Stories That Live In Us

Crista Cowan | The Barefoot Genealogist
  • 4.9 (229)
  • Personal Journals
  • Updated Weekly

What if the most powerful way to strengthen your family’s future is to look to the past? I’m Crista Cowan, known online as The Barefoot Genealogist.  I created this podcast to inspire you to form deeper connections with your family - past, present, and future.  All families are messy and life is constantly changing but we don’t have to allow that to disconnect us.  I’ve spent my whole life discovering the power of family history and I know that sharing the stories that live in you can change everything.Tune in weekly to receive inspiration and guidance that will help you use family stories to craft a powerful family narrative, contributing to your family’s identity and creating a legacy of resilience, healing, and connection.__________________________Want to climb your family tree and uncover your own family stories?  Visit my website - CristaCowan.com - and sign up for my free newsletter.

  1. 2d ago

    The Adoptee, The Next Door Neighbor, and The DNA Twist No One Saw Coming | Episode 125

    When I handed an adoptee a paper with his biological siblings’ names, he burst out laughing. Turns out his long-lost brother was his neighbor! After connecting with an AncestryDNA cousin match looking for his biological family, I spent hours piecing together census records and city directories to identify his biological parents. But nothing prepared either of us for the moment he read the name of his oldest brother. In this episode of Stories That Live In Us, I share the incredible story of an AncestryDNA match that led right next door, how my sister’s college roommate fit into the puzzle, and the delicate balance of navigating unexpected genealogy discoveries when one side welcomes you with open arms and the other turns away. Push play to hear how DNA testing brings hidden family connections to light! 〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️  🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most. 🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations. ♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

  2. Aug 13

    Raising 8 Kids After Divorce with Music, Faith, and Family Roots (with Bubba Page) | Episode 124

    When my guest Bubba Page walked into the studio holding his grandfather’s 1960 vinyl record album, I knew we were in for a special conversation about legacy. But after facing a painful divorce that left him with his eight children 50% of the time, Bubba turned his family’s roots in music, faith, and Depression-era resilience into a daily blueprint for intentional parenting. Join us as we discuss Sunday family jam sessions, the joy of having grandparents move close to home, and how we can anchor the next generation through life's hardest transitions. Click play to listen now! Sign up for Bubba's "Weekly Reset" newsletter at BubbaPage.com 〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️  🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most. 🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations. ♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

  3. Aug 6

    Bootleggers, Mine Massacres, and Brooklyn (with Linda Stasi) | Episode 123

    Long before mobster legends took over New York, Italian immigrants were riding in rodeos, surviving coal mine massacres, and brewing bootleg wine in the Colorado mountains. In this episode of Stories That Live In Us, best-selling author and journalist Linda Stasi joins Crista Cowan to uncover how her family survived the horrific 1914 Ludlow Massacre in Pueblo, Colorado, fled to Red Hook, Brooklyn, and inspired real-life Western mafia lore. Plus, stay tuned for an eerie family address coincidence you have to hear to believe. Push play to discover how reclaiming your family’s wild, untold past can bring your history back to life. 〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️  🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most. 🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations. ♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

  4. Jul 30

    Alex Haley is My Uncle: The Rest of the Story of My Family “Roots” (with Chris Haley) | Episode 122

    Growing up with a world-famous uncle whose book transformed American history, Chris Haley spent decades pursuing stage lights and applause before realizing his true calling was waiting inside dusty archives. In this deeply moving conversation, the nephew of Roots author Alex Haley shares how making cold calls to phone book listings led him to face hidden family truths, discover a Civil War ancestor, and direct major archival research at the Maryland State Archives. Listen to learn how confronting your own family's off-limits stories can help you step out of any shadow and build an enduring legacy. 〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️  🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most. 🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations. ♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

  5. Jul 23

    A National TV Crew Showed Up At My House: Discovering a Lost Legacy (with Melissa Stafford) | Ep 121

    What if a national TV crew showed up at your door to reveal a family secret? Have you ever felt a missing piece in your family tree that you couldn’t quite place? In this episode, I sit down with Melissa Stafford, who thought her family history stopped with her immediate grandparents until an unexpected email from Ancestry® and a visit from Good Morning America changed everything. From driving past a local statue in her town for 13 years to discovering she is the direct descendant of Revolutionary War hero Deborah Sampson, Melissa shares the emotional moment her lost family line was restored. Tune in to discover how forgotten branches of your tree hold your family's most powerful legacy. 〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️  🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most. 🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations. ♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

