Don’t Trust Derivative Records for Genealogical Research

Errors in transcripted records can cause us to miss relevant documents or send us on an eroneous search. This post exemplifies the importance in locating original records #ancestry #familyhistory #genealogy

DNA and Google Maps: Breaking Through Brick Walls to Reveal a Love Story

Our DNA holds the answers to many of our family history mysteries, and simple tools like Google Maps can help make the task of breaking through these brick walls easier. See how my cousin learned the identity of his great grandfather.

#ancestry #familyhistory #ancestrydna #genealogy #ancestors @ancestry

Crowdsourced Genealogy

Crowdsourcing is an under utilized family history research tool. Social media tools can make it difficult to search and archive information. Other tools fail to reach large numbers of people online. A research problem is presented for crowdsourced assistance as inspiration for the capabilities of true crowdsourcing.

Finding Your Ancestors in Thrift Stores

We spend so much time searching for our ancestors online that we sometimes forget to visit thrift stores for lost family heirlooms. #ancestry #familyhistory #genealogy

Genealogical Evidentiary Networks: A Tool for Presenting Indirect Evidence

Organizing and presenting indirect evidence can be a challenge. Using the Genealogical Evidentiary Network diagram can help you write overcome these challenges. #ancestry #genealogy #familyhistory

Poor Ancestors are not Invisible: Part 3, Debtor Records

Courthouse debtor records can provide valuable insights into understanding the plight of our ancestors and may also discover important vital statistics. Several case studies highlight the rich information found in these sources. #ancestry #genealogy #familyhistory

Poor Ancestors are not Invisible: Part 2, Poorhouse Records

Poorhouse records can provide valuable insights into understanding the plight of our ancestors and also discover important vital statistics. Several case studies highlight the rich information found in these sources. #ancestry #genealogy #familyhistory

Poor Ancestors are not Invisible: Part 1, Pension Applications

Pension applications can provide valuable insights into our poor ancestors’ lives including vital statistics. Several case studies highlight the rich information found in these sources. #ancestry #genealogy #familyhistory

Genealogical Indexes: Friend or Foe?

Indexes of genealogical records can be a researcher’s best friend helping us quickly locate relevant records. Yet, indexes can also cause us to misinterpret information. #ancestry #genealogy #familyhistory

Land Deed Witnesses: Clues to Family Relationships

Land deeds provide more information than the locations of where our ancestors lived. Witnesses can help break through stubborn genealogical brick walls. #ancestry #genealogy #familyhistory

Breaking Through 18th and 19th Century Brick Walls: ‘Don’t Let Go of Your EGGOS’

How to break through genealogical brick walls using an EGGOS search strategy with shared or in-common with DNA matches. #ancestry #genealogy #familyhistory @ancestry

Using Handwriting to Prove a Relationship: When the Writing is not on the Wall

Handwriting analysis can be used to break through genealogy brick walls. See how… #ancestry #genealogy #familyhistory @Ancestry

Targeted Y-DNA Testing: Uniting a Band of Brothers, Part 2

In the previous blog post, I introduced the research objective, which was to use Y-DNA testing to determine whether five Wilson men, who were all living in a small rural Meigs County, Ohio town, were brothers. The hope was that if I could do so, I would be able to cast a wider genealogical net

Targeted Y-DNA Testing: Uniting a Band of Brothers, Part 1

Sometimes the solution to breaking through your own genealogical brick walls resides within the DNA of other people. You could wait around for that “other” person to test, or you could proactively search that person out. Constructing a research plan to find the living descendants of the family to whom you think you are connected

Identifying John Wilson’s Irish Origins, Part 3: Documentary Evidence & Conclusions

Using both Y-DNA and autosomal DNA (at-DNA) in the previous two blog posts, the ancestral origin of John Wilson (1716-1799) appears to be in an area east of Enniskillen, which is the largest town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The purpose of the final blog post is to use documentary evidence to corroborate previous findings