See the Genealogical Proof Standard applied to research on both sides of the Atlantic to prove the identity of an immigrant not found where she is supposed to be and whose name is anything but certain.
F. Warren Bittner, MS (History), is a genealogical researcher, educator, and author. He is a professional researcher accepting private clients and specializes in German and German Immigrant research. He is former owner of an independent research f
Thinking about DNA as a research tool, I was wondering if you had DNA testing done to see if you are a match with any of Dora’s sister’s descendants? If so, they might have additional family or genealogical documents that could add to the family research.
An excellent presentation……really showed what thinking outside the box & persistence can accomplish.
arrived late but still enjoyed it very much.
As always – Great Presenter and wealth of knowledge.
Clear and descriptive of each step.
clear research steps shown – thanks
Didn’t realise it was both Germany and America
excellent
Excellent and professional presentation. Thanks
Excellent case study demonstrating use of the GPS – thanks Warren!
Excellent delivery. Kept my interest.
excellent explanations, taking us step by step through the thought process.
Excellent lecture.
excellent presentation.
Excellent presentation. I learned more about researching in Germany.
EXCELLENT! Now I want to pursue that research trip to Germany for my German ancestors.
Excellent!!!!
Fantastic research skills! Gave me some ideas about potential types of records in Germany for doing my own research. Just need to get them imaged!
Fantastic. So clear, and unlike many presenters Warren doesn’t go too fast to keep up. It was easy to follow the complexities of the case and I learned a lot.
Fascinating! Gives me hope that I’ll be able to find my ancestor who I have been looking for in Germany for years!
Found out about the existence of German Gazeteers
Fun to listen to a detective search!
Great presentation. Gave me a lot to think about and explained a logical plan of attach. Thank you very much. time well spent.
Great research tips! Great example of commitment and thoroughly researching an ancestor.
Had to leave early; I will definitely watch the entire recording.
Handouts were very handy
He always has the best information!
I also enjoyed the German references and suggestions since my maternal side was from Germany and found those resources very helpful.
I enjoyed hi tips on exhaustive research.
I look forward to finding out more about the records I questioned. Thank you for a starting point to find out more. Also will look into the Gazeteer. I haven’t used that in a while.
I think I remember Warren talking about the Behres earlier, so was on pins and needles the whole time waiting to see if he found the mother! Also, was great having examples of why we should pay attention to which parish in Germany is which.
I was enthralled with the adventure he took us on. So many good ideas for how to pursue the dead ends! Every one of your programs is inspiring. Thank you so much for making these available, especially from my home.
It defintely demonstrated the use of exhaustive research and analysis.
It was awesome…I learned a lot to help me
It’s always great to see how a case is built step by step. This one was meaningful because I have people I want to find in Germany and sometimes get confused by similar/differing names on records too. Hopefully if I watch enough people do it right, some of the “best practices” will get embedded in my brain.
Liked the topic – German genealogy, and name discrepancies!
love the case studies, especially when the trail is so well explained
Love these BCG webinars–help me tackle the difficult conflicts in my research
metacognitive reflection
Mind Boggling. I have to do research in Germany, and this gave me some valuable guidance. Thanks to Mr. Bittner
Missed most of it but a clearly detailed outline of what is required of a certified genealogist.
Most informative
Now, that’s how to do research! Love listening to any presentation of Warren Bittner! I always get so much out of them.
One of the best webinars ever!
Really enjoy Warren Bittner seminars. I wish I had his resources!
really enjoyed the webinar today
Showing each of the steps in Warren Bittner’s difficult research was very helpful. It was also good to see how he worked through each step of the genealogical proof standard to come to his conclusion.
So much information and knowledge. This was great!
Thank you so much Warren. Love love loved your presentation. So many times some of us feel like we’re out here alone researching and the very reason I loved this presentation. I’ve been doing Hungarian resesarch for 20 years and first of all I appreciate hearing how others research on both sides of the pond, and decondly listening to you I have had similar cases of conflicting ID so you have reasured me, I’m on the right track.
The depth and breadth of the research was somewhat overwhelming and also incredible! A fascinating presentation!
The method of resolving conflicts was very helpful
There is no better German researcher and speaker than Warren Bittner.
