The next Best of Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL series webinar is on Friday (a members-only event). Learn more here. 

The next Best of Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL series webinar is on Friday (a members-only event). Learn more here. 

By
By
Webinar Library
Best of ESM Methodology and Skills Evidence, Friends, Associates, Neighbors (FANs)

Trousers, Black Domestic, Tacks & Housekeeping Bills: Problem-Solving with “Trivial Details”

Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL
Jan 27, 2023
3.2K views
Advanced
CC
Want to watch the full webinar?
Join now to access all 2,309 webinars and unlock all features.
Join now
Syllabus
Join now

Content

Play. Playing.
Welcome
3m 24s
Play. Playing.
Speaker's Introduction
3m 25s
Play. Playing.
Introduction
1m 46s
Play. Playing.
Basic Principles
10m 02s
Play. Playing.
Case Studies: John Hickman
2m 23s
Play. Playing.
Celeste LaCombe
2m 38s
Play. Playing.
Trousers for Elijah
4m 23s
Play. Playing.
Evidence Analysis Process Map
2m 43s
Play. Playing.
Marie Louise Mariotte
6m 12s
Play. Playing.
James Ball
6m 01s
Play. Playing.
FAN Club
1m 34s
Play. Playing.
Hugh Griffin
4m 56s
Play. Playing.
Thomas Anderson
5m 31s
Play. Playing.
Nancy Flanders
3m 09s
Play. Playing.
Bachariah Harper
5m 02s
Play. Playing.
Conclusion
1m 52s
Play. Playing.
Announcements / prizes
5m 59s
Play. Playing.
Questions / answers
10m 34s

About this webinar

The records we use are filled with “trivia,” bits and pieces of information that seem to have no “genealogical” value—at least not until we become more innovative in our research and analysis. Each piece of trivia in every document is an opportunity waiting to be connected to something else. Our ability to resolve problems depends upon our ability to make those connections. This class explores eighteen types of records and the kind of hidden clues each offers to help us resolve problems of identity, kinship, and origin.

*** This class requires an active webinar membership to attend. ***

About the speaker

About the speaker

Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL
Across a long career, Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS, has been an innovator of research methods and strategies. Published widely by academic and popular presses, she edited a national-level scholarly journal for 16 years, taught
Learn more...

Comments (238)

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

1000 characters remaining
Cancel Submit

Sort by Newest
Sort by Close.
  • Newest
  • Oldest
  • Likes
  1. LP
    Lois Perkins
    2 years ago

    Amazing as always. I have a lot of work to do now.

    Reply
  2. WW
    Wendy Winstead
    2 years ago

    Wonderful webinar! I learned so much over the records I tend to think are not very important. Can’t wait to see the new things I find!

    Reply
  3. DG
    Diana Gill
    2 years ago

    Absolutely fantastic!

    Reply
  4. CC
    Cathy Cline
    2 years ago

    A must watch!

    Reply
  5. MH
    MICHAEL HESS
    2 years ago

    As always, great lecture.

    Reply
  6. JH
    Jane Halloran
    2 years ago

    What a fantastic lecture. Thank you very much. I will definitely be at the next class.

    Reply
  7. GS
    Georgianna Seko
    2 years ago

    This was an excellent webinar and should not be missed by anyone who does genealogical research. Thank you so much.

    Reply
  8. KC
    KJ Corbett
    2 years ago

    I truly enjoyed this presentation. As a former DAR Registrar and Lineage Researcher for DAR, you have reinforced many things I felt were correct in searching for families through other sources such as Estate Sales. Thank you so much.
    KJ Proctor-Corbett

