Blog – Page 18 – Family Locket

RLP 292: Naturalization Records Part 1

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about naturalization records in the United States. We review the genealogical information naturalization records can hold, and discuss various records created in the process. We talk about Declarations of Intention (first papers), Petitions for Naturalization (second or final papers), and Certificates of Naturalization. We also go over the use of census records for clues about naturalization status, including columns for alien status, declaration of intent filed, and […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer February 12, 2024 Podcast

Researching a German Colonial Immigrant Ancestor: Valentine Shults (1715-1745)

This blog post was partially written using Artificial Intelligence based on my research report on Valentine Shults. Unlocking the Mysteries of Johan “Valentine” Velten Shults Johan “Valentine” Velten Shults was born in 1715 in Darmstadt, Germany, and immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1731. He married twice and died in 1745. But who exactly was this early German immigrant to America? Genealogists have puzzled over conflicting records about his parentage and life in Germany. I recently completed […]

By Diana Elder February 11, 2024 Research Tips

Unlocking the Mysteries of Scandinavian Feast Day Calendars

One of the most commonly used sources for Scandinavian research is church records. The church was the governing power on the local level in Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden. They kept track of when people were born, married, and died. Since the priest knew “everybody” in their parish, they often recorded who needed to pay tax in the earlier tax days and might even help with census records, especially the Swedish household examinations. […]

By Torhild Shirley February 3, 2024 Research Tips

Bringing Hidden Clues to Light Through Creating A Timeline

Have you ever discovered an important clue while reviewing the sources you already have for a research subject? It’s somewhat common for those following the research like a pro process to discover a vital piece of information during the timeline creation and analysis. This is exactly what happened to me as I reviewed the sources I had on Sally (Keaton) Reeves and her family. Timeline Creation The third part of the 14-day Research Like a […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer January 25, 2024 Research Like a Pro, Research Tips

Who was Sally Keaton? Determining Unique Identifiers for a Research Objective

Uniquely identifying a person who is only mentioned in three records can be challenging. The creation of a research objective requires that you identify the person uniquely in time and place. How then, do you define the research project? I encountered this challenge when beginning a project to study Sally Keaton. The only records I have for her include a court order printed in a newspaper and two documents in William Keaton’s estate packet. The […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer January 23, 2024 Research Like a Pro, Research Tips

RLP 289: Exploring New Tools at Living DNA

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about the new DNA tools at LivingDNA. Initially, we discuss our personal projects and thoughts on time management, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing life goals and projects. We then shift to the main topic: our experience with LivingDNA’s new tools, specifically the chromosome browser and the Matchbox. We explain how these tools help in organizing DNA match lists and provide insights into ancestral connections. LivingDNA’s unique feature […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer January 22, 2024 Podcast

Southwestern United States Research: Key Records and Repositories Part 3 – Land and Property Records, Including Spanish Land Grants

Welcome to Part 3 of our six-part series, “Key Records and Repositories.” In this section, we’ll thoroughly inspect land and property records, emphasizing this region’s Spanish land grants. This module is particularly beneficial for genealogists researching family histories in the American Southwest. These records are a valuable resource, offering insights into land ownership, family linkages, and key aspects of migration, economic development, and legal structures that have influenced the region. After our discussion on the […]

By Michelle Mickelson January 21, 2024 Research Tips

RLP 288: Resolving Conflicts on the FamilySearch Family Tree

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about conflicts encountered while researching our ancestor Harriet Huggett Kelsey and updating her profile on FamilySearch. Diana found conflicting information about Harriet’s birth year, with possible years of 1823, 1825, and 1826 from different sources. We discuss a conflict regarding the name and identity of Harriet’s twin sister Hester/Esther, with records using both spellings and even an indexed baptism record combining the two sisters’ names into “Esther […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer January 15, 2024 Podcast