  6. Jul 16

    Stories That Connect Us (And Why DNA Isn't Enough) | Episode 120

    Shared ancestors make us related. Shared stories make us connected. Can I tell you a secret? My absolute favorite part of family history isn't just discovering people who lived hundreds of years ago. It's what those stories can do for our living relationships right now. Welcome to the Season 3 premiere of Stories That Live In Us! In this episode, I’m sharing a powerful realization I had during a recent, three-day primitive youth camp in the high, wildfire-threatened mountains of Utah. After putting a group of teenagers to the test to see if they could name their own grandparents, I discovered a shocking truth: having your names on the same family tree or sharing DNA makes you related, but it doesn't automatically make you connected. Tune in to hear the difference between a "storytelling household" and a quiet one, how a giant family tree chart can act as the ultimate curiosity spark at your next reunion, and a hilarious story about why my Grandpa Victor drove around Los Angeles treating stoplights as mere suggestions. Plus, stay tuned until the very end for our brand-new segment: One Word, One Story! I’m opening up "The Story Drawer" for the first time to pull a completely random word and share an uncataloged memory involving a bicycle, a local drugstore, and some rock-hard bubblegum ice cream. Connect with me: Follow the show to help me reach more families looking to connect!Share your own memory connected to today's random word on Facebook or Instagram and tag me.〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️  🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most. 🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations. ♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

  7. Jul 9

    Fifty Nifty United States (with Lisa Elzey) | Episode 119

    What happens when you spend a year chasing family stories across all fifty states? I'm Crista Cowan (known online as The Barefoot Genealogist), and for this special Season Two retrospective, I’m pulling back the studio curtain. I’m sitting down with my longtime friend, producer, and editor, Lisa Elzey, to look back on our epic cross-country journey—from a 150-year-old sourdough starter in Alaska to a gripping witch trial in Connecticut. We’re swapping behind-the-scenes secrets, revealing which interviews left us in tears, and unpacking the moments that surprised us most. Behind the Scenes of Season Two: The Milestones: Celebrating our 100th-episode milestone and the incredible community pitches that brought this season to life.The Discoveries: How a rediscovered ancestor tied to a Utah handcart rescue and a forgotten Oregon cemetery project taught us something new about courage and place.The Bloopers: The reality of eating legacy roadside cheese dip live on camera.Whether you've followed along since Episode One or you're just joining us as we head into Season Three, this retrospective is a reminder that every family—including yours—is carrying treasures worth sharing. Links & Resources Mentioned: Cookbook: To Die For: A Cookbook of Gravestone Recipes by Rosie GrantExplore More: Find A Grave Community ProjectsSupport the Show: If you loved our trip from sea to shining sea, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join the conversation in the YouTube comments!〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️  🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most. 🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations. ♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

  8. Jul 2

    Delaware: Courage to Save the Words That Built America (with Anna Crowley Redding) | Episode 118

    How close did America come to losing its foundational words forever? In this episode of Stories That Live In Us, host Crista Cowan (The Barefoot Genealogist) takes us to Delaware—the First State—as our countdown to America’s 250th birthday reaches its finale. Our guest is Anna Crowley Redding, an Emmy Award-winning investigative television reporter turned acclaimed children’s book author. Anna shares the thrilling, forgotten history behind her book, Rescuing the Declaration of Independence: How We Almost Lost the Words That Built America. Together, Crista and Anna unpack the incredible true story of Stephen Pleasanton, an ordinary State Department clerk who risked everything to save the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and thousands of historic documents from British torches during the War of 1812. Beyond the history books, this episode dives deep into the personal. Anna opens up about her own profound trial of courage, balancing the grief of losing an infant nephew and a sudden breast cancer diagnosis at age 39, all while fighting to get her stories out into the world. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: The Midnight Ride You Never Heard Of: How a low-level clerk outsmarted the Secretary of War to pack up three floors of irreplaceable parchment as British troops closed in on Washington, D.C. in 1814.The Power of Primary Sources: Why historical artifacts, old census records, and even 19th-century maps can spark an immediate, tangible curiosity in children.Grief and Resilience: How to find the fortitude to face a blank page (or a major life crisis) and keep moving forward.Family History Tips for Parents: Simple, actionable ways to share your genealogical discoveries with your kids without needing to be a professional writer."You can be a regular person... and yet, an opportunity can arrive in your lap to do something courageous, and you can come through in a way that makes a real difference." — Anna Crowley Redding Hit subscribe to follow along as we journey through all 50 states to uncover the deep connections and stories that live in all of us! Links & Resources: Learn more about Anna Crowley Redding: https://annacrowleyredding.com/Buy Rescuing the Declaration of Independence: https://amzn.to/4xTJfe5〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️  🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most. 🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations. ♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

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About

What if the most powerful way to strengthen your family’s future is to look to the past? I’m Crista Cowan, known online as The Barefoot Genealogist.  I created this podcast to inspire you to form deeper connections with your family - past, present, and future.  All families are messy and life is constantly changing but we don’t have to allow that to disconnect us.  I’ve spent my whole life discovering the power of family history and I know that sharing the stories that live in you can change everything.Tune in weekly to receive inspiration and guidance that will help you use family stories to craft a powerful family narrative, contributing to your family’s identity and creating a legacy of resilience, healing, and connection.__________________________Want to climb your family tree and uncover your own family stories?  Visit my website - CristaCowan.com - and sign up for my free newsletter.

Information

  • Creator
    Crista Cowan | The Barefoot Genealogist
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    127
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Crista Cowan
  • Show Website
    Stories That Live In Us

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