    Reply
Show all comments

Related Webinars

Advanced
1:16:38
Best of ESMMethodology and Skills
Okay, I ‘Got the Neighbors’—Now What Do I Do with Them?!
Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL
2.5K views
CC
Okay, I ‘Got the Neighbors’—Now What Do I Do with Them?!
We’ve all heard the mantra Get the Neighbors! But exactly how do we use “other people’s” information to solve problems of identity, kinship, and origin for our own ancestors? This session teaches critical skills for building networks around problem ancestors, methods for analyzing and prioritizing associations, and strategies for milking clues from the records those neighbors created. All can be developed into solutions for our toughest research problems.
Best of ESMMethodology and Skills
Okay, I ‘Got the Neighbors’—Now What Do I Do with Them?!
CC
Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL
2.5K views
We’ve all heard the mantra Get the Neighbors! But exactly how do we use “other people’s” information to solve problems of identity, kinship, and origin for our own ancestors? This session teaches critical skills for building networks around problem ancestors, methods for analyzing and prioritizing associations, and strategies for milking clues from the records those neighbors created. All can be developed into solutions for our toughest research problems.
Fri, April 28 2023: 18:00 UTC
Login to register (for webinar members)
Login to register (for webinar members)
Advanced
56:50
BCGMethodology and SkillsDNA Testing
FAN + GPS + DNA: The Problem-Solver's Great Trifecta
Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL
20.6K views
CC
FAN + GPS + DNA: The Problem-Solver's Great Trifecta
Can you really 'prove' a female line when, for four straight generations, absolutely no document identifies a parent or sibling? Does the challenge seem hopeless when courthouses are burned and an illegitimacy is rumored? This session will demonstrate how to use three critical tools: (1) the FAN Principle to build…
BCGMethodology and SkillsDNA Testing
FAN + GPS + DNA: The Problem-Solver's Great Trifecta
CC
Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL
20.6K views
Can you really 'prove' a female line when, for four straight generations, absolutely no document identifies a parent or sibling? Does the challenge seem hopeless when courthouses are burned and an illegitimacy is rumored? This session will demonstrate how to use three critical tools: (1) the FAN Principle to build…
Fri, October 7 2016: 0:00 UTC
Register for free
57:10
Methodology and SkillsWebtember
The Neighbors Knew: Strategies for Finding YOUR Ancestral Details in THEIR Records
Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA
1.2K views
CC
The Neighbors Knew: Strategies for Finding YOUR Ancestral Details in THEIR Records
A christening attended, best friend’s wedding, or the same church. Examples from the written words of other people provide details on YOUR family. Marriages, births, deaths, similar jobs, military service, memberships, education, employees, and more on YOUR family. Includes ways to find these other words along with many examples filled with names of other people.
Methodology and SkillsWebtember
The Neighbors Knew: Strategies for Finding YOUR Ancestral Details in THEIR Records
CC
Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA
1.2K views
A christening attended, best friend’s wedding, or the same church. Examples from the written words of other people provide details on YOUR family. Marriages, births, deaths, similar jobs, military service, memberships, education, employees, and more on YOUR family. Includes ways to find these other words along with many examples filled with names of other people.
Fri, September 13 2024: 15:30 UTC
Register for free
1:07:24
BCGMethodology and Skills
Steamer Kate Explosion: Correlating Indirect Evidence to Identify and Correct an Error
Ann Staley, CG, CGL
494 views
CC
Steamer Kate Explosion: Correlating Indirect Evidence to Identify and Correct an Error
What happens when the indirect evidence of a death occurring and a probate record don't agree? The research begins in earnest! That's what happened in the case of the death of Antoine/Anthony Lallament of Mobile, Alabama. Who is Antoine and what relationship is he to me? When did he actually die? Which record is correct? What would other available records reveal? How is the explosion of the Steamer Kate involved? We have more questions than answers. This case study provides the research methodology involved in solving this problem.
BCGMethodology and Skills
Steamer Kate Explosion: Correlating Indirect Evidence to Identify and Correct an Error
CC
Ann Staley, CG, CGL
494 views
What happens when the indirect evidence of a death occurring and a probate record don't agree? The research begins in earnest! That's what happened in the case of the death of Antoine/Anthony Lallament of Mobile, Alabama. Who is Antoine and what relationship is he to me? When did he actually die? Which record is correct? What would other available records reveal? How is the explosion of the Steamer Kate involved? We have more questions than answers. This case study provides the research methodology involved in solving this problem.
Wed, October 18 2023: 0:00 UTC
Register for free
1:23:36
Methodology and Skills
Help! How do I separate genealogical fact from fiction?
Carol Baxter
964 views
CC
Help! How do I separate genealogical fact from fiction?
We sit at our computer searching for information about our ancestors and … click … we find something new and intriguing. But wait: it contradicts something else we’ve found. Clearly, both pieces of information can’t be true. So which is true and which isn’t? Or are both untrue? HELP! Until recently, most researchers developed their evidence-analysis skills by a process of trial-and-error. Unfortunately, many researchers have erred more than tried and seem to be the ones most prolific in publishing the results of their “research” on the internet. Yet these errors can prove disastrous, gobbling up our precious time and money as we search in the wrong place – or worse, as we pursue the wrong ancestral line. So how do we ensure that our conclusions are accurate? This seminar will show you how to evaluate our ancestral information – that is, how to weight each piece of information to determine its accuracy – using a clear, logical, easy-to-follow system. After learning these skills you’ll easily be able to determine which information is reliable and which is like a virus that can destroy all your hard work.
