I’m having some Saturday Night Genealogy Fun (#SNGF), with help from Randy Seaver and his prompts! Feel free to join in.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: January 17, 2026

Prompt:

“1)  FamilySearch Full-Text Search continues to add databases and searchable images to their collections.  This is a gold mine, especially of land, probate and court records.

2)  Pick one or two of your ancestors or research targets and see what you can find on FamilySearch Full-Text Search about them.

3)  Share your Full-Text Search find(s) in your own blog post or in a Facebook, SubStack, BlueSky or other social media post.  Leave a link to your post on this blog post to help us find your post.”

Introduction

I’ve heard a lot of excitement around FamilySearch’s full-text search, especially when it comes to unexpected finds. I’ve dabbled here and there, but this prompt felt like a great opportunity to really dig in, and maybe finally understand what all the buzz is about.

What I Found

I started with my ancestor Michael Dobbins, searching for him in Kansas. Michael was a traveler: a famine immigrant who journeyed from Ireland to New Jersey, possibly to Pennsylvania, and eventually to Kansas. He purchased property along the way, and as far as I can tell, it wasn’t bounty land, so I still don’t know where the funds came from.

The first hit came from a classic “mug book.” It mentioned Michael and his wife Mary and proudly noted their longevity (defined there as living past 70): Michael Dobbins of Shawnee Township, Wyandotte County, Kansas, at age 84, and Mary Dobbins, same place, at 80.

There was also a separate mug book entry for his son (also named Michael) but that one belongs to the next generation.

The most exciting find, though, was something I didn’t expect at all. Full-text search surfaced a handwritten ledger entry recording the confirmation of a daughter of Michael Jr., the kind of record I would never have thought to search for directly. I was genuinely impressed that a handwritten religious record surfaced so cleanly in the results.

That was the moment I really understood why people are so excited about this tool.

And Then… Another Rabbit Hole

Next, I modified my search to look for Patrick Dobbins, Michael’s son (not my direct ancestor), who moved to Brazil, of all places, and that’s when things really took off.

And yes, I hit pay dirt again.

This time there were multiple handwritten records, including a Roman Catholic record written in Latin that identified him as Patricio Dobbins. That discovery alone opens up an entirely new line of inquiry.

At that point, I realized this was one rabbit hole I had not planned for.

Go to bed without me, honey.

Challenge

Pick an interesting (or puzzling) person from your tree and see what Family Search Full-Text Search can uncover. You might be surprised where it leads.

AI Disclosure

This post was created by me with the help of AI tools. While AI helps organize research, the storytelling and discoveries are my own (and the prompt was Randy Seaver’s).