DNA, Family Secrets, & Forgotten Heroes

Transcript:

Host (Heather Haunert):
Hello everyone, and welcome to The Family Treehouse, a podcast series brought to you by Storied, where I chat with people who have a passion for genealogy, storytelling, or both. I am your host, Heather Haunert, and today I am super excited to chat with our guest, Melanie McComb—genealogist and international lecturer with American Ancestors and the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

Hello, Melanie!

Guest (Melanie McComb):
Hey, how are you today?

Host:
Good, how are you?

Guest:
I’m great.

Host:
I look at your list of areas of expertise—you are amazing. Irish genealogy, DNA, Atlantic Canada, Jewish genealogy, military records—you just run the gamut.

Guest:
I keep busy.

Host:
Out of all those things, what’s your favorite?

Guest:
I would say I’m doing a lot more with DNA lately. I work closely with patrons, helping them discover either more recent history—like finding out who their parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents were—or even going back further to verify their family tree using DNA.

Host:
Yeah. We were just having a conversation the other day in a Storied meeting about how the younger generation, when they hear “genealogy,” often immediately think of DNA. That’s their entry point. I’ve done my DNA test, but I haven’t really done much research with it myself—just another area I’m excited to explore at some point.

Guest:
Absolutely. It’s definitely a game-changer in the industry, and it can unequivocally prove things.

Host:
So Melanie, tell everyone a little about your background—how you got started in family history both personally and professionally.

Guest:
Sure. I’m originally from Long Island, New York. I started genealogy in college at the University of New York at Oswego in Central New York. I was pursuing a degree in zoology, and in one of my genetics classes, we had to create a medical family tree.

Before that, I had dabbled in family history—looking through old family photos and asking, “Who’s that? When was that?”—especially when I was scrapbooking. But this medical family tree project really encouraged us to do family interviews, which meant asking relatives some very personal medical questions. It got me hooked.

That’s when I first used sites like Ancestry.com, delving into census records and seeing what I could find. My dad’s side is Irish, my mom’s side is Jewish, and researching both kept pulling me in deeper.

After college, I worked in human resources technology, but the corporate rat race wasn’t fulfilling. Then I attended RootsTech—an international genealogy conference—and decided I wanted to make the switch to genealogy professionally. My husband and I moved to Boston, I started doing Saturday sub work in the American Ancestors library, and eventually a full-time position opened up. I’ve now been there about five years.

My scientific and technical background—project management, applying the scientific method—has actually been really useful in genealogy.

Host:
I love that. I recently talked with Sophie Kay in the UK, and she said the same thing—her scientific background really shaped how she approached genealogy. And you can tell this work is a passion for you.

So, why do you think storytelling is such an important part of family history?

Guest:
Storytelling is a great way to connect people to family history—especially those who aren’t staying up until 3 a.m. searching archives. It’s a way to pass on what’s known, even though family lore can sometimes be inaccurate. I believe there’s always a nugget of truth in it. Passing down stories keeps history alive, and if documents are ever lost, those stories can ensure people aren’t forgotten.

Host:
If you’re going to write a story, do you have a process?

Guest:
Yes. I’m a big proponent of starting small—like micro-blogging, short posts on Facebook or Twitter—then building them into a longer blog post. I have my own blog, The Shamrock Genealogist, and I also write for Vita Brevis at American Ancestors.

I recommend finding a central theme or idea, then building the research and narrative around that.

Host:
Yes! People get overwhelmed thinking they need to write a big, multi-chapter biography. But it’s the bite-sized stories people actually read and remember.

Guest:
Exactly. And those short pieces can later be compiled into a bigger book—but don’t wait. Start now.

Host:
Do you recommend any resources for beginners?

Guest:
On AmericanAncestors.org, we have free downloads—interview questions, templates, research logs, research plans—and books on genealogical writing. We also create tools for specific types of records, like land deeds or house histories.

Host:
I love your website—and I’ll link to those free resources in our show notes.

How do you use historical records to help tell stories?

Guest:
They’re great for illustrating facts—not just saying “they lived here in this census,” but showing the document. Sometimes records contain mini-biographies. For example, I visited the Boston City Archives and looked into the Temporary Home for Women and Children. The records had so many bite-sized stories right there—perfect for illustrating conditions and personal experiences.

Host:
Yes—so many records have those extra nuggets of goodness people overlook.

Melanie, my favorite part of these interviews: can you share a story that resonates with you?

Guest:
Sure. One involves my great-grandfather and his cousin Bernard “Barney” Corcoran from County Louth, Ireland. I found Barney’s passport application—he was blind. On the previous page was my great-grandfather’s photo; they’d applied together. My great-grandfather was accompanying Barney back to Ireland.

Barney had served in World War I with the 69th New York Infantry. In the Battle of the Ourcq in France, a bullet grazed one eye and passed through the other, leaving him completely blind.

But he didn’t let that define him—he learned Braille, created a Braille Bible for religious leaders, and helped other disabled veterans through music and charity concerts. He even met his first wife at a rehabilitation school.

Host:
Wow. That’s incredible.

Guest:
I have another story—also about my great-grandfather, Thomas James Corcoran. DNA testing revealed he had a son in Ireland before emigrating, with a servant in his household. The child was named after him. His family didn’t approve of the relationship and sent him to America. None of my family here knew until DNA connected us with the grandson’s family in England.

Host:
Those are the kinds of discoveries that change everything.

Guest:
Exactly. And it shows the power of DNA to uncover hidden family stories.

Host:
Do you have a picture of your great-grandfather from before that passport application?

Guest:
Not before then—later in life, yes—but that passport photo was my first image of him as a young man.

Host:
Such a reminder to always check the pages before and after a record.

Guest:
Absolutely. Passport applications are gold mines.

Host:
Before we close, what’s one piece of advice for our listeners?

Guest:
Whether it’s a document or a photo—dissect it in detail. Look for things that stand out: a medical condition, military service, sudden financial change, migration, interesting occupations. Find a theme, ask questions about it, research, build a timeline, then create your narrative.

Host:
You’ve been a wealth of information today—thank you so much for joining us.

Guest:
Thank you—it’s been great to talk with you.

Host:
Until next time, friends—embrace the power of your family’s told tales, and start writing your family stories today. Let their voices echo through the generations. Visit Storied.com to begin.