Back to the Basics with Land Records: Part 2 – Deeds
Are you ready to make new discoveries in land records for your ancestors? In Part 1 of our series on land records, I shared several reasons to research the land. A land record may reveal the following: a family relationship, clues to past or present residence, associates, evidence of migration, and more. I also explained the differences between "state land states" and "federal land states" in the United States system of land distribution. We looked at the metes and bounds system of land measurement as well as the grid system. Now it's time to dive into the various types of...
In-Home Activities Prepare Children for the Temple: An Interview With Mike Sandberg of FamilySearch
During RootsTech, Nicole and I had the opportunity to sit down with Mike Sandberg from FamilySearch and learn more about the new In-Home Activities page that he and his team designed. This was a project that took two years to develop. It all began with a council about the best way to get families involved in family history. Elder Ian S. Ardern of the Seventy suggested that “it all starts with a conversation.” Figuring out how to get more family members involved in conversations about their family was the first step. Brother Sandberg added that the job of doing family...
RLP 35: Church Records Part 1
Did you know that Quaker marriage records could include over 10 witnesses? Talk about a great resource for building a FAN club. In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss church records, and their genealogical value. We talk about the history of church records in the United States, what kinds of records you might be able to find, and several examples of evidence gained from membership records in various churches. Links Back to the Basics with Church Records Part 1 by Diana at FamilyLocket.com Research Like a Pro eCourse Study Group - more information and email list Research Like...
5 Insights from RootsTech 2019 for Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
President Russell M. Nelson and other church leaders continue to encourage members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to become involved in Temple and Family History work, as in the quote below. They emphasize its importance again and again. However many people believe that family history is difficult, overly technical, or only for the older generation. Those who fall in love with family history learn that it is really about finding inspiration in a family's story, both past and present, then connecting ancestors together and into your own family through temple ordinances. How can those who have...
The FamilySearch Catalog: A Researcher’s Best Friend by Diana Elder at #RootsTech 2019
Have you been wanting to learn how to use the FamilySearch Catalog to make new discoveries about your family? I taught this class twice at RootsTech and both classes were full, so you're not alone. I use the catalog every day in my client research and I was excited to teach over 2,000 people how to become better researchers. Today I'm sharing an overview of my presentation and including the slides and syllabus at the end so you can learn as well. Why Use the FamilySearch Catalog? I started with several reasons why you'd want to learn to use the...
The Latest Innovations in DNA and Genealogy
The latest, greatest information about DNA and Genealogy was presented at Roots Tech. There were exciting new programs, tools, and technology announced and explained by DNA companies, and leading experts in the field. Nicole wrote eloquently about some of the classes she attended, and the fascinating concepts presented. It is an exciting time to be involved in genealogy, with new and improved ways of accessing and analyzing information at our fingertips! This article will highlight two of the new programs announced at RootsTech: ThruLines™ by AncestryDNA and The Theory of Family Relativity™ by MyHeritage. What it is ThruLines™ at AncestryDNA.com...
Research Logs: A Key to Organized Genealogy by Diana Elder at #RootsTech 2019
I was excited to present a class on research logs at RootsTech 2019. Research logs are the workhorse of my research process so I love helping others learn to use them to organize their research. Here is a synopsis of my lecture. I'm also including a PDF of my slides and my syllabus at the end of the article. What is a Research Log? Simply put, a research log is a record of what you are looking for, where you looked, and what you found. In the research process, notice that research logs come into play after creating your objective,...
Organize Your Genealogy Research With Google Drive by Nicole Dyer at #RootsTech 2019
I taught Organize Your Research with Google Drive at RootsTech this year and I enjoyed preparing for it immensely. I already loved Google Drive and used it with my usual genealogy workflow; but my preparation helped me find even more ways to use it to become a more productive and organized researcher. In this post, I'm sharing an overview of what I covered in the class, as well as links to my syllabus and presentation slides. I love sharing and I hope you will benefit from viewing the course materials. Organize Your Research with Google Drive Expanded Syllabus PDF -...