This was a great case study! I especially liked the conflicting evidence and how he came to his conclusions.
This was a wakeup call that we all need to be researching outside the box when things are not fitting together as we think they should. Mr. Bittner does a wonderful job. So thorough.
Very clear, easy to follow presentation of how to research a problem.
Very helpful in laying out the research issue and process. Thanks.
Very helpful. Started listening in my car then jumped on computer once I got home. So glad I could get it both ways.
very imformative
Very informative
very informative
Very interesting speaker. Well organized and easy to follow.
very practical example of how to research a German immigrant
Very thorough and informative.
Warren Bitner did a great job in explaining the series of events he followed. Usually with case studies you get the answer followed by proofs. This was much better to keep us wondering if Dora Luhr would ever be found in Germany.
Warren Bittner had me fascinated from the moment he began the webinar. I learned a great deal from him tonight. I will be searching for other webinars he has presented. He’s extraordinary!
Warren is a fabulous lecturer – and a terrific representative of what it means to be a certified genealogist.
Warren is a fabulous presenter. I appreciate the way he teaches thorough research techniques within a story.
Warren is a great speaker and his personality pops out of the screen even without seeing his face. 🙂
Warren was excellent as always. Thank you so much for hosting him!
Well organized. Did not go through the material too fast so we were able to follow along easly.
Well pace, easy to follow … new light on the subject
well presented and able to follow research strategies.
What an exhaustive research trail, I am very impressed.
Wonderful information and strategy
Wonderful presentation! Very engaging and informative.
Wonderful research tips. Needed more time so questions could be answered.
Research reports are not just for professionals, but are a great tool for anyone who wants to answer their research questions. Write a research report to yourself to organize your thoughts, analyze the evidence, document your findings, and solve your puzzles. Using an example from the Netherlands, this presentation demonstrates how you can organize a research report to spot more clues in records, discover and resolve discrepancies, and build reliable conclusions.
Research reports are not just for professionals, but are a great tool for anyone who wants to answer their research questions. Write a research report to yourself to organize your thoughts, analyze the evidence, document your findings, and solve your puzzles. Using an example from the Netherlands, this presentation demonstrates how you can organize a research report to spot more clues in records, discover and resolve discrepancies, and build reliable conclusions.
Sense and Sensibility: The Power of Logic, Intuition, and Critical Thinking
Is it logical that a woman born in 1752 gave birth to a son in 1848? Do I have enough evidence to conclude that Johan Kannon of Trondheim, Norway, was the same person as John Connell from Cut-and-Shoot, Texas? Why do I share 300 cM of DNA with three people I’ve never heard of? Genealogists make hundreds of decisions everyday based on thousands of pieces of information harvested from various sources. We automatically, and often unconsciously, use common sense, logic, and even intuition, to identify relevant evidence, problem-solve, and answer complex questions.
Learning to harness the power of logic, syllogism, and our own “Spidey-senses,” can help scale brick-walls, solve DNA mysteries, and organize mountains of information. This talk focuses on how to incorporate logic, common sense, and critical thinking in a more deliberate way to create hypotheses, test theories, and support conclusions. Johnson will share exercises that can bulk up logic and critical thought muscles, as well as practical tips on how to apply common sense and sensibility to your family history research and writing.
Is it logical that a woman born in 1752 gave birth to a son in 1848? Do I have enough evidence to conclude that Johan Kannon of Trondheim, Norway, was the same person as John Connell from Cut-and-Shoot, Texas? Why do I share 300 cM of DNA with three people I’ve never heard of? Genealogists make hundreds of decisions everyday based on thousands of pieces of information harvested from various sources. We automatically, and often unconsciously, use common sense, logic, and even intuition, to identify relevant evidence, problem-solve, and answer complex questions.
Learning to harness the power of logic, syllogism, and our own “Spidey-senses,” can help scale brick-walls, solve DNA mysteries, and organize mountains of information. This talk focuses on how to incorporate logic, common sense, and critical thinking in a more deliberate way to create hypotheses, test theories, and support conclusions. Johnson will share exercises that can bulk up logic and critical thought muscles, as well as practical tips on how to apply common sense and sensibility to your family history research and writing.
