goes beyond traditional genealogy platforms by allowing users to document and share their personal stories with family and friends, as well as search for historical records and newspapers. Family history veteran and entrepreneur Kendall Hulet, who played a key role in the development of Storied, emphasizes the importance of stories in filling in the blanks of our lives and creating a more complete family history (Raymond, 2023). To learn more about Storied and its unique features, you can read the full article at https://www.deseret.com/utah/2023/1/18/23551199/new-genealogy-family-history-platform-unveiling-connecting-untold-stories-lives.

My thoughts about the blog article above:

Storied, a new genealogy platform, has been launched to connect and unveil the untold stories of people’s lives. Kendall Hulet, the CEO of Storied, highlights that while genealogical research has become user-friendly and a plug-and-play process, the critical missing element to answering the question “who am I?” is the stories that illustrate a person’s life. Storied aims to make stories from family members and important people outside the family circle an integral part of building family histories. The platform offers tools to create, document, and share stories from nonfamily members, such as friends, teachers, classmates, mentors, and others, who have had a significant impact on life stories. Storied is the first family history platform built with next-generation “graph” architecture that allows for an unlimited number of connection types between people, places, and things. The platform also allows users to leverage user-generated stories to break past previously insurmountable barriers in their research. Storied is now live in a beta version and allows users to create a family tree from scratch or upload one that was previously built. Users can add additional nonfamily members and find connections through Storied’s record archives as well as through the stories recorded by other groups and individuals on the platform.

In conclusion, Storied is an innovative new family history platform that offers more than your typical genealogy website. With the ability to build a family tree, search historical records and newspapers, and create and share stories, Storied provides a comprehensive way to capture and preserve your family’s history. Its unique feature of allowing users to document relationships beyond the typical family dynamic, including friends, colleagues, and teammates, sets it apart from other family history sites. Storied also offers two subscription plans to cater to different needs and budgets. Overall, Storied is an exciting new addition to the world of family history and is worth checking out for anyone interested in preserving their family’s stories for future generations.

Good luck on your genealogy journey! Hope you come back later to check out other blog article posts that may be of interest to you : )

NOTE:

In closing this blog post, if you have any questions, comments, feedback or would like to suggest any improvements, please don’t hesitate to send me a message or email. I value your input and appreciate your support in helping me to create more helpful and informative content for aspiring genealogists. Thank you for following along on this journey, and I wish you the best of luck in your own genealogical research.

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Family History Benefits Adolescents

Welcome to this installment of the ’22 Steps in Researching Your Family Tree!’

What’s a genealogist’s favorite song?

“We Are Family” by Sister Sledge!

This blog article is about…

Family History Benefits Adolescents

My thoughts on the article on “New BYU study shows one way adolescents can develop healthy identity and why it matters”. Study provides some empirical evidence that supports what Church leaders have long taught about participation in family history. By Rachel Sterzer Gibson 12 March 2023, 10:15 AM EDT

You can read the original article at the link below:

Reference: https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2023/3/11/23631123/byu-research-impact-of-family-history-adolescent-identity

A new study conducted by Brigham Young University has found that having knowledge of one’s family history can help adolescents develop a healthy sense of identity. The researchers surveyed almost 250 18- to 20-year-old students at seven universities in the US and found that individuals who had healthy identity development also had high levels of family history knowledge. The more youth knew about their parents and grandparents, the better. Specifically, the study found that family history knowledge is linked to healthy adolescent identity development. Adolescents who develop a healthy sense of identity are less likely to struggle later in life with family and individuality conflicts, says the lead researcher, Brian Hill.

The study provides some empirical evidence that supports what Church leaders have long taught about participation in family history. The new findings underline the importance of family history work, which can facilitate important blessings, especially to youth, Hill explained.

The study on family history and adolescent identity is not the first of its kind. There have been other studies in the past that have shown the benefits of family history knowledge. For instance, a study published in the Journal of Family Psychology in 2010 found that adolescents who knew more about their family history had higher levels of emotional well-being and lower levels of anxiety.

Another study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family in 2015 found that family history knowledge was linked to a stronger sense of family identity and greater family cohesion among Hispanic adolescents.

These findings highlight the importance of family history knowledge in promoting healthy identity development, family cohesion, and emotional well-being among adolescents.

Furthermore, family history work is not just important for individual and family benefits. It can also contribute to a greater sense of community and national identity. For instance, a study published in the Journal of Social Issues in 2018 found that knowing about one’s family history and heritage can promote a greater sense of connection to one’s community and country.

In addition, family history work can also have important implications for mental health. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2018 found that genealogical research can be a powerful tool for addressing mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety.

Overall, the new BYU study provides further evidence of the importance of family history knowledge for adolescent identity development. It underscores the need for families, schools, and communities to prioritize family history work and to help youth understand the importance of their family heritage. By doing so, we can promote healthy identity development, family cohesion, and emotional well-being among our youth.Some sources that you can refer to for more information on the topics discussed:

1. United Nations: https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/water/index.html

2. World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water

3. World Bank: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/water

4. Environmental Protection Agency: https://www.epa.gov/water-research/water-topics

5. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: https://www.noaa.gov/water

In my opinion, our children and grandchildren should know more about what their family history is at an early age.

What do you think about this?

If you have any comments about this article and would like to comment, please use the comments section below.

NOTE:

If you have any questions, comments, or feedback or would like to suggest any improvements, please don’t hesitate to send me a message or email. I value your input and appreciate your support in helping me to create more helpful and informative content for aspiring genealogists. Thank you for following along on this journey, and I wish you the best of luck in your own genealogical research.

