Welcome to MyCousins
This is a family archive, a record room, and a gathering place for cousins who want to understand where we came from, how we are connected, and what should not be forgotten.
What This Site Is
MyCousins.org preserves family history through records, stories, photographs, documents, research notes, and shared context. Some pages focus on individual families. Others explain places, migrations, traditions, work, daily life, and the evidence behind the stories.
Whether you are a close relative, a distant cousin, a first-time visitor, or someone trying to understand a family connection, this page will help you find a useful path through the archive.
You do not need to be a genealogist to begin. Family history starts with recognition: a name, a place, a photograph, a story, or a question worth preserving.
Where to Begin
There is no single correct path through the archive. Start with the doorway that feels most useful to you.
Start with a Family
Use the family hubs to explore major surname lines, related branches, and the pages connected to each family.
Visit Our FamiliesFollow a Topic
Explore themes that cross family lines, including immigration, places we lived, records, work, faith, and daily life.
Browse TopicsLook for Evidence
Visit the documents and archives area for exhibits, obituaries, photo galleries, and the records that support the research.
Open Documents and ArchivesLearn How the Archive Works
Some pages explain the research process, how evidence is handled, and why uncertainty is part of honest family history.
Read Records and EvidenceFind the Cat
The Cat Without a Hat brings a lighter voice to the archive while still respecting the seriousness of family memory.
Meet The CatMake Contact
If you recognize a name, place, photograph, or story, you may have something useful to add to the shared record.
Contact UsNew to Genealogy?
Family history can feel overwhelming at first. Names repeat. Dates disagree. Records disappear. Stories change as new evidence appears.
The goal is not to know everything at once. The goal is to begin carefully and keep track of what is known, what is uncertain, and what still needs to be found.
The Cat Without a Hat
A beginner-friendly guide is available for readers who want a calm introduction to genealogy basics.
It explains the early steps without assuming you already know the language of records, family trees, or archives.
Read the Free GuideWhat This Archive Values
MyCousins.org values accuracy, transparency, context, and care. Where records exist, they should be identified. Where gaps remain, they should be acknowledged. Where a conclusion is uncertain, it should not be made to look certain.
Family history is rarely complete. Names change, handwriting misleads, dates conflict, records vanish, and memories fade. Rather than smoothing over uncertainty, this archive tries to preserve the trail so future researchers can understand how each conclusion was reached.
- Preserve the evidence where possible.
- Tell the story without pretending every question has been answered.
- Respect the lives behind the names.
- Make room for corrections, additions, and future discoveries.
A Living Archive
This site is not finished. New records may be added, interpretations may change, and unanswered questions may remain unanswered for a long time.
The purpose is not to present a perfect or final version of the past. The purpose is to preserve what is known, explain how it was learned, and leave room for future generations to continue the work.
If You Are Family
If you recognize names, places, photographs, or stories, you are invited to participate. You may know a missing detail. You may have a document tucked away. You may remember a story no one else has written down.
Family history grows strongest when it is shared.
Share a Connection