Stories That Live In Us

Latest Episodes:

We're Doing This Together (with Steve Cowan) | Episode 12 Jun 20, 2024

Show notes

Every Sunday night at 9:30 PM, my dad and I meet virtually to solve family history mysteries together — a tradition we've kept for over seven years, no matter where we are in the world. A tradition that has transformed our relationship from father-daughter to best friends. In this deeply personal episode, I introduce you to my dad, Steve Cowan. He is one of the storytellers who shaped my own journey into storytelling. Listen in as he shares how his journey into genealogy began at age five, sitting at his great-grandmother’s feet during family reunions. From growing up surrounded by hundreds of cousins to our weekly late-night DNA research sessions, we explore how sharing family stories becomes a powerful tool for connection. Oh, and don’t worry about keeping track of the host of characters in our family story. What matters is experiencing a love for family so contagious, you’ll be inspired to discover and share your own family’s stories.

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🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most.
🖼️ Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations.
♥ Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

Continue to Say His Name (with Kelley Dixon-Tealer and Alva Marie Jenkins) | Episode 11 Jun 13, 2024

Show notes

In 1865, Hawkins Wilson, a Texas freedman, wrote letters searching for the family he was torn from as a young, enslaved boy more than 24 years earlier. Though time and distance separated them, his childhood memories remained vivid as he wrote to his "dearest relatives" through the Freedmen's Bureau, sharing the man he had become. His heartfelt letters remained unanswered in the Bureau's files for over 155 years - until his descendant Kelley Dixon-Tealer started a family tree on Ancestry.

In this moving episode, Kelley and her mother, Alva Marie Jenkins, share how discovering Hawkins' letters transformed their understanding of faith, family, and perseverance. With AncestryDNA and family history research, Hawkins’ descendants are now connected to extraordinary discoveries about his role in the first Juneteenth celebrations and his legacy as a minister. Walking in his footsteps through Galveston and Houston's Fourth Ward, they've found new meaning in their own journey and are ensuring Hawkins Wilson's story continues to inspire future generations.

📝For tips on how to have your own "Hawkins Wilson descendants" experience or to watch the film, visit our companion blog post at CristaCowan.com/blog.
🔗Visit Kelley's website to learn more about honoring the past, preserving the legacy and forging a brighter future: Hawkins Wilson Legacy

We'll Always Keep Searching (with Emily Paulson) | Episode 10 Jun 06, 2024

Show notes

When Emily Paulson learned that nearly 72,000 WWII heroes remained unidentified, she found her calling...

Through her role as a contractor at the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Emily combines traditional genealogy research and DNA science to identify more than 81,000 missing American service members who served from WWII through the Gulf War. As we mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, she shares the moving story of Second Lieutenant William McGowan, who left behind a young wife and a legacy of family service when his P-47 Thunderbolt was shot down in France. Emily reveals how dedicated teams work with families across generations to fulfill a sacred promise: that no service member will be forgotten. Her message of hope reminds us that every missing hero has a family waiting for their story to be completed.

Listen now to discover how modern genealogy helps bring our heroes home and write the final chapters of their remarkable stories.

📝 Read our companion blog post to learn more about the massive, ongoing efforts to bring closure to families and honor the memories of those who paid the ultimate price.

One Person's Trash | Episode 9 May 30, 2024

Show notes

When an unexpected email unearthed irreplaceable family heirlooms, it reminded me that people—including our own relatives—are often not quite what they seem.

My grandpa’s youngest sister, Aunt Madeleine, was always a bit of an enigma within our family—emotionally distant and reserved. More than once she said things that left us all a little stunned. Yet, certain discoveries suggest that perhaps family mattered to her more than I ever realized.

Family treasures not only tell stories; sometimes, the paths these treasures take are stories in themselves. Do you have a silent treasure keeper in your family? Join me as we explore the hidden depths and unexpected legacies that shape our family narratives.
📝 Want to uncover the silent treasure keepers in your own family? Visit CristaCowan.com/blog for this episode's companion blog post, where I'll share specific "Story Seeds" to help you discover your own family's hidden heirlooms. Plus, you'll get practical "Story Sparks" for using Ancestry tools to preserve the stories behind those elusive family treasures.

L'dor V'dor - From Generation to Generation (with Howard Hochhauser) | Episode 8 May 23, 2024

Show notes

Serena never spoke of her life before she married into the Hochhauser family. They knew she was from Eastern Europe and, based on her age and immigration timing, had survived the Holocaust. But how she did so remained a story untold - until nearly two decades after her death, when newly available records from the Red Cross International Tracing Service revealed an extraordinary journey of survival that would transform her family's understanding of their quiet, loving grandmother. Join me and my guest Howard Hochhauser, Ancestry's Chief Financial Officer since 2009, as we piece together Serena's remarkable story of resilience - from surviving Auschwitz to rebuilding her life in America. Discover how uncovering one grandmother's untold past created ripples of strength and connection across four generations, embodying the Jewish principle of l'dor v'dor - from generation to generation.

