Weekly Genealogy Toolkit

Congratulations... you're not a beginner anymore. But what's next for the podcast? 

Katie Thomas and Kaycee Connelly from Moxxy Forensic Investigations join me for a conversation about Investigative Genetic Genealogy and how people can help them in their quest to bring closure to families, and communities.    https://www.moxxyforensics.com/donate

I can't thank you enough for listening to this podcast... I've really enjoyed working on it. But just like you've listened to this one, I listen to plenty of other genealogy podcasts, and I wanted to share the ones that I listen to most.  In no particular order: Genealogy Gems Family Tree Magazine Podcast Hittin the Bricks with Kathleen The Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast The Genealogy Guys...

Keeping your edge sharp is important as a researcher. You can learn a lot just by doing, but what about when you feel yourself starting to plateau? Let's talk about continuing education in Genealogy.    BYU Family History Program   Boston University Genealogy Studies Program   Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburg   Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research   Mid-west African American...

Would you drive cross country without a map? Then don't go researching within collections if you haven't read the description. Think of it as your roadmap for how to use the collection and what you can and can't find within. 

Until I got into genetic genealogy, I had no idea how common misattributed parentage was. The reality is, most people's trees, if they aren't also using genetic matches to validate everything, likely have the wrong biological parents in one or more places in the tree.    Today we talk about how to figure out your relationship to a match that has a non-paternity event, or NPE in their tree... Just...

It's only natural that the more genealogy we do, the better we get at it. In genealogy being better means being finding more records and being more accurate. So what do you do about all that work you did earlier when your skills weren't as developed. It's time for an audit.   @theWGTPod on Twitter Find me on Facebook

As an American doing genealogy, it's so exciting when you finally see those documents that show what country your family came from. Once you've learned everything there is to learn in America about them, it's time to cross the pond and start learning about them in the home country... But what if that country's records aren't in English? Have no fear, you're not at a dead end just yet.    @theWGTPo...

We've all come across that location that is challenging to research because the courthouse burned, or flooded, or was destroyed by a tornado. It's a common enough occurrence that just about every genealogist has bumped into this problem. For many this becomes a brick wall for them... don't be content to leave walls in your tree. While some information is truly lost, don't give up until you've done...

I've said it many times before, but not everything that you are going to be looking for can be found online. So grab your keys, we're going to hit the road and go check out the libraries, court houses, and dusty back rooms to find some neat stuff. 

Let's dive into a common challenge for beginner genealogists—tracking down the women in your family tree. Often, maiden names feel like locked doorways, especially in records predating 1850. We can overcome these "brick walls." From scouring censuses for hidden clues to finding forgotten family connections in wills and death certificates, this episode offers practical advice for uncovering the wom...

“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” -Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride.   Are you understanding your sources fully? Or are you missing parts and pieces, or worse yet, are you misunderstanding what your source is or what it is saying? Spend some time researching the process that generated the document you are looking at, and research any terms that you don't...

Sorry for the lengthy episode this week, but I just couldn't help it. I wanted to talk about an episode of early American history little known outside of the state of North Carolina. It's an important event though, and it's a great example of the kind of small historical footnotes that may have featured prominently in the lives of your ancestors.    If you want to learn more about the North Caroli...

These days, it seems like even your breakfast cereal has AI in it. But can you use the most common AI tools for genealogy? Absolutely yes! but they should come with a surgeon general's warning. 

You can use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and probably just about any other social media platform out there for genealogy. This episode will go over a brief "walkthrough" of how to find some cousins, and even more good information using your favorite time-waster.    @theWGTPod

Have you ever gotten into a new hobby and it seemed so affordable at first. You buy a thing here or there, none of which cost much money... but after you've been in it for a bit and you tally it up, you've spent a small fortune? Genealogy is like that, but the spending never really ends.  It's okay though, because you can absolutely get a lot of family history research done for little or even no m...

Fall in! you've reached the last episode in the special series on military records. If this is your first to tune into, have a look back through the series. It's time to learn a bit about how to research your military ancestors. I'll be looking through a number of American Conflicts and talking about some of the specific resources available for that conflict and probably sprinkling in some more br...

Fall in! It's time to learn a bit about how to research your military ancestors. I'll be looking through a number of American Conflicts and talking about some of the specific resources available for that conflict and probably sprinkling in some more broadly applicable military research tips. This week we talk about World War 1.  Links in this episode: A Peace to End All Peace by David Fromkin Over...

Fall in! It's time to learn a bit about how to research your military ancestors. I'll be looking through a number of American Conflicts and talking about some of the specific resources available for that conflict and probably sprinkling in some more broadly applicable military research tips. This week we talk about The Civil War Links in this episode: This Great Struggle by Stephen Woodworth The o...

Fall in! It's time to learn a bit about how to research your military ancestors. I'll be looking through a number of American Conflicts and talking about some of the specific resources available for that conflict and probably sprinkling in some more broadly applicable military research tips. This week we talk about the Mexican War Links in this episode: The Occupation of Mexico (PDF) What Hath God...

Fall in! It's time to learn a bit about how to research your military ancestors. I'll be looking through a number of American Conflicts and talking about some of the specific resources available for that conflict and probably sprinkling in some more broadly applicable military research tips. This week we talk about the War of 1812.  Links in this episode: Campaign of 1812 (PDF) 1812: The War that...

Fall in! It's time to learn a bit about how to research your military ancestors. I'll be looking through a number of American Conflicts and talking about some of the specific resources available for that conflict and probably sprinkling in some more broadly applicable military research tips.  Links in this episode: US Army Center of Military History The Continental Army US Naval History and Herita...

Let's look at the crucial role of maps in genealogical research. Learn how to use maps for verifying geographic details, understanding historical boundaries, and locating ancestral lands.   Library of Congress David Rumsey Maps Arcanum Maps FamilySearch.org Google Earth Pro Georectification tutorial   Say hi @theWGTPod

Sorry to leave you without any tips this week. But I'll be back next week.    Take care -Ed

Let's have a look at the intricate world of probate records. Discover how understanding probate processes and documents can uncover valuable insights about your ancestors. Learn key terms, the steps involved, and how to navigate this complex area of genealogy. Whether you're a beginner or looking to deepen your research skills, this episode provides essential tips to help you master probate record...