Blog – Family Locket

RLP 365: Thomas B. Royston’s Land and Headstone in Chambers County, Alabama

Diana and Nicole discuss Thomas B. Royston’s land and headstone in Chambers County, Alabama. Diana shares about her trip to Alabama, where she visited the cemetery where her third great-grandfather, Thomas, is buried and viewed the land he owned. They start with Thomas’s life in DeKalb County, examining the 1840 census and questioning the identity of “F.B. Royston.” The discussion moves to Thomas acquiring land through a federal land grant and his later move to […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer July 7, 2025 Podcast

Comparing Marriage Records: Original Licence and Return vs Marriage Book Entry

When researching our ancestors, we seek original records, but at times, it can be challenging to determine the status of a record. Take, for instance, an entry in a county marriage record book. Is this an original or a derivative, copied from an original marriage certificate into the marriage book? In this blog post, we’ll examine two instances of the marriage record of my 2nd great-grandfather, John C. Harris, and explore what we can learn […]

By Diana Elder July 6, 2025 Research Tips

“The Thread Collectors”: A Fictionalized Civil War Novel Based on Family History

We often have family stories that have been passed down through the generations to us. How much truth is in the story we may never know, but in the novel, The Thread Collectors by Shaunna J. Edwards and Alyson Richman, we have an interesting example of weaving a tale from historical research and a thread of a story. The authors collaborated on this novel. Shaunna has African-American ancestry, and Alyson has Jewish ancestry. They combine […]

By Diana Elder June 27, 2025 Book Club, Creating and Sharing Family History

RLP 363: A Day at the Chamber County Courthouse: Tips for Success

This podcast episode discusses visiting county courthouses for genealogical research. Diana shares her experience at the Chambers County Courthouse in Alabama, where she researched her ancestor, Thomas Beverly Royston. She explains the importance of preparing a research plan before visiting, including creating a timeline and identifying potential records. She also mentions learning about what records are available beforehand, either online or by contacting the courthouse. Diana describes the process of researching at the courthouse, such […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer June 23, 2025 Podcast

Tracing the Enslaved in the 1900 U.S. Census and Enslaved.org Project

Tracing the enslaved in U. S. records is challenging and time-consuming. Because enslaved people typically only had first names until emancipation, we hope to find identifying information, such as age and possible family groups, in records like the 1850 and 1860 slave schedules. We also look for records post-emancipation, such as the 1867 Voter Registration and the 1870 census. Tracing people forward in time presents its own challenges because the formerly enslaved may have chosen […]

By Diana Elder June 22, 2025 Research Tips

RLP 362: A Day at the Alabama Department of Archives & History

This podcast episode centers around Diana’s research trip to the Alabama Department of Archives & History (ADAH) in search of information about her ancestor, Thomas B. Royston. Diana shares how she wanted to fill gaps in his timeline, particularly regarding his move to Chambers County, Alabama. She details the process of researching at ADAH, from registering and receiving a research card to working with archivists. Diana sought tax records specifically, as they often reveal residency. […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer June 16, 2025 Podcast

Memories of My Father: Bobby Gene Shults (1927-2011)

On this Father’s Day, I’ve been reminiscing about my dad, Bobby Gene Shults. He was one of the “greatest generation” who served in World War II and went on to build a life and raise a family afterward. He wrote his own life history, which is filled with stories about the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, and his adventures as a young boy in Texas, Oklahoma, and California. When we visited, he’d tell those stories […]

By Diana Elder June 15, 2025 Creating and Sharing Family History

RLP 361: Home Sweet Home: The House that Charles C. Creer Built

In this episode, Nicole and Diana discuss the ancestral home of Diana’s great-grandparents, Charles Cannon Creer and Mary Margaret Peterson. Nicole introduces the topic of researching ancestral homes, emphasizing the importance of exploring the architecture and records like city directories, taxes, maps, and newspapers. Diana shares the story of Charles building a home in Spanish Fork, Utah, for his bride in 1892, which remained in the family for over a century. They talk about Charles’ […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer June 9, 2025 Podcast

Take Me Home – Locating Your Ancestor’s Birthplace

Several million people have immigrated to the U.S. over the last couple of centuries, or so. Most came with hopes of improving their lives, some came for the adventure of the unknown, and some came to hide. Once here, many did their best to fit into their new society, including Americanizing their names. As time passed, memories faded, and birthdates, ages, and immigration years might have started to vary in the records. With all […]

By Torhild Shirley June 6, 2025 Research Tips