Blog – Page 25 – Family Locket

RLP 294: Naturalization Records Part 3

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro we delve into the intricacies of naturalization records, with a special focus on 20th-century cases. A significant part of the episode is dedicated to a case study of Adolph Salmon, a German immigrant. We discuss how Diana traced his naturalization journey through various records, including census data, newspapers, and court documents. We highlight the significance of creating timelines and merging information from diverse sources to reveal a comprehensive […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer February 26, 2024 Podcast, Research Tips

How to use Online Repository Assistant (ORA) for Automatic Source Citations

Online Repository Assistant (https://www.ora-extension.com), also known as ORA, is a browser extension and Windows application created by John Cardinal. It works with many common online “repositories” like FamilySearch, Ancestry, FindaGrave, FindMyPast, Fold3, and more, to extract data from records and make it easier to paste text into your genealogy software or research report. I wrote a little about it in my post, Automated Source Citation Builders. ORA allows you to create your own text templates […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer February 22, 2024 Research Like a Pro, Research Tips

Easy Genealogy Research Logging with Goldie May

Did you know you can have an automatic research log with Goldie May? Goldie May is a genealogy research assistant tool created by Richard Miller available for Chrome and Firefox. Essentially it is a browser extension that opens a sidebar to help you log your research-in-progress. The research log tool in Goldie May helps you manage projects and logs websites you visit. Not only does it create an automatic research log for you, tracking the […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer February 21, 2024 Research Tips

Research Like a Pro with DNA Airtable Base Update – 2024

If you are using Airtable for tracking DNA matches and logging documentary research, I’m excited to share an update to the RLP with DNA base template available in Airtable Universe. Each year I make updates based on my own experience and suggestions from others. I usually do this before our Research Like a Pro with DNA study group begins. The group is in full swing right now, and we are using the new base I […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer February 20, 2024 Research Like a Pro, Research Like a Pro with DNA, Research Tips

RLP 293: Naturalization Records Part 2

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about the evolution of naturalization laws in the U.S., tracing how these laws have shaped the process of becoming an American citizen from the country’s early days to the modern era. By examining specific acts from 1790 through to the 20th century, we shed light on the legal landscape that our ancestors navigated as they sought to establish new lives in America. This exploration not only aids […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer February 19, 2024 Podcast

Southwestern United States Research: Key Records and Repositories Part 4 – Mining and Agriculture Records

In this fourth installment of our six-part series, “Key Records and Repositories,” we dig into the rich and textured history of the Southwestern United States through the lens of mining and agricultural records. These records are not only treasures of historical data but also vital tools for genealogists seeking to unearth the stories of their ancestors in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. We will explore the genealogical importance of these records, guiding […]

By Michelle Mickelson February 17, 2024 Research Tips

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