And Then I Heard A Meadowlark Sing (with Sunny Morton) | Episode 7 May 16, 2024

Show notes

Genealogist Sunny Morton didn't even know someone was missing from her family tree until a single mention in an obituary led her to a Nun.

Sister Mary Bertilla. This single name sparked a search that revealed a remarkable woman who dedicated herself to faith and service. Her story, preserved in convent archives and captured in a touching obituary, opens a window into an extraordinary life of quiet sacrifice.

Across the U.S., more than 350,000 Women Religious - sisters and nuns - have left their stories in forgotten archives. These women's quiet contributions deeply shaped our nation. Though they may have no descendants to search for them, their records hold precious family connections waiting to be discovered.
📝 Visit the companion blog post at CristaCowan.com/blog to learn more about how this story connects to your own story.

This Gathering Place (with Shelly Cowan) | Episode 6 May 09, 2024

Show notes

Imagine sitting down at family dinner where a simple table becomes the heart of lasting traditions and deeper connections...

When my sister-in-law Shelly Cowan needed a bigger table for her five growing boys, she didn't just buy one – she built a 10-foot gathering place with her father. More than a decade later, that table has become more than furniture; it's transformed into sacred ground where daily questions, birthday traditions, and vulnerable conversations weave together the fabric of family bonds. In this episode, Shelly reveals how small, consistent practices – from sharing daily "highlights and lowlights" to telling birth stories at birthday dinners – have created such a powerful culture of connection that even her teenage sons linger at the table long after meals end.

Her story shows how intentional family spaces can bridge generational gaps and strengthen relationships, one meal at a time. Whether you're feeling disconnected from your growing family or searching for ways to create meaningful traditions, Shelly's practical wisdom will inspire you to transform everyday moments into lasting family connections. You'll discover that sometimes the most powerful family traditions start with something as simple as asking "What was the best part of your day today?"

📝 Ready to create your own meaningful family gathering place? Visit the companion blog post at CristaCowan.com/blog for my favorite 'Story Seeds' and practical tips to help you start (or refine) your own family traditions.

Out of Obscurity (with Kevin Giddins and Camlyn Giddins) | Episode 5 May 02, 2024

Show notes

One child, 35 foster siblings, and an AncestryDNA test that changed everything...

In this moving episode, I sit down with Kevin Giddins and his filmmaker daughter Camlyn as they share their journey from being keepers of old secrets to tellers of powerful new stories. Through their father-daughter viewpoints, we witness how modern technology and cherished traditions blend to forge meaningful family connections. Their example of asking a simple question - "How is your world?" - shows us how to transform relationships across generations, turning hidden histories into shared stories that shape who we are.

Want to learn more about connecting with your adult children? Visit CristaCowan.com/blog for practical tips and story prompts inspired by this conversation.

The Whole Tree (with Sunny Mahe) | Episode 4 May 02, 2024

Show notes

From the sidelines of NFL stadiums to the heart of Tongan traditions... Meet Sunny Mahe, mother of ten and keeper of powerful family stories. In this intimate conversation with my dear friend, we explore how her family's defining moments—both joyful and heart-shattering—have shaped their unshakeable bonds. Through faith, resilience, and raw honesty, Sunny reveals how embracing all parts of our family story—even the painful ones—creates a legacy of hope that extends far beyond our earthly connections.

Want to learn how connecting with our ancestors’ stories can transform how we nurture relationships with our living family members? Visit CristaCowan.com/blog to find practical tips and story prompts from this episode.

Bliss It Was In That Dawn To Be Alive (with Eric Allen) | Episode 3 May 02, 2024

Show notes

"They're going bad... these photos in your basement are actually eroding." When Eric Allen inherited thousands of family slides, he realized the urgent race against time to save precious memories. As a VP of Marketing at Ancestry, Eric knows all about encouraging people to preserve their family stories. But, his grandfather’s vast collection of deteriorating photos made it deeply personal. Now a passionate digital preservationist, Eric discovers that every image holds a story worth saving – from mysterious strangers in Hawaii to relatives who died too young to share their own tales. His mission to rescue these visual time capsules shows how technology can bridge generations and keep family stories alive.
Want to uncover similar stories in your own family? Visit CristaCowan.com/blog to find practical tips and story prompts from this episode.
📸 Follow Eric's preservation journey: Instagram.com/bliss_it_was

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