Two Mysterious Deaths in the Family! Time to Use Google for Genealogy
The mysterious deaths of a father and son present a perfect opportunity for using Google for genealogy. Recently I heard from Lydia, who has just started listening to my podcasts. She asked a great question that Google can help answer: "I have two relatives,...
DNA Circles – Here’s when they DON’T mean connections on AncestryDNA
DNA Circles at AncestryDNA can get problematic when participants' trees are unverified. This is why. Adding people to a family tree without verifying the connection is a fairly common genealogical practice. This happens a lot when people "graft" information from...
DNA for Adoption Research: “Nice to Meet You!”
As a daughter of an adoptee, this season I am grateful I can use DNA for adoption research. Seats at my genetic holiday table are gradually filling, even if some place cards are just penciled in. At this time of year when many of us are spending more time with family...
Premium podcast episode 130 featuring Lalita Tademy!
Packed with holiday cheer, history highlights and an exclusive interview with NYT best-selling author Lalita Tademy, Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast episode 130 is now ready for your listening pleasure. Genealogy Gems Premium website members can now access the...
Family History in the Annual Christmas Letter? What a Great Idea!
Why not share the gift of family history story in this year's Christmas letter or holiday cards? Genealogy Gems podcast listener Catherine just sent in this fantastic idea about including family history in her annual Christmas letter. I thought I'd share it while it...
Heritage Recipes – Aunties, Sprinkles and the Santa-in-His-Cap Cookie Cutter
I'm blessed to have oodles of oft-used and much loved heritage recipes and cookbooks from the ladies in my family who came before me. But I'm not the only Lisa who does. I've invited my good friend Lisa Alzo to visit with you here on the Genealogy Gems blog....
“Is That Software Expired?” Why I Wouldn’t Use Obsolete Family Tree Maker Software
As Family Tree Maker software nears the end of its product lifecycle, many may wonder how far past the "expiration date" they should use it. Here's my take. Ancestry.com recently announced that they will stop supporting Family Tree Maker, the popular desktop software...
We Dig These Gems! New Genealogy Records Online
Here's our weekly roundup of new genealogy records online that caught our eye. This week there are a lot of US records: Alabama Episcopal church registers, Connecticut sourt records, Kansas probate records and New York Evening Post death notices. Immigration records...
Family Tree Maker Alternatives: Great Offers, and What I Do With My Tree
Are you a Family Tree Maker user looking for place to transplant your master family tree? Here are some great offers and my personal strategy. With the imminent demise of Family Tree Maker software, many users find themselves preparing to transplant their trees...
Get Inspired! 8 Last-Minute Holiday Heritage Craft Ideas
Looking for last-minute holiday heritage craft inspiration for over the holidays? Here's a round-up of some of my favorite heritage and holiday crafts made by myself and Gems listeners. These are fantastic conversation starters that will delight your...
How to Print Merged Images in Evernote
Need a better understanding of how to print merged Images in Evernote? Here's a Q&A from a reader. Recently I heard from Joe, who was trying to merge screen clips into a single image and note. He found that after he merged the screen clips, "the merged clips...
Is that Memory Real? Understanding Relatives with Dementia and Memory Loss
When a loved one suffers from dementia or Alzheimer's, it can be difficult to gather their memories--or to understand how "real" the memories are. Lisa gathered some great advice from an expert!Many of us have (or will have) loved ones who Alzheimer's or...
The Case of the Missing Parents Continues: 2 Powerful Research Strategies
This Gems listener just can't find her grandmother's parents. It may be time to apply two powerful approaches to solving this mystery. Recently we shared 6 sources that may name an ancestor's parents. Afterward, I got a follow-up email from Lynn, who is still stumped:...
We Dig These Gems! New Genealogy Records Online
Our weekly roundup of new genealogy records online includes: the 1891 NSW Australia census;Portsmouth, England electoral registers; Frankfurt, Germany deaths; Massachusetts Revolutionary War soldiers; North Carolina probate and recent U.S. obituaries. AUSTRALIA...
Newly Published! Free Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode 186
Inspire your holiday season with tips on interviewing older relatives, using DNA for adoption research and more in the Genealogy Gems Podcast episode 186! The free Genealogy Gems Podcast episode 186 is now live. This month, we celebrate upcoming holiday family time...
What Ancestry’s Retirement of Family Tree Maker Software Means for You
I think this is a long post, but this is an extremely important topic. I hope you will invest the time to read it through to the end. I travel the world presenting sessions on a wide range of genealogy topics. One of the presentations that is most near and dear to my...
DIY Heritage Stocking Stuffer: Make Sweet Memories by Wrapping Them Around Chocolate
Are you looking for a fun, easy and downright delicious way to share some family history this Christmas? What better way to entice your family to have an interest in the family tree than wrapping that history around a luscious chocolate bar? DIY: Stuff Their...
Why Register Early for RootsTech 2016
Are you peeking past the holidays to RootsTech 2016? Early planning could score you extra discounts, dibs on free and limited events and a head start on planning your class schedule. All attention seems to be on holiday planning this month, but RootsTech 2016 is just...
