As 2023 draws to a close, we thought it would be fun to review the most popular posts on Family Locket published this year. I’m not surprised that our most popular post was about ChatGPT. One of my favorite ways to use ChatGPT is to summarize articles. So, I thought it would be apropos to use it to summarize the articles below. Here they are!
1. Making ChatGPT a Valuable Genealogy Assistant – April 20, 2023
Laura Clark Murray wrote this wonderful introduction to using ChatGPT for genealogy, reviewing its potential and limitations. ChatGPT, an AI chatbot released in late 2022, excels in generating human-like responses but cannot discern fact from fiction, a crucial aspect for genealogical accuracy. Murray suggests using ChatGPT with verified data to craft ancestor narratives, revise texts for engagement, and extract genealogical details from documents. She highlights the need for precise prompts and cautions against accepting its outputs without verification, pointing out the tool’s potential for advanced genealogical tasks while advocating for careful data management to ensure factual correctness in genealogy research.
2. New Tool for DNA Segment Pattern Analysis – January 11, 2023
The blog post highlighted a new tool for DNA segment pattern analysis, known as the Library of Matches at DNA Painter, created by Cody Ely. This tool was effective in distinguishing between paternal and maternal grandparent DNA matches by examining segment patterns. Its usefulness was particularly noted in scenarios of recent unknown parentage, offering detailed insights into family relationships through DNA segment characteristics, as illustrated with examples from grandparents’ DNA tests.
3. Strategies for Overcoming Endogamy – January 5, 2023
This post discusses strategies for overcoming the complexities of genealogical research in endogamous populations, where people marry within the same community over generations. It highlights the challenges in DNA analysis due to shared DNA segments among community members, which can skew determination of ancestral relationships. The post offers methods like increasing thresholds for smallest segments and prioritizing matches based on segment length, as well as leveraging tools like DNA Painter for segment mapping. Case studies, including an investigation into a client’s French Canadian and Acadian ancestry, demonstrate practical applications of these strategies in genealogical research.
4. Cite-Builder: A Genealogy Source Citation Generator – March 3, 2023
The blog post discusses Cite-Builder, a genealogy source citation generator, introduced at the virtual RootsTech Conference. Created by Jenny and Andy Joyce, it assists in creating citations in the Evidence Explained style, with options for other styles. It offers templates for various records, including Australian, British, and U.S., with both free and premium versions available. The post includes a practical example of citing a birth certificate, highlighting the generator’s accuracy and ease of use, and also mentions the ongoing development of new templates for different record types.
5. Automated Source Citation Builders – October 17, 2023
This post discusses various automated source citation builders for genealogy research. It differentiates between fully-automated and semi-automated tools, explaining their utility in achieving consistency in citations. The article reviews academic tools like Zotero, MyBib, and BibGuru, which are adept at creating Chicago style citations, and genealogy-specific tools, including Record Seek and Online Repository Assistant, for generating Evidence Explained style citations. It emphasizes the importance of these tools in simplifying the citation process and maintaining consistency, which is crucial for genealogical writing.
6. Endogamy: Ashkenazi Jewish Case – January 18, 2023
Heidi Mathis discusses the complexities of endogamy within the Ashkenazi Jewish community and its implications for genealogical research. It highlights how the practice of marrying within a community over generations results in a unique DNA landscape, complicating the identification of familial connections. The post also explores the author’s personal journey in uncovering the effects of endogamy on their family tree, considering the varying levels of endogamy in different ancestral lines, including German, Irish, and Ashkenazi Jewish. Strategies for navigating and interpreting DNA matches in endogamous populations are also presented.
7. Uncovering the True Identity of James William Johnson: Part 1 Examining the FANs – April 25, 2023
In her blog post, Michelle Mickelson chronicles the intricate task of revealing the true identity of James William Johnson, who was originally Patrick Alford. She discusses the complexities of genealogical research, especially when dealing with name changes, and details her use of the FAN club method (analyzing family, associates, and neighbors), along with DNA and documentary evidence. This thorough investigation weaves through census records, marriage documents, and family anecdotes to piece together a complete family history.
8. Psychological Benefits of Family History Research – June 4, 2023
The post discusses a study from Brigham Young University highlighting the psychological benefits of family history research. The study found that individuals engaged in genealogical work, particularly students in a family history course, exhibited increased self-esteem, reduced anxiety, and enhanced family identification. These benefits are attributed to the sense of belonging and identity that comes from connecting with one’s ancestry. The post also suggests involving younger relatives in family history research to boost their psychological well-being.
9. How to Unmerge People of the Same Name on the FamilySearch Family Tree – June 24, 2023
This post provides a detailed guide on unmerging profiles of individuals with the same name on the FamilySearch Family Tree. It outlines a methodical approach to differentiate and restore profiles of similarly named individuals who have been incorrectly merged. The process involves examining change logs, listing and researching each individual, and updating their profiles with accurate, sourced information. Additionally, the post underscores the importance of adding alert notes to each profile to prevent future incorrect merges, ensuring that the FamilySearch Family Tree remains accurate and reliable for genealogical research.
10. Back to the Basics with Marriage Records Part 2 : Substitute Marriage Records – February 14, 2023
The focus of this post is on utilizing alternative marriage documents when traditional marriage records are unavailable. It provides a detailed overview of various substitute records such as family bibles, census details, military or pension files, newspaper articles, and divorce records, explaining how each can reveal marriage-related information. The article demonstrates, with real-life examples, the value of these alternatives in uncovering family histories, highlighting the need for cross-referencing to ensure data accuracy.
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