Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about the story of Eliza Ann Isenhour (1850-1898) and the family lore that claims she was a full-blooded Cherokee. The conversation starts with the 1884 incident that left Eliza a widow with four young children and another on the way after her husband, William Henderson Shults, died following an accident. Faced with the challenges of widowhood, Eliza remarries Jacob Meek, and they eventually move to Indian Territory,...
Do you have instances of multiple relationships, such as double cousins, or pedigree collapse, in your family tree? If so, the new third-party DNA tool BanyanDNA can help you analyze the amount of DNA you share with your cousins. Leah Larkin introduced Banyan DNA in December of 2023, and in that blog post she wrote: BanyanDNA is unlike any other tool for genetic genealogy. Not only can it help you identify an unknown parent, grandparent,...
In this episode, we discuss breaking up complex research projects into phases. This is a great way to make progress on a research question that might otherwise seem daunting. We’ll talk about how to identify the mother of Elsie, a woman born in 1820, as an example of how to set up phases for research. We’ll also discuss how to determine which phases are necessary and how to write research objectives. We wrap it up...
Exploring the use of artificial intelligence chatbots for creating written content is the new frontier – full of uncertainties and unknowns. Organizations that once prohibited the use of LLMs for research papers are now allowing them, as long as authors are fact-checking the output and attempting to cite potentially copyrighted materials included in the output. In 2023, the International Conference on Machine Learning prohibited the use of LLMs in their call for papers. In 2024,...
Have you wondered how DNA segment data could help with a research project? I have been working on a chromosome map in DNA Painter for several years and gradually added matches that I’ve identified descending from one of my ancestral couples. For my Cline DNA research project, I’m seeking genetic evidence confirming my hypothesis that John C. Cline is the father of Clemsy (Cline) Weatherford. Using the segment tools that are part of GEDmatch’s Tier...
In episode #300 of Research Like a Pro, Diana and Nicole discuss the evolution of their genealogy research methodology, Research Like a Pro (RLP), over the years, focusing on past, present, and future perspectives. Past Developments: Technology: Initially, Diana and Nicole utilized tools like PAF and Ancestral Quest for family trees, Google Sheets for research logs, and Evernote for notes. They also used a lot of paper files and some digital files for organization. Genealogy...
A previous post, “Unlocking the Mystery of the Feast Day Calendar,” told the story of the feast day calendar, how it’s made up, and what to look for in church records. This post will take you through the process of using the feast day calendar. The church book samples are from Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish records. Danish Christening Record Let’s start with a christening record from Alsønderup parish in Fredriksborg, Denmark.1 A christening record from...
In this episode of Research Like a Pro, we discuss strategies for researching ancestors who emigrated to the United States after 1820, emphasizing the wealth of ship manifests and other records available for identifying individuals among those with the same name. We explore immigration trends from the 19th to the early 20th century, the impact of U.S. immigration laws on the process, and the roles of key immigration stations like Castle Garden and Ellis Island....
Diana and Nicole discuss tracing ancestors back to the Colonial Era in the United States, emphasizing the scarcity of immigration records before the establishment of the U.S. Federal Government in 1789. They highlight strategies such as cluster research and the use of DNA testing to overcome the challenge of limited documentation, particularly for those who emigrated from England, Scotland, France, Germany, and other regions. They explain the significance of creating a locality guide based on...
Welcome to the final post of our six-part series, “Key Records and Repositories,” where we’ve journeyed through the multifaceted world of genealogical research in the Southwestern United States. This concluding article highlights an often-overlooked treasure trove for genealogists: University and Private Collections. Venturing beyond the usual archives and public records, we uncover the hidden gems and specialized resources nestled within academic institutions, private holdings, and dedicated organizations. This guide aims to arm you with knowledge...
