What if family stories from one side of your family just didn't exist? In this episode of Black Sheep Family History, Janet Hall Werner interviews author John Mancini, whose deeply personal book Immigrant Secrets: The Search for My Grandparents unravels a hidden family mystery that spans generations.

What began as a simple genealogical search became a years-long quest to uncover the truth about his grandparents — two people who seemed to vanish in the 1930s, leaving behind silence, shame, and secrets.

Join us as John shares the discoveries, detours, and emotional impact of tracing a story that was never meant to be told.

📘 John Mancini’s book: Immigrant Secrets: The Search for My Grandparents — is available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Immigrant-Secrets-Search-My-Grandparents-ebook/dp/B09JB1745Z/ref=sr_1_1, and wherever else books are sold.

If you have a similar story, John would love to hear from you! He can be reached at johnmancini@contentresults.net.

🕵️‍♀️ Black Sheep Family History explores the forgotten, misunderstood, and not-so-illustrious ancestors who shaped our families — and ourselves.

Fortune telling was a crime. When Carrie was arrested in 1922 for reading fortunes, she fought back, arguing that her "spiritual" practice was protected by the First Amendment. The case raised big questions: Could spirituality count as religion? Could fortune telling be free speech?

In this episode of Black Sheep Family History, Janet interviews Kathy Astrom who tells the fascinating story of Nancy Caroline ("Carrie") Humphrey Dunston Martin McMaster who first fought for her children, then fought for her belief, expression, and survival in an age when faith and fraud were often seen as the same thing.

He wasn't licensed. He wasn't sober. And he was abusive to his four successive wives -- but oddly kind to small children and animals. In this Black Sheep Family History story featuring genealogist Lori Samuelson, discover the scandalous life of a so-called "doctor" whose "illegal operation" landed him in jail - and whose drunken violence and escapades left behind a notorious legacy.

This is true crime and family history -- a glimpse into America's hidden past. From illegal medical practices to broken marriages, alcoholism, and abuse, this scandal shows how a "doctor" wreaked havoc while his community looked the other way.