Low Ancestry
Karyn Harding
1 Creator
1 Creator
4 Listeners
What is Low Ancestry about?
You might think you know what genealogy is like–boring, stuffy, and has no application to our modern world. How could your fourth great-grandfather possibly affect your life today? Join amateur genealogist, Karyn Harding, as she tells one story each episode from her family tree to friend and cohost, Kim McMasters, who does actually happen to think that genealogy is boring and stuffy. Together, we’ll uncover how ordinary people with ordinary lives have extraordinary stories to tell. New episodes every other Tuesday at 7:00 AM EST.
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Top 10 Low Ancestry Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Low Ancestry episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Low Ancestry for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Low Ancestry episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
11/26/24 • 67 min
It's a special Thanksgiving episode! We dive into the fraught history of our Mayflower ancestors with friend, Micah Pick, who also happens to share a famous Pilgrim ancestor with host, Karyn. Join us as we talk about the life of the Mayflower colonists, and we attempt to pick at the threads of the American mythology that surrounds them.
You can find our guest Micah Pick on Spotify and Instagram.
Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts.
You can also find us at our website www.lowancestry.com.
And you can now join our Patreon!
LOW ANCESTRY CREDITS
Created, Written and Produced by Karyn Harding
Cohosted by Kim McMasters
Sound Engineering and Original Music by Benjamin Mauch
Original Art by Christina Swanson of Swansong Creative
2 Listeners
Ernest Harding: Second-Great-Granduncle
Low Ancestry
06/11/24 • 49 min
The life of Ernest Harding (my 2nd-great-granduncle) is marked by poverty and hardship, unfolding against the backdrop of the late 19th and early 20th century. From his challenging upbringing to his numerous brushes with the law, we explore Ernest’s complex family dynamics and his social stigmatization while navigating the New York State justice system, and his story reminds us of the complexities inherent in navigating personal redemption within the constraints of institutional structures and societal expectations.
Join us as we unravel the captivating saga of Ernest Harding and see how one individual’s life can impact the way we see our present reality.
The bibliography and additional resources from the episode can be found at: www.lowancestry.com
Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts.
You can also find us at our website www.lowancestry.com.
And you can now join our Patreon!
LOW ANCESTRY CREDITS
Created, Written and Produced by Karyn Harding
Cohosted by Kim McMasters
Sound Engineering and Original Music by Benjamin Mauch
Original Art by Christina Swanson of Swansong Creative
2 Listeners
Chatting with Michael Ruby from Roots and Routes
Low Ancestry
11/12/24 • 50 min
In a very special Bonus Episode, Low Ancestry talks to Roots and Routes genealogist Michael Ruby. Join us for a discussion about the myth of the presidential common genealogy conspiracy, what low ancestry means in our personal family trees, and why J. D. Vance’s comments about his genealogy on the campaign trail do not hold up.
Find Michael on YouTube and TikTok!
Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts.
You can also find us at our website www.lowancestry.com.
And you can now join our Patreon!
LOW ANCESTRY CREDITS
Created, Written and Produced by Karyn Harding
Cohosted by Kim McMasters
Sound Engineering and Original Music by Benjamin Mauch
Original Art by Christina Swanson of Swansong Creative
1 Listener
[BITE SIZE] John Connis: Third-Great-Grandfather
Low Ancestry
06/25/24 • 29 min
This episode we delve into the challenges and uncertainties of the childhood of John Connis (my 3rd-great-grandfather). After being admitted to a 19th century New York City orphanage, John’s life becomes a story about resilience and new beginnings, and through John, we see how love passes down from generation to generation.
The bibliography and additional resources for the episode can be found at: www.lowancestry.com
Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts.
You can also find us at our website www.lowancestry.com.
And you can now join our Patreon!
LOW ANCESTRY CREDITS
Created, Written and Produced by Karyn Harding
Cohosted by Kim McMasters
Sound Engineering and Original Music by Benjamin Mauch
Original Art by Christina Swanson of Swansong Creative
1 Listener
08/20/24 • 41 min
This episode, we journey through the origins of the Kilmer family legacy in Binghamton, New York, starting with the intriguing story of Dr. S. Andral Kilmer and his infamous, homeopathic remedy, Swamp Root, which took the 19th-century patent medicine industry by storm. However, behind the rise to household medicine fame lies a tale of family drama, corporate betrayal, and the blurred lines between truth and perception.
Join us as I uncover the story behind my distant, and admittedly tenuous, connection to these local legends and reveal how lore and local fame can sometimes be even more powerful than actual blood ties.
Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts.
You can also find us at our website www.lowancestry.com.
And you can now join our Patreon!
