Joan Lastra
@joanlastra.bsky.social
Recently retired from IT work. Spending my free time traveling, working on family history research, and watching the NY Mets. (LGM!)
Locations: New York, New England, Ireland, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, England.
Trees: Ancestry, MyH, FMP
Locations: New York, New England, Ireland, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, England.
Trees: Ancestry, MyH, FMP
The Series has been great so far, but I vote for a shorter game tonight.
October 30, 2025 at 12:34 AM
The Series has been great so far, but I vote for a shorter game tonight.
Blue Jays on fire. Back to back home runs with no outs.
October 30, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Blue Jays on fire. Back to back home runs with no outs.
I don’t know how much longer I can stay up - it’s nearly midnight. It’s not like I have to get up early tomorrow, but I don’t know how much longer I can stay awake
October 28, 2025 at 4:47 AM
I don’t know how much longer I can stay up - it’s nearly midnight. It’s not like I have to get up early tomorrow, but I don’t know how much longer I can stay awake
So, if Toronto wins the World Series, do they visit the White House?
October 25, 2025 at 2:46 AM
So, if Toronto wins the World Series, do they visit the White House?
Gotta say - Toronto is on fire.
October 25, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Gotta say - Toronto is on fire.
Ancestry's new ethnicity estimates: Munster is high (25% expected vs. 34%); Donegal low (12.5% expected vs. 4%); I have zero known Leinster. Northern Spain should be 25%; If I add in Portugal, then it's about right. <<cont'd>>
October 9, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Ancestry's new ethnicity estimates: Munster is high (25% expected vs. 34%); Donegal low (12.5% expected vs. 4%); I have zero known Leinster. Northern Spain should be 25%; If I add in Portugal, then it's about right. <<cont'd>>
Woo hoo! I finally have maternal cluster on Ancestry ProTools. Previously, I only had one paternal cluster. The maternal cluster has only 4 people in it, but that's a step in the right direction. I still need to add some of the test takers to my tree so I can link their test results.
October 9, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Woo hoo! I finally have maternal cluster on Ancestry ProTools. Previously, I only had one paternal cluster. The maternal cluster has only 4 people in it, but that's a step in the right direction. I still need to add some of the test takers to my tree so I can link their test results.
I periodically check my clusters on AncestryDNA, hoping that there might be a cluster on my mother's side of the family. I've matched known cousins on that side, but no cluster is created. So here I sit with one cluster - my paternal grandmother's.
September 11, 2025 at 3:40 PM
I periodically check my clusters on AncestryDNA, hoping that there might be a cluster on my mother's side of the family. I've matched known cousins on that side, but no cluster is created. So here I sit with one cluster - my paternal grandmother's.
I've hit the genealogy trifecta!
Adding onto (1) MyHeritage shut down support for FamilyTreeBuilder on the Mac without notifice-it just stopped syncing & (2) FindMyPast being down (it's back up), I have to add:
OneDrive is having issues - saving doesn't work.
Maybe I should give up for the day?
Adding onto (1) MyHeritage shut down support for FamilyTreeBuilder on the Mac without notifice-it just stopped syncing & (2) FindMyPast being down (it's back up), I have to add:
OneDrive is having issues - saving doesn't work.
Maybe I should give up for the day?
September 8, 2025 at 8:41 PM
I've hit the genealogy trifecta!
Adding onto (1) MyHeritage shut down support for FamilyTreeBuilder on the Mac without notifice-it just stopped syncing & (2) FindMyPast being down (it's back up), I have to add:
OneDrive is having issues - saving doesn't work.
Maybe I should give up for the day?
Adding onto (1) MyHeritage shut down support for FamilyTreeBuilder on the Mac without notifice-it just stopped syncing & (2) FindMyPast being down (it's back up), I have to add:
OneDrive is having issues - saving doesn't work.
Maybe I should give up for the day?
Boy, the genea gremlins are at it today.
First, I reached out to MyHeritage to see if I could get help resolving the error I've been receiving when I sync my tree from Family Tree Builder to the website. Turns out MyHeritage stopped supporting Family Tree Builder for the Mac back in April.
First, I reached out to MyHeritage to see if I could get help resolving the error I've been receiving when I sync my tree from Family Tree Builder to the website. Turns out MyHeritage stopped supporting Family Tree Builder for the Mac back in April.
September 8, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Boy, the genea gremlins are at it today.
First, I reached out to MyHeritage to see if I could get help resolving the error I've been receiving when I sync my tree from Family Tree Builder to the website. Turns out MyHeritage stopped supporting Family Tree Builder for the Mac back in April.
