Nicole Elder Dyer – Family Locket

About Nicole Elder Dyer

Nicole Dyer is a professional genealogist specializing in Southern United States research and genetic genealogy. She is the creator of FamilyLocket.com and the Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast. She co-authored Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide and Research Like a Pro with DNA and is an instructor for the study groups of the same name. She lectures at conferences and institutes and previously served as the secretary and publicity chair of the Pima County Genealogy Society. Nicole holds a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University in History Teaching. At Family Locket Genealogists, Nicole is a project manager, editor, and researcher.

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

Oct 12, 2026

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...

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

Oct 5, 2026

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...

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

Sep 28, 2026

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),...

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

Sep 21, 2026

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...

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

Sep 21, 2026

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....

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

Sep 14, 2026

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...

RLP 426: Research Log and Citations for Phase 5 of Cynthia Dillard’s Father

Sep 7, 2026

In this episode, Nicole and Diana discuss part 4 of Diana’s 5th project to search for the father of Cynthia (Dillard) Royston, focusing on research logging and source citations. Diana explains how she uses the Airtable template, “RLP with DNA 4.2 (2026),” to organize her project and enter data for key DNA matches. Nicole details the real-time logging process, noting how they enter data in either row or form views. To organize her research on...

RLP 425: Research Planning for Phase 5 of Cynthia’s Father

Aug 31, 2026

In this episode, Diana and Nicole discuss Phase 5, Part 3 of the search for Cynthia (Dillard) Royston’s biological father. They review the known facts about Cynthia’s life using census, tax, and estate records, as well as death certificates of her children. Diana presents her hypothesis focusing on three Dillard men who drew lots in the 1832 Gold Lottery in Cass County, Georgia: James Dillard, Joseph B. Dillard, and Roliver Dillard. She explains how they...

RLP 424: TreeAlive with Sam Morrison

Aug 24, 2026

Diana and Nicole interview Sam Morrison, a dedicated family historian who has researched his family lines for over two decades. Sam shares his motivation for creating TreeAlive, a free digital tool designed to transform static genealogical data into animated films that visualize family migration and historical context across maps. His extensive experience researching his roots in Ohio, Virginia, and abroad drives his interest in helping others see their ancestors’ journeys rather than just reading lists...

RLP 423: Timeline and Locality Research for Phase 5 of Cynthia’s Father

Aug 17, 2026

This episode explores the ongoing genealogical project to identify the biological father of Cynthia (Dillard) Royston, an ancestor who remains a mystery after years of research. Diana and Nicole focus on the fifth phase of this investigation, which involves utilizing DNA and documentary evidence to connect Cynthia to potential candidates among the Dillard men who drew lots in the 1832 Georgia Gold Lottery. Diana explains how she organizes this project using Airtable to track timelines...

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About Nicole Elder Dyer

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

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

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

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

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

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

RLP 426: Research Log and Citations for Phase 5 of Cynthia Dillard’s Father

RLP 425: Research Planning for Phase 5 of Cynthia’s Father

RLP 424: TreeAlive with Sam Morrison

RLP 423: Timeline and Locality Research for Phase 5 of Cynthia’s Father

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