In 1885, Enoch Beakley, leader of a counterfeit money ring, was arrested after officers found molds for forging gold and silver coins in his home. Hundreds of dollars had already been circulated. Have you discovered any crimes in your family history?

Multigenerational households often include grandparents or young adults, but imagine five generations under one roof! In 1952, the Keelings of 902 West 39th Street, Kansas City, ranged from 2-year-old Stephen to their 98-year-old great-great-grandmother.

The 1940 Federal Census shows Bernice Clark earned $780 (about $17,000 today) as a uniform inspector—32% above the median income for women and more than any other member of her family, regardless of gender.

Civil War records, like pension index cards, can reveal your ancestor’s military service details, such as rank and unit. For example, George Carpenter served in Company G of the 3rd Indiana Cavalry and later the 145th Indiana Infantry, achieving the rank of Corporal. You can even request pension files from the National Archives for deeper insights!

Most draft cards list basics like height, weight, and eye color, but occasionally, the free-form section holds unique details. Our genealogists uncovered one such fascinating example above!

Genealogy isn’t just names and dates—it’s about uncovering personal details too! Draft cards, for example, provide insights like height, weight, and eye color, offering a glimpse of your ancestors beyond the family tree.

Did you know baptismal records can sometimes include a death date? While rare—especially for those who emigrated—it’s not impossible. For instance, John Meyer’s record notes, “obiit 1878 Juni 18,” providing a key detail about his life.

Missing someone in census records? They may have moved, passed away, or their name could be misspelled—like “Rigsby,” which was recorded as “Rorbgon.” Even the enumerator noted difficulty finding these names elsewhere!

On July 9, 1898, St. Louis grocer Henry Sauer left his wagon briefly while running errands at Union Station—only to return and find it gone! Curious about what happened next? Check out the full story in the picture above.

In the early 1900s, sisters Lillian and Ella Liebrecht defied their father’s disapproval by eloping—Lillian with Charles Miller in 1902 and Ella with Chas Fogerty in 1904—despite being primary caretakers for their father and brothers.

The 1900 census lists Edward Liebrecht as a widower, claiming his wife, Elizabeth, was dead. However, the 1920 census reveals Elizabeth was alive but a patient at the St. Louis Lunatic Asylum, likely misreported due to the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Early 20th-century newspapers often reported deaths with striking detail. For example, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch described William Wolfgang Hacker’s workplace accident as being “struck in the abdomen by a board that flew out of a rip saw he was operating.”

This 19th-century baptismal record of Julius Henry Vollmer notes him as “the illegitimate son of Henrietta Vollmer (nee Hensing),” a practice then used to shame unwed mothers by documenting their “sin” in church records.

A 20th-century marriage may appear in church records but not civil ones due to filing oversights. In Thomas Florence and Catherine Prelli's case, Rev. Peter Engel never returned their marriage license, likely to avoid late fees, showing the value of checking multiple sources in genealogy.

Discover the power of genealogical translation with Backlog. Our experienced genealogists provide complete translations of key records, including a transcription of the original text, a listing of personal and place names, and explanatory footnotes. See how we approached the French baptism record of Nicolas Marchal in St. Louis, Missouri. From the title citing the collection to the verbatim translation preserving original punctuation, our method captures the essence of the original record

From its inception in the mid-1500s until 1941, Fraktur was the most common typeface used in Germany.

Knowledge management is an established yet evolving field, and the tools certainly reflect that range of maturity and complexity.

Backlog worked with the Carondelet Historical Society (CHS) in St. Louis, Missouri, to write archival policies and procedures tailored to their specific needs and goals. First, we conducted an Archival Needs Assessment.

I suggest a two-pronged approach to saving your precious family tree data. This may sound like a big undertaking, but after performing hundreds of hours of research, I am personally willing to go the extra mile to save and display my findings for the long run.

There are many ways you can connect to your heritage as you continue to trace it. Here are just a few ideas to get you started.