GenFriends Genealogy Chat Show: Relative Race Season 16 Bonus Episode with Jerry and Shauna!

The panel, Melissa Barker, Jenny Hawran, Laura Hedgecock, and I welcome Jerry and Shauna from Relatieve Race Season 16 Team Blue! Jerry was unable to join us for our Team Reunion Show and asked if he could come talk to us about his experiences on the show.

Of course, we said YES!

Watch as he shares how he got on the show, updates us on his family since the season aired, and how the hole in his heart was filled.

Thank you to both Jerry and Shauna. We are so grateful to have you with us for this special bonus episode of GenFriends.

Links in this episode:

Relative Race

https://www.byutv.org/relative-race

Contact the panelists:

Melissa Barker -A Genealogist in the Archives

http://agenealogistinthearchives.blogspot.com/

Bernice Bennett-BerniceBennett.com

http://www.BerniceAlexanderBennett.com

Jenny Hawran-Like Herding Cats Genealogy

https://like-herding-cats.com/

Laura Hedgecock-Treasure Chest of Memories

https://treasurechestofmemories.com/

Mary Kircher Roddy-MKR Genealogy

https://www.mkrgenealogy.com/

https://appliedgen.institute/

Shelley Murphey-Family Tree Girl

https://familytreegirl.com/

Thank you so much for watching!

Don't miss an episode. Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

This Week On My Family History Calendar-Remembering Sumter County, SC Greats.

 

Dec. 10~
 My paternal 3rd great-grandmother, Mary Ellen (Jones) Baker (1826-1865) was born 199 years ago in Sumter District, South Carolina. Mary was the daughter of Ludolphus Jones and Mary Elizabeth Chandler.

Mary Ellen (Jones) Baker Headstone
Hezipah Church Cemetery, Lee County, SC
Photo in possession of Cheri Hudson Passey

Dec. 12~
  William A. McManus (1854-1914) and Frances Virginia McRady (1856-1903), my maternal 2nd great-grandparents, were married 153 years ago. William was 18 and Fannie 16 when they were married in Sumter County, South Carolina.

Who are you remembering this week?

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Helping you climb your family tree,

Celebration Sunday-Genealogy Happy Dance!-An Ancestor Serving the Community

 

You know the dance. You know you've done it. The one every researcher does after finding something new. The one where you want to jump up and down and shout to everyone that you found the document, contacted a cousin with the family Bible, made a DNA connection, or found a new branch to your tree. The one that is met with glazed stares and eye rolls.

                                                          Celebration Sunday is a place to share your discoveries. 

This weekly series enables everyone to tell about their Genealogy Happy Dance moment. 

Share by scrolling 

down and add your story to the comments section, or you may also link to a blog post about what had you dancing this week.

"Sumter, South Carolina, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-F6BH-W?view=explore : Dec 7, 2025), image 459 of 467; South Carolina. County Court (Sumter County). 
Image Group Number: 004752940

My Happy Dance Moment for the week:

Once again, FamilySearch Full Text Search comes through when I'm looking for documents with information about my ancestors. It's particularly helpful when looking for records where the individuals were not included in an index. 

There are so many clues to family connections and to who their neighbors were, and finding them in other records can help you pinpoint an ancestor in time and place. 

After the death of Samuel J. Wesberry on January 5th, 1858, my third great-grandfather, Thomas McRady, was appointed as one of the appraisers.  He signs the document with his mark at the bottom. This document helps me understand where he was in 1858 and gives me a clue to his standing in the community through his appointment. It's also a great example of how names can be spelled differently in one record. His surname is spelled McReady and McRady in this one. Both are used frequently in documents. 

Thanks again to FamilySearch for making Full Text Search available!

What were you celebrating?

Share your Happy Dance Moment for the week, and let's celebrate together!

 Thanks so much for stopping by!

Helping you climb your family tree,

GenFriends Genealogy Chat Show-Relative Race Season 16, Day 10: Team Reunion!

The panel, Melissa Barker, Laura Hedgcock, Shelley Murphy, Mary Kircher Roddy, and I welcome members of Season 16's teams to share their thoughts and experiences not only on Day 10 but also of the journey to get there.

Watch as they share updates, inside stories, and things they wish hadn't been edited out!

