Weekly Genealogy Toolkit
The Weekly Genealogy Toolkit is your dose of family history insights, tips and tools designed to empower your genealogical journey. Host Ed Adams will guide you through the rich tapestry of your family history. Every week, we will unravel new strategies, uncover hidden gems, and equip you with the tools needed to navigate the fascinating story of how you became you. Grab your notebook and a cup of coffee... there’s work to be done.
Episodes
I really love maps. I just wish that they wouldn't change so much. No, I'm not worried about the tectonics plates moving around the globe so much as the ever moving political borders that makes genealogy work so challenging sometimes. Sometimes answering the question of where your ancestor lived isn't so straight forward. Listen to this week's episode as we explore evolving borders and what that means for our research.
Doing genealogical research from the comfort of your own home is great, but doing that work in physical repositories that have documents that no one has ever seen since they were created is amazing. Standing on the property of your many times great grandparents is a bucketlist item. In this week's episode I talk about ways to get the most out of your trip so that as soon as you finish your first one, you'll start planning your next...
Burnout maybe inherent in just about anything if you do it long enough, and genealogy is no exception. But if you find yourself sitting there staring at your screen, unable to summon the energy to continue the search... is that it? Are you done with genealogy? You don't have to be. Today I talk about a number of techniques to stay in the field, but give yourself a break.
You spend a lot of time looking at names when working on genealogy... but how much time are you spending thinking about those names? Chances are, you have some great clues for future research just sitting there in the names of the ancestors already sitting in your family tree. Listen now to learn what's in a name?
Did you know that if you are just logging into the big genealogy websites, filling out a form and clicking 'search' you are leaving an entire world of information undiscovered. This week, we look at unindexed records and the potential gold mine that these represent. Where do you find them and how do you use them? Listen in to find out.
It's so easy to use the main search feature on Ancestry, My Heritage, Family Search and all the rest. You just punch in a name and click search. But where should you go when you do that and you don't see what you're expecting to find? Well, leave the main search page, and head over to the card catalog. It may seem intimidating at first, but you will thank my later.
Reach out on twitter: @theWGTPod
History matters. This is the first episode in what might become a quarterly series, highlighting little known, but fascinating micro histories that you might be surprised to find when you start looking into the history of the world your ancestors inhabited. In this episode, 167 men get punished for a murder. How'd that happen?
University of North - The Texas Portal to Texas History: https://tex...
History matters. And not because it's helpful in understanding the present, or because it allows civilizations to learn from their mistakes, or because its ability to inspire. It matters because to your ancestors, it was their now. This week I talk about how I go about understanding the world of my ancestors.
Trust no one. Just because it's on an old document doesn't make it the truth. You'll never know if you've found yourself researching that small town with a big secret unless you analyze your sources. Get ready to shake up your tree, because there's some learning to be done.
Episode 7 - Types of Evidence: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/types-of-evidence/id1724689931?i=1000645822239
It's easy to get lost when you are working on a challenging genealogy project. Try leaving yourself some breadcrumbs so you can retrace your path if you need to, or get back on track if it's been a while since you last worked on that project. This episode is all about research logs... the genealogical breadcrumbs.
RootsTech 24 was a great conference. No matter how experienced you are in genealogy, there's always something to learn there and this year was no different. So, grab your favorite cozy spot and let's unravel the magic of RootsTech together.
This week, I spill the beans on the ultimate genealogy event: RootsTech! Whether you're a seasoned researcher or just dipping your toes into the gene pool, RootsTech offers an unparalleled opportunity to connect, learn, and grow.
Join me as I share the inside scoop on why you should mark your calendar for this must-attend event, whether you're joining in person or online. From inspiring keynotes to hands-on classes, there's somethi...
Have you ever felt stuck chasing that one perfect source? Well, here's the scoop: sometimes it just doesn't exit. Sometimes you need to look at indirect or negative evidence pieced together across several sources to find the answer to your question. Listen now to discover how to find those diamonds in the rough and what to do when things aren't crystal clear.
Today we're unpacking the game-changing FAN Club Methodology. Discover how exploring the connections of Friends and Family, Acquaintances, and Neighbors can help you smash through those stubborn brick walls in your family tree.
Research plans can help your time spent doing genealogy more productive. Rather than just search, do REsearch. A good research plan is the difference between catching and not catching those fish.
Example Research Plan Templates and Examples
Waiting for your DNA test results to come back can remind you of being a kid on Christmas eve again. It just seems like you'll never get that e-mail stating that they are ready. But they will be ready some day, and what are you going to do with the results? How can you use your DNA to help with your work on your family tree... and what dangers are awaiting you?
Good online sources for DNA work:
ISOGG Wiki (Internatio...
Most of the online genealogy sites make grabbing information from other people's trees easy. It's great to share, but what about when that information is wrong? This is the mistake that most genealogists make!
The US Federal Census is the first source that most new genealogists gain real experience with. This is because it's a fantastic source. From being recorded at regular intervals, to including a wide range of interesting and helpful information, learning how to maximize the usefulness of the US Federal Census will get you started in the right direction.
Blank Census Forms - Great deskside references.
IPUMS USA - Get enumerator in...
Genealogy is such a fantastic way to connect with your own story. But where do you start? The best thing you can do, is start with what you know.
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