Iron Rod Press Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 7

Connect with Cousins

February 17, 2026 - I met a woman recently who, through some modern-era polygamists in her extended family, had over 500 first cousins! That made my mere 30 pale in comparison.

But then I remembered that when I opted-in to be a part of Relatives at RootsTech last year, I had over 50,000 cousins! To be fair, these weren't first cousins, but it allowed me to connect with distant cousins who could help me on my trip to Scotland a year ago.

This resulted in meeting my cousin Sylvia who not only sent me information about our common ancestors, she and her husband picked me up from my hotel just north of Edinburgh and drove me around for an afternoon. There is no way I could have accomplished all that I did without her help.

To take advantage of making these connections, register for RootsTech (either in-person or online - which is free!) and opt-in for Relatives at RootsTech. You can then filter the results by common ancestor or location, see how you are related, and be able to contact them through FamilySearch.

Relatives at RootsTech is available for only about a month - a few weeks before and after RootsTech. So take advantage of it before it disappears!

Here are a few reasons why connecting with cousins at Relatives at RootsTech is a must, especially if you plan on traveling to where your ancestors lived. These are people who:

1. You are related to;
2. Live where you want to travel;
3. Are invested in family history; and
4. Want to connect with others.

Don't miss this chance to connect with cousins. While you may not make the same kind of discoveries as I made, you are sure to create connections that will increase your love of family.

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So until next time, always keep your eye on the One that loves you most. Ciao!

Janine

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