Shows / Stories That Live In Us
Stories That Live In Us
What if the most powerful way to strengthen your family’s future is to look to the past?
I’m Crista Cowan, known online as The Barefoot Genealogist. I created this podcast to inspire you to form deeper connections with your family - past, present, and future. All families are messy and life is constantly changing but we don’t have to allow that to disconnect us. I’ve spent my whole life discovering the power of family history and I know that sharing the stories that live in you can change…
Episodes
- Stories That Live In Us
Wyoming: Tumbleweed Ties That Bind (with Lindy Nielsen) | Episode 75
〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️ 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts…
- Stories That Live In Us
Utah: Walking Where They Walked (with Michelle Ercanbrack) | Episode 74
When Michelle Ercanbrack volunteered for a Mormon pioneer trek, she thought she'd be helping teenagers learn history. What she discovered instead was a missing…
- Stories That Live In Us
Oklahoma: Two Genealogists and a DNA Match (with Nicka Sewell-Smith) | Episode 73
〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️ 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts…
- Stories That Live In Us
New Mexico: Centuries of Stories (with Stephen Torres) | Episode 72
When Stephen Torres's grandfather told him "one of your forefathers was the first European to set foot on New World soil," young Stephen was skeptical—until…
- Stories That Live In Us
Arizona: Hidden Gifts of Healing (with Lisa Louise Cooke | Episode 71
When Lisa Louise Cooke walked into her estranged grandmother's house in Arizona, she had no idea she was about to discover the key to healing a decades-old…
- Stories That Live In Us
Alaska: Treasured Pieces from the Last Frontier (with Jay Marquiss)
🏔️ When Jay Marquiss sat down for breakfast at a Southern Utah ranch house, he had no idea a casual conversation would unlock a 130-year-old family mystery…
- Stories That Live In Us
Hawaii: Woven Together in the Aloha State (with Mike Daniels)
What happens when cultures collide and choose connection instead of conflict? To launch our America 250 series and Season 2 of the podcast, I sit down with…
- Stories That Live In Us
America 250: A Journey Through 50 States and 50 Stories That Live In Us (Season 2 Trailer)
What if the story of America isn't just in history books, but living right now in your family tree? As we approach America's 250th birthday in 2026, I'm taking…
- Stories That Live In Us
Waiting to Be Found (with Hopwood DePree) | Episode 68
🛏😴 What if you found out that the bedtime stories you were told as a kid were really true? When Hopwood DePree finally traced his unusual first name to its…
- Stories That Live In Us
A Life Changing Adventure (with Diana O'Connor) | Episode 67
🌍 After decades of dead ends and false leads, one $27 payment to a county archive changed everything for Diana O'Connor. She didn’t just get a record. She got…
- Stories That Live In Us
Gathering and Connections (with Betheny Tomseth) | Episode 66
🎂 What do cake and cemeteries have to do with one another? Maybe not much but both have quite a bit to do with family history. Betheny Tomseth, known on…
- Stories That Live In Us
Wonderful Grandmothers (with Aimee Cross) | Episode 65
When Aimee Cross discovered her French ancestor's will in a 1904 newspaper, she found something more precious than gold - a grandmother's heartfelt advice to…
- Stories That Live In Us
These Are My Kinfolk: A Juneteenth Reunion (with Linda Epps Parker) | Episode 64
Linda felt there was "something special" in her dad's family but couldn't get answers. She never imagined a single phone call would connect her to relatives…
- Stories That Live In Us
An Honest Witness | Episode 63
What if one of history's most famous authors unknowingly documented your ancestor's immigration journey? In 1863, my three-times-great-grandmother Rachel Smuin…
- Stories That Live In Us
Through the Eyes of a Child ( with Tamara Buzyna Adams) | Episode 62
🚢 When 11-year-old Lydia escaped Russia on the last evacuation ship in 1920, she began documenting her extraordinary journey in beautiful handwritten diaries…
- Stories That Live In Us
Even in the Face of Injustice | Episode 61
What if your ancestors' darkest moment could teach you the most about resilience? While chasing down a DNA match with my dad, I uncovered a shocking story…
- Stories That Live In Us
The Ache Is Still There (with Tara Hall) | Episode 60
When Tara Hall discovered her great-uncle Norman had been shot down in WWII, his story became an enigma that haunted her family for generations. In this…
- Stories That Live In Us
I Can See All The Story (with Lisa Elzey) | Episode 59
When Lisa Elzey discovered her grandfather flew on a B-17 bomber during D-Day, she knew there was more to uncover… In this continuation of last week's DNA…
- Stories That Live In Us
I Can Live With the Truth (with Nidel Day) | Episode 58
