Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen – Détails, épisodes et analyse

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Episode Overview

Hittin’ the Bricks with Kathleen is a podcast centered on genealogy, local history, and understanding how large historical events leave long shadows in family records. In this episode, host Kathleen Brandt examines how the French and Indian War (1754–1763) created ripple effects that appear decades later as mystery migrations, unexpected pensions, and land grants that confuse modern researchers.

This episode focuses on how early military service, shifting alliances, and uneven record-keeping before the American Revolution shaped family trees in ways that are often misattributed or overlooked.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• Why the French and Indian War explains many unexplained family movements
• How service records before 1775 differ from Revolutionary War documentation
• The distinctions between provincial troops, militias, and British regulars
• Where to find overlooked military and civil records tied to early service
• How land grants and pensions often trace back to this earlier conflict

Topics Covered

• French and Indian War timeline and geographic scope
• Fragmented colonial record-keeping before 1775
• Provincial troops vs. militia vs. British regular forces
• Native nations as military allies and the unequal rewards they received
• African American service, injury, and paths to manumission
• Muster rolls, pay lists, council minutes, and court records
• George Washington’s papers as an early name index
• Bounty land in Virginia and North Carolina
• Interpreting Revolutionary War pension files
• Population movement before formal paperwork exists

Episode Discussion & Key Moments

Kathleen traces how the French and Indian War laid the groundwork for later political revolution while quietly reshaping families across colonial America. She explains why records from this period often appear scattered, incomplete, or indirect—and why researchers must widen their search beyond standard military files.

The episode breaks down practical strategies for locating provincial troop records, militia references, council decisions, and court mentions, as well as how to use George Washington’s papers as a gateway to otherwise hidden names. Kathleen also addresses how Native nations and African Americans participated in the conflict, often receiving delayed, unequal, or poorly documented compensation.

Key questions examined include:

• Why do some ancestors appear to surface suddenly in Revolutionary records?
• How did earlier wars move families long before pensions or land grants were issued?
• What kinds of documents quietly preserve evidence of service?

Resources & Research Starting Points

• Provincial troop muster rolls and pay lists
• Colonial council and court minutes
• George Washington’s papers
• Virginia and North Carolina bounty land records
• Revolutionary War pension files (read every page)

Why This Episode Matters

Many genealogical puzzles attributed to the American Revolution actually begin earlier. Understanding the French and Indian War helps researchers correctly interpret migration, land ownership, military service, and delayed benefits—allowing family histories to be reconstructed w

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

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We share how to research suspected ties between family history and serial killers, balancing DNA with records and community context.

Check out: 
killer.cloud

Do you have a genealogical question for Kathleen? Drop us a line at hitting the bricks at gmail.com and Let us know.

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

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Medical mysteries lurking in your family tree might hold the key to understanding sudden disappearances, unexplained relocations, or clusters of deaths among your ancestors. When traditional genealogy methods hit a wall, epidemic research could breakthrough those brick walls.

Ready to uncover the medical history hiding in your family tree? Email hittingthebricks@gmail.com to request one of our DNA test kit giveaways (Free pickup in Kansas City or $10 shipping elsewhere in the USA) and start building a more complete picture of your ancestors' lives and challenges.

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

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Ever wondered what secrets your German ancestors might be hiding? You're not alone. 44 million Americans claim German heritage, making Germans the largest immigrant group in United States history.

Join us with expert Sue Schlichting, founder of Pursuing Your Past, for tips and resources to uncover your German ancestors. 

Pursuing Your Past
FamilySearch Research Wiki

#germangenealogy #midwest #Lindsborg #Volhynian #Germans #kansas

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

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Listen in as we speak with Angela Hagenbach and Vincent Bell about keeping Weston MO, history alive.

FREE EVENT
The 5th Annual Juneteenth Heritage Jubilee will be held on June 14th at Weston Red Barn Farm

The BAAC sponsors projects including a Black Heritage mural, monuments, and the annual Juneteenth Heritage Jubilee

Founded by Angela Haggenbach, the Black Ancestors Awareness Campaign uncovers the rich and obscured African American history of Weston, Missouri.

Jazz KC Portraits by Dan White sponsored by the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, May 22 - December 30, 2025

To learn more or get involved with the Black Ancestors Awareness Campaign, visit baacweston.org or email Vincent Bell at: info@baacweston.org.

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

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Unlock the secrets of forensic genealogy in this episode of Hittin’ the Bricks with Kathleen! 

Genealogist Julie Whittaker specializes in military repatriation, mineral rights, and the legal complexities that shape this growing field.

Whether you're curious about how forensic genealogy solves cold cases, supports legal claims, or connects families to long-lost ancestors, Julie shares real-world insights from her work with attorneys, specialized projects, and beyond.

Thinking about becoming a forensic genealogist or just want to understand what it really takes? 

This episode offers expert tips, powerful stories, and a look behind the scenes of one of genealogy’s most fascinating careers.

Here are some helpful links.

• Website for Julie: https://genealogysafari.com/
• The Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy (CAFG) https://www.forensicgenealogists.org/
• Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency: https://www.dpaa.mil/

If you have genealogical questions for Kathleen, drop us a line at hittinthebricks@gmail.com 

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

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Are you underutilizing Tax Records?
Tax records offer genealogists a treasure trove of information beyond just confirming where ancestors lived. They reveal financial circumstances, family relationships, and even marriage dates. They provide us with associates, lifestyles, and community. 

Tax Records are a key resource to leaping over that Brickwall.

Heather Jenkins, president of the Johnson County Genealogical Society and Heartland Chapter of APG, specializes in tax record research. 

She shares with the Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen Team, about obscure laws that shaped your ancestor's decisions.

• Tax records connect to all aspects of life including birth, death, marriage, and property ownership
•  Examining tax records can reveal an ancestor's true financial status, often showing apparent wealth hiding significant debt

Find Heather Jenkins at: https://balancedgenealogy.com

Email your genealogical questions to HittintheBricks@gmail.com

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

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Revolutionary War research presents unique genealogical challenges, as records are scattered across multiple countries and unconventional sources. Kathleen answers audience questions from her recent presentation, explaining why ancestors vanish from Revolutionary War records.

For presentation handouts and slides from Kathleen's April 12th presentation "From Muskets to Manuscripts," visit linktr.ee/hittinthebricks

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

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Most family trees contain unexpected branches, but few conversations address the complex relationship between Irish American and African American heritage as candidly as our latest episode. 

a3Geanealogy blog

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

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The stories of our female ancestors are often stripped down to the simplest narratives – they were farm wives, mothers, teachers – but beneath these sanitized descriptions lie complex lives filled with surprising choices, passionate relationships, and occasionally scandalous secrets. Join Kathleen and John as they peel back the layers of family folklore to reveal the true stories of the women who came before us.
The women were secretive, the documents were not!

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.