Family Locket

RLP 213: Five Takeaways from an Advanced DNA Institute Course

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about Diana’s takeaways from the Advanced DNA Evidence course coordinated by Blaine Bettinger as part of the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh. We discuss Big Y-DNA testing, small segments, outliers in the Shared cM Project, confirmation bias, and endogamy. Transcript Links Five Takeaways from an Advanced DNA Institute Course – https://familylocket.com/five-takeaways-from-an-advanced-dna-institute-course/ Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh – https://www.gripitt.org/ Big Y-700 White Paper: Powering discovery in the field of paternal ancestry by FTDNA – https://blog.familytreedna.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/big-y-700-white-paper_compressed.pdf ISOGG Wiki – https://isogg.org/wiki/Wiki_Welcome_Page Research Like a Pro Resources Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist’s Guide book...

By Nicole Dyer August 8, 2022 Podcast No Comments

Find More Ancestors with Autosomal DNA by Increasing Coverage Part 2: Barsheba Tharp’s Mother

In my last post about autosomal DNA coverage, “Find More Ancestors with Autosomal DNA by Increasing Coverage,” I discussed how testing multiple descendants of your research subject can help you find more relevant matches. I shared some examples of applying Paul Woodbury’s coverage formula and the Daniel Arnold project I’ve been working on. Today I have an example of how expanding the coverage of Barsheba Tharp helped solve the identity of her mother. Barsheba Tharp and John Robert Dyer are my husband’s 3rd-great-grandparents. They lived in Hawkins County, Tennessee from at least 1830-1880. Barsheba Tharp was born in Hawkins County...

By Nicole Dyer August 5, 2022 DNA, Research Like a Pro with DNA, Research Tips No Comments

RLP 212: Pennsylvania Germans Part 6 – DNA

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about using DNA evidence to help with your Pennsylvania German research. We talk with Heidi Mathis about her experience using DNA with her colonial German ancestry. She noticed that her recent German side has fewer DNA matches than her colonial German side. We discuss differences in match lists, using autosomal DNA for more distance research questions, and an example from the Hittell family in 18th century Pennsylvania. Transcript Links Part 9: Pennsylvania Germans: DNA – https://familylocket.com/part-9-pennsylvania-germans-dna/ How to Evaluate an AncestryDNA Thrulines Hypothesis – https://familylocket.com/how-to-evaluate-an-ancestrydna-thrulines-hypothesis/ RLP 179: RLPDNA Study Group 8...

By Nicole Dyer August 1, 2022 Podcast No Comments

What are DNA SNPs?

You may have wondered, “What are DNA SNPs, and how do they help us find our ancestors?” Sometimes it feels like a strange new world when you venture into using DNA in your family history research. Some terms may be new to you, and it’s a challenge to absorb all of the new information and keep up with technological advances in the world of genetic genealogy. I made a new video explaining SNPs – which are single nucleotide polymorphisms in DNA. You can watch it on the Family Locket YouTube channel by either going directly to YouTube and typing in “Family...

By Robin Wirthlin July 27, 2022 DNA, Research Tips No Comments

RLP 211: Pennsylvania Germans Part 5 – More Records

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is a discussion with Alice Childs, AG, about additional record types that can help with Pennsylvania German research, including tax records, military records, naturalization records, court records, German Newspapers, and family records. We go over Fraktur and Taufschein and where those can be found as well. Transcription Links Part 8: Pennsylvania Germans: Additional Record Types – https://familylocket.com/part-8-pennsylvania-germans-additional-record-types/ RLP 210: Pennsylvania Germans Part 4 – Probate and Church Records – https://familylocket.com/rlp-210-pennsylvania-germans-part-4-probate-and-church-records/ RLP 209: Pennsylvania Germans Part 3 – Land Records – https://familylocket.com/rlp-209-pennsylvania-germans-part-3-land-records/ RLP 208: Pennsylvania Germans Part 2 – Emigration and Guiding Principles...

By Nicole Dyer July 25, 2022 Podcast No Comments

Six Tips for Excellent Writing

Excellent writing doesn’t just happen – we write, edit, and rewrite until the finished product meets our standard. As genealogists, we write research reports, ancestor stories, proof arguments, and much more. Several tips can help us write clearly and concisely and make it more likely that we’ll engage our readers. Tip 1: Write We all get writer’s block; when that happens, the best solution is to start writing. Don’t worry about wordsmithing the perfect introduction. Write something from the middle of the piece. Write the conclusion. Getting words to flow will unstop your brain, and eventually, you can formulate an...

By Diana Elder July 22, 2022 Creating and Sharing Family History No Comments

RLP 210: Pennsylvania Germans Part 4 – Probate and Church Records

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is a discussion with Alice Childs about finding probate and church records for Pennsylvania German ancestors. We discuss the probate process and the resulting records. We also talk about using FamilySearch to browse to probate books at the county level. Pennsylvania was known as a place for religious tolerance, and many Germans of different denominations settled in the same places. We talk about how to find out what church your ancestor belonged to and what records might be available. Alice shares some examples. Transcript Links Part 7: Pennsylvania Germans: Church Records –...

By Nicole Dyer July 18, 2022 Podcast No Comments

Five Takeaways from an Advanced DNA Institute Course

What is the value of taking an immersive DNA course from an expert in the field? New perspectives, information, and practical applications to genetic genealogy. I completed the Advanced DNA Evidence course coordinated by Blaine Bettinger as part of the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh. The course exceeded my expectations, and I took copious notes on the latest and greatest advances in DNA as it relates to proving and confirming our ancestors. I highly recommend the course to anyone interested in learning more about the science of genetic genealogy from someone who can explain it in layman’s terms. Blaine will...

By Diana Elder July 16, 2022 DNA, Research Tips 2 Comments

RLP 209: Pennsylvania Germans Part 3 – Land Records

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about acquiring land in Colonial Pennsylvania and subsequent land transactions. Alice Childs, Accredited Genealogist Professional, shares how colonists received the first title to land in a five-step process. We review the steps to finding your ancestor’s land and an example from Alice’s family. We talk about deeds and using various types of deed indexes. Transcript Links Part 4: Pennsylvania Germans: The Land Acquisition Process in Colonial Pennsylvania – post by Alice Childs, AG – https://familylocket.com/part-4-pennsylvania-germans-the-land-acquisition-process-in-colonial-pennsylvania/ Part 5: Pennsylvania Germans: Subsequent Land Transactions – post by Alice Childs, AG – https://familylocket.com/part-5-pennsylvania-germans-subsequent-land-transactions/ Research...

By Nicole Dyer July 11, 2022 Podcast 2 Comments

Unrehearsed Research for Clement Darnold’s Mother

Last month I had the opportunity to join Richard Miller, the developer of the Goldie May app, in three episodes of his Unrehearsed Genealogy Research show. I chose an objective for the show to find evidence of a parent-child link for a DNA proof argument I’m working on. The proof argument has to do with my husband’s 3rd-great-grandmother, Barsheba (Tharp) Dyer. In the last Research Like a Pro with DNA study group, I wrote a report showing that Joanna West was the mother of Barsheba Tharp. One of the DNA matches that shows evidence for this conclusion is a descendant...