I’m delighted to introduce a new guest blogger to Family Locket – Rick T. Wilson. Rick joined us in our Research Like a Pro Study Group #7 and is a skilled researcher and writer. He is sharing a three-part series about his research to identify John Wilson’s origins using Y-DNA, autosomal DNA, documentary evidence, and historical context. Enjoy! -Nicole Identifying John Wilson’s Irish Origins, Part 1: Y-DNA Analysis by Rick T. Wilson Have you...
What progress can you really make in setting aside 30 minutes a day to research your family history? You may feel that you need a block of several hours at a time for research, but if you use a focused process, each day can build on the previous work. You’ll find yourself coming to the end of a project either having solved your objective or having laid a foundation for moving the research forward. I...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is a discussion of the book American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America by Colin Woodard. Heidi Mathis, one of our researchers, joins us to discuss the general idea of American Nations. The book gives us a hypothesis to understand U.S. history as we research our ancestors. Also, the book excitingly has DNA evidence to back up the hypothesis it proposes...
With 2021 coming to a close, we reflect on lessons learned. What progress did we make in our research? What do we want to learn in 2022? One of my favorite things about family history is the opportunity to research in new locations and times – opening up the opportunity for using new records and methodologies. One of the hot topics in the genealogy world is DNA and it comes as no surprise that seven...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is how to use RootsFinder, a family tree building online tool, to analyze your DNA matches and create a network graph – this time, with MyHeritage DNA matches. MyHeritage is unique because it shows you which of the shared matches triangulate. Network graphs consist of DNA matches, the nodes, and shared match connections, the lines between the nodes. With MyHeritage matches, you can create two types of network...
Do you sometimes feel frustrated as you try to sort out the connections between DNA matches and shared ancestors? I do, and I think we all need help with this from time to time. The AutoKinship tool at GeneticAffairs.com can quickly offer possible solutions to the problem. AutoKinship can help you construct a family tree of DNA matches from 23andMe that point to shared/common ancestors when there are few clues about who those ancestors are....
Mark your calendar for 1 April 2022 – not because it is April Fool’s Day – but because the National Archives will release the 1950 U.S. Federal Census on that day. What will this census offer us as genealogists? How can we access the data? How should we prepare? Let’s consider each of these questions in turn. What Information will the 1950 U.S. Federal Census Hold? The United States Census Bureau has made the 1950...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about how to use RootsFinder, a family tree building online tool, to analyze your DNA matches and create a network graph. Network graphs consist of DNA matches, the nodes, and shared match connections, the lines between the nodes. In RootsFinder, you import your matches and then link them to the common ancestor in your tree. Then they are automatically colored. Viewing the matches in triangulation/cluster view allows...
In a previous post, I wrote about making a network graph using the RootsFinder triangulation/cluster view with AncestryDNA shared matches. Today, I’m sharing how to make a network graph at RootsFinder with MyHeritage matches. RootsFinder can create a network graph based on segment triangulation, which is a unique feature. You can also create a separate MyHeritage network graph using just shared matches (and no triangulation data). I will show how to do both types of...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about Diana’s Dillard project. For the RLP with DNA study group, she is exploring the possibility that a cluster of DNA matches from her second cousin’s network graph are related through Cynthia Dillard’s parents. The MRCA of the cluster appears to be Elijah Dillard. In this assignment, Diana wrote a report. She shares some of her findings. Read her report by clicking on the link below. Transcript...
