The Genealogy Detective - podcast cover

The Genealogy Detective

Mary Duffy is the Genealogy Detective, solving your family's mysteries and telling your stories. Each episode we'll investigate a new case: unearthing family secrets, finding long-lost cousins, uncovering origins with research or DNA, and proving whether the legends your grandmother handed down are true.
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Episodes

Moby and Herman: Part Three - The Chase

We bring our investigation to a close, tracing Moby's tree back to Scotland and talk through all of Herman Melville's own family's ancestral hopes. Gregor Ehrlich Background on Herman Melville’s genealogy and Thomas and Allan Melvill’s attempt to prove their relation to General Robert Melvill comes several sources, including: “Data on the Melvill Family,” the research put together by Allan Melvill, courtesy of the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts Herman Melville's Malcom Letter ,...

Sep 12, 202342 minSeason 1Ep. 5

Moby and Herman: Part Two - Cutting In

Our research into Moby's ancestry begins in earnest and leads to a Melville ancestor. Notes: LA Times article about the LA Library Foundation event from September 2013 Moby discussing Moby-Dick from a video made for LA Library Foundation Read Moby-Dick if you dare Moby discussing family from a video made for LA Library Foundation Moby talking about his grandmother from Porcelain (2016) Page from New Jersey marriage Index recording marriage of Alice B. Albridge and John M. Gardner Page from Massa...

Sep 11, 202330 minSeason 1Ep. 4

Moby and Herman: Part One - Loomings

My friend Adam brings a question to me: is Moby (aka Richard Melville Hall) really related to Moby-Dick author Herman Melville. Notes: A screenshot of Moby’s Wikipedia page , taken May 2023 Excerpt from the Afterword of Moby’s 2016 memoir, Porcelain (2016) Tweet from Moby ( @thelittleidiot ): “On this day in 1851…” Tweet from Moby ( @thelittleidiot ): “Happy Birthday Uncle Herman…” Background on Moby’s career was compiled from several sources including: Moby’s memoirs Porcelain (2016) and Then I...

Sep 11, 202328 minSeason 1Ep. 3

Boris and Hannah

Hannah's grandfather always said their family was related to Boris Pasternak. The Genealogy Detective digs for proof, and teaches herself the Cyrillic alphabet. Credits The Genealogy Detective is written, researched, produced, edited, mixed, and hosted by Mary Duffy. Music by Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the Portland Public Library of Portland, Maine.

Nov 15, 202024 minSeason 1Ep. 2

Mariel and Ilona

Mariel never knew her grandmother Ilona, a Holocaust survivor, or about Ilona's parents, siblings, and extended family. But she's in a place in her life where questions about her family and their history have begun to take on new importance. In this episode we find some answers. Credits The Genealogy Detective is written, researched, produced, edited, mixed, and hosted by Mary Duffy. Music by Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to Doree Shafrir, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, JewishG...

Oct 30, 202031 minSeason 1Ep. 1

Introducing The Genealogy Detective

Most of us live securely in the knowledge of who our parents are, our uncles, aunts, cousins, our grand-parents and great-grandparents. How can we define who we are, unless we know where we came from, and who we came from? Some of us are still searching for those answers. And every family has their own legends, stories, myths, and also, mysteries. Solving family mysteries is what I do. I’m Mary Duffy, and on each episode of The Genealogy Detective we’ll hear a new case and how it got solved. Ple...

Oct 15, 20201 min
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