Webinars on YouTube
Case Studies:
Researching with a Purpose
Researching with a Purpose – Tracing the Roots of Gen. Daniel “Chappie” James (39:36): This episode demonstrates how to conduct focused family history research that addresses a specific genealogical question by targeting research towards those records most likely to answer that question. I use a case study based on my research into the family history of Gen. Daniel “Chappie” James, the first African-American four star general.
Documenting a Legend
Four part series based on the case study “A Love Story Proved: The Life and Family of Laura Lavinia (Kelly) Combs of Atlanta and Augusta, Georgia” by Paul K. Graham, published in National Genealogical Society Journal, December 2013.
Part I – Focus on Land (25:18): Resources related to land records, including county deeds, city directories, and historical maps. The lesson also highlights use of popular magazines, academic journals, published local histories, and the tools for accessing those materials online.
Part II – Identifying People (24:52): Use of census records, land records, city directories, and historical maps, and demonstrates the process of planning and implementing a research strategy.
Part III – African American records (30:17): Examines how records from the Freedman’s Bank, the Register of Free Persons of Color, and Georgia Tax Digests confirm the details of the legend of the first person of color to own land in Atlanta, and her selling that land to buy her husband’s freedom.
Part IV – Law (33:07): Incorporating research into relevant state statutes to understand their impact on our ancestors’ lives. In this case study, laws regarding slavery and free persons of color in antebellum Atlanta explain the records (and absence of records) that relate to Laura and her husband John.
The Parberry Case Study
Three part case study based on the research of John P. Colletta in “Tracking a Loner on the Move: J W Parberry Exposed by the Genealogical Proof Standard,” published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly (June 2005).
Part I – J W Parberry and the Genealogical Proof Standard (42:17): Focuses on framing a research question, evaluating records, and confirming conclusions, with special attention to locating newspapers, land records, and gravestones.
Part II – The Origins of James Wood Parberry (53:53): Illustrates using maps and Google Earth, analyzing and correlating records and resolving conflicts, and navigating the FamilySearch.org website.
Part III – Parberry’s Wife (37:37): Illustrates developing and executing a research plan, and demonstrates how to locate necessary records (census, vital, land, and city directories).
Skills:
Getting Started Finding Your Family (34:48): Getting Started outlines how to get off to a good start on your family history research: assembling the information you have, citing your sources, and laying the groundwork for your research.
Census Research Tips and Tricks (1:05:39): How to locate and analyze census records. Includes detailed instructions for searching on the FamilySearch and HeritageQuest websites, and describes how to use the Family Tree on FamilySearch to support collaborative research by making your discoveries available to other researchers.
Locating Unindexed Images (47:01): Describes how to locate the images of original documents on Family Search when the source collections have been indexed but the record images themselves have not been indexed.
Searching Strategically (12:41): A short review of tools and tips for searching strategically on FamilySearch and Ancestry.
Making Sense of Autosomal DNA Results (38:14): Provides an introduction to examining autosomal DNA test match results, showing examples that illustrate matches with varying degrees of relationship.
Google Earth for Genealogists (40:51): A “mad dash” through the Google Earth desktop application, providing an overview of the program’s tools (navigating the home screen, and inserting points, paths, polygons, and image overlays) as well as tips for increasing functionality for genealogical research. Includes examples of how I have used Google Earth in my family history research.
Google Earth Overlay Tutorial (12:51): This tutorial walks you through the process of adding an image overlay to Google Earth. I strongly recommend that you use the map described in the tutorial to gain familiarity with the process, before overlaying maps of your own choosing. The map I’ve selected for this tutorial is one that is easy to align, and so will give you a positive first experience.
Handouts and PDF files of Presentations:
Skill-Building for Genealogists
Presentation: Skill-Building Tips for Genealogists
Handout: Skill-Building Tips for Genealogists Syllabus
Getting Started
Presentation: Getting Started
Handout: Getting Started Handout
Video: Getting Started Finding Your Family (34:48)
Citations
Presentations:
Organizing Your Research
Presentation: Organizing Your Research
Evidence-Based Research
Presentation: Evidence-Based Genealogy
FamilySearch Website
The FamilySearch.org website is an invaluable resource for genealogists, and includes many tools that may be overlooked by some researchers. The presentation GPS Your Family Tree With FamilySearch provides an overview of the tools available on the FamilySearch website and Family Tree that support quality research up to the Genealogical Proof Standard. (GPS Your Family Tree handout)
For tips on searching records online, see Tips and Tricks for FamilySearch
Handout: FamilySearch.org Handout (2014)
Presentation: FamilySearch Digitized Resources
Skill-building exercise: Catalog Scavenger Hunt Overview
Skill-building exercise: Catalog Scavenger Hunt Place Search
FamilySearch Indexing
Presentation: Family Search Indexing
Ancestry.com Website
For tips to getting the most out of Ancestry.com without a subscription, including resources available for free on your home computer and tips for navigating Ancestry Library Edition, see Ancestry.com Tips and Tricks
Recommended websites for online research
Presentation: Gold Mines for Experienced Genealogists 2020
Handout: Gold Mines 2020 handout
Presentation: Favorite Online Genealogy sites
Handout: Rest of the Best handout
Legacy Genealogy Software
Presentation: Legacy Software
Gathering Evidence
Gathering Evidence covers my favorite sources for records, including online, the West Florida Genealogical Library, and microfilm from the Family History Library.