Thanks so much, Relative Race, for another fantastic season, and to all 8 team members for sharing your stories. Changing lives one door-knock at a time!

 Links in this episode:

Relative Race

https://www.byutv.org/relative-race

Contact the panelists:

Melissa Barker -A Genealogist in the Archives

http://agenealogistinthearchives.blogspot.com/

Bernice Bennett-BerniceBennett.com

http://www.BerniceAlexanderBennett.com

Jenny Hawran-Like Herding Cats Genealogy

https://like-herding-cats.com/

Laura Hedgecock-Treasure Chest of Memories

https://treasurechestofmemories.com/

Mary Kircher Roddy-MKR Genealogy

https://www.mkrgenealogy.com/

https://appliedgen.institute/

Shelley Murphey-Family Tree Girl

https://familytreegirl.com/

Thank you so much for watching!

Don't miss an episode. Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

Click Below to Share This Post!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Helping you climb your family tree,

                                      

Celebration Sunday-Genealogy Happy Dance!: My Course is Open for Registration!

 You know the dance. You know you've done it. The one every researcher does after finding something new. The one where you want to jump up and down and shout to everyone that you found the document, contacted a cousin with the family Bible, made a DNA connection, or found a new branch to your tree. The one that is met with glazed stares and eye rolls.

                                                          Celebration Sunday is a place to share your discoveries. 

This weekly series enables everyone to tell about their Genealogy Happy Dance moment. 

Share by scrolling 

down and add your story to the comments section, or you may also link to a blog post about what had you dancing this week.

My Happy Dance Moment for the week:

Registration has begun for my 2026 Course for the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research. It was a great first day of people signing up!

Researching Your South Carolina Roots: Finding Family in the Palmetto State will help those with ancestors who settled in or passed through SC for a time on their way to somewhere else learn tips and strategies to find available records and documents, especially in the hard-to-reach upcountry.

I am thrilled to be able to teach this course with several experts in research in SC. 

Want to join us starting August 11? Click here for course information and to register.  I'd love to see you in the course!

What were you celebrating?

Share your Happy Dance Moment for the week, and let's celebrate together!

 Thanks so much for stopping by!

Helping you climb your family tree,

GenFriends Genealogy Chat Show: Unpacking Relative Race Season 16 Day 9 with Callie and Thaddeus!

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The panel, Melissa Barker, Jenny Hawran, Laura Hedgecock, Mary Kircher Roddy, and I  welcome Season 11 winner Thaddeus and Season 12 winner Callie to help us unpack Relative Race Season 16 Day 9.

So much emotion on this last day of finding family. 

From the travails of the drive, getting soaked by a meteor shower, quotes from Candis, and meeting long-sought family and a newly named star, this was a fantastic Day 9. We'd also love to give a shout-out to Shauna, Jake, Danitra, and Andrea for the love and support shown throughout your loved one's journey. 

Click to watch!

Thank you to Dan and the entire Relative Race team for another season of uniting families. No one does it like you!

Why do YOU love this show?

We'd love to hear from you!

Poem Callie shared:

Legacy of an Adopted Child

Once there were two women

Who never knew each other.

One you do not remember,

The other one you call mother.

Two different lives

Shaped to make yours one.

One became your guiding star,

The other became your sun.

The first gave you life

And the second taught you to live it.

The first gave you a need for love

And the second was there to give it.

One gave you a nationality,

The other gave you a name.

One gave you a seed of talent,

The other gave you an aim.

One gave you emotions,

The other calmed your fears.

One saw your first sweet smile,

The other dried your tears.

One gave you up -

It was all that she could do.

The other prayed for a child

And God led her straight to you.

And now you ask me

Through your tears,

The age-old question

Through the years:

Heredity or environment

Which are you the product of?

Neither, my darling - neither,

Just two different kinds of love.

- Author Unknown

 Links in this episode:

Relative Race

https://www.byutv.org/relative-race

Contact the panelists:

Melissa Barker -A Genealogist in the Archives

http://agenealogistinthearchives.blogspot.com/

Bernice Bennett-BerniceBennett.com

http://www.BerniceAlexanderBennett.com

Jenny Hawran-Like Herding Cats Genealogy

https://like-herding-cats.com/

Laura Hedgecock-Treasure Chest of Memories

https://treasurechestofmemories.com/

Mary Kircher Roddy-MKR Genealogy

https://www.mkrgenealogy.com/

https://appliedgen.institute/

Shelley Murphey-Family Tree Girl

https://familytreegirl.com/

Thank you so much for watching!

