Episodes

I talk a lot about component parts, or the basic how-to's of handling records, but what about the how-to's of building one person's life in your family tree? Genealogy has become an immediate-gratification online phenomenon, but it's not always that at all. How long should a 21st-century online researcher be expected to wait before work is done on any one person in their tree? This episode takes on that question, and replies with my ongoing battle to complete details about one person - my great-...

I talk a lot about component parts, or the basic how-to's of handling records, but what about the how-to's of building one person's life in your family tree? Genealogy has become an immediate-gratification online phenomenon, but it's not always that at all. How long should a 21st-century online researcher be expected to wait before work is done on any one person in their tree? This episode takes on that question, and replies with my ongoing battle to complete details about one person - my great-...

I talk a lot about component parts, or the basic how-to's of handling records, but what about the how-to's of building one person's life in your family tree? Genealogy has become an immediate-gratification online phenomenon, but it's not always that at all. How long should a 21st-century online researcher be expected to wait before work is done on any one person in their tree? This episode takes on that question, and replies with my ongoing battle to complete details about one person - my great-...

For our inaugural episode of the folkloric and gastronomic aspects of family history, I'm presenting a staple recipe from my family's cookbook. It entered my family with my mother's mother's stepmother, and every generation that has made it has put a unique twist on it since. Ethel "Itey" Garrard Drahos Hinzie, who brought it into the family with her marriage to my great-grandfather in 1935, was born in Indiana in 1886. My grandmother took over the recipe when she married in 1931. She, in turn, ...

For our inaugural episode of the folkloric and gastronomic aspects of family history, I'm presenting a staple recipe from my family's cookbook. It entered my family with my mother's mother's stepmother, and every generation that has made it has put a unique twist on it since. Ethel "Itey" Garrard Drahos Hinzie, who brought it into the family with her marriage to my great-grandfather in 1935, was born in Indiana in 1886. My grandmother took over the recipe when she married in 1931. She, in turn, ...

For our inaugural episode of the folkloric and gastronomic aspects of family history, I'm presenting a staple recipe from my family's cookbook. It entered my family with my mother's mother's stepmother, and every generation that has made it has put a unique twist on it since. Ethel "Itey" Garrard Drahos Hinzie, who brought it into the family with her marriage to my great-grandfather in 1935, was born in Indiana in 1886. My grandmother took over the recipe when she married in 1931. She, in turn, ...

Have you ever gotten frustrated that the records you REALLY need from a US city or state across the country (or world), one you'll NEVER travel to, hasn't released their vital records indexes online? Brooke Schreier Ganz felt that way about New York (as so many have) and she decided to do something about it. Listen to my interview with her as she explains her response to the problem: she created a FREE service (and two websites) called Reclaim the Records, a tax-exempt, charitable organization w...

Have you ever gotten frustrated that the records you REALLY need from a US city or state across the country (or world), one you'll NEVER travel to, hasn't released their vital records indexes online? Brooke Schreier Ganz felt that way about New York (as so many have) and she decided to do something about it. Listen to my interview with her as she explains her response to the problem: she created a FREE service (and two websites) called Reclaim the Records, a tax-exempt, charitable organization w...

Have you ever gotten frustrated that the records you REALLY need from a US city or state across the country (or world), one you'll NEVER travel to, hasn't released their vital records indexes online? Brooke Schreier Ganz felt that way about New York (as so many have) and she decided to do something about it. Listen to my interview with her as she explains her response to the problem: she created a FREE service (and two websites) called Reclaim the Records, a tax-exempt, charitable organization w...

Have you heard of a holiday called Juneteenth? Do you know what it is, or why it's important in American history? Well, listen here - this is the episode for you. This is straight-up history - Ancestry.com is on the blink, so we're steering clear of Ancestry lessons for a few weeks in order to let them get themselves together again. And since there's a holiday to discuss, why not use the opportunity to learn in a whole new way? We've got quotes from the Emancipation Proclamation and General Orde...

Have you heard of a holiday called Juneteenth? Do you know what it is, or why it's important in American history? Well, listen here - this is the episode for you. This is straight-up history - Ancestry.com is on the blink, so we're steering clear of Ancestry lessons for a few weeks in order to let them get themselves together again. And since there's a holiday to discuss, why not use the opportunity to learn in a whole new way? We've got quotes from the Emancipation Proclamation and General Orde...

Have you heard of a holiday called Juneteenth? Do you know what it is, or why it's important in American history? Well, listen here - this is the episode for you. This is straight-up history - Ancestry.com is on the blink, so we're steering clear of Ancestry lessons for a few weeks in order to let them get themselves together again. And since there's a holiday to discuss, why not use the opportunity to learn in a whole new way? We've got quotes from the Emancipation Proclamation and General Orde...

