Podcast – Family Locket

RLP 415: Testing AI’s Ability to Map Historical Land Records

Jun 22, 2026

Diana Elder and Nicole Dyer examine the current capabilities of artificial intelligence for mapping historical land records. Nicole tests ChatGPT’s ability to convert a metes and bounds description from an 1788 Arnold-West deed into an accurate land plat drawing. She compares the AI-generated results against a verified plat she previously created using DeedMapper software. Nicole experiments with several prompting strategies, including simple prompts, chain-of-thought, and meta-prompting. She discovers that while basic image generation struggles to...

RLP 414: A Trip to the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center

Jun 15, 2026

Diana and Nicole share their recent visit to the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where they explore the facility’s premier resources. Listeners learn how to use the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) to locate articles by keyword, surname, or locality. The pair explains the value of city directories for tracking individuals after 1950 to uncover addresses and occupations. They also offer guidance on utilizing published family histories, specifically on evaluating an...

RLP 413: Using Claude’s Custom Skills for Genealogy Research Reports

Jun 8, 2026

Hosts Nicole and Diana discuss using Claude’s Custom Skills to automate genealogical report writing. Nicole begins by sharing her previous, challenging attempt to transform a Baldy Dyer research log spreadsheet into a research report using earlier Claude models. Diana provides an overview of Claude, noting its models (Haiku, Sonnet, Opus) and new features like Custom Skills, which are similar to Custom GPTs. Nicole explains that she set up a Custom Skill to convert spreadsheet files...

RLP 412: Acadian Genealogy and Ancestral Intuition with Judy Nimer Muhn

Jun 1, 2026

The episode features guest Judy Nimer Muhn, a professional genealogist and author who specializes in French-Canadian, Acadian, and Indigenous ancestry. Judy is also the owner of Lineage Journeys and serves as the President of the Michigan Genealogical Council. Nicole and Diana discuss Acadian research with Judy, focusing on how she defines the Acadians and distinguishes them from French-Canadians. Nicole asks for the critical first steps researchers should take when beginning to use Acadian records, such...

RLP 411: 23andMe Clustering and Chromosome Browser

May 25, 2026

This episode of the Research Like a Pro Genealogy podcast focuses on the latest updates from 23andMe: the new DNA Relatives Clustering feature and the return of the chromosome browser. Nicole introduces the topic by explaining that both features are now available for premium users, stating that this move, while potentially disappointing for some, is necessary to support the profitability of DNA testing companies. Diana discusses the brand new DNA Relatives Clustering feature, clarifying that...

RLP 410: Catholic Nun Research with Sunny Morton

May 18, 2026

This episode of the Research Like a Pro Genealogy podcast features guest Sunny Morton. Sunny is a genealogy educator, writer, and editor who specializes in US records, particularly those of religious denominations. She is the author of Searching for Sisters: A Guide to Researching Catholic Nuns in the United States. The discussion begins with the motivation behind writing the book, Searching for Sisters. Then, Sunny shares what the religious life was like for Catholic sisters...

RLP 409: Negative Search Results vs. Negative Evidence: When Nothing Found Means Something

May 11, 2026

On this episode of Research Like a Pro, Diana and Nicole discuss how to transform unsuccessful searching into powerful proof by distinguishing between negative search results and negative evidence. Diana mentions that she is reading an article from the National Genealogical Society Quarterly about a DNA cluster that links two distant lines of descent. Diana shares that a search that yields “nothing” may be exactly the evidence a genealogist needs, drawing from her presentation at...

RLP 408: Buried Secrets – Interview with Anne Hanson

May 4, 2026

This episode of Research Like a Pro features an illuminating interview with author and genealogist Anne Hanson. Anne is the author of Buried Secrets: Looking for Frank and Ida, a deeply personal family history that uncovers the hidden past of her paternal grandparents. A lifelong genealogist and writer, Anne specializes in researching ordinary lives in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Sweden, with a special interest in the late 19th and first half of...

RLP 407: Agentic Browsers and Native Integrations: Second Edition of RLP with AI

Apr 27, 2026

This episode focuses on the newly updated second edition of the Research Like a Pro with AI genealogy workbook. Nicole and Diana discuss how the book shifts its attention from early 2025 models to the most powerful models available in mid-February 2026, specifically ChatGPT 5.2, Claude Opus 4.6, and Gemini 3. Diana highlights the most significant change, which is the introduction of “agentic” browsers, including Claude in Chrome, Perplexity Comet, and ChatGPT Atlas. These autonomous...

RLP 406: Goldie May’s New AI Tool with Richard Miller

Apr 20, 2026

This episode features guest Richard Miller, who discusses the Goldie May AI assistant. Richard explains the AI assistant was added to provide genealogists with an injection of brain power when they feel stuck on a family line. He says the tool helps users find answers by proposing different thinking options. They discuss how the tool assists with core research tasks. The AI assistant helps with research objectives by reviewing sources for gaps and performing pedigree...

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RLP 415: Testing AI’s Ability to Map Historical Land Records

RLP 414: A Trip to the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center

RLP 413: Using Claude’s Custom Skills for Genealogy Research Reports

RLP 412: Acadian Genealogy and Ancestral Intuition with Judy Nimer Muhn

RLP 411: 23andMe Clustering and Chromosome Browser

RLP 410: Catholic Nun Research with Sunny Morton

RLP 409: Negative Search Results vs. Negative Evidence: When Nothing Found Means Something

RLP 408: Buried Secrets – Interview with Anne Hanson

RLP 407: Agentic Browsers and Native Integrations: Second Edition of RLP with AI

RLP 406: Goldie May’s New AI Tool with Richard Miller

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