A research trip, no matter whether it’s to the local library or traveling to a place where your ancestors lived, requires advance planning. Setting your goals, defining where you will go, and organizing yourself are keys to your research success. Drew Smith provides excellent methodologies to help ensure you make the most of your trip. This webinar was first released 30 November 2022 on the Genealogy Guys Learn website.

Many immigrants entered the US under the Displaced Persons Act. Based on specific criteria, eligible displaced persons (DPs) could be admitted to the US if they would not become a public charge and have safe and sanitary housing and employment without displacing some other person. The displaced person or refugee was the concern of the International Refugee Organization. The US created the Displaced Persons Commission to oversee the act’s enactment. Is your ancestor named in the record sets created? The presentation will discuss the History of the Act and the records created as a result of the Act.

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania is the largest genealogy repository in the Mid-Atlantic. Its collections include over 21 million items ranging from manuscript collections to books and photographs—many of which are useful to genealogists with Pennsylvania ancestry, and most of which cannot be found anywhere else.

Archives and special collections may contain unique material about your ancestors. Learn to make the best use of what they offer online and in person. Drew Smith, an academic librarian emeritus, provides an expert overview of Archives and Special Collections: An Introduction in this video. This webinar was first released 31 October 2023 on the Genealogy Guys Learn website.

Genealogy involves detailed investigation of individuals and family units, not unlike the crime scene investigators seen on television series. We have to employ the same – and other – approaches to help solve problems and develop hypotheses/conclusions about an ancestor or family unit. The Genealogist as C.S.I. draws parallels for organized research, analysis, documentation, and solving problems. This webinar was first released 8 June 2020 on the Genealogy Guys Learn website.

Research on a man’s mysterious second marriage identified his wife as a romance scammer who preyed on Civil War veterans. This case study shows how evidence correlation and reasonably exhaustive research cut through the lies and misdirection in a woman’s records to establish her identity and reveal her sometimes deadly deception.

This case study illustrates how four simple words in a newspaper notice and DNA evidence became the key to unlocking Great Granny’s Irish roots. The research journey began with the cryptic phrase “Toowoomba papers please copy” in an 1886 death notice. This small clue directed the research to the Hanlon family in another location hundreds of kilometres away, with DNA evidence crucial to confirm the connection back to Kilkenny, Ireland. The presentation highlights the importance of scrutinising every detail in historical documents, no matter how small, and explores techniques for following unexpected leads across disparate locations, combining traditional research with DNA analysis.

Head of census and names on a vital record, are the typical documents we attach to the males in our family trees. What other things can you find? In this webinar, Michelle will explore a number of other research avenues to help you understand more about the lives of your many male ancestors.

Have you ever wondered what your ancestors’ lives were like beyond the names, dates, and places? While these fundamental details form the backbone of genealogical research, they often fail to capture the imagination of family members who aren’t as passionate about genealogy. The key to engaging your relatives and bringing your ancestors to life lies in incorporating social and community history into your family narratives. While time travel remains the stuff of science fiction, we can carefully reconstruct the historical context in which our ancestors lived. In this session, Robyn describes approaching social history by using conventional genealogical records in new ways, and using unconventional genealogical records. This session includes multiple examples of how to incorporate our findings into our writing for more creative storytelling. By embracing social history and looking beyond traditional genealogical facts, we can create compelling narratives that bring our ancestors to life. This approach not only enriches our understanding of family history but also captivates the interest of relatives who might otherwise remain indifferent.