This podcast episode focuses on the genealogy of two women, Clarinda Knapp Allen and Jerusha Barden Smith, and their connection to early settlers and significant figures in American history and the Latter-day Saint movement. Nicole discusses her husband’s ancestry, specifically how his relatives married into the Hyrum Smith family. She then shifts focus to one of her own ancestors, Clarinda Knapp, whose relationship to Hyrum Smith’s wife, Jerusha Barden, becomes the central point of discussion....
This episode focuses on Anna Nash and the Cowdery family connections. Nicole and Diana discuss the genealogical links between Nicole’s husband’s family and Oliver Cowdery, a prominent figure in early LDS church history. They start with Oliver Cowdery’s background, including his work with Joseph Smith and his later life. The episode then shifts to Oliver’s half-sister, Phebe Lawrence Cowdery, and her marriage to Daniel Smith Jackson, who has a connection to Nicole’s husband’s ancestor, Anna...
On my recent trip to Alabama, I had the opportunity to visit Chambers County, where my third great-grandparents, Thomas and Cynthia Royston, settled in the mid-1800s. I visited the cemetery where Thomas was buried and viewed the land he owned. I previously wrote about researching him at the Alabama Department of History and Archives and the Chambers County Courthouse, and in this blog post, I’ll use that research as well as my previous findings to tell...
I’m excited to announce that I’ll be coordinating Course 4 at the Texas Institute of Genealogical Research (TIGR) 2025, titled “Integrating AI into Genealogical Research and Writing.” This course will explore how genealogists can effectively harness artificial intelligence tools while maintaining high standards of quality in their research and writing. Each day will have a theme, like research or transcription. There will be daily homework options as well as a dedicated hands-on session for the...
Nicole and Diana discuss the life of Phinehas Richards, Nicole’s husband’s 4th-great-grandfather. Nicole shares details about Phinehas’s life, including his birth in Massachusetts, his marriage to Wealthy Dewey, and his work as a cabinet maker. She recounts Phinehas’s conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, his baptism by Brigham Young, and his ordination as a high priest. Diana talks about Phinehas receiving a patriarchal blessing from Joseph Smith Senior in Kirtland, Ohio....
What can you find at the county courthouse? Records kept on the county level, such as deeds, mortgages, marriages, wills, guardianships, etc., are vital for our research. Although many of these items may be available online, some likely exist only at the courthouse. A trip to the courthouse may be in order if we want to perform reasonably exhaustive research. I recently visited Chambers County, Alabama, the residence of my ancestor, Thomas Beverly Royston, from...
Nicole and Diana discuss citing digitized records from FamilySearch. Nicole explains that FamilySearch has billions of digitized records that can be attached, downloaded, or added to a research log. They emphasize the importance of precise source citations. Diana illustrates the challenge of citing digitized microfilm records, using an example from Russell County, Alabama’s Orphan’s Court Docket. She explains that the same record can be accessed through “Images” or the FamilySearch Catalog, resulting in different image...
After exhausting online resources, genealogists often wonder what else can be found in a government archive. These important repositories house many collections important to researchers, such as government records, county records, manuscript collections, and more. In my recent visit to the Alabama Department of Archives & History, I discovered another record that shed light on the life of my ancestor, Thomas B. Royston. I had researched him extensively in both DeKalb and Chambers County Alabama...
Nicole and Diana discuss Levi Richards’ journal account of Joseph Smith’s First Vision. Nicole shares her personal connection to Levi Richards, who is her husband’s 4th-great-granduncle and the brother of Willard Richards. They talk about Levi’s life, his mission to England, and his role as a physician. They then focus on Levi’s journal and its significance as a historical source, specifically the 11 June 1843 entry where Levi recorded Joseph Smith’s testimony about the First...
In this episode of Research Like a Pro, Diana and Nicole discuss the challenge of separating women with the same name in genealogical research, specifically focusing on two women named Cleo Zinn. Diana explains how she encountered a mystery DNA match that led her to research Mary Clem Carpenter and her daughter, Cleo. She discovers conflicting information about Cleo, including multiple husbands, death dates, and birthplaces. Diana details how she uses her Airtable research log...
