Investigate the Neighborhood to Advance Your Research (a 2021 Reisinger Lecture)

Melinda Henningfield, CG, CGL
Oct 8, 2021
1.5K views
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About this webinar

This lecture reveals the most powerful methodology available to genealogists. Family historians often begin their genealogical quest by researching only their direct ancestors. For many reasons the direct ancestor they search for may have left few records. The records that survive may not shed light on where the ancestor came from or who his parents were—or any other question about an ancestor. The records that answer questions about an ancestor are sometimes only found by researching his relatives, friends, neighbors, associates, or enemies.

About the speaker

Melinda Daffin Henningfield, CG, CGL, is a professional genealogist, lecturer, and author. She has served as a trustee for the Board for Certification of Genealogists. She has written articles publish...
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Comments (94)

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  1. LB
    Laurel Jeneal Brown
    4 years ago

    Wonderful case study showing the value of persistence. You never know when or where you may find that missing link.

  2. JH
    Jacqueline Henderson
    4 years ago

    Thank you Melinda for including your chart, "Neighborhood Research Strategies" with your syllabus. I plan on using this to work on a brick wall I have had for years. My brick wall is regarding an ancestor that supposedly was born in Crawford County, AR. Wish me luck.

  3. DC
    Debbie Cravens
    4 years ago

    Three for three today! This Webinar was very helpful. Melinda made me realize what exhaustive research was all about. I am constantly amazed at how tenacious these researchers are and hope that by listening to webinars like this one and being inspired to ACTION I will not give up looking for that elusive ancestor and now I have more tools!

  4. RC
    Rebecca Corson
    4 years ago

    Amazing webinar that I will be listening to again and again. I have a few ancestors that refuse to be found and I think with this strategy I might just be able to find them. The steps are clearly listed and the maps are amazing. I realize that I need better maps to help determine cluster and their movements. The timeline graphs of comparing census records with additional research was extremely helpful in discovering new tools to use in the search. Thank you for an excellent webinar.

  5. NT
    Norm Talbot
    4 years ago

    Excellent presentation and use of examples researching neighborhoods.

  6. FU
    Fran Ussery
    4 years ago

    Wonderful, gives such detail,

  7. ML
    Marg Layton
    4 years ago

    You opened my eyes about how to research surrounding areas when trying to find an ancestor. Very interesting.

  8. TT
    Traci S. Kape Thysell-McPherson
    4 years ago

    Thank you Melinda for your very thorough presentation in today's webinar Investigate The Neighborhood to Advance Your Research. The walk through of information and resources was interesting and very thought provoking on how to take the search to another level. I have several of these ancestors. I believe it will be a pleasure to some or all of these methods to go further in my search to become a wall breaker.

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