Ep 56: What do you do when one census record changes how you see your entire family?

In this episode, I’m joined by Jessica Rae, who shares the powerful and unsettling story of her second great-grandmother, Susan—an ancestor who spent more than 30 years in a state mental hospital and was largely erased from family memory.

What started as casual genealogy research turned into a year-long search through census records, archives, sealed court documents, and uncomfortable truths. Along the way, Jessica uncovered poverty, abuse, loss, institutionalization, and a legacy of silence—but also a deep sense of purpose in telling Susan’s story.

We talk about:

✔️ The moment Jessica realized her ancestor was institutionalized

✔️ Why some family stories are hidden—and what that hiding costs future generations

✔️ How intuition plays a role in genealogy research

✔️ The connection between generational trauma, mental health, and silence

✔️ What it looks like to honor an ancestor when you may never get all the answers

This conversation is tender, heavy, and deeply human. It’s about more than genealogy—it’s about remembrance, justice, and refusing to let women like Susan disappear from history.

If listening to this episode stirs something in you—if you feel a pull to understand your own ancestors, their experiences, and how their lives still shape yours—I’m hosting a free live class this week called Reclaim Your Heritage.

Reclaim Your Heritage

📅 Thursday, January 29

⏰ 10am MST / 12pm EST

📍 Live on Zoom (replay included)

In this class, I’ll show you how to begin uncovering your lineage in a way that goes beyond names and dates, understand the lives your ancestors lived, and start accessing the strength and wisdom that lives there.

You can register here:👉 https://knowyourancestors.co/reclaim

You can also find and follow Jessica on Instagram and TikTok (links below), where she continues to share Susan’s story and amplify the voices of other women whose histories were buried.

Follow Jessica on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@its_jessica_rae_

Follow Jessica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its_jessica_rae/

Follow Megan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganhillyer