Looking Back, Moving Forward-A Year of Research on "Our Roots, Our Stories: The Search for Family"

2025 Research Reflections

In 2025, my family history blog became less about isolated discoveries and more about disciplined research, storytelling, and learning how to live with unanswered questions. Early in the year, much of my focus centered on the Mezo family…migration, tragedy, surname origins, and the human stories behind ship voyages, separation, and loss. Those posts helped me establish a rhythm of blending documented facts with historical context, especially when records were sparse or incomplete.

As the year progressed, my attention broadened beyond one surname. I explored orphan stories, lost siblings, and fragmented families, often returning to the theme of absence…what happens when records fall silent and people disappear from view. These posts reflected a shift in my thinking. Instead of rushing to conclusions, I began documenting the search itself, treating uncertainty as part of the story rather than a failure of research.

Midyear posts leaned more heavily into community history and social context. Whether examining frontier figures, early American conflicts, or daily life in places like Illinois and Ohio, I worked to place my ancestors inside the world they inhabited, not apart from it. Mapping neighborhoods, tracing name variants, and examining patterns of migration became just as important as tracing bloodlines.

By late 2025, the blog had clearly matured into a research journal as much as a narrative space. Posts about recurring names, disputed relationships, missing probate files, and conflicting records showed a more cautious, evidence-driven approach. Rather than trying to solve every mystery, I focused on sorting fact from fiction, documenting what the records actually say, and explaining why certain assumptions needed to be challenged.

Looking back, 2025 wasn’t about volume. It was about developing better habits as a researcher…slowing down, asking better questions, and learning to let the evidence lead. Averaging three posts a month proved sustainable and meaningful, and it confirmed that steady progress matters more than ambitious but unrealistic goals.

2026 Blog Goals

For 2026, my goal is simple but intentional: one post per week. Not to rush research, but to keep momentum, document the process as it unfolds, and continue building a transparent, evidence-based family history record. Even shorter posts, research notes, or focused questions count. The goal isn’t perfection…it’s consistency.