Sean Vanderfluit
@deckofancestors.bsky.social
790 followers 490 following 690 posts
I've been doing #genealogy since I was eight. I created this account along with "A Deck of Ancestors" blog, for participating in Amy Johnson Crow's #52Ancestors Challenge. (I'm also @vanderfluit.bsky.social) Canada - https://deckofancestors.wordpress.com/
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Pinned
I started the #52Ancestors Challenge in January 2022 over at the dead bird site, so Week 1 of my first year of participating isn't here. So I thought I should re-share the genesis of this account and provide a bit of a reintroduction. #genealogy

deckofancestors.wordpress.com/2022/01/09/m...
More Than a Full Deck
Here’s the deal…
deckofancestors.wordpress.com
Great question, by the way. It never crossed my mind to include that, but it should have.
Mostly on online trees. I don't keep track of them for any ancestors, because they're usually such rubbish. It's also repeated in several biographies posted on her FamilySearch entry.
From Ireland to Scotland to Missouri to Utah - My Gx3 Grandmother, Elizabeth Joseph #52Ancestors #genealogy #FamilyHistory

deckofancestors.wordpress.com/2025/10/15/5...
Is it really a "secret society" if they're advertising their meetings in the paper?
Reposted by Sean Vanderfluit
Important to remember that Italianness was not a thing until 350 years after Columbus died. What we think of as Italy was a collection of city-states, dukedoms, small kingdoms, etc. Columbus was Genoese, and sailed under the flag of Catholic Spain.
name an italian more worthy of an american holiday than columbus
My Gx3 Grandfather, Robert Nelson, briefly had an occupation that is unique amongst all my ancestors. After immigrating from Ireland, he was a sugar baker in Scotland until he left for the United States. #52Ancestors #Genealogy #FamilyHistory

deckofancestors.wordpress.com/2025/10/13/5...
Reposted by Sean Vanderfluit
A plaque erected in 1996 outside Rougemont Castle, Exeter for the last people to be executed in England for witchcraft. Temperance Lloyd, Susannah Edwards & Mary Trembles of Bideford who were arrested in August 1682, were tried at the Exeter Assizes, Rougemont Castle on 14th August 1682 & /1
Hey, Ho, let's dough! Gobble Gobble Hey!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Yeah, I might not need a DNA test. 🤣

(My father, my youngest brother, my eldest son, and me)
Briefkaart uit Waarland #FamilyHistory

Sent by my great grandmother to my father many years ago.
Hope is one of the greatest weapons against autocracy.
Don't think anything rhymes with "purple"? Meet my Gx3 Grandmother, Susan Turple! #52Ancestors #genealogy #FamilyHistory

deckofancestors.wordpress.com/2025/10/10/5...
Susan Ann Elizabeth Turple (1818-1906)
WieWasWie still has a free model, just with limited functionality. There are types of searches that you need to have a paid subscription to perform. OpenArchives has none of that, so it's now my first go-to site.
Reposted by Sean Vanderfluit
At tonight's #BCGS meeting, Brian Miki shared a personal passion project of his, ISAN, an app that helps turn your documents and photos into compelling stories! Check it out at isan-webapp.vercel.app/auth/login

#genealogy #FamilyHistory
So excited! It looks like it'll be another great season!
The trailer has dropped for Season 12 of Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.! #Genealogy #FamilyHistory

youtu.be/xoxotZxwPGc?...
Finding Your Roots Season 12 Trailer
YouTube video by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
youtu.be
I've been using both for so long I can't even remember when I first accessed them! I know I was on WieWasWie long before it moved to a pay/subscription model.
My Gx3 Grandfather, Henry Lyman Cook, may or may not have been one of the earliest Mormon practitioners of polygamy. I'm going with may have, although it might be on a technicality rather than for theology. #52Ancestors #Genealogy #FamilyHistory

deckofancestors.wordpress.com/2025/10/06/5...

Henry Lyman Cook (1803-1869)
I have some Dutch ancestors who lived near the (now) German border, who occasionally crossed over for the odd baptism or marriage, so I'll need to check this new-to-me source. One source I have used for them was Matricula Online data.matricula-online.eu/en/
Home | Matricula Online
data.matricula-online.eu
Reposted by Sean Vanderfluit
Omg #genealogy people there’s an Onion article about us!
Weird Relative At Family Reunion Knows How Everyone Related To Each Other https://theonion.com/weird-relative-at-family-reunion-knows-how-everyone-rel-1819579336/
Weird Relative At Family Reunion Knows How Everyone Related To Each Other
My sister, who was probably still working on her Masters in Library Sciences and Archival Studies at the time, sent me this 12 years ago saying "I've always thought there was a need for coral music and middle-age rap to reference Hollinger boxes."

youtu.be/okgsW1huxyY?...
The Archives - More than a Holding Operation
YouTube video by The United Church of Canada
youtu.be
May all my family and friends observing the holy day have a meaningful fast. G’mar tov.
Reposted by Sean Vanderfluit
NPR @npr.org · 15d
Today marks the first day in public media’s history without federal funding. And we’re not going anywhere.

Listeners like you keep our mission alive. Protect one of the last places where America comes together to hear itself.

Stand with us today. Donate at this link: n.pr/46wamAj