When DNA results revealed a puzzling Quebec connection in Lisa Elzey's family tree — everything she thought she knew was called into question... Join me for an…
- Stories That Live In Us
One Year Anniversary - I'm So Glad You're Here | Episode 57
For one year straight, I've shared stories that remind us we're all connected through the messy, beautiful threads of family history — and today, I'm…
- Stories That Live In Us
We Wear a Poppy (with Simon Pearce) | Episode 56
When Simon Pearce discovered his great-great-uncle Howard's name on a casualty list from WWI, his heart skipped a beat — launching a 20-year quest to piece…
- Stories That Live In Us
Marry a Genealogist (with Irene Hantman) | Episode 55
💕 When a stranger asked Irene Hantman about Arthur Kurzweil's lecture at a Jewish genealogy conference, she never imagined it would change her life forever…
- Stories That Live In Us
All I Need is a Warm Glass of Milk (with Brian Donnelly) | Episode 54
🍀 When Brian Donnelly's grandfather calmly announced he was having a heart attack, nine-year-old Brian's only instruction was to fetch a warm glass of milk… In…
- Stories That Live In Us
Ancestors Are Complicated (with Anne Mitchell) | Episode 53
When Anne Mitchell discovered a tattered family Bible with a handwritten account of an ancestor eagerly joining the Confederate Army in 1861 it changed how she…
- Stories That Live In Us
Project Managing the Saga (with Nicka Sewell-Smith) | Episode 52
When Nicka Sewell-Smith set out to find her great-grandmother Easter's maiden name, she never imagined it would lead to uncovering 10,000 descendants from a…
- Stories That Live In Us
The Irish Experience (with Kyle Betit) | Episode 51
🍀 When I gathered around a traditional peat fire in Galway with a group of descendants of the Irish Diaspora, I experienced my ancestors' world in a way…
- Stories That Live In Us
It's Like Genealogy 3.0 (with Jenn Utley) | Episode 50
〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️ 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts…
- Stories That Live In Us
For a Wise Purpose (with Steve Rockwood) | Episode 49
When Steve Rockwood discovered his ancestor's journal as a child, he never imagined how family stories would shape his future as President of FamilySearch…
- Stories That Live In Us
Live Undaunted (with Lisa Valentine Clark) | Episode 48
Have you ever wondered what story you'd tell if you knew your time was limited? Lisa Valentine Clark's husband faced this exact question when diagnosed with…
- Stories That Live In Us
Daddy Was an Outlaw (with Jackie Dorothy) | Episode 47
A childhood memory of two sisters arguing at a kitchen table leads historian Jackie Dorothy to uncover an astounding truth — her great-grandfather wasn't just…
- Stories That Live In Us
Their Love Stories | Episode 46
Do you know how your parents met? Research shows this simple story could be the key to building family resilience — and in this intimate solo episode, I open…
- Stories That Live In Us
The Magic Part Is The Listening (with Natalie Zett) | Episode 45
When journalist Natalie Zett received a mysterious family manuscript, she had no idea it would lead her to her long-lost Aunt Martha – a 19-year-old victim of…
- Stories That Live In Us
Not A Secret Anymore (with Linda Goldman and Milly and Marty Mandel) | Episode 44
"There must be a mistake - I know all my first cousins." When Linda Goldman responded to an unexpected DNA match, she had no idea how wrong she was. Join me…
- Stories That Live In Us
Mess in His Wake | Episode 43
When family relationships shatter, the ripples can span generations. In this deeply personal episode, I uncover the story of my great-great-grandfather Park…
- Stories That Live In Us
Bit by the Bug (with Emily Pulham) | Episode 42
When a 12-year-old girl watched her grandmother work at a microfilm reader, she couldn't have known she was witnessing the beginning of her own family history…
- Stories That Live In Us
Operation Pedro Pan (with Elisa Seeherman and Yda Okurliand-Pack) | Episode 41
When cousins Elisa and Yda finally met in person, they uncovered more than their shared DNA – they discovered how a desperate effort to save Cuban children…
- Stories That Live In Us
An Opportunity for Connection | Episode 40
When my mom was just 17, she lost her father – but 50 years later, DNA revealed an unexpected gift... In this deeply personal episode, I share how an ordinary…
- Stories That Live In Us
Thanks for the Memories (with George Ott) | Episode 39
What happens when you present Bob Hope with his family history, and he has no joke to crack? In this episode, professional genealogist George Ott shares moving…
- Stories That Live In Us
It Doesn't Take A Lot (with Jason Terry) | Episode 38
When a 20-year-old WWII pilot makes fudge in a POW camp on Christmas Day, he teaches a lasting lesson... Jason Terry shares how his grandfather's small act of…
- Stories That Live In Us
Finding Heroes (with Wayne Abbott and David O'Keefe) | Episode 37
