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 29: Interview with eCourse Student Rebecca Walbecq

Jan 28, 2019

In our podcast episode today, Diana and I interview Rebecca Walbecq, one of our Research Like a Pro eCourse students. She shares her experience with trying the research process on a research problem she had been studying for years. She began the eCourse with the following objective: “The objective of this research project is to prove or disprove that Daniel Hawley born in October of 1808 in Allegany County, New York and Sarah Sally Huff...

The Grandchild Report at Gene Heritage

Jan 26, 2019

In May of last year, I wrote about a new third party DNA analysis tool called Gene Heritage in this post: Review of Gene Heritage – a Third Party DNA and Inherited Traits Analysis Tool. Today, I have an update! The grandchild report has been released, and I love it! Gene Heritage has done a wonderful job creating an accessible, fascinating, and research-based experience for learning more about your DNA results. As you know, we inherit 50%...

Back to the Basics with Tax Records, Part 3

Jan 24, 2019

How can you find tax records for your ancestors? That’s what I want to share today in the third post in our back to basics with tax records series. The other parts are here: Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 1 – what tax records contain and how they can help you prove identity and relationships Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 2 – what types of tax records exist So you...

RLP 28: Research Like a Pro with DNA

Jan 21, 2019

In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss how to use DNA evidence as you Research Like a Pro. We talk about each step of the research like a pro process and what it looks like when you are doing a DNA research project. Links Research Like a Pro with DNA – Diana’s blog post at Family Locket, including the screenshot of her Royston report where she includes DNA evidence Sample DNA Citations –...

Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 2

Jan 18, 2019

What kind of tax records exist? That’s what I want to share today in the second post in our back to basics with tax records series. The first post, by Diana, gave you a taste of what tax records may contain and how you can use them in your research to determine identity and relationships. Hopefully now you’re convinced of their usefulness. Tax records might be especially helpful when you’re facing a tough problem like...

RLP 27: Personal Genealogy Software

Jan 14, 2019

In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss three reasons why you should download personal genealogy software to manage your family tree. Are you only using an online family tree? You may be missing out on powerful features. Links 14 Day Mini Research Like a Pro Challenge Family Tree Software Programs compatible With FamilySearch – PowerPoint presentation free download – feel free to share the presentation with your class or group. 3 Reasons to...

14 Day Mini Research Like a Pro Challenge

Jan 12, 2019

Have you been wanting to try the research like a pro process, but are feeling overwhelmed with all that you have to do? Maybe you have done the process once, or started the process, but got busy and didn’t finish. Diana and I have been brainstorming a new way for everyone to practice the research like a pro process in a simple, easy to follow format. We thought a daily challenge might work! So if...

RLP 26: U.S. Federal Census Records Part 2

Jan 7, 2019

In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss how to analyze a census record, and the example of George W. Dillard in the 1850 Census. We go through the steps of making an abstract of all the census information, asking questions about the information on the census, making a hypothesis, then making a list of records to search that could answer the questions. We also discuss the non-population schedules and then what to do...

RLP 25: U.S. Federal Census Records Part 1

Dec 31, 2018

In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss U.S. Federal Census Records from 1790-1940. We talk about what you might find in a census record, where you can access them, the instructions given to the enumerators, which questions were asked on each census, and more. We also talk about books and resources to help you learn more. Don’t forget to download our free Census Cheat Sheet packed with all the information we talked about...

Find Names for the Temple with the Puzzilla Research Log

Dec 29, 2018

Here’s a scenario that I hear all the time. Does this sound familiar? You decide to dedicate an hour to family history research. You sit down at the computer and make a goal to find names for the temple. You open FamilySearch and find an ancestral couple that you researched several years ago. You do some descendancy research and pull up their Puzzilla descendancy tree. You look at the FamilySearch profiles of several 3rd cousins. It looks...