Can genealogists take a negative (the absence of something) and develop it into a positive (proof of something)? Yes! If we understand what we’re working with and how to develop it. Negative evidence is a tool used by many investigative fields; but its definition varies between disciplines. This session defines the concept used by genealogists and historians: contextually suggestive silence. In layman’s language, Mills clearly separates negative evidence from concepts that are often confused with it: negative searches, negative findings, negative arguments, and negative conclusions. Case studies using autosomal and Y-DNA, censuses, church records, death certificates, land deeds and grants, topo maps, and other source types to demonstrate how to recognize contextually suggestive silence and develop it into solutions for situations in which no document explicitly answers our research question. *** This class requires a password and an active webinar membership to attend. On the day of the webinar, obtain the password (located at the top of FamilyTreeWebinars.com when logged in as a member). Then click the Join Webinar link in your confirmation/reminder email, and enter the password when prompted. ***

Discover how DNA, online and offline genealogy converged to break down a more than 100 year old brick wall revealing the life, times, and relations of a mysterious multi-ethnic man named John Lee.

As far back as 2,000 years ago there were lighthouses, with the earliest known in Egypt. As Europeans made their new homes in British America they also needed beacons to protect the craggy shores of this new land and the inland waters.

New England town records represent a unique resource for Family historians. Early settlers from England brought their traditions of town governance to the new world, including their ideas of legal matters and record keeping. The result is a treasure trove of documents that capture aspects of our ancestors’ lives as they went about their day-to-day business. These records are especially valuable for the 17th and 18th centuries as many other records may not have survived. This webinar covers not only vital record sources but also records from the Town Treasurer, Overseers of the Poor, and the Selectmen.

Have you ever gotten home from a genealogy research trip or left a genealogy website and said to yourself “I forgot to do that!”. Learn the 10 vital things every genealogist should do before leaving a library or archives building or website to make your next research trip to an archives physical building or visit to an archive’s website successful.

Imagine you are trapped in an archive and the only way out is to solve a series of genealogy research puzzles. Are you up to the challenge? Are you ready for Genealogy Escape Room™? Based on the popular escape room concept, Genealogy Escape Room™ turns the typical webinar format upside down! Each registrant will receive a Case Review File used to solve a series of online research tasks BEFORE the live webinar takes place. The webinar is the “reveal” where a step-by-step review of each puzzle, task, and clue all the way to the final “key” to open the door. Genealogy methodology concepts will be summarized before announcing who escaped first! The Case of Frank Woodhull: The Only Name Change at Ellis Island. You may have heard in a family story that a family’s surname or even a person’s given name was changed upon arrival in the United States at Ellis Island. This “urban legend” has been discussed and debunked for decades in the genealogy community. Since an immigrant’s name MUST match the ship’s manifesto, most name changes took place AFTER the person was successfully admitted. The change could have been done simply by adopting a new name or by selecting a new name during the citizenship process. But … there is ONE case of a name change of an immigrant at Ellis Island and that person is Frank Woodhull who arrived at New York City on October 4th, 1908. Follow an amazing research journey with twists and turns and you’ll find out how Woodhull lived under an assumed name in the United States for almost 15 years before his fateful return to the US from a holiday in England.

A deep dive into the records narrates a family’s journey. Advanced methodology and DNA reconstruct the forgotten family.

With the 1931 Canada census finally released to the public on June 1, 2023, a new window into the lives of ancestors who lived in Canada in the early 20th century is being thrown open! This census offers a snapshot of Canada at a fascinating and difficult historical period, a few years into the Great Depression. Join us for a deep dive into this long-awaited collection and discover what you can learn about your ancestors living in Canada during this time.

Between 1916 and 1945 the Mexican government distributed 74 million acres of land to Mexican citizens – many of whom had been dispossessed of the right to that land in preceding generations. In this session, we will review the laws, administrative processes and records related to the distribution of that land, known as the ejido. We will also review strategies for requesting the original records. Intended for those with experience in Mexican and/or Hispanic genealogy, this session can help you take your research to the next level.