In the summer of 2023 American Ancestors/New England Historic Genealogical Society announced the collaborative 10 Million Names project, an undertaking to recover the names of people of African descent who were enslaved in the area of the United States. This monumental task of centralizing datasets about African Americans is likely to take years to accomplish; in the interim, this webinar provides a useful survey of the many existing databases that serve a similar purpose though limited in scope.
In the summer of 2023 American Ancestors/New England Historic Genealogical Society announced the collaborative 10 Million Names project, an undertaking to recover the names of people of African descent who were enslaved in the area of the United States. This monumental task of centralizing datasets about African Americans is likely to take years to accomplish; in the interim, this webinar provides a useful survey of the many existing databases that serve a similar purpose though limited in scope.
He Had a Brother Who Disappeared: Finding John H. Hickey, Formerly of Rockton, Winnebago County, Illinois
Family tradition holds that John H. Hickey of Rockton, Winnebago County, Illinois, disappeared. This case study proves John "disappeared" and establishes the missing man's fate. A patchwork of records allowed a glimpse into the life of a person thought dead.
Family tradition holds that John H. Hickey of Rockton, Winnebago County, Illinois, disappeared. This case study proves John "disappeared" and establishes the missing man's fate. A patchwork of records allowed a glimpse into the life of a person thought dead.
Oral Genealogy in Asia-Pacific: The Essence of Personal Identity and Tribal Connections
Oral genealogies celebrate ancestral connections in indigenous cultures across Asia-Pacific. As one paramount chief in Samoa declared, “The most important thing for children to understand is their family connections. The knowledge of history is their treasure—not gold and silver, but genealogy.” Learn about the significance and richness of oral genealogies and current efforts to preserve them in Asia and the Pacific.
Oral genealogies celebrate ancestral connections in indigenous cultures across Asia-Pacific. As one paramount chief in Samoa declared, “The most important thing for children to understand is their family connections. The knowledge of history is their treasure—not gold and silver, but genealogy.” Learn about the significance and richness of oral genealogies and current efforts to preserve them in Asia and the Pacific.
Genealogists write. Their written narratives include stories of ancestral families, biographies of individual ancestors, and explanations supporting genealogical proofs. For their writing to succeed, genealogists—like all effective writers—repeatedly self-edit everything they write. The process results in polished products that the genealogist’s readers will understand, enjoy, and cherish.
Emphasizing genealogical narrative, these two webinars will address the self-editing process. Part 1 will focus on “big-picture” editing, including stages of self-editing; focus; keeping the writer out of the narrative; editing the writing’s overall structure, organization, and flow; and improving major and minor subdivisions of written genealogical narratives, including paragraphing. Part 2 will focus on “nitty-gritty” editing, including capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, word choice, and reducing word count.
Genealogists write. Their written narratives include stories of ancestral families, biographies of individual ancestors, and explanations supporting genealogical proofs. For their writing to succeed, genealogists—like all effective writers—repeatedly self-edit everything they write. The process results in polished products that the genealogist’s readers will understand, enjoy, and cherish.
Emphasizing genealogical narrative, these two webinars will address the self-editing process. Part 1 will focus on “big-picture” editing, including stages of self-editing; focus; keeping the writer out of the narrative; editing the writing’s overall structure, organization, and flow; and improving major and minor subdivisions of written genealogical narratives, including paragraphing. Part 2 will focus on “nitty-gritty” editing, including capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, word choice, and reducing word count.
Genealogists write. Their written narratives include stories of ancestral families, biographies of individual ancestors, and explanations supporting genealogical proofs. For their writing to succeed, genealogists—like all effective writers—repeatedly self-edit everything they write. The process results in polished products that the genealogist’s readers will understand, enjoy, and cherish.
Emphasizing genealogical narrative, these two webinars will addresses the self-editing process. Part 1 will focus on “big-picture” editing, including stages of self-editing; focus; keeping the writer out of the narrative; editing the writing’s overall structure, organization, and flow; and improving major and minor subdivisions of written genealogical narratives, including paragraphing. Part 2 will focus on “nitty-gritty” editing, including capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, word choice, and reducing word count.
