Genealogy Matters Magazine October 2026

Go beyond the family tree. Discover the lives behind the names.

Explore forgotten ancestors, rebellious roots, and remarkable journeys in an issue packed with compelling true stories and practical inspiration for telling your own.

Inside this issue:

• Generational Rebels: The Forgotten Story of My Inconvenient Scottish Ancestor — Follow Kate Misha Snow into Scotland’s Radical War of 1820 as she uncovers an ancestor charged with high treason and a story later generations left untold.
• Forgotten Ancestors: The Tragic Story of Henry William Chiddicks — Join Paul Chiddicks as he brings a forgotten relative’s life back into view.
• Harold, the ex-soldier who sold matches — Xanthe Hall traces a wounded First World War soldier’s struggle to rebuild his life, revealing hardship and questions that linger long after the war.
• I’m a Lumberjack and I’m OK — Travel with Ruth Imeson through a family story shaped by childhood tragedy, ocean voyages, and a new life in Canada.
• Ancestral Warnings from Beyond the Grave — Discover with Karen Thompson how death certificates reveal far more than a cause of death, opening doors to occupations, relationships, and everyday lives.
• How to Turn an Ancestor into a Memorable Character — Annette Gendler shows how telling details—from a treasured kitchen tool to a distinctive habit—can bring your ancestors to life and make readers want to know more.
• How I Transformed My Grandmother’s Century-Old Diaries Into a Published Book — Learn from Tamara Buzyna Adams how translated Russian diaries became a published family story, with practical steps to help you preserve, organize, and write your own.

Get the October digital issue and find fresh inspiration for the stories waiting in your own family archive.