Don't miss an episode. Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

Click Below to Share This Post!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Helping you climb your family tree,

                                      

This Week On My Family History Calendar-Remembering Two Paternal Ancestors

 

Nov. 18~ 
  My paternal 3rd great-grandfather, William A. Martin (1813-1887), died in Statesville, Iredell County, North Carolina, 138 years ago. He is buried in Bethesda Presbyterian Cemetery in Statesville.

William A. Martin

Headstone

Bethesda Presbyterian Church Cemetery

Statesville, Iredell, North Carolina

photo credit: Joy Steele. Used with permission

Nov. 22~

    My paternal grandfather, Benjamin Allen Hudson (1918-1976), was born 107 years ago in Clarendon County, South Carolina. He was the only child of John McSwain Hudson (1880-1961) and Louvinia Blanche Thames (1886-1918). 

Benjamin Allen Hudson
About 1920
Clarendon County, South Carolina
©Cheri Hudson Passey

Who are you remembering this week?

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Helping you climb your family tree,

Celebration Sunday-Genealogy Happy Dance!-2025 NGSQ Study Group Completion Certificate

 

You know the dance. You know you've done it. The one every researcher does after finding something new. The one where you want to jump up and down and shout to everyone that you found the document, contacted a cousin with the family Bible, made a DNA connection, or found a new branch to your tree. The one that is met with glazed stares and eye rolls.

                                                          Celebration Sunday is a place to share your discoveries. 

This weekly series enables everyone to tell about their Genealogy Happy Dance moment. 

Share by scrolling 

down and add your story to the comments section, or you may also link to a blog post about what had you dancing this week.

My Happy Dance Moment for the week:

Completing another year!

For the last several years, I have participated in an NGSQ Study group.

We have just completed our 2025 meetings, during which we were assigned an article from the National Genealogical Society Quarterly to read and study, to develop our writing and research skills. This group of genealogists has helped me learn a great deal over the years.

Thank you to Cyndi Ingle for facilitating this discussion group!

If you are interested in joining one of the study groups for 2026 with either Cyndi or Cari Taplin, click here for the details.

What were you celebrating?

Share your Happy Dance Moment for the week, and let's celebrate together!

 Thanks so much for stopping by!

Helping you climb your family tree,

GenFriends Genealogy Chat Show: Relative Race Season 16 Day 8- Never Give Up! Never Surrender!

The panel, consisting of Melissa Barker, Jenny Hawran, Laura Hedgecock, Mary Kircher Roddy, and me, discusses the joy that is felt by the teams and also by those who watch this day.

And to quote Jake, who was quoting someone else: Never give up! Never surrender!

The challenge was particularly fun, but it required a lot of strategy to keep those boxes balanced. We could see this being done at a family reunion.

Everyone but Team Black had a bit of trouble finding their relatives' house since the roads didn't cooperate, but once they were there, the reunions were full of love and acceptance. More questions were answered, and those puzzle pieces keep fitting into place.

How sweet were the letters from Team Red's children? Loved that.

Watch and let us hear your thoughts!

With Team Black coming in first place on this day and receiving the Strike the Strike benefit, the teams, except for Team Red, are tied at 2 strikes apiece. 

What are your thoughts about how they are going to choose the teams for the elimination round on Day 10?

We'd love to hear from you!

 Links in this episode:

Relative Race

https://www.byutv.org/relative-race

Contact the panelists:

Melissa Barker -A Genealogist in the Archives

http://agenealogistinthearchives.blogspot.com/

Bernice Bennett-BerniceBennett.com

http://www.BerniceAlexanderBennett.com

Jenny Hawran-Like Herding Cats Genealogy

https://like-herding-cats.com/

Laura Hedgecock-Treasure Chest of Memories

https://treasurechestofmemories.com/

Mary Kircher Roddy-MKR Genealogy

https://www.mkrgenealogy.com/

https://appliedgen.institute/

Shelley Murphey-Family Tree Girl

https://familytreegirl.com/

Thank you so much for watching!

