Nicole Elder Dyer

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 55 – It’s Not All Online: Researching in Archives with Melissa Barker

Jul 29, 2019

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about finding records in archives. Maybe you have already exhausted all the online records and are ready to find those additional records that haven’t been digitized yet. In repositories like courthouses and archives, you may be able to find unique and relatively unknown records. Join us as we talk with Melissa Barker, the Archive Lady, about how to find records like manuscript collections, voting records, photographs, school...

RLP 54 – Three Ways to Chart your DNA Matches

Jul 22, 2019

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about organizing your DNA matches by creating diagrams. Charting your DNA matches in a pedigree showing most recent common ancestor can help you visualize your DNA results like never before. We’ll talk about two online charting options, charting using Ancestry.com’s trees, and also an offline method. There are many more. Join us as we talk with Robin Wirthlin about how to chart your DNA matches! Links What...

Resources for Learning About Genetic Genealogy

Jul 16, 2019

Do you want to start a DNA research project to confirm an ancestral relationship? Have you been wanting to learn more about genetic genealogy but are not sure where to start? Maybe you’re interested in joining our Research Like a Pro with DNA study group in the fall and are curious about the prerequisites. Diana, Robin, and I have been talking about what basic DNA education would be helpful before doing a DNA research project....

RLP 53 – U.S. Homestead Records

Jul 15, 2019

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about United States Homestead Records. 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. We talk about two applicants for 320 acres in New Mexico about 1906 and 1911 and the details we learned about their family...

RLP 52 – Using Your DNA Results: 4 Simple Steps

Jul 8, 2019

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about what you should do with your autosomal DNA results. If you have a huge match list and no idea what to do with it, this episode is for you. We’ll go over four steps to help you get started with contacting cousins, noting your relationship, and preparing to use your DNA as evidence for future research projects. Links Understanding and Using Your DNA Results – 4...

RLP 51 – Which DNA Test Should I Take? DNA Testing Strategy

Jul 1, 2019

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about is all about the different types of DNA tests. Robin Wirthlin, our genetic genealogist, tells about the basics of DNA testing, which tests might help answer certain questions, and how to know which company to test with. Links Which DNA Test Should I Take? blog post by Robin at Family Locket DNA-Recommended Testing Strategy blog post by Robin at Family Locket The Shared cM Project 3.0...

RLP 50 – U.S. Land Records Part 3

Jun 24, 2019

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about how land grants and patents were received from the federal government. Diana tells about the process for our ancestors who applied for a land patent in federal land states and the papers that were created in the process. She ordered the Land Entry Case File from the National Archives for Thomas B. Royston and tells all about each paper contained in the file and its genealogical...

RLP 49 – U.S. Land Records Part 2

Jun 17, 2019

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about United States land records, specifically deeds. We talk about how to use the deed index and how important it is to learn how the index is organized. Whether it’s a direct, indirect, russell, or other index, you will want to know how to find your relative’s name in it. We also talk about our ancestor, Edward Raymond Kelsey, and how we found a deed for his...

RLP 48: U.S. Land Records Part 1

Jun 10, 2019

In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss several reasons to research land. A land record may reveal the following: a family relationship, clues to past or present residence, associates, evidence of migration, and more. We also explain the differences between “state land states” and “federal land states” in the United States system of land distribution. We look at the metes and bounds system of land measurement as well as the grid system (township...

RLP 47 – Interview with Study Group Graduate Susan Modzelewski

Jun 3, 2019

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is an interview with Susan Modzelewski, a graduate of our Research Like a Pro study group. Susan is a member of the Pima County Genealogy Society, where she met Nicole. She has been doing family history for over 20 years. She said that at the beginning, “genealogy was fun, quick and easy. I thought researching my family was going to be a breeze. Then the research became...