When Jean de Crevecouer came to the American colonies from France in the 1760s he was amazed by the incredible diversity he found. His most famous writing, “What then is the American” from “Letters from an American Farmer” can be found in almost every American literature textbook and details his encounters with people of English, Scottish, Irish, German, French and Swedish descent and various combinations of those as well as Native Americans and people of African descent.

Since that time, the American population has become even more diverse, and with the advent of DNA testing through such sites as Ancestry.com and 23 and Me, many people have tried to trace their family backgrounds.

For those living in Topeka and the surrounding area, the Topeka Genealogical Society offers a variety of resources to help in the search of one’s ancestors. Barbara LaClair, president of the Topeka Genealogical Society, answered questions about the organization and its offerings.