Blog – Page 19 – Family Locket

Southwestern United States Research: Key Records and Repositories Part 2 – Church and Cemetery Records Unique to the Southwest

In the second post of our six-part series, “Key Records and Repositories,” we focus on church and cemetery records in the Southwestern United States. Today, we’re exploring the unique aspects of church and cemetery records in states like Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. These records are not only vital links to the past but also gateways to understanding the diverse cultural heritage of this region. The Role of Church Records in Southwestern […]

By Michelle Mickelson January 12, 2024 Research Tips

RLP 287: Flew the Coop: Harriet (Huggett) Kelsey

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about our ancestor Harriett Huggett (Nicole’s 3rd great-grandmother and Diana’s 2nd great-grandmother). Diana researched records for Harriett’s early life in England. She enjoyed finding a personal history written by Harriett’s granddaughter which provided wonderful details about Harriett’s decision to leave her wealthy situation. The history describes their difficult journey and Harriett’s adjustment to poverty in the Utah desert after being used to fine things in England. We […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer January 8, 2024 Podcast

Genealogy and DNA Research in Phases

Have you ever felt like you’ve been working on a research question for years, and are not even sure what progress you’ve made? To combat this feeling, we recommend breaking up complex research projects into phases. For instance, researching the mother of a female ancestor born in the early 1800s is unlikely to be completed within 20 hours. It will likely require several phases, each with its own objective. As professional genealogists, this is how […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer January 6, 2024 DNA, Research Tips

Southwestern United States Research: Key Records and Repositories Part 1 – Understanding Federal, State, and Local Records

Welcome to the first post in our six-part series on genealogical research in the Southwestern United States, encompassing Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. This series is dedicated to guiding genealogists through the complex system of records and repositories in this region. The series will include the following posts: Part 1 – Understanding Federal, State, and Local records Part 2 – Church and Cemetery Records Unique to the Southwest Part 3 – Land […]

By Michelle Mickelson January 6, 2024 Research Tips

RLP 286: Researching your Scandinavian Ancestors with Torhild Shirley Part 2

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is an interview with Torhild Shirley about Scandinavian research. She continues the case study of Gudmund Rasmussen and discusses research planning, carrying out the research, and the conclusion. The central question addressed in this episode revolves around whether Gudmund Rasmusson, presumed to be Rasmus Gudmundsson’s father, married twice – first to Elsa Thuesdotter and then to Karna Larsdotter. Transcript Nicole (1s): This is Research Like a Pro episode […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer January 1, 2024 Podcast

RLP 285: Scandinavian Research with Torhild Shirley Part 1

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is an interview with Scandinavian research expert, Torhild Shirley, AG. Torhild is a native of Norway. We discuss the challenges of genealogical research in Scandinavia, focusing on a case study from Sweden. In the case, Torhild aims to uniquely identify a person named Rasmus Gudmundsson, born around 1719 in Malmöhus, Sweden, using Swedish tax and church records. We discuss challenges from the patronymic naming system and the use […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer December 25, 2023 Podcast

The Gift of Florence (Creer) Kelsey’s Diary

Do you have a diary or journal of an ancestor? If so, you have a treasure full of details that could give you a window into their lives. Because a diary can only be physically in one place at a time, transcribing or scanning the diary and then sharing it with family members is a wonderful gift. My maternal grandmother, Florence Matilda (Creer) Kelsey, was born on on 12 December 1892 in Spanish Fork, Utah, […]

By Diana Elder December 21, 2023 Creating and Sharing Family History, FamilySearch Memories

RLP 284: University Archives with Sam Howes

In this episode of Research Like a Pro, Nicole Dyer and Diana Elder speak with Sam Howes, an archivist at Bates College in Maine. They discuss his work managing the official records of the college, including administrative documents, student records, yearbooks, and special collections. Sam explains what types of materials college archives typically maintain, like trustee meeting minutes, presidential records, alumni newsletters, student government documents, and more. He notes that confidentiality restrictions can limit access […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer December 18, 2023 Podcast

Researching Historical and Cultural Context – This Tender Land

Some books can draw you in from the first page and keep you entranced until the last page. This Tender Land is that type of book. Set in the midwestern during the 1930s, we meet a host of characters – some good and some evil. As family historians, reading historical fiction provides us with a look at an era our ancestors lived through. We can gain new perspectives into the challenges they faced. This Tender […]