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.

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...

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

Aug 17, 2026

Naturalization records are some of the most exciting finds for genealogists researching immigrant ancestors. They can tell us where our ancestor was born, when they arrived, and when they became a citizen of the United States. Recently, I found a record of William Henry Kelsey’s citizenship in a Utah County minute book on FamilySearch — and it got me thinking about the complex history of naturalization records in territorial Utah and whether more records might...

RLP 422: Objective for Phase 5 of Cynthia Dillard’s Father

Aug 10, 2026

Diana and Nicole examine the ongoing research project to identify the biological father of Cynthia (Dillard) Royston. Diana summarizes previous research phases conducted through the Research Like a Pro with DNA study group, which have systematically tested Dillard candidates and narrowed the search using documentary evidence. She explains the genealogical background of Cynthia, who was born about 1815 in Georgia, and details the elimination of various candidates from earlier research phases. The discussion also covers...

RLP 421: The World War II Service of Bobby Gene Shults

Aug 3, 2026

Diana Elder and Nicole Dyer explore the value of writing an ancestor’s military story by correlating multiple sources. Diana uses her father Bob Shults’s World War II Navy records as a case study. She demonstrates how to use AI to cross-reference personal oral histories with official documents like muster rolls and discharge papers. Listeners learn how to build a comprehensive timeline that bridges the gap between limited personal recollections and formal military service records. The...

RLP 420: Tips for Using the New FamilySearch Simple Search Tool

Jul 27, 2026

In this episode of the Research Like a Pro Genealogy podcast, hosts Diana and Nicole discuss the features and effectiveness of FamilySearch’s new “Simple Search” tool. They explore how this experiment allows users to search billions of full-text records using natural language queries rather than traditional forms. Diana shares her experience testing the tool with her father’s name, Bobby Gene Shults, demonstrating how the artificial intelligence parses results and helps distinguish between individuals with similar...

RLP 419: What Genealogists Are Saying About AI Transcription of Foreign-Language Documents

Jul 20, 2026

Diana and Nicole discuss how genealogists use artificial intelligence to transcribe handwritten, foreign-language historical documents. They review feedback from a survey regarding experiences with various AI tools, including Transkribus, Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude, and Leo. The researchers report positive experiences, with average accuracy ratings between 7.5 and 8 out of 10. Listeners learn which languages, such as Spanish, German, French, Latin, and Scandinavian, are commonly processed through these tools. The discussion highlights that while AI excels...

RLP 418: Meet Leo – The Handwritten Text Recognition Platform Built for Researchers

Jul 13, 2026

Nicole Dyer and Diana Elder explore Leo, a powerful handwritten text recognition platform designed specifically for researchers. Nicole interviews the creator, Jon Cooper, a PhD candidate at Stanford who developed the tool with a machine learning expert to address the difficulty of transcribing complex Elizabethan manuscripts. Listeners learn how Leo differs from general AI models by prioritizing faithful, accurate transcriptions of handwritten text rather than guessing words. The platform offers specialized features for genealogists, including...

RLP 417: AI Handwritten Text Recognition Tools at the RootsTech Expo Hall

Jul 6, 2026

Diana Elder and Nicole Dyer discuss the evolution of AI Handwritten Text Recognition (HTR) tools, focusing on the platforms Nicole explored at RootsTech. They evaluate several key technologies used to decipher historical manuscripts. They discuss Kindex, which provides highly accurate transcriptions and a side-by-side editor for corrections. They also review Leo, an AI platform that handles secretary hand effectively and offers a side-by-side editor, though users should watch for minor hallucinations. Transkribus serves as a...

RLP 416: George Washington and Richard Wiatt Royston – America 250 Ancestor

Jun 29, 2026

Diana and Nicole discuss the America 250 Ancestors series, which focuses on researching colonial ancestors who lived during the Revolutionary War era. Diana shares her recent trip to Mount Vernon, where she experienced Revolutionary War Weekend and visited the slave quarters and memorial to learn about the 317 enslaved individuals who lived on the estate. Listeners learn how to use historical context to tell the stories of their own ancestors who lived during this foundational...