Genealogists write. Their written narratives include stories of ancestral families, biographies of individual ancestors, and explanations supporting genealogical proofs. For their writing to succeed, genealogists—like all effective writers—repeatedly self-edit everything they write. The process results in polished products that the genealogist’s readers will understand, enjoy, and cherish.
Emphasizing genealogical narrative, these two webinars will addresses the self-editing process. Part 1 will focus on “big-picture” editing, including stages of self-editing; focus; keeping the writer out of the narrative; editing the writing’s overall structure, organization, and flow; and improving major and minor subdivisions of written genealogical narratives, including paragraphing. Part 2 will focus on “nitty-gritty” editing, including capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, word choice, and reducing word count.
French Emigrants: They Were Not All Huguenots, or Nobles, or from Alsace-Lorraine
One of the great difficulties for people researching their French immigrant ancestors’ roots is that so little is known outside of France about when and why the French left their country. This dearth of knowledge has led many family historians of the 19th century to presume Huguenot, noble émigré or Alsace-Lorraine ancestry for any ancestor with a French name. The supposition became a family legend that then became a research frustration as more recent family historians attempt to prove what was never more than a misguided supposition.
This webinar looks at the many waves of French migration, as well as the three mentioned in the title, from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The historical reasons for when, why and to where they emigrated will provide the key points to bear in mind when conducting research. The bibliography, in English and French, contains not only books and articles concerning French emigration but a list of websites to aid the researcher.
One of the great difficulties for people researching their French immigrant ancestors’ roots is that so little is known outside of France about when and why the French left their country. This dearth of knowledge has led many family historians of the 19th century to presume Huguenot, noble émigré or Alsace-Lorraine ancestry for any ancestor with a French name. The supposition became a family legend that then became a research frustration as more recent family historians attempt to prove what was never more than a misguided supposition.
This webinar looks at the many waves of French migration, as well as the three mentioned in the title, from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The historical reasons for when, why and to where they emigrated will provide the key points to bear in mind when conducting research. The bibliography, in English and French, contains not only books and articles concerning French emigration but a list of websites to aid the researcher.
Maternal Threads Unwoven: Identifying Margareta’s Mother in 18th Century Sweden
In spite of birth entries for Margareta's five siblings in Hishult, there was no record of her birth in the parish. Tax records quickly identified the father, and revealed multiple moves within a narrow span of time; however, identification of the mother remained elusive. No witnesses to births of the children provided clues; no household examinations existed. Coupling the understanding of broad context (naming patterns, inheritance laws, the calendar shift, etc.) with mtDNA and documentary evidence, the mother was identified and the lack of a records was explained.
In spite of birth entries for Margareta's five siblings in Hishult, there was no record of her birth in the parish. Tax records quickly identified the father, and revealed multiple moves within a narrow span of time; however, identification of the mother remained elusive. No witnesses to births of the children provided clues; no household examinations existed. Coupling the understanding of broad context (naming patterns, inheritance laws, the calendar shift, etc.) with mtDNA and documentary evidence, the mother was identified and the lack of a records was explained.
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Syllabus
Thinking about DNA as a research tool, I was wondering if you had DNA testing done to see if you are a match with any of Dora’s sister’s descendants? If so, they might have additional family or genealogical documents that could add to the family research.
A true researcher!
Always learn so much from him!
An excellent presentation……really showed what thinking outside the box & persistence can accomplish.
arrived late but still enjoyed it very much.
As always – Great Presenter and wealth of knowledge.
Clear and descriptive of each step.
clear research steps shown – thanks
Didn’t realise it was both Germany and America
excellent
Excellent and professional presentation. Thanks
Excellent case study demonstrating use of the GPS – thanks Warren!
Excellent delivery. Kept my interest.
excellent explanations, taking us step by step through the thought process.
Excellent lecture.
excellent presentation.
Excellent presentation. I learned more about researching in Germany.
EXCELLENT! Now I want to pursue that research trip to Germany for my German ancestors.
Excellent!!!!
Fantastic research skills! Gave me some ideas about potential types of records in Germany for doing my own research. Just need to get them imaged!
Fantastic. So clear, and unlike many presenters Warren doesn’t go too fast to keep up. It was easy to follow the complexities of the case and I learned a lot.
Fascinating! Gives me hope that I’ll be able to find my ancestor who I have been looking for in Germany for years!