Census Research
Presentation: Census Research
Handout: Census Research
Presentation: Census Analysis Tips
Presentation: Advanced Census Search Techniques
Video: Census Research Tips and Tricks (1:05:39)
Vital Records
Presentation: Vital Records
Advanced Search Tips
Presentation: Computer Search Tips
Google Earth for Genealogists
Presentation: Google Earth for Genealogists
Probate Records
Presentation: Probate Records
Handout: Researching Probate Records Outline Handout
Church Records
Presentation: Church Records
Social Security Applications
Presentation: Social Security
Online Newspaper Research
Presentation: Newspaper Research
Presentation: Newspaper Research (2014)
Presentation: Newspapers: where to find them (2016)
Law in Genealogy
Presentation: Law in Genealogy
Presentation: Finding Compiled State Statutes and Annual Session Laws
Handout: Finding Statutes and Laws Handout
Tracking Family Migrations in the United States
Presentation: Tracking Family Migrations in the US
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Presentation: NARA Website and Finding Aids, Part I
Presentation: NARA Finding Aids Part II
Presentation: NARA research strategies
DNA and Genealogy
Y-DNA:
Presentation: Confirming a son’s origins with Y-DNA (part 1)
Presentation: Confirming a son’s origins with Y-DNA (part 2)
Autosomal DNA:
Presentation: Understanding Autosomal DNA
Presentation: Autosomal DNA Helps ID a G-G-G-G-Grandfather
Autosomal DNA Analysis:
Instructions on uploading raw data to GEDMATCH and FTDNA
Presentation: DNA results analysis
Video: Making Sense of Autosomal DNA Results (38:14)
Computer Skills for Genealogists
Presentation: Computer Skills for Genealogists
Presentation: GEDCOM Files
Presentation: Smorgasbord 1
• ordering microfilm
• transcribing and analyzing records
• creating a research log
• separating incorrectly merged profiles
• navigating Family Tree source attachment screen
Presentation: Smorgasbord 2
• editing FamilySearch Family Tree
• transcribing records
Presentation: Smorgasborg 3 (Sam Vilen case study, part 1)
• maintaining the Family Tree
• managing your browser settings
• adding citations to image files
• Record Seek
• fold3 tips
Case Studies (pdf files of slides)
Presentation: Albert Brejcha land records
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Case study based on “Tracking a Loner on the Move: J.W. Parberry Exposed by the Genealogical Proof Standard” by John Philip Colletta; National Genealogical Society Quarterly 93 (June 2005): 94-109
Presentation: J W Parberry and the Genealogical Proof Standard
Presentation: Origins of James Wood Parberry
Presentation: Parberry’s Wife
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Case study based on “Crossing the Continent with Common Names: Indiana Natives John and Elizabeth (Smith) Smith” by Harold Henderson; National Genealogical Society Quarterly 103 (March 2015): 29-35.
Presentation: Origins of John and Elizabeth Smith
Presentation: Finding John Smith
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Case study based on “Mothers for Sophie (Kanetski) Howe of Scranton, Pennsylvania” by Melissa A. Johnson; National Genealogical Society Quarterly 103 (June 2015): 105-113.
Presentation: Sophie Howe
Presentation: Sophie’s Mother 2
Presentation: Sophie’s Mother 3
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Case study based on “Finding a Father for Isaac Young; A Virginia Native in California” by Shirley Langdon Wilcox; National Genealogical Society Quarterly 102 (September 2014): 177-188.
Presentation: A Father for Isaac (part 1) (focus on locating newspaper obituaries)
Presentation: A Father for Isaac (part 2) (tips for confirming identities)
Presentation: A Father for Isaac (part 3) (focus on locating local published histories)
Presentation: A Father for Isaac (part 4) (focus on probate records)
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Case study based on “Identifying a Son for John Temple of Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama” by Rachel Mills Lennon, National Genealogical Society Quarterly 103 (June 2015): 139-150.
Presentation: Identifying a Son (part 1)
Presentation: Identifying a Son (part 2)
Presentation: Identifying a Son (part 3)
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Case study based on “Parentage of Martha Smith of Alabama and Mississippi: Overcoming Inconsistent, Incorrect, and Missing Records” by Laurel T. Baty; National Genealogical Society Quarterly 101 (June 2013): 85-102
Presentation: Who were the parents of Martha Crosby?
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Case study based on Ian’s research:
Presentation: Who were Isadore Stern’s maternal grandparents?
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