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

RLP 415: Testing AI’s Ability to Map Historical Land Records

Diana Elder and Nicole Dyer examine the current capabilities of artificial intelligence for mapping historical land records. Nicole tests ChatGPT’s ability to convert a metes and bounds description from an 1788 Arnold-West deed into an accurate land plat drawing. She compares the AI-generated results against a verified plat she previously created using DeedMapper software. Nicole experiments with several prompting strategies, including simple prompts, chain-of-thought, and meta-prompting. She discovers that while basic image generation struggles to […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer June 22, 2026 Podcast

Unearthing an Oklahoma Death Certificate Buried Under Tricky Handwriting

About a year and a half ago, while working on my Kinship Determination project (KDP) for BCG certification, I needed a death certificate for a sister of my second-great-grandfather, who was the subject of the middle generation of my study. I knew her name, I knew when she died, and I knew the county. What I didn’t expect was just how thoroughly an index could obscure someone whose identity I thought I already had pinned […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer June 21, 2026 Certification, Research Tips

RLP 414: A Trip to the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center

Diana and Nicole share their recent visit to the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where they explore the facility’s premier resources. Listeners learn how to use the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) to locate articles by keyword, surname, or locality. The pair explains the value of city directories for tracking individuals after 1950 to uncover addresses and occupations. They also offer guidance on utilizing published family histories, specifically on evaluating an […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer June 15, 2026 Podcast

Finding a Father for Cynthia: Phase 5 – Part 2: Timeline and Locality Research

If you have an ancestor who is still a mystery despite years of research, you’ll relate to my Cynthia (Dillard) Royston project. I am currently working on phase 5 as part of the Research Like a Pro with DNA study group. Each phase has focused on a specific objective and has eliminated many Dillard candidates. Eventually, I hope to have one man left standing, whom documentary and DNA evidence point to as Cynthia’s father. In […]

By Diana Elder June 14, 2026 Research Like a Pro, Research Tips

RLP 413: Using Claude’s Custom Skills for Genealogy Research Reports

Hosts Nicole and Diana discuss using Claude’s Custom Skills to automate genealogical report writing. Nicole begins by sharing her previous, challenging attempt to transform a Baldy Dyer research log spreadsheet into a research report using earlier Claude models. Diana provides an overview of Claude, noting its models (Haiku, Sonnet, Opus) and new features like Custom Skills, which are similar to Custom GPTs. Nicole explains that she set up a Custom Skill to convert spreadsheet files […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer June 8, 2026 Podcast

Finding a Father for Cynthia: Phase 5 – Part 1 Research Objective

By Diana Elder June 6, 2026 DNA, Research Like a Pro, Research Tips

RLP 412: Acadian Genealogy and Ancestral Intuition with Judy Nimer Muhn

The episode features guest Judy Nimer Muhn, a professional genealogist and author who specializes in French-Canadian, Acadian, and Indigenous ancestry. Judy is also the owner of Lineage Journeys and serves as the President of the Michigan Genealogical Council. Nicole and Diana discuss Acadian research with Judy, focusing on how she defines the Acadians and distinguishes them from French-Canadians. Nicole asks for the critical first steps researchers should take when beginning to use Acadian records, such […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer June 1, 2026 Podcast

A Trip to the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center

The Allen County Public Library (ACPL) Genealogy Center is one of the premier genealogical research resources in the United States. If you’re ever in the Fort Wayne, Indiana, area, you may want to schedule a few days of research at the center. Nicole and I were there as part of the National Genealogical Society Conference and spent an afternoon exploring the center. In this post, I’ll share some of the great resources available there, along […]

By Diana Elder May 31, 2026 Research Tips

RLP 411: 23andMe Clustering and Chromosome Browser

This episode of the Research Like a Pro Genealogy podcast focuses on the latest updates from 23andMe: the new DNA Relatives Clustering feature and the return of the chromosome browser. Nicole introduces the topic by explaining that both features are now available for premium users, stating that this move, while potentially disappointing for some, is necessary to support the profitability of DNA testing companies. Diana discusses the brand new DNA Relatives Clustering feature, clarifying that […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer May 25, 2026 Podcast

Load More Posts

Blog Post Categories

Sale

Research Like a Pro Webinar Series - 2023 Original price was: $60.00.Current price is: $45.00.
Research Like a Pro Webinar Series - 2024 Original price was: $60.00.Current price is: $45.00.
Research Like a Pro Webinar Series 2025 Original price was: $65.00.Current price is: $55.00.
Research Like a Pro Study Group
Rated 5.00 out of 5
Original price was: $400.00.Current price is: $375.00.

RLP 415: Testing AI’s Ability to Map Historical Land Records

Unearthing an Oklahoma Death Certificate Buried Under Tricky Handwriting

RLP 414: A Trip to the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center

Finding a Father for Cynthia: Phase 5 – Part 2: Timeline and Locality Research

RLP 413: Using Claude’s Custom Skills for Genealogy Research Reports

Finding a Father for Cynthia: Phase 5 – Part 1 Research Objective

RLP 412: Acadian Genealogy and Ancestral Intuition with Judy Nimer Muhn

A Trip to the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center

RLP 411: 23andMe Clustering and Chromosome Browser

Search

Blog Post Categories

Airtable Links

Free Downloads

Institute Courses

Featured Products

Sale

Newsletter Sign Up – Receive Excel Research Log