MyCousins.org is a living archive. As research grows, records improve, and stories are clarified, some pages naturally change—or are retired altogether. This page explains how those materials are handled and how visitors should interpret them.
A Living, Curated Archive
Genealogy is not static. Names, dates, relationships, and interpretations evolve as new evidence appears. Rather than erase earlier work, MyCousins.org preserves it responsibly—distinguishing between current research and archived material.
Our goal is continuity, transparency, and respect for both past contributors and future researchers.
What Are “Retired Pages”?
A retired page is content that is no longer part of the site’s active navigation but is intentionally preserved. Pages may be retired for several reasons:
- New or corrected research replaced earlier interpretations
- Duplicate or overlapping pages were consolidated
- Experimental or draft material reached a natural endpoint
- Site structure evolved and required reorganization
Retired does not mean deleted. It means archived.
How Retired Pages Are Handled
To protect context and prevent confusion:
- Retired pages are removed from menus and indexes
- Existing links may redirect to an explanatory archive page
- Original content is preserved without silent edits
- No historical material is erased simply for being outdated
This ensures that citations, bookmarks, and references remain meaningful.
Why We Don’t Simply Delete Content
Family history is cumulative. Earlier interpretations—while later refined—often reflect the thinking, sources, and context of their time. Preserving them:
- Honors the work of past contributors
- Maintains transparency in research evolution
- Prevents loss of contextual evidence
- Supports future re-evaluation
Silence is never used to imply absence.
Site Map & Archive Orientation
This site is organized as a curated research archive, not a blog or news feed. Content is grouped by families, records, places, and themes, with clear distinctions between active research and archived material.
The outline below reflects the current structural intent of the site and serves as a guide for navigating both current and historical content.
Family & Kinship
Family hubs act as the primary entry points into the archive. Each hub brings together nuclear families, individual profiles, obituaries, stories, and supporting records.
Records & Evidence
This section preserves source-based material used to support research findings, including transcriptions, abstracts, and research notes.
Places We Lived
Geographic context for family movement and settlement, including towns, regions, migration paths, and place-based documentation.
Stories & Memory
Narrative material that preserves lived experience alongside documented facts, including family stories, essays, and oral history summaries.
Research Tools & Methods
Pages explaining how research is conducted, reviewed, updated, and stewarded over time.
Archives & Retired Pages
Materials preserved for reference but no longer part of active navigation, including superseded research, consolidated pages, and historical versions of reworked content.
Retired pages remain accessible by direct link or redirect and are never silently erased.
For Researchers & Family Members
If you encounter a retired page:
- Treat it as archival reference material, not current consensus
- Check for newer pages or revisions elsewhere on the site
- Contact the site steward if you have corrections or additional sources
Many families represented here maintain private archives that extend beyond what appears publicly.
Our Stewardship Commitment
MyCousins.org is guided by archival principles:
- Preserve rather than erase
- Clarify rather than conceal
- Protect the privacy of the living
- Document change openly
The archive you see today reflects decades of collection, review, and care—and it will continue to evolve.