52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks
A Year of Questions, Clues, and Breakthroughs
When I committed at the beginning of the year to participate in Amy Johnson Crow’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge, I didn’t know where it would lead—only that I wanted to write more intentionally about my family history. What I didn’t anticipate was how memorable the journey itself would become.
The first challenge was simply learning how to build a blog that could support weekly writing. I fumbled my way through layouts, widgets, images, and formatting, gradually creating a space where my research and storytelling could live together. That alone felt like an accomplishment—but it was only the beginning.
Early in the year, I also learned how to use ChatGPT as a writing and research assistant. What started as help with polishing paragraphs quickly evolved into something much more valuable: a thinking partner. Together, we summarized documents, untangled timelines, tested hypotheses, and—eventually—wrote full Genealogical Proof Standard arguments. It changed how I work.
One of the most meaningful breakthroughs came when I finally broke a long-standing brick wall involving my maternal great-grandmother, Lucinda. A response from a DNA match opened the door to identifying her parents as Daniel Crull and Elizabeth Lent. That discovery led me to find Lucinda living with them in the 1870 census in Lawrence County, Missouri—a moment that still feels surreal. Seeing her placed in a family, rather than floating unnamed through records, was unforgettable.
This year was also memorable for the friendships that make genealogy richer. I went on a research trip with friends that took us to the National Archives at St. Louis, where I found military records for several relatives. We spent a full day at the St. Louis County Library, followed by two intense (and exhilarating) days at the Allen County Public Library, and then wrapped it all up at the Ohio Genealogical Society Conference. Those days reminded me how much research thrives on shared excitement, conversation, and laughter.
Back at home, new tools continued to reshape my research. Using FamilySearch’s Full Text Search, I dove into court records for my Warren County, Tennessee McCorkles—only to discover that my great-uncles were, frankly, a memorable bunch: scoundrels, bootleggers, and repeat visitors to the legal system. It was a vivid reminder that our ancestors were complicated, messy, and very human.
The year ended with another major breakthrough: confirming through DNA that my maternal third great-grandmother Elizabeth was a Choate. What followed was some of the most satisfying research I’ve ever done—layering sibling-level DNA matches, upstream family connections, migration patterns, and probate context into a complete proof. With ChatGPT’s help, I documented the findings in a formal GPS argument, something I never would have imagined doing at the start of the year.
Looking back, what made this year memorable wasn’t just the discoveries—though there were many—but the way each answer led to better questions, deeper confidence, and new ways of working. I began the year hoping to keep up with a weekly writing challenge. I’m ending it with solved mysteries, stronger skills, and a renewed excitement for whatever questions come next.
As the year comes to a close, I’m already looking ahead. There will be more research trips, more archives to explore, and more long days spent chasing clues alongside good friends. I plan to continue with Amy Johnson Crow’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge in 2026, curious to see what new prompts—and new puzzles—it will bring. If this year taught me anything, it’s that the most memorable discoveries often come from questions I didn’t yet know how to ask. I can’t wait to see what the next year uncovers.
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