List: Political Genealogy | Curated by Megan Smolenyak

Sep 18, 2024
24 stories
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Political Genealogy
Megan Smolenyak
Tim Walz of the Tomhaggard DoylesHow a Solitary Tombstone in Wisconsin Solved the Mystery of His Irish Origins
Sep 14, 2024
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Sep 14, 2024
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Megan Smolenyak
Cut from the Same Cloth: Joe Biden and Stephen Colbert Share More than Their Irish HeritageGenealogy has been an unexpected door-opener for me leading to many “Who the hell let me in here?” moments over the years — not the least…
Apr 11, 2023
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Apr 11, 2023
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Megan Smolenyak
Philip Reed, The Enslaved Man Who Rescued FreedomThis is an updated version of an article that was first published in the May/June 2009 issue of Ancestry (pages 54–56), which has become…
Jan 10, 2021
Jan 10, 2021
Megan Smolenyak
10 Things You Didn’t Know about Rachel Maddow’s RootsAs both a genealogist and TRMS viewer, I suppose it was inevitable that I would peek into Rachel Maddow’s past, and now seems a fitting…
Dec 7, 2017
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Dec 7, 2017
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Megan Smolenyak
The Immigrant Ancestors Ann Coulter Wishes She Didn’t HaveIn an appearance on The View to promote one of her books, Ann Coulter reiterated her well-known anti-immigrant stance. Guest host Ana…
Dec 7, 2017
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Dec 7, 2017
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Megan Smolenyak
Mike Pence’s Immigrant Saga Makes a Case for CompassionAlthough Mike Pence claims that he “grew up on the front row of the American dream” thanks in part to his Irish immigrant grandfather, he’s…
Jan 25, 2018
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Jan 25, 2018
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Megan Smolenyak
Chain Migration: What’s Changed?The immigration debate is permeated by a forgetful nostalgia that frequently bubbles up the declaration, “But my ancestors came here…
Feb 13, 2018
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Feb 13, 2018
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Megan Smolenyak
Why Are Children and Grandchildren of Immigrants So Eager to Keep Immigrants Out?I should have known. Of course his grandfather was an immigrant. After all, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) is the sponsor of Securing America’s…
Mar 21, 2018
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Mar 21, 2018
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Megan Smolenyak
Kanye, Meet Your Great-UncleNotes from a genealogist
May 4, 2018
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May 4, 2018
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Megan Smolenyak
The Revolving Door Citizenship of Tomi Lahren’s Great-Great-GrandfatherHow does this keep happening? I’ve researched thousands of family trees, and ones involving documented immigration irregularities are…
Aug 12, 2018
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Aug 12, 2018
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Megan Smolenyak
One Less Secret for Rick ScottRick Scott, current Governor and candidate for Senator of Florida, has secrets. Lots of them. But I didn’t appreciate how extensive they…
Sep 17, 2018
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Sep 17, 2018
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Megan Smolenyak
American Dream Family Lore of Julián Castro Rings TrueWay back in 2012, I was intrigued when a young politician, San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro, was selected to deliver the keynote speech at…
Jan 13, 2019
Jan 13, 2019
 This story is no longer available
Megan Smolenyak
Finding Adelia, Val Demings’s Great-Great-GrandmotherFellow roots-enthusiasts know that when you research a family tree — even when it’s not your own — there are always one or two ancestors…
Aug 3, 2020
Aug 3, 2020
Megan Smolenyak
Biden’s Biden Roots: Westbourne or Huntingdon, England or Maybe Nagpur, India?I first researched incoming President Biden’s genealogy about a dozen years ago focusing on his 5/8 Irish heritage. Not surprisingly…
Nov 18, 2020
Nov 18, 2020
Megan Smolenyak
5 Things You Didn’t Know about Joe Biden’s RootsBy now, just about everyone knows how proud Joe Biden is of his Irish heritage. I began researching his roots even before he became Vice…
Jan 12, 2021
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Jan 12, 2021
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An Injustice!
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Megan Smolenyak
Michelle Obama’s Jumper Roots: Proving Your Freedom Over and Over AgainSome years ago, when Michelle Obama was a freshly minted First Lady, I spent eight months delving into her roots. One story unearthed by…
Feb 24, 2021
Feb 24, 2021
Megan Smolenyak
Tracing Barack Obama’s Roots to Moneygall, IrelandTombstones in Ohio made all the difference
Mar 24, 2021
Mar 24, 2021
Megan Smolenyak
DNA Confirms Biden Link to GalwayGalway joins Mayo and Louth as an Irish ancestral home
Mar 28, 2021
Mar 28, 2021