SEO, Serendipity & Swiss Roots: How Projectkin Found GlarusFamilyTree.com

Sometimes the best connections in genealogy come not through archives or ancestry databases—but through a simple search engine.

That’s exactly what happened to Barbara Tien, founder of Projectkin, a website and newsletter devoted to family discovery and storytelling. In a recent post titled “SEO, a Swiss Story & the Rolling Ball of Hay,” Barbara shares how a bit of strategic search engine optimization (SEO)—what genealogists sometimes call “Cousin Bait”—led her straight to my GlarusFamilyTree.com.

Barbara had already uncovered deep roots on her maternal line thanks to her grandmother’s documented research. But her paternal Ries family, originally from Switzerland, remained a bit of a mystery—until a cousin reached out via her post, sharing family stories and documents passed down through generations in America.

From there, her journey took an unexpected turn. Searching not just for names, but for places—specifically Linthal in Canton Glarus—Barbara discovered this very site. As she put it, the experience was like “stepping into some master plan.” Our mutual correspondence quickly confirmed that we were connected through the Ris (or Ries) family line, which she now traces back 15 generations to the 16th century.

Barbara’s post is more than just a research story—it’s a tribute to what’s possible when shared memory, digital tools, and collaboration come together. It reminds us that genealogy isn’t just about facts—it’s about human connection.

I highly recommend reading the full post here: SEO, a Swiss Story & the Rolling Ball of Hay

If you’re interested in thoughtful family storytelling, Projectkin is a wonderful resource. Barbara’s writing is both heartfelt and rigorously researched—a rare and rewarding combination for those passionate about family history.

Explore More:

• Learn about her Ries/Ris family line and the unique migration from Glarus to the US

• Watch historical clips of Swiss haymakers and discover how a “rolling ball of hay” became a pivotal event in one family’s past

• Dive into the collaborative spirit of genealogy that crosses time zones, languages, and continents

  
  

I’m honored that GlarusFamilyTree.com played a part in Barbara’s research journey—and I’m excited to see where her new leads take her.

Let’s keep building these bridges between past and present, between Swiss roots and global branches.