Weekly Genealogy Toolkit

Come along as I explore the fascinating journey along the Great Wagon Road, the I-95 of colonial America. Discover how this historic migration route shaped cultural identities and settlement patterns in the eastern United States. Learn tips for tracing your ancestors' steps and breaking through genealogy brick walls.  If you're just starting or you've been at this for a while, it never hurts to le...

Let's dive into the fascinating world of historical documents and the art of deciphering old handwriting.  Discover the secrets to identifying common letterforms, distinguishing between different historical writing styles, and overcoming the hurdles of faded ink and archaic language. We'll also explore the tools and resources available to aid in your document decoding journey. Enhance your skills...

In this special episode of the Weekly Genealogy Toolkit, I share my personal journey into genealogy and the reasons behind my passion for family history.  I talk about the therapeutic and enlightening aspects of genealogy, emphasizing how uncovering the stories of my ancestors provided him with perspective, inspiration, and a deeper understanding of his own identity.  Whether you're a seasoned gen...

Just like with any good detective, building timelines can help the genealogist make sense of all the information they've found on a particular ancestor. You can use them to audit your research, reject hypotheses, and identify indirect evidence to answer your questions. Listen this week as we dig into timelines.  Aeon Timeline Website

Late 18th century into the early 19th century of American immigration has become the iconic imagery for what American immigration is all about. Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and huddled masses of unfortunate Europeans, yearning for their shot at the American Dream. But who were they? Where did they come from and where did they settle? And most importantly how do we research them?    Steven...

Immigration research is one of the most rewarding parts of genealogy. It's breathtaking the first time you see your ancestor on a ship's manifest indicating their original hometown. The next thing you know, you'll be learning how to make pierogis or haggis. But what can you do when there is no ship's manifest? This week I look at early American immigration, and some records that can help you answe...

Adoption is one of the more challenging situations to face within genealogy. Even more challenging is when there is no documentation of the adoption ever occurring. That doesn't mean that this constitutes an insurmountable challenge though. Learn about 19th Century Adoption in this week's case study.    @theWGTPod

In this week's episode, let's talk about maximizing the power of search functions across various genealogy websites. Understanding how to effectively use search operators and other advanced tips can significantly enhance your research outcomes.    @theWGTPod

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 m...

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 o...

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.    @theWGTPod

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?   @theWGTPod

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: @theWGT...

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? Map of Fort Brown Map of Brownsville University of North - The Texas Po...

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 t...

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.  FamilySearch Research Wiki Example Research Plan Templates and Examples Family Tree Resources My Family History Files American Ancestors FamilySearch

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:...

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!