This first contact marks a turning point in the MyCousins project. Unlike earlier solo efforts, the collaboration with Beth Gamache transformed genealogy from an individual pursuit into a shared, sustained research partnership. At a Glance First Contact: 2020 Primary Surnames: Gamache; Purinton (birth) Medium: Email, Facebook, Ancestry.com collaboration Role in Project: Co-researcher; outreach lead; documentation … Read more
This exchange represents one of the earliest unsolicited inquiries that helped shape what would later become the MyCousins project. Keri Lucas, a grandchild of Madeline Elcik Lucas, reached out after discovering the family website and expressed both curiosity and admiration for the genealogical work already underway. Her message affirmed that the effort resonated beyond its … Read more
Date of First Contact: June 17, 2011 Type of Contact: DNA Match (Y-DNA and Autosomal) Location at Time of Contact: California (born Connecticut) How This Contact Began This first contact originated through early DNA testing, when Judith Spivak reached out after identifying a 12/12 Y-DNA marker match. At the time, DNA genealogy was still emerging, … Read more
This first contact documents a meeting of genealogists. Terry Karkos, a Maine genealogist and former journalist, was already known through his early genealogy website, Karkos Kronicles, one of the first Slovak-focused resources consulted during Elcik research. The exchange reflects shared methodology, mutual assistance, and the fragile nature of digital genealogy when sites go offline. At … Read more
This exchange captures a quiet but pivotal moment in the MyCousins project. Jim Elcik, my brother, helped rally broader family participation at a critical early stage and, most importantly, prompted our youngest brother Jeff to share the photographs and artifacts he had inherited after our father’s death. Though brief, Jim’s involvement materially changed what could … Read more
This was the first sustained exchange between two men sharing the same name, the same surname, and overlapping family geography—but not yet a clear understanding of how they were related. What began as a tentative outreach quickly became a collaborative reconstruction of family memory spanning Lisbon Falls, Queens, and multiple generations of Johns and Andrews. … Read more
This first contact captures a deeply affectionate reconnection centered on memory, gratitude, and shared family values. Janet Welsh, a first cousin through the Lucas family, responded to a single photograph with an outpouring of remembrance—opening the door to collaboration, fact-checking, and long-term stewardship of her parents’ life stories. At a Glance First Contact: July 20, … Read more
This first contact marks a pivotal transfer of physical family history. As the youngest sibling, Jeff lived with our father the longest and inherited the bulk of family photographs and albums. His willingness to release those materials—despite their disorder—made large portions of the MyCousins archive possible. At a Glance First Contact: July 30, 2020 Primary … Read more
This first contact documents a reunion grounded in shared memory, photographs, artifacts, and extended oral history. Nancy Kashmer, a first cousin, provided labeled family photographs, naturalization papers, and a long-form phone conversation that surfaced stories, places, and traditions not preserved elsewhere. At a Glance First Contact: August 4, 2020 Primary Surname: Gamache Medium: Email, phone … Read more
This first contact reflects a deeply personal reconnection rooted in memory, music, letters, photographs, and the emotional work of preservation. Rebecca Davis brought forward artifacts, stories, and reflections that connected multiple generations—while also articulating the quiet burden and care involved in carrying family history forward. At a Glance First Contact: August 6, 2020 Primary Surnames: … Read more