Blog – Page 76 – Family Locket

Finding Jeanie’s Father with DNA Part 1: Who to Test?

If you’re wondering how to use DNA to help an adoptee find biological relatives, you’ll want to follow this case study series written by Hazel, our FamilyLocket intern. Nicole and I met Hazel at the RootsTech 2019 media dinner. We were impressed with her background in research and jumped at the chance to offer her an internship – the last step in receiving her degree in Family History-Genealogy through Brigham Young University. During her studies, […]

By Hazel Scullin June 20, 2019 DNA, Research Tips

RLP 49 – U.S. Land Records Part 2

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about United States land records, specifically deeds. We talk about how to use the deed index and how important it is to learn how the index is organized. Whether it’s a direct, indirect, russell, or other index, you will want to know how to find your relative’s name in it. We also talk about our ancestor, Edward Raymond Kelsey, and how we found a deed for his […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer June 17, 2019 Podcast

10 Ways to Group Your DNA Matches into Genetic Networks

Updated 22 February 2021 A great way to get the most out of the list of your DNA matches is to separate the people into groups that cluster around one of your ancestral lines. If you can divide your match list into groups, you can focus on finding the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) that you share with that cluster of people. Once that common ancestor or ancestral couple is identified, you can focus your […]

By Robin Wirthlin June 11, 2019 DNA, Organizing, Research Like a Pro, Research Tips

RLP 48: U.S. Land Records Part 1

In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss several reasons to research land. A land record may reveal the following: a family relationship, clues to past or present residence, associates, evidence of migration, and more. We also explain the differences between “state land states” and “federal land states” in the United States system of land distribution. We look at the metes and bounds system of land measurement as well as the grid system (township […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer June 10, 2019 Podcast

Back to the Basics: Cemetery Records Part 2

What types of cemetery records are available to shed light on your ancestor’s life? Have you considered searching for more than the headstone? A cemetery record can contain important genealogical information such as birth and death details, family relationships, and more. If we’re going to discover all we can about our ancestors, we need to be aware of the variety of cemetery records and what can be found in them. In Back to the Basics: […]

By Diana Elder June 6, 2019 Records, Research Tips

RLP 47 – Interview with Study Group Graduate Susan Modzelewski

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is an interview with Susan Modzelewski, a graduate of our Research Like a Pro study group. Susan is a member of the Pima County Genealogy Society, where she met Nicole. She has been doing family history for over 20 years. She said that at the beginning, “genealogy was fun, quick and easy. I thought researching my family was going to be a breeze. Then the research became […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer June 3, 2019 Podcast

RLP 46 – Scandinavian Research with Jenny Hansen, AG

Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about Scandinavian Research. We talk to Jenny Hansen, AG, who has been an accredited genealogy professional for 20 years. She tells us tips for researching relatives in the Scandinavian countries. We ask her all of our questions and learn more about researching our ancestors from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Her wealth of knowledge and experience is evident as she speaks. We’re so glad we got to talk […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer May 27, 2019 Podcast

Where in the World Has My DNA Traveled? DNA and Locality Research

Even if you don’t like to travel, your DNA has been places! There are myriad places where our countless ancestors lived over time. Many of these ancestors passed their DNA on to us. We each have a multitude of DNA segments that can be traced back to specific ancestors or ancestral couples. An exciting aspect of DNA research is that it can help us learn where our ancestors came from and where they settled. As […]

By Robin Wirthlin May 24, 2019 DNA, Research Like a Pro, Research Tips

Source, Information, and Evidence Analysis for a DNA Research Project

Are you hoping to use your DNA test results to break down a long-standing brick wall in your family tree? What are the steps you need to take? I’m using the Research Like a Pro process combined with DNA to tackle one of my mysteries and sharing my experience here. The first step in the research process is to create an objective based on your research question. In Creating an Objective for a DNA Research […]

By Diana Elder May 23, 2019 DNA, Research Tips

RLP 45 – Three Reasons to Revisit Your Research

In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss why you might want to go back to research that you did in the past and check it again. There are three specific reasons why we suggest doing this, which we talk about in this episode. Hint hint – you’ll discover more things as more records become available and online! Links 3 Reasons to Revisit Your Research – blog post by Diana How to Research Like […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer May 20, 2019 Podcast