In this episode, Nicole and Diana discuss Joseph Lee Robinson and the Book of Covenants. Joseph Lee Robinson was Nicole’s husband’s 4th-great-grandfather, who joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1836. He wrote an autobiography in 1883, where he described his conversion and testimony. The hosts explain the religious fervor in the United States during that time, known as the Second Great Awakening. They discuss Joseph’s conversion experience, his brother Ebenezer’s role...
This year I am studying the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the context surrounding my ancestors’ membership in the early church. Many of my ancestors and my husband’s ancestors were baptized into the Church in the 1830s and 1840s. A study of the digitized manuscripts available from The Joseph Smith Papers as well as The Church History Catalog shed light on the context surrounding our ancestor’s lives. My goal is to...
In this episode, Diana and Nicole discuss finding immigration records for ancestors arriving in the United States after 1906. They provide a timeline of important immigration laws and their impacts, such as the 1906 establishment of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, the 1917 Immigration Act, the 1921 Emergency Quota Act, the 1924 National Origins Act, the 1945 War Brides Act, the 1948 Displaced Persons Act, the 1952 Immigration and Naturalization Act, and the 1965...
In today’s episode of Research Like a Pro, we explore the life of Nancy Briscoe Fraser during the Civil War. We focus on the often overlooked experiences of women in this era, specifically examining Nancy’s life in the Ozarks. We discuss her marriage to a Confederate soldier amidst the conflict and her life after the war. This conversation emphasizes the resilience of women like Nancy during the Civil War and highlights the importance of uncovering...
Some books can draw you in from the first page and keep you entranced until the last page. This Tender Land is that type of book. Set in the midwestern during the 1930s, we meet a host of characters – some good and some evil. As family historians, reading historical fiction provides us with a look at an era our ancestors lived through. We can gain new perspectives into the challenges they faced. This Tender...
When we think of the American Civil War and the havoc it wrought upon the southern states and the nation as a whole, how often do we consider the women left behind? The soldier who fought may have military records stating specifics, but we seldom have any account of the soldier’s mother, sisters, or wife. In that case, we need to research the soldier and then dig into the historical accounts that can shed light...