First, I reached out to MyHeritage to see if I could get help resolving the error I've been receiving when I sync my tree from Family Tree Builder to the website. Turns out MyHeritage stopped supporting Family Tree Builder for the Mac back in April.
My new ethnicity estimate at MyHeritage is still rather ... off.
Expected (based on gg-grandparents - the English is not 100% proved):
Ireland - 37.5% (25% Cork, 12.5% Donegal)
Spain - 25% (Asturias)
France - 17.1875% (all Alsace)
England - 12.5%
Switzerland - 4.6875%
German - 3.125%
Expected (based on gg-grandparents - the English is not 100% proved):
Ireland - 37.5% (25% Cork, 12.5% Donegal)
Spain - 25% (Asturias)
France - 17.1875% (all Alsace)
England - 12.5%
Switzerland - 4.6875%
German - 3.125%
September 3, 2025 at 10:28 PM
My new ethnicity estimate at MyHeritage is still rather ... off.
Expected (based on gg-grandparents - the English is not 100% proved):
Ireland - 37.5% (25% Cork, 12.5% Donegal)
Spain - 25% (Asturias)
France - 17.1875% (all Alsace)
England - 12.5%
Switzerland - 4.6875%
German - 3.125%
Expected (based on gg-grandparents - the English is not 100% proved):
Ireland - 37.5% (25% Cork, 12.5% Donegal)
Spain - 25% (Asturias)
France - 17.1875% (all Alsace)
England - 12.5%
Switzerland - 4.6875%
German - 3.125%
This month I'm trying to identify the parents of my 3g-grandfather, George W. Chilson. He was married and died in Sullivan County, NY. On the two New York State Censuses that are available for Sullivan County during his time there (1855, 1875) and his death certificate, it says he was born in Orange
August 13, 2025 at 6:12 PM
This month I'm trying to identify the parents of my 3g-grandfather, George W. Chilson. He was married and died in Sullivan County, NY. On the two New York State Censuses that are available for Sullivan County during his time there (1855, 1875) and his death certificate, it says he was born in Orange
Man, I've been not pleased with today's Mets game, but now they've gone and tied it up in the bottom of t
he 8th. I'd be okay with a little less "excitement", though.
he 8th. I'd be okay with a little less "excitement", though.
June 11, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Man, I've been not pleased with today's Mets game, but now they've gone and tied it up in the bottom of t
he 8th. I'd be okay with a little less "excitement", though.
he 8th. I'd be okay with a little less "excitement", though.
I need your thoughts and prayers during the month of June. I am researching my great-great-grandmother, Honora Murphy. Yes, Murphy. In County Cork, Ireland. I had little success with her husband, Jeremiah Bradley, so I forsee a massive headache. However, one doesn't make progress without an attempt.
June 2, 2025 at 7:24 PM
I need your thoughts and prayers during the month of June. I am researching my great-great-grandmother, Honora Murphy. Yes, Murphy. In County Cork, Ireland. I had little success with her husband, Jeremiah Bradley, so I forsee a massive headache. However, one doesn't make progress without an attempt.
As work through 15+ years of Irish Roman Catholic baptisms while trying to find my Jeremiah Bradley's baptism, I have run into several instances of women named "Jone".
It's the 1830s and early 1840s so spelling was flexible, but as a Joan, this makes my brain hurt.
It's the 1830s and early 1840s so spelling was flexible, but as a Joan, this makes my brain hurt.
May 15, 2025 at 9:47 PM
As work through 15+ years of Irish Roman Catholic baptisms while trying to find my Jeremiah Bradley's baptism, I have run into several instances of women named "Jone".
It's the 1830s and early 1840s so spelling was flexible, but as a Joan, this makes my brain hurt.
It's the 1830s and early 1840s so spelling was flexible, but as a Joan, this makes my brain hurt.
Looking for help reading the surname of the female sponsor on my great-grandmother's baptism on 19 Apr 1867. I think it says the sponsors are Mick Bradley and Joanna Lynch, but I'm really not sure about Lynch.
May 2, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Looking for help reading the surname of the female sponsor on my great-grandmother's baptism on 19 Apr 1867. I think it says the sponsors are Mick Bradley and Joanna Lynch, but I'm really not sure about Lynch.