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Tools & Tricks In Finding A Long-Lost Sibling

As I live in Canada I will write this blog for family historians researching their ancestral history.

I have a cousin where she heard a story that her mother (deceased) had a child when she was young when she went to college.

What tools are available to research online and offline?

How do I find out if she did in fact have a child?

Who do I contact to see?

What legalities are involved?

These are questions that I hope to answer in the blog to help others in the same predicament.

There are several tools available that you can use both online and offline.

Start by researching any public records that may be available

This may include birth records, marriage records, or adoption records. The Ontario government website provides information on how to obtain birth certificates and other vital records for individuals born in Ontario. You may also be able to find information about your mother’s college enrollment by searching college or university records.

Consider DNA Testing

You may also want to consider DNA testing to help determine if you have any siblings. There are several companies that offer DNA testing services, such as AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and Family Tree DNA. These tests can provide information on genetic relationships and can help identify potential relatives.

Searching Online Databases

You can also try searching online databases or genealogy websites to find information about your mother’s family history. These sites often have searchable databases of public records, family trees, and other information that may be helpful in your search.

Reach Out to Family & Friends

You may want to reach out to family members or friends of your mother who may have more information. They may be able to provide additional details or insights into your mother’s past that could help in your search.

Making Contact

If you believe that you have a sibling and would like to make contact, it is important to be mindful of the legalities involved. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the birth and any subsequent adoption, there may be legal restrictions on making contact or accessing information. It is important to consult with a lawyer who specializes in family law to understand the legal implications and to explore your options.

Tools & Tricks

Also, if you think you or someone you know may have been adopted in Canada, here are some tools and tricks you can use to help with your’s or their search:

1. Start by talking to family members: If you have any living relatives, start by talking to them and asking if they have any information about your adoption or the adoption of the person you are searching for. They may be able to provide valuable information that can help you in your search.

2. Contact the provincial government: Each province and territory in Canada has its own laws regarding adoption and how adoption records are handled. You can contact the appropriate government agency in the province where the adoption took place to request information about the adoption.

3. Use online resources: There are a number of online resources that can help with your search. The Canadian Adoptees Registry is a non-profit organization that connects adoptees with their birth families. The Adopted.com website offers a database of adoption records and a search function to help reunite adoptees with their birth families. The government of Canada’s Indigenous Services Canada website also offers a database of records for Indigenous adoptees and their families.

4. Consider DNA testing: DNA testing services such as AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and Family Tree DNA can provide information on genetic relationships and can help identify potential relatives.

5. Contact a private investigator: If you are having trouble finding information on your own, consider hiring a private investigator who specializes in adoption searches. They may have access to resources and information that are not available to the general public.

It’s important to note that adoption records are often sealed and the process of accessing them can be complex and time-consuming. However, with persistence and the right resources, it is possible to find information about your adoption or the adoption of someone you are searching for.

Adoption Contacts in Canada

In Canada, each province and territory has its own laws regarding adoption and how adoption records are handled. Here are the government and provincial agencies to contact for adoption-related information in each province and territory, along with their URLs:

1. Alberta: Alberta Vital Statistics provides adoption records and services for those who were adopted in Alberta. Contact information and instructions for obtaining adoption records can be found at their website: https://www.alberta.ca/adoption-records.aspx

2. British Columbia: The Ministry of Children and Family Development provides information on adoption services and support for those affected by adoption in British Columbia. More information can be found at their website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/births-adoptions/adoption

3. Manitoba: The Adoption Unit of Manitoba’s Vital Statistics Agency provides information and services related to adoption records in Manitoba. Their website can be found at: https://vitalstats.gov.mb.ca/Adoption.html

4. New Brunswick: The New Brunswick Adoption Records Act governs the release of adoption records in the province. Information on how to request adoption records can be found at: https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/services/services_renderer.201183.Adoption_Records_Act.html

5. Newfoundland and Labrador: The Newfoundland and Labrador Vital Statistics Division provides adoption-related services and information. Contact information and instructions for obtaining adoption records can be found at their website: https://www.gov.nl.ca/vitalstatistics/adoption-records/

6. Northwest Territories: The Department of Health and Social Services provides adoption services and support in the Northwest Territories. More information can be found at: https://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/en/services/adoption

7. Nova Scotia: The Nova Scotia Department of Community Services provides adoption-related services and support. Contact information and instructions for obtaining adoption records can be found at: https://novascotia.ca/coms/families/adoption-records/

8. Nunavut: The Department of Family Services provides adoption services and support in Nunavut. More information can be found at: https://www.gov.nu.ca/family-services/information/adoption

9. Ontario: The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services provides adoption-related services and support in Ontario. Contact information and instructions for obtaining adoption records can be found at: https://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/adoption/records/index.aspx

10. Prince Edward Island: The Prince Edward Island Department of Health and Wellness provides adoption-related services and information. Contact information and instructions for obtaining adoption records can be found at: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/service/access-adoption-information

11. Quebec: The Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services provides adoption services and support in Quebec. More information can be found at: https://www.msss.gouv.qc.ca/professionnels/adoption/index.php

12. Saskatchewan: The Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services provides adoption services and support in Saskatchewan. Contact information and instructions for obtaining adoption records can be found at: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/adoption-services

13. Yukon: The Department of Health and Social Services provides adoption services and support in Yukon. More information can be found at: https://yukon.ca/en/adoption-services

The government agencies will guide you. Overall, conducting research into your family history can be a complex process that requires patience, persistence, and sensitivity. While there are many tools and resources available to help in your search, it is important to approach the process with care and respect for all individuals involved.