Blog – Page 47 – Family Locket

Part 7: Pennsylvania Germans: Church Records

Pennsylvania did not require the registration of births, marriages, or deaths until 1906. Births, marriages, and deaths were recorded by Pennsylvania counties from 1851-1855, and then again beginning in 1893 and continuing until 1905. County marriage records began again as early as 1885. The late starting dates for state and county records means that vital records will not be found for our early Pennsylvania German ancestors. Church records act as a valuable substitute. Church records […]

By Alice Childs March 18, 2022 Research Tips

How to Create a Citation from a Microfilm Collection

Have you wondered how to create a citation from microfilm reels that you ordered from an archive or library? A Research Like a Pro with DNA Study Group member asked the following question. I had sent for microfilm records from the Library of Virginia (LVA) through their inter-library lending program and printed out pages and pages of these vital records. I kept all of the documentation, correspondence with the lending library I used, and documentation […]

By Diana Elder March 16, 2022 Research Tips

RLP 192: SLIG Accreditation Course

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about Diana’s SLIG course – Becoming an Accredited Genealogist: The Why, What, and How. She coordinated the course along with Lisa Stokes and shares all the details about how they came up with the course and how it went. Join us to learn some great study techniques you can try for yourself as you prepare to become a better researcher or seek a credential. Transcript Nicole (1s): […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer March 14, 2022 Podcast

Part 6: Pennsylvania Germans: Probate Records

Historically, since the first permanent settlement, there has never been a time in North America when people did not make wills or when the estates of those who failed to do so were not handled by a court appointed for that purpose to ensure that the rightful heirs–the legal heirs–became the heirs in fact. The Value of Probate Records We have established that land was very important to our Pennsylvania German ancestors and we learned […]

By Alice Childs March 11, 2022 Research Tips

RLP 191: Preparing for the 1950 U.S. Census Release

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about the 1950 census that will be released on April 1, 2022. Diana shares an example of finding the enumeration district (ED) of her grandparents in Cassia County, Idaho. We review the information that can be found on the 1950 census and discuss indexing efforts. Join us as we discuss how to prepare for this census release! Transcript Nicole (1s): This is Research Like a Pro episode […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer March 7, 2022 Podcast

Part 5: Pennsylvania Germans: Subsequent Land Transactions

Last week I wrote about the transfer of lands from the family of William Penn and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to original owners. These transfers resulted in what are known as “First Titles.” When one of these original owners sold their land to a buyer, the resulting document was a deed. Because our Pennsylvania German ancestors would have been involved in subsequent land transactions as they lived in and migrated through the state, it is […]

By Alice Childs March 4, 2022 Records, Research Tips

DNA and Relatives at RootsTech

RootsTech is a world-wide, free, online family history conference that will be held this week. In addition to over 1500 class sessions, there is a fantastic feature called, “Relatives at RootsTech,” that can help you in your genetic genealogy research. If you’ve ever wanted to connect with like-minded family members who may share your interest in family history, as well as DNA, here is your opportunity! Do you ever wonder who the people in your […]

By Robin Wirthlin February 28, 2022 DNA, FamilySearch Apps

RLP 190: Revisiting Report Writing Again

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about how to write a research report at the end of a research project. This is an underused skill and many of us need to practice! The benefits of report writing far outweigh the challenges. This is a replay of episode 119 with new commentary at the beginning. Transcript Nicole (1s): This is episode 190 revisiting report writing Again. Welcome to Research Like a Pro a Genealogy […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer February 28, 2022 Podcast

Part 4: Pennsylvania Germans: The Land Acquisition Process in Colonial Pennsylvania

…whoever brings plenty of money-he will have it good. For whoever brings in money can buy a piece of land. As we have discussed in the first three posts in this series, one of the reasons our Pennsylvania Germans left their homeland and came to America was the promise of land. Letters and tracts that told of Pennsylvania’s virtues were widely distributed in Germany. Friends and family members shared these with one another. Escaping the […]

By Alice Childs February 25, 2022 Research Tips

If I know how a DNA match is related, do I still need to contact them?

Today we have the following question from a Research Like a Pro with DNA study group member: If you already know the relationship to a match, is there any other reason to contact that match? Yes, there are many reasons to contact your DNA matches, from verifying their tree, to asking them to share their matches with you. As you establish communication with them, it opens the door for further collaboration. When you need to […]