We often see them during drives through our small mountain communities in northwestern North Carolina. Old farmhouses, small wooden cabins, and homes with large wrap-around porches, and expansive views. Many have been abandoned or are falling victim to time. 

Every now and then as a genealogist I have come across individuals who display a coat of arms. These family crests go back generations from their lives in Europe and can occasionally be seen on their family trees.

At one point in time, every researcher has thought about what it would be like to speak to an ancestor. We’ve wondered what it would be like to hear their stories firsthand, and what doors would it open or what secrets a conversation with them might reveal. In this History & Heritage article, I will be considering some interview questions for my five times great-grandfather, James Rector. 

In the early 1960s, someone in my maternal grandfather's family wrote a genealogy book that traced our roots back to Ireland, Germany, and a few other European countries. While researching over the years that very book has been referenced once or twice to ensure accuracy. 

If you are interested in using technology to help with your genealogical research andancestral storytelling, you may want to explore the possibilities of artificialintelligence (AI). Tools and platforms that are powered by AI can give you a lot ofinformation and insights that can help you learn about your family history and writeinteresting stories about your ancestors.