Found out about the existence of German Gazeteers
Fun to listen to a detective search!
Great presentation. Gave me a lot to think about and explained a logical plan of attach. Thank you very much. time well spent.
Great research tips! Great example of commitment and thoroughly researching an ancestor.
Had to leave early; I will definitely watch the entire recording.
Handouts were very handy
He always has the best information!
I also enjoyed the German references and suggestions since my maternal side was from Germany and found those resources very helpful.
I enjoyed hi tips on exhaustive research.
I look forward to finding out more about the records I questioned. Thank you for a starting point to find out more. Also will look into the Gazeteer. I haven’t used that in a while.
I think I remember Warren talking about the Behres earlier, so was on pins and needles the whole time waiting to see if he found the mother! Also, was great having examples of why we should pay attention to which parish in Germany is which.
I was enthralled with the adventure he took us on. So many good ideas for how to pursue the dead ends! Every one of your programs is inspiring. Thank you so much for making these available, especially from my home.
It defintely demonstrated the use of exhaustive research and analysis.
It was awesome…I learned a lot to help me
It’s always great to see how a case is built step by step. This one was meaningful because I have people I want to find in Germany and sometimes get confused by similar/differing names on records too. Hopefully if I watch enough people do it right, some of the “best practices” will get embedded in my brain.
Liked the topic – German genealogy, and name discrepancies!
love the case studies, especially when the trail is so well explained
Love these BCG webinars–help me tackle the difficult conflicts in my research
metacognitive reflection
Mind Boggling. I have to do research in Germany, and this gave me some valuable guidance. Thanks to Mr. Bittner
Missed most of it but a clearly detailed outline of what is required of a certified genealogist.
Most informative
Now, that’s how to do research! Love listening to any presentation of Warren Bittner! I always get so much out of them.
One of the best webinars ever!
Really enjoy Warren Bittner seminars. I wish I had his resources!
really enjoyed the webinar today
Showing each of the steps in Warren Bittner’s difficult research was very helpful. It was also good to see how he worked through each step of the genealogical proof standard to come to his conclusion.
So much information and knowledge. This was great!
Thank you so much Warren. Love love loved your presentation. So many times some of us feel like we’re out here alone researching and the very reason I loved this presentation. I’ve been doing Hungarian resesarch for 20 years and first of all I appreciate hearing how others research on both sides of the pond, and decondly listening to you I have had similar cases of conflicting ID so you have reasured me, I’m on the right track.
The depth and breadth of the research was somewhat overwhelming and also incredible! A fascinating presentation!
The method of resolving conflicts was very helpful
There is no better German researcher and speaker than Warren Bittner.
This was a great case study! I especially liked the conflicting evidence and how he came to his conclusions.
This was a wakeup call that we all need to be researching outside the box when things are not fitting together as we think they should. Mr. Bittner does a wonderful job. So thorough.
Very clear, easy to follow presentation of how to research a problem.
Very helpful in laying out the research issue and process. Thanks.
Very helpful. Started listening in my car then jumped on computer once I got home. So glad I could get it both ways.
very imformative
Very informative
very informative
Very interesting speaker. Well organized and easy to follow.
very practical example of how to research a German immigrant
Very thorough and informative.
Warren Bitner did a great job in explaining the series of events he followed. Usually with case studies you get the answer followed by proofs. This was much better to keep us wondering if Dora Luhr would ever be found in Germany.
Warren Bittner had me fascinated from the moment he began the webinar. I learned a great deal from him tonight. I will be searching for other webinars he has presented. He’s extraordinary!
Warren is a fabulous lecturer – and a terrific representative of what it means to be a certified genealogist.
Warren is a fabulous presenter. I appreciate the way he teaches thorough research techniques within a story.
Warren is a great speaker and his personality pops out of the screen even without seeing his face. 🙂
Warren was excellent as always. Thank you so much for hosting him!
Well organized. Did not go through the material too fast so we were able to follow along easly.
Well pace, easy to follow … new light on the subject
well presented and able to follow research strategies.
What an exhaustive research trail, I am very impressed.
Wonderful information and strategy
Wonderful presentation! Very engaging and informative.
Wonderful research tips. Needed more time so questions could be answered.