In Episode 350 of the Research Like a Pro Genealogy podcast, Diana and Nicole discuss Florence Matilda (Creer) Kelsey’s first job. Diana begins by asking Nicole what she has been working on or reading. Diana recaps RootsTech, mentioning classes on AI, locality research, and transcriptions, as well as meeting listeners. Diana then introduces the subject of the episode by asking listeners if they remember their first job outside the home. She notes that ancestors also...
In this episode of Research Like a Pro, Nicole and Diana discuss their ancestor, William Henry Kelsey, and the spiritual manifestations he recorded in his diary. They explore William’s early life in England, his conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his missionary service. The discussion includes details about William’s family, his various residences, and his marriage to Harriet Huggett. Nicole shares specific entries from William’s diary, including accounts of spiritual...
In this episode of Research Like a Pro, Diana and Nicole discuss how to choose a favorite photo out of a large collection. Diana shares a photo of her grandfather, Edward Raymond Kelsey, on his horse, Pal, and talks about his love for horses. She experimented with using AI to analyze the photo and shares her findings. Diana used Mark Thompson’s Historical Photo Analyzer custom GPT and was impressed with the results. The AI provided...
Have you inherited family heirlooms that are a mystery? We might inherit Grandma’s china or Grandpa’s stopwatch and know something about their use and importance. Other items might challenge us to research them in an effort to understand more about our ancestors. I recently took Gena Philbert Ortega’s institute course, “Material Culture” and am now inspired to use the physical objects I’ve inherited to further my knowledge and understanding of their past. At the end...
Spiritual manifestations were recorded among early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Like Joseph Smith’s vision of an angel, my ancestor, William Henry Kelsey recorded spiritual manifestations that occurred to himself and others in his diary during his time as a young missionary in England. This is the third post in my series about my ancestors and church history following this year’s Come Follow Me curriculum. This week’s lesson is titled,...
How do you choose a favorite photo out of a large collection? I came across this photo of my grandfather, Edward Raymond Kelsey, on his horse, Pal, and decided it would be a perfect time to write about Grandpa Kelsey and his love for horses. I also wanted to experiment with using AI to help analyze a photo and learned its a great way to start researching a photo from your collection. Ed and His...
In today’s episode of Research Like a Pro, we delve into the life of William Henry Kelsey Jr. (1856-1918), exploring his various roles as a tradesman, entrepreneur, and homesteader. His ventures in the sawmill industry, wholesale fruit and berry business, and homesteading in Idaho are thoroughly examined. Personal accounts from his children enrich our understanding of his experiences and contributions. We also consider his impact on his family and community, highlighting his entrepreneurial spirit. As...
Do you have a diary or journal of an ancestor? If so, you have a treasure full of details that could give you a window into their lives. Because a diary can only be physically in one place at a time, transcribing or scanning the diary and then sharing it with family members is a wonderful gift. My maternal grandmother, Florence Matilda (Creer) Kelsey, was born on on 12 December 1892 in Spanish Fork, Utah, ...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about our ancestor, Selina (Beddoes) Kelsey. Selina lived until age 97, and was regularly featured in Utah newspapers due to being one of the last pioneers to arrive in Utah by wagon (before the railroad). Selina was only 4 years old when she crossed from Nebraska to Salt Lake City by covered wagon. Diana organized the newspaper clippings into a timeline in Airtable to keep track of...
Do you have an ancestor who was a tradesman and entrepreneur – trying his hand at many enterprises? Exploring this aspect of his life can add color and interest to his life history. Such is the case with my great grandfather, William Henry Kelsey Jr. Histories written by two of his children give fascinating views of his life and especially his work, first in the sawmill industry and then in the wholesale fruit and berry...