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.

Have You Heard of the New FamilySearch Partner, Geneanet?

Oct 12, 2016

Did you know that FamilySearch has a new partner, Geneanet? Along with Ancestry, FindMyPast, American Ancestors, and My Heritage, you can now sign up for Geneanet and access their vast genealogical library. Why would you want to add another partner? Hidden in the thousands of books and newspapers digitized by Geneanet might be just the clue you need. I’ll show you how to get started and give you an example of what I found. Because of FamilySearch’s...

How To Plan An Engaging Family Reunion

Oct 9, 2016

What do you when you’re put in charge of the family history part of your family reunion? How do you engage 150 people ages 0 – 87? If you’re my friend, Rischelle, you go to work and come up with some amazing activities. I asked her to share her ideas and photos, so enjoy. Yadon Family Reunion 2016 By Rischelle Mikkelson In June we held a large family reunion inviting all of the descendants of...

What Family History Blessings are Raining Down on You?

Oct 6, 2016

Do your loved ones ever question your passion for genealogy and family history? Would you like a new perspective to motivate the youth in your ward to give it a try? Maybe you just need a boost in your own family history efforts? Try taking a few minutes to think of the blessings raining down on you because of your family history labors. Recognizing those blessings will help you share your love of family history with anyone....

Annie’s Ghosts: A Journey into a Family Secret – October Book Club Selection

Sep 30, 2016

What would you do if out of the blue you discovered that your mother, a self proclaimed “only child,” had a sister? If you were Steve Luxenberg and an investigative reporter, you would start researching your family in earnest. Steve wrote Annie’s Ghosts: A Journey into a Family Secret to tell the story of his quest that uncovered the truth of Annie’s existence and her life in a mental institution. What would cause his mother to...

Becoming an Accredited Genealogist: Levels 2 & 3 Study Group – Session 3, The Three-Hour Research Project

Sep 27, 2016

How would you like to produce a research project in three hours complete with a research log, report, documents, family group sheet, and pedigree chart? That is exactly what each Accreditation candidate is asked to do for the final stage of testing. To be honest, this part of the process scared me the most so I was very glad to cover it in depth in my study group. I’ve now completed two practice projects and...

Productivity Counts: Making the Best Use of Your Family History Time

Sep 23, 2016

Do you wish you had more time to devote to your genealogical research or family history projects? Do you ever sit down to your computer and after an hour wonder what you’ve accomplished? I’ve found that most people feel time crunched and struggle with feeling productive in their family history efforts. When I set the goal to become an accredited genealogist I wondered how I could possibly get everything done. This year I’ve worked hard to develop several...

Back To School: Those Valuable Homestead Records

Sep 19, 2016

Do you have anyone in your family who took advantage of the Homestead Law of 1862? It is estimated that 2 million individuals applied for up to 320 acres of free land and your ancestor might be among them. What kind of records did the Homestead Law generate? How can you find out if your ancestors filed claims? What does a case file look like? September is “back to school month,” so get ready to learn the...

The Adventures of Cowboy Bob: “Getting Shot”

Sep 13, 2016

Do you have a great family story, one that passes Bruce Feiler’s campfire test with the emotion, the passion, and the pain to endure? Reading and writing about Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls inspired me to try my hand at writing my dad’s stories. Growing up during the depression in Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, and California he had plenty of adventures. My dad found the humor in every story and usually told them with tears running down...