A Revolutionary Tool: FamilySearch “Full-Text Search” During RootsTech, an exciting development was announced: the launch of FamilySearch Labs. Among these experimental tools is one described as “Find Results with Full-Text Search.” Although more databases will soon be added, currently this tool can search United States land and probate records from 1630 to 1975. What makes this tool a game-changer? Full-text Searches: Discover records previously difficult to locate, including unindexed documents and those where ancestors are mentioned in less direct roles, such as witnesses or neighbors. Dynamic Search Functions: Utilize quotation marks for exact searches, “+” for mandatory inclusion of specific...
While taking Stephen Little’s Advanced AI course through NGS, I discovered how to create custom GPTs. If you’re active on Facebook, you might have seen the images I’ve been crafting of Lilly and Bo, Mateo and Shadow, and my grandmother, Hazel. Stay tuned, as I’ll be sharing those “bots” soon! Lilly and Bo visiting a canyon created with Dall-E Today, I’m excited to share two bots I created that assist in calculating birthdates from census records. (Note: You will need the paid version of ChatGPT to access these.) 1790 to 1840: Tick Mark Calculator (click here) My first creation was...
As genealogists, we eagerly seek photographs of our ancestors. But photographs are more than mere snapshots; they are time capsules, capturing fleeting moments and preserving them for future generations. These visual records are more than faces and places, but stories, emotions, and a tangible link to those who came before us. A Cherished Photo: Frank & Anna’s 1895 Wedding Scanned copy of Frank Kaechle & Anna Adam’s 1895 wedding portrait in my collection with unknown origins Children of German immigrants, my great grandparents, Frank Kaechle (1868-1911) and Anna Adam (1867-1936), were united in matrimony on 17 July 1895 at St....
In November 2013, I experienced a milestone in my genealogical journey: my first leap “across the pond.” Now, a decade later, the thrill of that discovery still lingers vividly in my mind. Seeing a document that connected me to my family’s origins, in their own homeland, was not just incredible—it was a profound moment of revelation and connection. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Health, Certificate of Death no. 113815 (1923), Sarah Jane Merrill; digital images, “Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Certificates, 1906-1970,” Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 January 2024). Sarah (Eastwood) Merrill (1848-1923) was my 2nd great grandmother. Her death certificate...
Have you ever wondered how to organize nearly 2,000 archival images from a genealogy research trip? That’s exactly what I’ve been up to this week as I’ve started to process the images from my trip to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). I want to share my journey and some lessons learned that might help you in your future archival adventures. Learning on the Go My NARA trip was a valuable learning experience, and here are a couple of key takeaways: Scanning Pull Slips: My research consultant, Sandy Rumble of Rumble Soft, shared a fantastic tip that transformed my...
My grandmother, Hazel, holding her baby sister Beulah, who got me interested in genealogy Do you have family lore or legends passed down through generations? My genealogical journey began with a fascinating tale: a link to Pocahontas. This story, proudly shared in newspapers for almost a century, sparked curiosity in my great aunt Beulah. Twenty-five years ago, she ignited my passion for genealogy. A 1927 Newspaper Clipping In 1998, Beulah introduced me to genealogy and shared her digital research files. Among these was a 1927 obituary transcript for James Madison Randolph, first cousin of Josiah Randolph Coppenbarger (1844–1934)—Beulah’s maternal grandfather...
After my last post about my research trip to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington D.C., I’ve received several inquiries. Some of you are curious about the specific records I accessed there, which weren’t available on the BLM GLO (Bureau of Land Management General Land Office) site or HistoryGeo. I’m eager to share some details with you! At NARA, my focus was on three key types of land records: Cash Sales, Bounty Land (Military Warrants), and Homestead Entries. Each category offers different types of documents that can potentially help you with your family research. In this post,...
The Long-Awaited Trip to NARA For years, I’ve dreamed of researching at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington, D.C. It just hadn’t worked out until about two weeks before the East Coast Genetic Genealogy Conference (ECGGC). Realizing I’d be close to D.C., I seized the opportunity. My preparations for this first NARA research trip were thorough, and they paid off! I returned home with almost 2,000 images of land and military records for my family studies. A Rocky Start at NARA Although I felt quite prepared, my first day at NARA wasn’t problem-free. I had planned to...
Have you struggled with an AncestryDNA ThruLines hints that you were sure was incorrect? You’re not alone! In my last post, I started analyzing the ThruLines for the potential parents of my dad’s 3rd great-grandmother, Sarah “Sally” Vaughan (1787–1859). Case Study: John and Amelia (Jones) Vaughan ThruLines, an AncestryDNA tool that provides hints or suggestions for potential ancestors based on DNA matches and family trees, indicated that Sarah’s parents might be John and Amelia (Jones) Vaughan. However, my research suggested otherwise. ThruLines proposed 19 DNA matches that might connect my dad to other children of John and Amelia. Over the...
While I’m a big fan of the hints from AncestryDNA ThruLines, we know they aren’t always correct. In my classes, I always emphasize the need to “prove or disprove” these hints. Just yesterday, I decided to put this into practice with a ThruLines hint that resurfaced this weekend while I was teaching about AncestryDNA’s tools. ThruLines pointed to a certain couple as the potential parents of one of my direct ancestors. Hundreds of online family trees agreed. But were they right? As it turns out, traditional research led to a strong conclusion: hundreds of trees, along with AncestryDNA ThruLines, had...
