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 BCG webinar, “A Matrimonial Advertiser: Tracing the Treacherous Trail of an Early 20th-Century Romance Scammer” presented by genealogist Sharon Hoyt offers a compelling deep dive into a fascinating, real-life case study. Blending investigative rigor with storytelling, Hoyt unravels the complex history of Malinda C. Silsby—a woman who married multiple Civil War veterans under various aliases, likely defrauding them of pensions and property. More than just an entertaining narrative, the webinar serves as an instructive lesson in advanced genealogical techniques for identifying elusive individuals, resolving conflicting evidence, and employing diverse research strategies across jurisdictions.
Key Takeaways from the Webinar:
This engrossing case study is a must-watch for genealogists who wish to hone their investigative skills and deepen their understanding of best practices in evidence analysis. Sharon Hoyt’s methodical approach provides invaluable lessons on how to handle difficult cases where subjects intentionally obscure their identities.
To explore the full depth of this investigation and see the strategies in action, view the complete webinar at Legacy Family Tree Webinars. Hoyt’s presentation not only teaches practical methods but also inspires persistence and creativity in tackling complex genealogical puzzles.
For those eager to build on these techniques, the syllabus accompanying this webinar offers additional research strategies and resource links. Be sure to take advantage of these materials to strengthen your own genealogical toolkit and uncover the stories that might otherwise remain hidden.
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Syllabus
Fascinating and a great lesson in detail capture and analysis. Well done, Sharon.
In less than an hour, Sharon Hoyt has given us all a masterclass of research methodology and a fascinating story. I applaud her tenacity! Thank you!
Fabulous! Entertaining as well as informative. Great case study, fantastic research, and so clearly presented, with lots of tips along the way for dealing with people who changed their names. Loved the signature comparisons and the names/time/place table idea.
Sharon spoke with great enthusiasm and command of her case study. How she kept it all together was short of a miracle. Her study shows us how important it is to keep going on your research and not rule anything out.
Fantastic case study. Great researching and putting it all together. Gives me hope that I can use some of the search strategies to solve my brick wall.
This was SUCH a fascinating case study! With so much information to follow it is sometimes easy, as a listener, to get lost along the way. That was not the case with this webinar. I was on the edge of my seat following every twist and turn. The methodology used in the research was presented perfectly interlaced between the twists. I loved this!
This was absolutely the best webinar I have seen! What a jumbled mess and Sharon was able to sort through it all and put it together cohesively! Such a great webinar on methodology! I’ll be watching this one again! Thank you.
Incredible story and the research and care taken is amazing. A real positive webinar for Legacy Family Tree.