LOW ANCESTRY CREDITS
Created, Written and Produced by Karyn Harding
Cohosted by Kim McMasters
Sound Engineering and Original Music by Benjamin Mauch
Original Art by Christina Swanson of Swansong Creative
1 Listener
Season Two is coming (and a personal update)
Low Ancestry
03/04/25 • 32 min
It's been a minute, and we've got some exciting updates about Season Two--not the least of which is that it's releasing on March 17. *gasp*
It's nice to have something to look forward to! Especially for your charming and genealogy-loving host, Karyn, who has had an especially wild (read: bad) year so far. We get into some personal updates--a passing family member, losing a job at USAID, and a twisted ankle--and chat about why our release schedule became a little wonkier than expected (*hint*: it's because of the horrors that persist). We also talk about new content coming your way, and we couldn't be more excited to share.
1:05 - Personal Updates
26:05 - Season 2 Updates
Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts.
You can also find us at our website www.lowancestry.com.
And you can now join our Patreon!
LOW ANCESTRY CREDITS
Created, Written and Produced by Karyn Harding
Cohosted by Kim McMasters
Sound Engineering and Original Music by Benjamin Mauch
Original Art by Christina Swanson of Swansong Creative
High Ancestry Episode 1: Astrology and Ancestors
Low Ancestry
05/13/25 • 38 min
Low Ancestry is getting a Patreon!
Every month, we will be putting out one episode for subscribers of a new series we're calling High Ancestry where Kim takes the reins. In our very first episode of High Ancestry, Kim talks to us about the history and psychology of astrology, and then we do the critical work of comparing ancestors we've talked about from Season 1 of Low Ancestry to their sun signs and speculate wildly.
Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts.
You can also find us at our website www.lowancestry.com.
And you can now join our Patreon!
LOW ANCESTRY CREDITS
Created, Written and Produced by Karyn Harding
Cohosted by Kim McMasters
Sound Engineering and Original Music by Benjamin Mauch
Original Art by Christina Swanson of Swansong Creative
Interview with the Host: Karyn Harding
Low Ancestry
04/15/25 • 71 min
The interview you all have been clambering for.
We switch things up a little as Kim takes the lead and interviews host, Karyn, about her process, life, history, and how it all ties together to right now. We'll be back next episode with another look at Kim's ancestry!
Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts.
You can also find us at our website www.lowancestry.com.
And you can now join our Patreon!
LOW ANCESTRY CREDITS
Created, Written and Produced by Karyn Harding
Cohosted by Kim McMasters
Sound Engineering and Original Music by Benjamin Mauch
Original Art by Christina Swanson of Swansong Creative
10/15/24 • 47 min
Carrie White led a life marked by profound tragedy, losing her brother and both parents within a year, followed closely by the death of her infant daughter. When Carrie shows signs of deteriorating mental health and involuntary movements, she disappears from her family and is later found in a Binghamton hotel where she had taken her own life. Her family only identifies her days after the incident, and her death leaves a lasting impact on the family.
Years later, Carrie’s daughter, Cora, also begins to experience deteriorating mental health and involuntary movements illustrating the complex and often painful legacies that genealogical research can unearth–both physical and emotional.
If you or a loved one are experiencing suicidal thoughts please call 988 right now or visit the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention to find resources.
Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts.
You can also find us at our website www.lowancestry.com.
And you can now join our Patreon!
LOW ANCESTRY CREDITS
Created, Written and Produced by Karyn Harding
Cohosted by Kim McMasters
Sound Engineering and Original Music by Benjamin Mauch
Original Art by Christina Swanson of Swansong Creative
John L. O'Donnell: Third-Great-Grandfather
Low Ancestry
04/01/25 • 47 min
This episode is about MJURDER! That is, murder. Turns out that Kim's 3rd-great-grandfather, John O'Donnell, was a man who contained multitudes--involved in crime, scandal, and maybe romance? Set in the hills of northwest Virginia, join us as we unravel the 1869 murder of Port Republic.
Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts.
You can also find us at our website www.lowancestry.com.
And you can now join our Patreon!
LOW ANCESTRY CREDITS
Created, Written and Produced by Karyn Harding
Cohosted by Kim McMasters
Sound Engineering and Original Music by Benjamin Mauch
Original Art by Christina Swanson of Swansong Creative
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FAQ
How many episodes does Low Ancestry have?
Low Ancestry currently has 24 episodes available.
What topics does Low Ancestry cover?
The podcast is about Family History, Stories, Genealogy, Society & Culture, Historical, Story, History, Personal Journals, Research, Ancestry and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on Low Ancestry?
The episode title 'William Bradford: Twelfth-Great-Grandfather (with Micah Pick)' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Low Ancestry?
The average episode length on Low Ancestry is 45 minutes.
How often are episodes of Low Ancestry released?
Episodes of Low Ancestry are typically released every 14 days.
When was the first episode of Low Ancestry?
The first episode of Low Ancestry was released on May 22, 2024.
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