FamilySearch announced at RootsTech last week that they have launched a full-text search powered by artificial intelligence. It currently includes the US Land and Probate Records and Mexico Notary Records collections. This is still an “experiment” in FamilySearch labs, available at https://www.familysearch.org/Labs/, but it already includes over 100,000,000 records, with more collections to be added in the coming months. I tested the full-text search on my brick wall, the father of John Robert Dyer, born...
Are you ready to organize your DNA matches? Creating a Leeds cluster chart to divide your closer matches into four grandparent groups can get you started. Through trial and error, I’ve learned some tips that will help you be more successful. What is a Leeds Chart Dana Leeds developed this methodology in July 2018 while helping a person with unknown parentage discover their biological family. With this type of case, you don’t have the luxury...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro we delve into the intricacies of naturalization records, with a special focus on 20th-century cases. A significant part of the episode is dedicated to a case study of Adolph Salmon, a German immigrant. We discuss how Diana traced his naturalization journey through various records, including census data, newspapers, and court documents. We highlight the significance of creating timelines and merging information from diverse sources to reveal a comprehensive...
Online Repository Assistant (https://www.ora-extension.com), also known as ORA, is a browser extension and Windows application created by John Cardinal. It works with many common online “repositories” like FamilySearch, Ancestry, FindaGrave, FindMyPast, Fold3, and more, to extract data from records and make it easier to paste text into your genealogy software or research report. I wrote a little about it in my post, Automated Source Citation Builders. ORA allows you to create your own text templates...
Did you know you can have an automatic research log with Goldie May? Goldie May is a genealogy research assistant tool created by Richard Miller available for Chrome and Firefox. Essentially it is a browser extension that opens a sidebar to help you log your research-in-progress. The research log tool in Goldie May helps you manage projects and logs websites you visit. Not only does it create an automatic research log for you, tracking the...
If you are using Airtable for tracking DNA matches and logging documentary research, I’m excited to share an update to the RLP with DNA base template available in Airtable Universe. Each year I make updates based on my own experience and suggestions from others. I usually do this before our Research Like a Pro with DNA study group begins. The group is in full swing right now, and we are using the new base I...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about the evolution of naturalization laws in the U.S., tracing how these laws have shaped the process of becoming an American citizen from the country’s early days to the modern era. By examining specific acts from 1790 through to the 20th century, we shed light on the legal landscape that our ancestors navigated as they sought to establish new lives in America. This exploration not only aids...
In this fourth installment of our six-part series, “Key Records and Repositories,” we dig into the rich and textured history of the Southwestern United States through the lens of mining and agricultural records. These records are not only treasures of historical data but also vital tools for genealogists seeking to unearth the stories of their ancestors in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. We will explore the genealogical importance of these records, guiding...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about naturalization records in the United States. We review the genealogical information naturalization records can hold, and discuss various records created in the process. We talk about Declarations of Intention (first papers), Petitions for Naturalization (second or final papers), and Certificates of Naturalization. We also go over the use of census records for clues about naturalization status, including columns for alien status, declaration of intent filed, and...
This blog post was partially written using Artificial Intelligence based on my research report on Valentine Shults. Unlocking the Mysteries of Johan “Valentine” Velten Shults Johan “Valentine” Velten Shults was born in 1715 in Darmstadt, Germany, and immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1731. He married twice and died in 1745. But who exactly was this early German immigrant to America? Genealogists have puzzled over conflicting records about his parentage and life in Germany. I recently completed...
