Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about our ancestor, Elizabeth Malissa Welch. We continue our discussion of pruning and grafting branches of our family tree by discussing the case of Malissa’s parents. We had previously concluded that Meredith and Susannah Welch of Sumter County, South Carolina were her parents, but as we revisited the conclusion, we found a different set of parents that fit the evidence better. Links Caring for Your Family Tree: How to Prune and Graft Branches Based on Sources and Analysis by Diana at Family Locket https://rootstech.org Research Like a Pro eCourse Study Group –...
Have you wondered how you could make a difference in the genealogy world? Your research may be fairly straightforward or have many challenges. For those researching African American ancestors, the brick wall appears relatively soon – generally prior to 1870. Dealing with the lack of surnames in the antebellum era, forced separation of families, and record loss requires a focused approach and pouring through many record collections. Fortunately, more useful records are becoming available and efforts by volunteers to index these records can make all the difference. In this guest blog post, we learn how two researchers, Stacy Cole and...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about revisiting previous conclusions in your family tree. Have you been carefully adding new branches – or have you added extra ancestors based on hints and suggestions from online programs without much analysis? How about past research – is it up to current standards? If you are like us, some of the branches of your family tree might need pruning out and perhaps some new ancestors grafted in. How can we be more prudent in working with our tree? It all starts with sources and analysis. Join Diana and me as we...
In previous posts, we discussed research methods to determine where your ancestor came from in Ireland, and we examined available resources both in the U.S. and in Ireland. If you’ve discovered a placename associated with your ancestor, whether in U.S. or Irish records, you may ask yourself: where in Ireland is this? A lot of places in Ireland carry the same name: did your ancestor come from Ballymoney in County Antrim, or in County Cork? You may also ask: does my ancestor have a house, farmland, or a tombstone that I can visit? Today we’ll talk about the largest to...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about evaluating AncestryDNA Thrulines hypotheses. If you have ever received a Thruline for a potential ancestor and weren’t sure if it was worth pursuing, we will discuss a checklist of criteria that make up a reliable Thrulines. We will also talk about some red flags to watch out for then give several case studies Thrulines we have evaluated. Links How to Evaluate an AncestryDNA Thrulines Hypothesis by Nicole at Family Locket Strategies for Using Ancestry Thrulines in DNA Research by Diana at Family Locket The Danger of Distant Matches by Blaine Bettinger...
In this series we’ve discussed the important resources to consult for your Irish ancestor in America. At this point, you should hopefully be armed with some specifics about your ancestor, their Irish-born family, and an idea of what province, county, or parish they came from in Ireland. Now, we will cross the Atlantic and examine the resources you will use in Ireland to pinpoint your ancestral family. First, it’s crucial to provide some historical context for Ireland and its records. As far back as the 18th century, most of the Irish population outside of Ulster were tenant farmers who rented...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about publishing a proof argument or case study in a genealogical journal. We talk about advice Nicole received from authors of DNA case studies published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ). They shared some of the benefits and challenges of submitting a DNA case study for publication including peer review, contacting people for permission, and the length constraints of a journal article. Links How to Write and Publish a Proof Argument with DNA Evidence by Nicole at Family Locket DNA Case Studies in the NGSQ – Google Sheets Document Board for...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about the DNA Standards in the Board for Certification of Genealogist’s Genealogy Standards manual. These DNA standards were added in 2019 as part of the second edition of Genealogy Standards. We discuss some applications of the DNA standards to our own work and ideas for how to meet them. Links How to Write and Publish a Proof Argument with DNA Evidence by Nicole at Family Locket Genealogy Research in the 21st Century Part 4: Learning to Use DNA and Standards by Nicole at Family Locket Genealogy Standards – book by the Board...
This is part 3 of a six-part series on how to trace your Irish ancestor back to Ireland. In parts 1 and 2, we looked at the important questions to ask about your ancestor and how to find answers in American records. In this post, we’ll look at another strategy to find your ancestor’s Irish origins: analyzing family, community, and DNA. Family Let’s say you checked all the resources listed in part 2 of this series, but you’re still no closer to finding your ancestor’s birthplace in Ireland. You’re not alone in that respect; many Irish immigrants left little imprint...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about writing a DNA proof argument. First we discuss three types of proofs: proof statements, proof summaries, and proof arguments. Then we talk about how to organize a proof argument that includes DNA evidence. We discuss figures and tables and how to include numerical data. Join us as we discuss how to write DNA proof arguments! Links How to Write and Publish a Proof Argument with DNA Evidence by Nicole DNA Case Studies in the NGSQ – Google Sheets Document RLP 125: Privacy and Permission in DNA Report Writing Mastering Genealogical Proof...