It's our first mail bag, filled with questions and answers from the FPPP community! What's up with Ancestry, which of their records are good, do you believe a record over a human or vice-versa, and how do you make your slave-holding ancestors' info available to researchers of color? There are lots of goodies in this bag, provided by the entire group, so hop on in with us - there's plenty of room. Also, I'm introducing everyone to a new episode concept, and am asking for recipes for the new Famil...

It's our first mail bag, filled with questions and answers from the FPPP community! What's up with Ancestry, which of their records are good, do you believe a record over a human or vice-versa, and how do you make your slave-holding ancestors' info available to researchers of color? There are lots of goodies in this bag, provided by the entire group, so hop on in with us - there's plenty of room. Also, I'm introducing everyone to a new episode concept, and am asking for recipes for the new Famil...

It's our first mail bag, filled with questions and answers from the FPPP community! What's up with Ancestry, which of their records are good, do you believe a record over a human or vice-versa, and how do you make your slave-holding ancestors' info available to researchers of color? There are lots of goodies in this bag, provided by the entire group, so hop on in with us - there's plenty of room. Also, I'm introducing everyone to a new episode concept, and am asking for recipes for the new Famil...

This week is something special: my first-ever interview! My friend Christopher Harris joins the podcast to discuss his 12-year learning curve about family history through folklore, DNA, and African-American documentary methodology. He’ll discuss with us how he records conversations and organizes his work, treeing vs shrubbing, the key role that DNA and GEDmatch play, and how genealogy led him to make jollof rice on Facebook live. He’ll also talk about the importance of Freedmen’s Bureau records ...

This week is something special: my first-ever interview! My friend Christopher Harris joins the podcast to discuss his 12-year learning curve about family history through folklore, DNA, and African-American documentary methodology. He’ll discuss with us how he records conversations and organizes his work, treeing vs shrubbing, the key role that DNA and GEDmatch play, and how genealogy led him to make jollof rice on Facebook live. He’ll also talk about the importance of Freedmen’s Bureau records ...

This week is something special: my first-ever interview! My friend Christopher Harris joins the podcast to discuss his 12-year learning curve about family history through folklore, DNA, and African-American documentary methodology. He’ll discuss with us how he records conversations and organizes his work, treeing vs shrubbing, the key role that DNA and GEDmatch play, and how genealogy led him to make jollof rice on Facebook live. He’ll also talk about the importance of Freedmen’s Bureau records ...

Understanding the historical genesis and management of the decennial Federal Census, the digitization or "indexing" of the Census by FamilySearch, and the proper utilization of Census records in Ancestry is important to good Hygienealogy. And in Ancestry, Federal Census records don't always work the same way - some add all family members to your tree at once, while others only add one person at a time. So, why is that? And what ARE all of the origins of these records? I'll talk about that today ...

Understanding the historical genesis and management of the decennial Federal Census, the digitization or "indexing" of the Census by FamilySearch, and the proper utilization of Census records in Ancestry is important to good Hygienealogy. And in Ancestry, Federal Census records don't always work the same way - some add all family members to your tree at once, while others only add one person at a time. So, why is that? And what ARE all of the origins of these records? I'll talk about that today ...

Understanding the historical genesis and management of the decennial Federal Census, the digitization or "indexing" of the Census by FamilySearch, and the proper utilization of Census records in Ancestry is important to good Hygienealogy. And in Ancestry, Federal Census records don't always work the same way - some add all family members to your tree at once, while others only add one person at a time. So, why is that? And what ARE all of the origins of these records? I'll talk about that today ...

If you listen regularly but haven't started supporting the podcast financially, it's time to consider anteing up, my pumpkins! 2000 downloads, 200 listeners, and only 6 supporters. Can you help support this work? This ep is a twofer - first, I discuss shrubbing versus treeing, and why my way is better (surprise!), and second, I talk about some basic etiquette and understanding concerning various points of view surrounding the Golden State Killer task force's use of GEDMATCH's DNA database to fin...

If you listen regularly but haven't started supporting the podcast financially, it's time to consider anteing up, my pumpkins! 2000 downloads, 200 listeners, and only 6 supporters. Can you help support this work? This ep is a twofer - first, I discuss shrubbing versus treeing, and why my way is better (surprise!), and second, I talk about some basic etiquette and understanding concerning various points of view surrounding the Golden State Killer task force's use of GEDMATCH's DNA database to fin...

If you listen regularly but haven't started supporting the podcast financially, it's time to consider anteing up, my pumpkins! 2000 downloads, 200 listeners, and only 6 supporters. Can you help support this work? This ep is a twofer - first, I discuss shrubbing versus treeing, and why my way is better (surprise!), and second, I talk about some basic etiquette and understanding concerning various points of view surrounding the Golden State Killer task force's use of GEDMATCH's DNA database to fin...