Don't miss an episode. Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

Click Below to Share This Post!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Helping you climb your family tree,

                                      

Celebration Sunday-Genealogy Happy Dance!-Catching Up on a Fun October

 

You know the dance. You know you've done it. The one every researcher does after finding something new. The one where you want to jump up and down and shout to everyone that you found the document, contacted a cousin with the family Bible, made a DNA connection, or found a new branch to your tree. The one that is met with glazed stares and eye rolls.

                                                          Celebration Sunday is a place to share your discoveries. 

This weekly series enables everyone to tell about their Genealogy Happy Dance moment. 

Share by scrolling 

down and add your story to the comments section, or you may also link to a blog post about what had you dancing this week.

My Happy Dance Moment for the week:

The month of October was packed with genealogy conferences!

Today I am catching up with the last of the three I was privileged to speak for and attend.

The North Carolina Genealogical Society Fall Conference was packed with great speakers and friends. I love seeing those I have met over the years and meeting new ones.

I was also honored to meet legendary genealogist Helen Leary, the author of " North Carolina Genealogy," The big red book that teaches not only how to research in NC but also teaches methodologies for researching everywhere. It's a must on anyone's bookshelf!

What a fabulous way to wrap up a month of in-person conferences.

It was exhausting, but so worth it!

What were you celebrating?

Share your Happy Dance Moment for the week, and let's celebrate together!

 Thanks so much for stopping by!

Helping you climb your family tree,

GenFriends Genealogy Chat Show: Relative Race Season 16 Day 7: Changing Lives!

 

Cheri and the panel, Melissa Barker, Shelley Murphy, and Mary Kircher Roddy, get together to continue their coverage of Relative Race Season 16.

In this episode, they discuss the return of the rubber chicken, the crazy challenge, and the emotional family reunions.

And Jake? We want to give you a hug and tell you that we think you are one of the best big brothers we have ever seen. The outcome of the challenge was not your fault.

So many wonderful reunions on Day 7!

Which was your favorite?

We'd love to hear from you!

Links in this episode:

Relative Race

https://www.byutv.org/relative-race

Tetris Game

https://sameday.costco.com/store/costco/products/69271936-tetris-xl-tumble-game  

Contact the panelists:

Melissa Barker -A Genealogist in the Archives

http://agenealogistinthearchives.blogspot.com/

Bernice Bennett-BerniceBennett.com

http://www.BerniceAlexanderBennett.com

Jenny Hawran-Like Herding Cats Genealogy

https://like-herding-cats.com/

Laura Hedgecock-Treasure Chest of Memories

https://treasurechestofmemories.com/

Mary Kircher Roddy-MKR Genealogy

https://www.mkrgenealogy.com/

https://appliedgen.institute/

Shelley Murphey-Family Tree Girl

https://familytreegirl.com/

Thank you so much for watching!

Don't miss an episode. Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

Click Below to Share This Post!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Helping you climb your family tree,

                                      

GenFriends Genealogy Chat Show: Unpacking Day 6 of Relative Race Season 16 with Kayli!

 

Cheri and the panel, Jenny Hawran, Laura Hedgecock, Mary Kircher, and Roddy, are thrilled to welcome Kayli, the Team Red winner of season 15, to help us unpack Day 6 of season 16!

Watch as we get an update on Kayli, Dan, and the family they met on the race and the happenings of the day.

Thanks to Kayli for letting us know where to purchase a game like the one used in the challenge, and to Mary for finding the link!

What was your favorite part of Day 6?

We'd love to hear from you!

Links in this episode:

Relative Race

https://www.byutv.org/relative-race

Tetris Game

https://sameday.costco.com/store/costco/products/69271936-tetris-xl-tumble-game  

Contact the panelists:

Melissa Barker -A Genealogist in the Archives

http://agenealogistinthearchives.blogspot.com/

Bernice Bennett-BerniceBennett.com

http://www.BerniceAlexanderBennett.com

Jenny Hawran-Like Herding Cats Genealogy

https://like-herding-cats.com/

Laura Hedgecock-Treasure Chest of Memories

https://treasurechestofmemories.com/

Mary Kircher Roddy-MKR Genealogy

https://www.mkrgenealogy.com/

https://appliedgen.institute/

Shelley Murphey-Family Tree Girl

https://familytreegirl.com/

Thank you so much for watching!

Don't miss an episode. Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

Click Below to Share This Post!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Helping you climb your family tree,