Diana Elder

About Diana Elder

Diana Elder AGⓇ AGL is a professional genealogist, author, and speaker. She is accredited in the Gulf South region of the United States through the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen). Diana graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Elementary Education and has turned her passion for teaching to educating teens and adults in proven genealogy techniques. Diana is the author of Research Like a Pro: A Genealogists Guide and creator of the “Research Like a Pro” study group. She writes regular articles for FamilyLocket.com, the genealogy website created by her daughter, Nicole Dyer. She presents regularly at genealogy conferences, sharing the methods she uses every day to solve challenging genealogical problems.

Perspectives on Accreditation Presentation at #RootsTech 2019

Mar 7, 2019

I had the pleasure of presenting a Power Hour at RootsTech with two of my colleagues, Julie Stoddard AG, and Lisa Stokes AG. We split our presentation into three parts: the Benefits of Accreditation, an Overview of Accreditation, and Preparing for Accreditation. I’m sharing a brief outline here and linking to the ICAPGen website where appropriate. Our slides and syllabus are attached at the end of this article. Diana presenting, Lisa and Julie seated at...

Writing Family History Through Poetry: Lauren Carter and “Following Sea”

Feb 25, 2019

Have you been struggling to write your family history in a way that is meaningful? Have you considered poetry as a vehicle to share deeply-felt experiences connecting you to your ancestors? All kinds of historical writing fascinates me and today I’m thrilled to introduce a collection of poetry titled Following Sea by author, Lauren Carter. Reading through the poems I was touched repeatedly by the insight so few words could induce. Lauren evokes images of days...

Back to the Basics with Land Records: Part 1

Feb 21, 2019

Why would you want to search land records as part of your genealogy research plan? Are they really useful? How do you find them and what information can they hold? These are some of the questions we’ll be looking at in our new series on land records. If you’ve been wanting to delve into the land but haven’t felt comfortable, in this series I’ll demystify land research and show you how its done. As a researcher...

Genealogy Research and PERSI: A Perfect Match

Feb 14, 2019

Have you heard of PERSI, short for the PERiodical Source Index? I recently used this amazing resource to discover an article about a very specific research question. If you’ve heard of PERSI, but not known how to use it, today I’ll be sharing 4 steps to get you started. First of all, a little background on PERSI. For over a hundred years, genealogy articles have been written and published by thousands of societies and organizations...

What’s New at RootsTech 2019?

Feb 7, 2019

Are you a RootsTech newbie or veteran? Whether you’ve never been or attended multiple times, new and exciting changes are in store for RootsTech 2019. I’ll be filling you in on all you need to know to have a great week. Mobile App The RootsTech Mobile App keeps getting better. If you’ve never downloaded the app, it is available on all the app stores. No need to download a new version this year, once you...

SLIG 2019 : Advanced Southern Research and Resources

Jan 22, 2019

How would you like to take a deep dive into your research area? Have been working in the same localities for so long that you’re out of ideas for what to do next? You might want to consider attending a genealogy institute to open your mind to new possibilities. I attended the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) last week and was treated to five days of learning from expert southern researcher, J. Mark Lowe....

Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 1

Jan 11, 2019

Have you used tax records in your genealogy research before? What are these records, how do you find them, and what good are they? I recently used tax records to establish three generations of a family in early Maryland and today I’m going to show you how I did it. If you’re stuck in your research, perhaps a study of the tax records is just what you need. Why Search Tax Records As genealogists, we...

Improving Genealogy Research in the New Year

Jan 4, 2019

Have you made New Year’s resolutions in the past and come February 1st, they are discarded and forgotten? Maybe you know there’s a better way to research your family but you’re stuck in the same routine. Is your pile of paper getting deeper and deeper? Don’t worry – I’ve been there and I’m going to give you some ideas on how you can start now to make some changes that will make a difference in...

Guess Who’s Coming To RootsTech 2019?

Dec 31, 2018

Have you been to Rootstech yet? If so, you understand how powerful the keynote addresses can be. In the past we’ve learned from DNA Detective, CeCe Moore, and historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin. We’ve laughed with Scott Hamilton, Olympic medalist, and cried with LeVar Burton, actor. The speakers connect to their family history and share their stories with us. We never know what we’ll experience, but it’s always amazing. The RootsTech team has been busy getting...

Will the Real Edward Please Stand Up? Separating Men of the Same Name

Dec 21, 2018

Have you ever been researching and run into two men of the same name? How do you know which was your ancestor? If you choose the wrong individual, you could end up tracing an entirely wrong line of ancestors. I encounter this scenario often in my research and have some tricks up my sleeve to share. My recent research subject was named Edward Sullivan, born March of 1852 in West Virginia. The son of Irish...