Megan Smolenyak
@megansmolenyak.com
Lifelong genealogist & stubborn solver of history mysteries. Don't try to hide from me. I *will* find you.
megansmolenyak.com
#genealogy #history #democracy
megansmolenyak.com
#genealogy #history #democracy
In this week’s roundup, a research milestone, competitive steinholding, interesting facts about Mark Kelly's roots, and more!
megansmolenyak.com/genealogy-ro...
megansmolenyak.com/genealogy-ro...
Genealogy Roundup, November 26 - Megan Smolenyak
In this week’s roundup, a research milestone, competitive steinholding, interesting facts about Mark Kelly's roots, and more!
megansmolenyak.com
November 27, 2025 at 12:35 AM
In this week’s roundup, a research milestone, competitive steinholding, interesting facts about Mark Kelly's roots, and more!
megansmolenyak.com/genealogy-ro...
megansmolenyak.com/genealogy-ro...
Have my German & German-American friends been holding out? Why have I never heard of steinholding contests before?
www.outsideonline.com/culture/love...
www.outsideonline.com/culture/love...
Raise Your Glasses. Now, Hold Them Up Until Your Arms Shake.
Five pounds of lager, one outstretched arm, and the slow creep of regret. This is Type 2 fun at its finest.
www.outsideonline.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Have my German & German-American friends been holding out? Why have I never heard of steinholding contests before?
www.outsideonline.com/culture/love...
www.outsideonline.com/culture/love...
Reposted by Megan Smolenyak
Good morning to Brazilian reporter Manuela Borges, who’s been waiting eleven years for this petty moment. ❤️ 🇧🇷
November 26, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Good morning to Brazilian reporter Manuela Borges, who’s been waiting eleven years for this petty moment. ❤️ 🇧🇷
ATTN GENEALOGISTS: Please read and share this post - important info on #AI and #photo regeneration. @craigenorg.bsky.social #craigen #artificialintelligence
Excellent piece by The Quantum Record on #AI and photo regeneration that cites Coalition for Responsible AI in Genealogy photo policy. #craigen #quantumrecord #artificialintelligence
@craigenorg.bsky.social
thequantumrecord.com/science-news...
@craigenorg.bsky.social
thequantumrecord.com/science-news...
November 25, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Seems a good time to share this piece I wrote about Mark Kelly's roots. smolenyak.medium.com/6-things-you...
6 Things You Didn’t Know about Mark Kelly’s Roots
It’s an understatement to say that Sen. Mark Kelly has an impressive resume. Navy Captain turned astronaut turned Senator and married to…
smolenyak.medium.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Seems a good time to share this piece I wrote about Mark Kelly's roots. smolenyak.medium.com/6-things-you...
💔
This devastating piece describes what it’s like to die of blood cancer. It also describes what it feels like to do so while your cousin is Secretary of Health & Human Services & a ghoul. www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
A Battle with My Blood
When I was diagnosed with leukemia, my first thought was that this couldn’t be happening to me, to my family.
www.newyorker.com
November 23, 2025 at 6:03 PM
💔
I'm pleased to say that 215 of the soldiers I've researched over the years have been identified. This represents roughly 12% of my cases to date and that percentage is slowly inching upward for a variety of reasons. #nomanleftbehind
November 20, 2025 at 3:39 PM
I'm pleased to say that 215 of the soldiers I've researched over the years have been identified. This represents roughly 12% of my cases to date and that percentage is slowly inching upward for a variety of reasons. #nomanleftbehind
Reposted by Megan Smolenyak
I tell students of journalism: The ending is everything. Piece by Jere Longman of NYT on passing of Robert Stirm, American POW whose homecoming is shown in this iconic Slava Veder image: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/o...
November 20, 2025 at 3:02 PM
I tell students of journalism: The ending is everything. Piece by Jere Longman of NYT on passing of Robert Stirm, American POW whose homecoming is shown in this iconic Slava Veder image: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/o...
In this week’s roundup, a reminder of my upcoming in-person event, the Princess Grace Irish Library celebrates an anniversary, and more.
megansmolenyak.com/genealogy-ro...
megansmolenyak.com/genealogy-ro...
Genealogy Roundup, November 19 - Megan Smolenyak
In this week’s roundup, a reminder of my upcoming in-person event, the Princess Grace Irish Library celebrates an anniversary, and more.
megansmolenyak.com
November 19, 2025 at 9:39 PM
In this week’s roundup, a reminder of my upcoming in-person event, the Princess Grace Irish Library celebrates an anniversary, and more.
megansmolenyak.com/genealogy-ro...
megansmolenyak.com/genealogy-ro...
Eagerly awaiting my hardback proofs of the next installment of The Forensic Genealogist that are being delivered today. Then, you'll need to make sure you're on my website newsletter mailing list to know how to get your hands on one! 😉
November 19, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Reposted by Megan Smolenyak
Repost this everywhere you’re active on social media. Send to your friends and family who aren’t.
NEW: Epstein survivors release the most powerful PSA I have ever seen.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
November 16, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Repost this everywhere you’re active on social media. Send to your friends and family who aren’t.
