The Beginning Genealogist’s Biggest Mistake and How to Fix It
I recently heard from a NEW podcast listener named Judie. As a beginning genealogist she excitedly dove into family history awhile back. However, she soon became overwhelmed by boxes full of uncited, unorganized information having made the biggest mistake beginning...
10 Brothers Served in WWI: An Amazing Story
The Press (York, UK) recently reported a story about 10 brothers who all enlisted to fight in World War I and the hubbub that followed. "The family became minor celebrities because of the brothers’ service, and their story was used as a recruitment tool as the war...
World Digital Library at the Library of Congress
I just love hearing about the growth of digital libraries! Here's a recent post from the Library of Congress: "The World Digital Library, a collaborative international project led by the Library of Congress, now includes more than 10,000 manuscripts, maps and atlases,...
Student Genealogy Grant Announced
Do you know (or are you yourself) a young genealogy student between 18-25 who would love to receive an award and attend an AWESOME conference? Then read this press release and share it: "The Southern California Genealogical Society and the Suzanne Winsor Freeman...
Longtime Family History Mystery Solved Online
Everyone's families have a little bit of mystery in their past--or a lot! TheBlaze.com recently posted this great story about a woman who was able to solve a longtime family history mystery by posting it online at Metafilter.com, a crowd-source blog. She posted this...
Learn US History through the Census
Remember the board game LIFE? Archives.com has put its own spin on this family favorite that experienced a revival in the 1960s. (Quick Quiz: 1. What year was the game of LIFE created? Bonus: 2. What was the original name?) We recently discovered this...
New BCG Standards and Manual
Do you want to become a professional genealogist--or just research like one? The Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) recently released an updated, revised version of Genealogy Standards in honor of its 50th anniversary. It's a 100-page paperback manual that...
Buried Treasure on Family Property
Recently theBlaze.com reported that a California couple found--literally--buried treasure on their property! It was a stash of coins (now rare and highly prized) that was carefully hoarded away by somebody in the 1800s. They found it partially exposed under an old...
Family History Episode 21 – RootsMagic and Irish Genealogy Research
Originally published 2009. Republished March 4, 2014 [display_podcast] Download the Show Notes for this Episode Welcome to this step-by-step series for beginning genealogists—and more experienced ones who want to brush up or learn something new. I first ran...
NGS 2014 App Available for Conference Attendees
Are you attending the National Genealogical Society (NGS) conference in May in Virginia, USA? You'll want the new 2014 conference app, now available for iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone, and web-enabled devices. (Need a 5-minute video tutorial on using the app?...
FamilySearch CEO Interview In Premium Podcast Episode 107
Did you know that the CEO of FamilySearch International doesn't have a background in genealogy? Dennis Brimhall is an experienced CEO--that's why he was hired. But he admits that some folks even within his own organization weren't sure about having him at the helm if...
How To Find Your Family Tree Online
As you may have already noticed, a lot of websites these days host millions of family trees: MyHeritage.com, Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, Geni.com, FindMyPast.com, Archives.com and more. There are virtual forests and forests of family trees out there! How can you...
RootsMagic App for Android Released
The popular genealogy software RootsMagic (and valued sponsor of The Genealogy Gems Podcast) already has an app for iOS (iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch) users. Now it's got one for Android users! A RootsMagic news release explains the app's useful features: "Access your...
Research Your Civil War Ancestors
Many Americans have ancestors who lived through the Civil War: many have roots in both the North and South. Few families, whether they sent soldiers away or not, were untouched by this conflict that claimed an estimated 620,000 lives and freed millions of American...
YouTube for Family History: Make and Share Your Own Family History Video
I gave a presentation at RootsTech on using YouTube for family history. I got tons of excited feedback from people who didn't realize a) how much internet users rely on YouTube as a source of information and b) how creatively we can share our family history there....
Use A Family History Center to Access the Family History Library
Those who just attended RootsTech 2014 probably wish they'd had more time for researching at the Family History Library. Others may have watched streaming sessions of RootsTech at satellite Family History libraries, called Family History Centers or FamilySearch...
Family History Reunion Ideas (or Weddings or BBQs…)
Do you have a family reunion, wedding or another special family gathering coming up soon? I've been busy helping plan my youngest daughter's wedding, and we are looking for ways to capture memories from our loved ones while they are all together. Hannah and I aren't...
Search the SSDI for Your Family History
Are you tracing the family history of someone who lived in the U.S. during the 20th century? Check out a wonderful free database in the United States called the Social Security Death Index, or the SSDI. Keep reading for 5 FREE online sources for the SSDI, 7 tips for...