Have you ever wondered if there are forgotten family heroes in your past? In this episode, documentarians Wayne Abbott and David O'Keefe reveal how combining…
- Stories That Live In Us
A Phone Call From Heaven (with Jenny Ashcraft) | Episode 36
When Jenny Ashcraft joked with her dying father about needing a 'cell phone call from heaven' to start family history... that's exactly what she got. Just days…
- Stories That Live In Us
Sometimes You Don't Like the Answer (with Lisa Elzey) | Episode 35
Two genealogists discover they might share a Mayflower connection - but there's a twist. In this special Thanksgiving episode, my producer Lisa Elzey and I…
- Stories That Live In Us
Back to the Cherokee Nation (with Nicka Sewell-Smith) | Episode 34
Not everyone stumbles on a photo of a relative hanging in a hotel bathroom, but Nicka Sewell-Smith isn’t just anyone. And, that’s not even the most interesting…
- Stories That Live In Us
The Fabric of Who You Are | (with Diahan Southard) | Episode 33
Have you ever thought about how deeply you can trace your roots with just a simple DNA test? Listen in on my conversation with Diahan Southard, a trailblazer…
- Stories That Live In Us
Dad, I Want to Know About the War (with Becky Ellis) | Episode 32
For 43 years, Becky Ellis's father refused to speak about his World War II service — until one conversation at age 89 changed everything. What started with a…
- Stories That Live In Us
Not Much of a Saint | Episode 31
Does the veil between worlds thin as October turns to November? I certainly think so. Born on All Saints Day, my birthday celebrations always mingled with…
- Stories That Live In Us
La Cugina d'Americana (with Suzanne Russo Adams) | Episode 30
A young girl sits at her Italian family's dinner table, absorbing stories of sea monsters, witches, and prohibition-era St. Louis — while her cousins run off…
- Stories That Live In Us
Why Didn't We Know This Story (with Gayle George) | Episode 29
What if uncovering a family story you never knew could change the way you see yourself and the world? In 2019, Ancestry's documentary Railroad Ties revealed…
- Stories That Live In Us
I Had Come Home | Episode 28
When someone asks where you're from, do you think of a place or the people? For me, that question took on new meaning when I unexpectedly burst into tears on a…
- Stories That Live In Us
Be At The Things That Matter Most (with The Cowan Niblings) | Episode 27
"Cowans show up for each other!" When seven cousins gather in a podcast studio after their Alaskan adventure, this family motto comes alive... Join me and "the…
- Stories That Live In Us
Moments of Really Beautiful Things (IAJGS LIVE) | Episode 26
What do Lake Como, Italy, a Jewish genealogy conference, and a surprise discovery in Chicago all have in common? They're woven together in a story that reminds…
- Stories That Live In Us
A Whole Other Tree of Possibilities (with Todd Godfrey) | Episode 25
What if solving your family history was like tackling a 5000-piece puzzle without the box? For Todd Godfrey, Vice President of Global Content at Ancestry, this…
- Stories That Live In Us
HBO Gift Lounge | Episode 24
It’s Emmys Weekend in Los Angeles. What does that have to do with family stories? Well, back in 2018, Ancestry hosted a luxury gift lounge during a Hollywood…
- Stories That Live In Us
You Lose Them Twice (with Julie Taggart) | Episode 23
We call ourselves Gen X women but many of us are quickly becoming the “sandwich generation.” It’s a term that invokes feelings of being squeezed between…
- Stories That Live In Us
From People Who've Done Hard Things (with Jordan Lundskog) | Episode 22
When Jordan Lundskog lost his beloved grandfather at age 16, he discovered that family stories aren't just tales from the past – they're bridges between…
- Stories That Live In Us
Turn It Into the Wind (with Erik and Emily Orton) | Episode 21
Ever wondered what it takes to turn an ordinary life into an extraordinary adventure? When former Broadway professional Erik Orton suggested his family of…
- Stories That Live In Us
Open Heart, Open Mind, Open Ears (with Maria Mendoza) | Episode 20
"What's it like holding and looking at your own DNA?" This simple question about her newborn son sparked something profound in Maria Mendoza, who grew up…
- Stories That Live In Us
Laugh 'Til We Cry (with Scott Seiffert and Lisa Dyson) | Episode 19
When animation executive Scott Seiffert learned that generations of his family drank at bars and told stories in Montana, something clicked into place about…
- Stories That Live In Us
Families Have Always Been Messy | Episode 18
What happens when an 18-year-old girl questions her faith in 1727 England? For my ancestor Margaret Lawrence, that choice set off a chain of events that would…
- Stories That Live In Us
Police Don't Have Nothin' On Me (with Rusty Wright and Lisa Elzey) | Episode 17
What if the secrets to your family's past were hidden in plain sight, waiting to be discovered in the most unexpected places - like a county jail? When U.S…