Our ancestors are more than just names in a tree—they’re the roots that hold us up. Their choices shaped the lives we live today, including something as simple and as profound as where we were born. It’s a little wild to think about: the reason I was born in America is because someone—several someones—made the life-changing decision to leave everything behind and start over here. Just as my decisions shaped where my children were born, their decisions shaped me.

In the history of my maternal line, one remarkable woman rises to the surface again and again—Emma Jane Apps, my 2nd great-grandmother. Born into a time when women’s choices were often limited, Emma didn’t just survive—she thrived. She became a postmaster, a landowner, and a woman who knew her worth, even when the world tried to tell her otherwise.

As I sift through old records and fragile pages, I often feel like I’m chasing echoes—traces of lives that still ripple through mine. This time, the trail led me to my paternal 2nd great-grandparents, Hugh and Anna (McFarland) Kerr—two brave souls who left Ireland behind for a new life in America.

The stories of our ancestors often carry threads of resilience, love, and the quiet strength that builds generations. One of those stories belongs to my 2nd great-grandfather, Hugh Kerr, a man whose journey from Northern Ireland to western New York has left a lasting mark on my family tree.

In my search for family roots, one mystery has tugged at me for years: my German heritage. My maternal grandfather, Edwin Steinbrecher, was the keeper of that part of our story, but he passed before I ever got to ask the questions I carry now. His name connects me to our German lineage, but the full story still feels just out of reach.

Once upon a time, genealogy was confined to dusty libraries and handwritten charts. Then came the internet, and with it, a digital revolution that changed everything. However, it wasn't until social media emerged that genealogy truly became a community-driven, globally connected, and storytelling-rich experience. As we stand in 2025, it's the perfect moment to reflect on how we arrived here and where we're headed next.

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