Methodology and Skills
Help! How do I separate genealogical fact from fiction?
CC
Carol Baxter
964 views
We sit at our computer searching for information about our ancestors and … click … we find something new and intriguing. But wait: it contradicts something else we’ve found. Clearly, both pieces of information can’t be true. So which is true and which isn’t? Or are both untrue? HELP! Until recently, most researchers developed their evidence-analysis skills by a process of trial-and-error. Unfortunately, many researchers have erred more than tried and seem to be the ones most prolific in publishing the results of their “research” on the internet. Yet these errors can prove disastrous, gobbling up our precious time and money as we search in the wrong place – or worse, as we pursue the wrong ancestral line. So how do we ensure that our conclusions are accurate? This seminar will show you how to evaluate our ancestral information – that is, how to weight each piece of information to determine its accuracy – using a clear, logical, easy-to-follow system. After learning these skills you’ll easily be able to determine which information is reliable and which is like a virus that can destroy all your hard work.
Thu, October 12 2023: 0:00 UTC
Register for free
1:09:11
Methodology and Skills
Why We Should Look at In-Laws When Doing Genealogical Research
J. Mark Lowe, FUGA
1.7K views
CC
Why We Should Look at In-Laws When Doing Genealogical Research
Often, when the records of family members can’t be easily found, a review of fictive kin and other connections might bring those missing individuals into view. Let’s look at some cases when broadening our focus might bring the target directly into our view.
Methodology and Skills
Why We Should Look at In-Laws When Doing Genealogical Research
CC
J. Mark Lowe, FUGA
1.7K views
Often, when the records of family members can’t be easily found, a review of fictive kin and other connections might bring those missing individuals into view. Let’s look at some cases when broadening our focus might bring the target directly into our view.
Wed, July 26 2023: 18:00 UTC
Register for free
1:04:36
Methodology and Skills
I Hate Conflict! Mediating Sources that Don’t Agree
Elizabeth Williams Gomoll, CG
1.2K views
CC
I Hate Conflict! Mediating Sources that Don’t Agree
Sooner or later, every family researcher comes across information that conflicts with what was found earlier - a date, a name, a place. How can the conflict be resolved, and if it cannot, what to do?
Methodology and Skills
I Hate Conflict! Mediating Sources that Don’t Agree
CC
Elizabeth Williams Gomoll, CG
1.2K views
Sooner or later, every family researcher comes across information that conflicts with what was found earlier - a date, a name, a place. How can the conflict be resolved, and if it cannot, what to do?
Wed, July 19 2023: 18:00 UTC
Register for free
48:40
Places and EthnicitiesAfrican DiasporaMethodology and Skills
The FAN Club Methodology, DNA, and Genealogy Lead Back to Lunatic’s Plantation
Melvin J. Collier
1.2K views
CC
The FAN Club Methodology, DNA, and Genealogy Lead Back to Lunatic’s Plantation
Utilizing the FAN Club method, DNA, and enslaved ancestral research, Collier finally found major clues to help solve a longtime mystery – who was the previous enslaver of his great-great grandmother, Polly Partee of Panola County, Mississippi, and where did she come from? Her last enslaver was Squire Boone Partee of Panola County, and Polly had been the head cook on his plantation during and after slavery, according to oral history. According to the censuses, she was born somewhere in North Carolina and sold to Squire by 1852, but her origins had been largely unknown. Collier will present a plethora of DNA evidence, in conjunction with genealogy research and the FAN Club methodology, to uncover Polly’s North Carolina origins. Collier will also argue how a court-investigated lunatic, Alfred Alston of Fayette County, Tennessee, was most likely her previous enslaver.
Places and EthnicitiesAfrican DiasporaMethodology and Skills
The FAN Club Methodology, DNA, and Genealogy Lead Back to Lunatic’s Plantation
CC
Melvin J. Collier
1.2K views
Utilizing the FAN Club method, DNA, and enslaved ancestral research, Collier finally found major clues to help solve a longtime mystery – who was the previous enslaver of his great-great grandmother, Polly Partee of Panola County, Mississippi, and where did she come from? Her last enslaver was Squire Boone Partee of Panola County, and Polly had been the head cook on his plantation during and after slavery, according to oral history. According to the censuses, she was born somewhere in North Carolina and sold to Squire by 1852, but her origins had been largely unknown. Collier will present a plethora of DNA evidence, in conjunction with genealogy research and the FAN Club methodology, to uncover Polly’s North Carolina origins. Collier will also argue how a court-investigated lunatic, Alfred Alston of Fayette County, Tennessee, was most likely her previous enslaver.
Fri, April 14 2023: 1:00 UTC
Register for free
1:24:42
BCGMethodology and Skills
Uncovering Immigrant Origins Through Cluster Research
Dana Palmer, CG, CGL
1.6K views
CC
Uncovering Immigrant Origins Through Cluster Research
Descendants of an early Ohio family had no idea of their origins. Following an associated family brought success, even after wading into foreign- language documents. This presentation shows what to do when traditional records fail to reveal an ancestor’s place of origin and how to use cluster research to break through the brick wall. Discussion will include how to determine the place of origin using records found in the United States and what to do when no records exist on your direct line.
BCGMethodology and Skills
Uncovering Immigrant Origins Through Cluster Research
CC
Dana Palmer, CG, CGL
1.6K views
Descendants of an early Ohio family had no idea of their origins. Following an associated family brought success, even after wading into foreign- language documents. This presentation shows what to do when traditional records fail to reveal an ancestor’s place of origin and how to use cluster research to break through the brick wall. Discussion will include how to determine the place of origin using records found in the United States and what to do when no records exist on your direct line.
Wed, March 22 2023: 0:00 UTC
Register for free