Author Archive
28 Feb 2021
The Other Side of DNA Testing
By Aaron Goodwin On 28 February 2021 In Uncategorized
“You see all these ads, so much marketing from the DNA industry, showing that this is a happy, joyous occasion when your results come in, but there’s this other side,” said investigative journalist Samuel Burke in a
31 Jan 2021
Assess Thyself
By Aaron Goodwin On 31 January 2021 In Uncategorized
Most of us who have worked in the business world are pretty familiar with self-assessments. They’re generally the first step in an annual performance review with your manager that directly impacts your compensation and position or title
29 Jan 2021
Highlights from the 2021 Family History Conference Program
By Aaron Goodwin On 29 January 2021 In Uncategorized
The Family History Conference this year marks the first conference since the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) merged with NGS, and the slate of events for the conference reflects the combined organization’s purposes. See this month’s first
31 Dec 2020
Alternatives to Onsite Research
By Aaron Goodwin On 31 December 2020 In Uncategorized
If there’s one thing we’ve learned this year, it’s that there are actual, functional alternatives to the normal way of doing things. Libraries and archives are some of our favorite (and most useful) resources, but most have
30 Dec 2020
Municipal and County Clerks’ Records Online
By Aaron Goodwin On 30 December 2020 In Uncategorized
Having just sung some of FamilySearch’s praises, I’m now going to pivot to say, “Don’t depend on FamilySearch too much.” I typically begin my online town- or county-level research at FamilySearch and, of course, can generally get
30 Nov 2020
Genealogical Fraud
By Aaron Goodwin On 30 November 2020 In Uncategorized
We see errors everyday in the course of our research. There may be mistakes included in a family tree posted to Ancestry or FamilySearch by well-meaning but misinformed researchers. There may be honest mistakes in published transcriptions.
29 Nov 2020
History Hub
By Aaron Goodwin On 29 November 2020 In Uncategorized
I was about to write an opening sentence along the lines of “The National Archives are a national treasure.” But then I thought How stupid. Of course it’s a national treasure. Everybody knows that. It’s the kind
30 Oct 2020
Looking in the Right Place: Some Concepts
By Aaron Goodwin On 30 October 2020 In Uncategorized
It doesn’t make sense. They should be there. They’re supposed to be there. What’s the problem? Why can’t I find them? More often than not, the answer to that line of questioning is pretty simple: You’re not
30 Oct 2020
Looking in the Right Place: A Case Study
By Aaron Goodwin On 30 October 2020 In Uncategorized
In researching the English ancestry of Esther (Smart) Guise, 1823–1872, Arlene V. Jennings, CG, was initially directed to the wrong place. The 1923 Kansas death certificate of Esther’s daughter Marilla (Guise) Bush suggested Esther was born in
27 Sep 2020
Where and How to Find Records of Defunct Funeral Homes
By Aaron Goodwin On 27 September 2020 In Uncategorized
Searching for vital records is usually the first step we take in researching an ancestor. For death records in particular, we often search first for death certificates, then for religious burial records, obituaries, cemetery records, or gravestones.