It's May 1, so I switch focus on my genealogy research. In April I focused on my maybe 5g-grandfather, Silas Norris - a refugee from Long Island to Connecticut in 1776. In May, I'm back in mid- or west(ish) Cork, Ireland and another 2g-grandfather, Jeremiah Bradley of Johnstown. And there are a few
May 2, 2025 at 1:17 AM
It's May 1, so I switch focus on my genealogy research. In April I focused on my maybe 5g-grandfather, Silas Norris - a refugee from Long Island to Connecticut in 1776. In May, I'm back in mid- or west(ish) Cork, Ireland and another 2g-grandfather, Jeremiah Bradley of Johnstown. And there are a few
March 11, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Reposted by Joan Lastra
Yearly reminder from @twisteddoodles.bsky.social ☘
March 11, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Yearly reminder from @twisteddoodles.bsky.social ☘
I'm trying something new with my family history research this year. I plan to focus on one ancestor each month:
February: Catherine Forbes (West Cork, Ireland) - 2g-gmother
March: John Ahern (West Cork, Ireland) - 2g-gfather
April: Silas Norris (Long Island, NY -> Connecticut -> NJ) - 5g-gfather
February: Catherine Forbes (West Cork, Ireland) - 2g-gmother
March: John Ahern (West Cork, Ireland) - 2g-gfather
April: Silas Norris (Long Island, NY -> Connecticut -> NJ) - 5g-gfather
February 10, 2025 at 11:56 PM
I'm trying something new with my family history research this year. I plan to focus on one ancestor each month:
February: Catherine Forbes (West Cork, Ireland) - 2g-gmother
March: John Ahern (West Cork, Ireland) - 2g-gfather
April: Silas Norris (Long Island, NY -> Connecticut -> NJ) - 5g-gfather
February: Catherine Forbes (West Cork, Ireland) - 2g-gmother
March: John Ahern (West Cork, Ireland) - 2g-gfather
April: Silas Norris (Long Island, NY -> Connecticut -> NJ) - 5g-gfather
I'm working my way through the Catholic Parish Registers at the National Library of Ireland. I'm paging through the Parish of Enniskeane (also known as Enniskeane and Desertserges). I'm looking for all Forbes or Forbus baptisms in search of my 2g-grandmother Catherine Forbes. While I'm at it, I'm
February 8, 2025 at 10:51 PM
I'm working my way through the Catholic Parish Registers at the National Library of Ireland. I'm paging through the Parish of Enniskeane (also known as Enniskeane and Desertserges). I'm looking for all Forbes or Forbus baptisms in search of my 2g-grandmother Catherine Forbes. While I'm at it, I'm
My new MyHeritage ethnicity update is not fabulous. My Spanish is up a bit (from 7.9 to 11.7), but it should be about 25%. My Irish is at 28.4 - expected 38.75. The French and German total up to 7% which is a bit low. I lost Finnish and Balkan altogether (no paper trail to either), but now I have
February 8, 2025 at 7:31 PM
My new MyHeritage ethnicity update is not fabulous. My Spanish is up a bit (from 7.9 to 11.7), but it should be about 25%. My Irish is at 28.4 - expected 38.75. The French and German total up to 7% which is a bit low. I lost Finnish and Balkan altogether (no paper trail to either), but now I have
Dictation into Word is actually pretty decent except for names and places. Today, I spoke the Irish townland of "Ballyvalone", and it transcribed it as "Bolivia alone". Close, but no cigar!
January 30, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Dictation into Word is actually pretty decent except for names and places. Today, I spoke the Irish townland of "Ballyvalone", and it transcribed it as "Bolivia alone". Close, but no cigar!
Hi, #GenHour, I need some Irish help. My great-great-grandmother was named Catherine Forbes. In some records, she'd listed as Catherine Forbus. Is Forbes possibly pronounced as Forbus in Ireland. If it makes a difference, she was from West Cork or thereabouts.
January 30, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Hi, #GenHour, I need some Irish help. My great-great-grandmother was named Catherine Forbes. In some records, she'd listed as Catherine Forbus. Is Forbes possibly pronounced as Forbus in Ireland. If it makes a difference, she was from West Cork or thereabouts.
Ugh. I'm suffering from tennis elbow - not from tennis. It's almost certainly from the massive amount of data entry I did on my Baden ancestors in November and December. In order to avoid using the mouse or track pad, I'm using voice dictation. Quality is improving as I get more practice.
January 30, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Ugh. I'm suffering from tennis elbow - not from tennis. It's almost certainly from the massive amount of data entry I did on my Baden ancestors in November and December. In order to avoid using the mouse or track pad, I'm using voice dictation. Quality is improving as I get more practice.