Reposted by Megan Smolenyak
Bill Bryson: ‘Ever since I was a little boy, I have pretended to be able to vaporise people I don’t like’
Bill Bryson: ‘Ever since I was a little boy, I have pretended to be able to vaporise people I don’t like’
The American British author on pet peeves, the perils of fantasy dinner parties, and revisiting The Short History of Everything two decades later
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Bill Bryson: ‘Ever since I was a little boy, I have pretended to be able to vaporise people I don’t like’
OK, I’ll go next, but what should I take with me? ☘️
November 14, 2025 at 12:52 PM
OK, I’ll go next, but what should I take with me? ☘️
"Through 1950, census-takers commonly determined the race of the people they counted. From 1960 on, Americans could choose their own race. Starting in 2000, Americans could incl. themselves in more than 1 racial category. Before that, many multiracial people were counted in only 1 racial category."
The different race, ethnicity and origin category names in the U.S. census have often changed in a reflection of changing politics and public attitudes. Explore those changes, from the first census in 1790 to the latest count in 2020.
November 13, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Did you know that there's an Irish library - started with Princess Grace's personal collection - in Monaco? Had fun writing about it for Irish America (pages 66-68). ☘️
www.irishamerica.com/3d-flip-book...
www.irishamerica.com/3d-flip-book...
Fall 2025 Issue
www.irishamerica.com
November 13, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Did you know that there's an Irish library - started with Princess Grace's personal collection - in Monaco? Had fun writing about it for Irish America (pages 66-68). ☘️
www.irishamerica.com/3d-flip-book...
www.irishamerica.com/3d-flip-book...
Reposted by Megan Smolenyak
Imagine trying to convince someone a decade ago that this sentence would be a 100% literally accurate description of the American political situation.
The attorney general and the FBI director, a manosphere podcaster bro, pulled into the situation room a member of Congress best known for getting kicked out of a Beetlejuice musical for drunkenly giving her date a handy, in order to pressure her about the president's child sex trafficking scandal.
November 13, 2025 at 2:04 AM
Imagine trying to convince someone a decade ago that this sentence would be a 100% literally accurate description of the American political situation.
Reposted by Megan Smolenyak
My father was a twin. His brother was adopted by their grandparents. This means my father was both a twin and an only child.
Best part? Listening to my kids trying to explain it to other people.
#genealogy #parenting
Best part? Listening to my kids trying to explain it to other people.
#genealogy #parenting
November 13, 2025 at 2:28 AM
My father was a twin. His brother was adopted by their grandparents. This means my father was both a twin and an only child.
Best part? Listening to my kids trying to explain it to other people.
#genealogy #parenting
Best part? Listening to my kids trying to explain it to other people.
#genealogy #parenting
Reposted by Megan Smolenyak
Rep. Adelita Grijalva said two victims of Epstein's abuse were in the gallery to watch her be sworn in: Elizabeth Stein and Jessica Michaels.
"Justice cannot wait another day," she said, referencing the Epstein files discharge petition.
"Justice cannot wait another day," she said, referencing the Epstein files discharge petition.
November 12, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Rep. Adelita Grijalva said two victims of Epstein's abuse were in the gallery to watch her be sworn in: Elizabeth Stein and Jessica Michaels.
"Justice cannot wait another day," she said, referencing the Epstein files discharge petition.
"Justice cannot wait another day," she said, referencing the Epstein files discharge petition.
In this week’s roundup, my upcoming speaking event, genealogy news from New Jersey, a Veterans Day remembrance, the story of Irish soldiers who fought for America in WWI, and more.
megansmolenyak.com/genealogy-ro...
megansmolenyak.com/genealogy-ro...
Genealogy Roundup, November 12 - Megan Smolenyak
In this week’s roundup, my upcoming speaking event, genealogy news from New Jersey, a Veterans Day remembrance, the story of Irish soldiers who fought for America in World War I, and more.
megansmolenyak.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:11 PM
In this week’s roundup, my upcoming speaking event, genealogy news from New Jersey, a Veterans Day remembrance, the story of Irish soldiers who fought for America in WWI, and more.
megansmolenyak.com/genealogy-ro...
megansmolenyak.com/genealogy-ro...
Reposted by Megan Smolenyak
This is Goose. His stick didn't fit through the door at first. But Goose believed in himself, and more importantly, so did his doorman. 13/10 (TT: bigstickgoose)
November 12, 2025 at 6:41 PM
This is Goose. His stick didn't fit through the door at first. But Goose believed in himself, and more importantly, so did his doorman. 13/10 (TT: bigstickgoose)
November 12, 2025 at 3:24 PM
So weird to stumble across something written about yourself, but just found this about research I did a decade ago. Pertains to Irish soldiers who lost their lives in WWI serving for America. Bet lots more could be found on the topic now! #genealogy #VeteransDay
www.irishcentral.com/roots/histor...
www.irishcentral.com/roots/histor...
Remembrance Sunday: Nearly 1,000 Irish died serving US army in World War I
The number of Irish-born soldiers who died in World War I while serving the United States army is actually three times higher than previous estimates, according to genealogist Megan Smolenyak.
www.irishcentral.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:40 PM
So weird to stumble across something written about yourself, but just found this about research I did a decade ago. Pertains to Irish soldiers who lost their lives in WWI serving for America. Bet lots more could be found on the topic now! #genealogy #VeteransDay
www.irishcentral.com/roots/histor...
www.irishcentral.com/roots/histor...
Thinking of my grandfather, James V Shields, today and pulled up this letter he wrote home from France during WWI. Never spoke of his service in later days, so feel very fortunate to have this trace. He's the fellow standing in the middle in the photo. #VeteransDay
November 11, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Thinking of my grandfather, James V Shields, today and pulled up this letter he wrote home from France during WWI. Never spoke of his service in later days, so feel very fortunate to have this trace. He's the fellow standing in the middle in the photo. #VeteransDay