Family Locket – Finding ancestors and keeping them close to the heart

A Plain-English Guide to Ancestry’s 2026 Ancestral Regions Update: Part 1

Every few years, AncestryDNA customers open their results and find that their ancestral regions have changed, even though their DNA hasn’t. The 2026 update is one of the biggest yet. Ancestry now reports 302 ancestral regions, up from 146 in 2025, and it rebuilt much of the method behind the estimates: a reference panel of more than 295,000 samples, a new way of comparing your DNA to that panel, and an AI transformer in […]

By Yvonne Fenster October 18, 2026 DNA

RLP 431: Merging Identities on FamilySearch: Angeline or Algeline?

Diana and Nicole open the episode by discussing Nicole’s recent genealogical work at the Dallas Public Library and a Dyer family Bible. They then explore the benefits of adding research to the collaborative FamilySearch Family Tree, highlighting its free access, vast record collections, and permanent archiving. Diana shares a detailed case study illustrating how to merge separate identities on FamilySearch using the example of Angeline Weatherford and Susan Louisa Algeline Weatherford. Listeners learn how to […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer October 12, 2026 Podcast

Marks and Brands in Milam County: Research at the County Records Annex and Public Library

Sometimes during an onsite research trip, the record you want seems just out of reach. That’s what happened when I visited the Milam County records annex in Cameron, Texas, looking for more records about my fourth-great-grandfather. By the end of the day, though, a small-town library in Rockdale had given me exactly what I needed. In this post, I’ll share the story of that day, explain what marks and brands records are and why they […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer October 12, 2026 Records, Research Tips

RLP 430: Finding William Henry Kelsey’s Naturalization in a Utah County Minute Book

In this episode of Research Like a Pro, Diana Elder and Nicole Dyer explore the process of finding naturalization records in territorial Utah through a real-life case study. Nicole shares the story of her immigrant ancestor, William Henry Kelsey, who arrived in Utah from England in 1861 and became a citizen in 1877. She details finding his naturalization entry in a Utah County district court minute book presided over by Judge Philip H. Emerson. Diana […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer October 5, 2026 Podcast

Review of Mastering Genealogical Proof, Second Edition by Thomas W. Jones

One of my favorite genealogical mentors is Thomas W. Jones. I first heard him speak at RootsTech 2016 on source citations and most recently enjoyed his lectures at the National Genealogical Society in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His courses, articles, and books have educated numerous genealogists on sound methodology and standards. I had the privilege of purchasing his latest book, Mastering Genealogical Proof, Second Edition, at the conference he graciously signed it for me. This book is […]

By Diana Elder October 4, 2026 Research Tips

RLP 429: Writing a Case Study for Publication: 7 Tips for Success

In this episode of the Research Like a Pro Genealogy podcast, host Nicole Dyer and co-host Diana Elder discuss how to write and publish a genealogical case study. Nicole defines a case study as a methodology-driven piece built around a specific research question, distinguishing it from research reports, proof arguments, genealogies, and ancestor profiles. She highlights major national and regional publications where researchers can find exemplary case studies, including the National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ), […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer September 28, 2026 Podcast

From Arkansas to the Texas Frontier: The Life of Hickman Monroe Shults

After researching an ancestor for years, there is something very fulfilling in finding their last resting place and thinking about their life. As family historians and researchers, we can only know a fraction of a person’s life – based on the records we’ve been able to find. We piece together the story the best we can, but know it’s still only pieces. My paternal ancestors all moved to Texas between 1848 and 1870 from various […]

By Diana Elder September 27, 2026 Research Tips

RLP 428: Analysis, Correlation, and Report Writing for Phase 5 of Cynthia’s Father

In this episode, Nicole and Diana discuss Phase 5, Part 5 of Diana’s ongoing research project to identify the biological father of Cynthia (Dillard) Royston. Diana evaluates three specific candidates who drew land in Cass County, Georgia, during the 1832 Gold Lottery: James Dillard of Pulaski County, Joseph B. Dillard of Oglethorpe County, and Tolliver Dillard of Burke County. Nicole outlines the project scope and historical context, highlighting significant record destruction caused by courthouse fires […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer September 21, 2026 Podcast

From Index to Image: Finding an Original Source for Benjamin Horton Moore’s Full Name

Initials can be one of the most stubborn obstacles in genealogical research. The first generation of my Kinship Determination Project (KDP) for certification is John Christian Harris and Malissa Welch. One of their daughters, Martha Rosetta Harris, married Benjamin Horton Moore (1856–1938). I planned to include his full name as Martha’s spouse in the couple’s child list. The trouble was that every source I found recorded him as either B. H. Moore or Ben H. […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer September 21, 2026 Certification, Records, Research Tips

RLP 427: Unearthing an Oklahoma Death Certificate Buried Under Tricky Handwriting

In this episode, Diana and Nicole discuss a challenging search for an Oklahoma death certificate. Nicole shares her experience trying to find the 1928 death record for Margaret Cinderella (Harris) Bone to complete her Kinship Determination Project. Despite knowing Margaret’s birth date, death date, and county, Nicole’s initial searches on the OK2Explore database fail. She explains how she eventually finds the record by removing the name entirely and searching only by gender, county, and the […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer September 14, 2026 Podcast

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