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

SNGF: The Man Who Wasn’t

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: July 25, 2026

Prompt: “Which of your ancestors or relatives have you NOT found in the Census records and what have you done or are doing to try to find that person? Can AI help? Identify one or more of your ancestors that are inexplicably missing from one or more census collections.  Why do you think they were not enumerated?”

Introduction

At the risk of being redundant, I again discuss my second great-grandfather Andrew Driskol! I have not yet found a record created during Andrew’s lifetime that clearly identifies him.

Discussion

According to records his children left, Andrew was born in Prussia, married a woman from England and had two children. His wife and children migrated from London to New York in 1875, and several more children were born in New York from 1876 until 1883, all of whom later identified the same mother, and Andrew as their father. Andrew’s widow was enumerated in the 1900 census.

Andrew should have been located in the 1875 New York State census, and in the 1880 United States Federal census, but I cannot. The wife’s migration is under a horribly mangled surname, but even creative searching does not locate the census or any birth records (sparse at that time). Perhaps he was in fear, or used to oppressive governments, or for some other reason avoided paperwork.

I am fortunate, though, that he did marry and have these children, including my great-grandmother.

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.