The Genealogy Gems Podcast with Lisa Louise Cooke - Your Family History Show

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: Get started climbing your family tree with these 10 steps to genealogy success. Whether you're looking for Beginner Genealogy 101, or you are coming back to genealogy after a break, these steps will get you on track. And if you're a seasoned researcher, it's a good time to review the basics and make sure you haven't missed anything along the way. Get the full show notes on the .  Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Download the ad-free show notes for this episode from the  for this episode. (Premium Member subscription required.) Not a Premium Member? .)  Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Our Sponsors for this episode: Goldie May Download the Goldie May software for free. Upgrade to the full features at a great discount at Newspapers.com Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems MyHeritage Order your  today.    Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:  

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: This episode shines a spotlight on 15 under-the-radar websites that serious genealogists should know about. Lisa Louise Cooke reveals powerful resources like AI tools capable of deciphering old handwriting in unindexed records, clever ways to hunt for unique family artifacts and ephemera online, specialized digital libraries perfect for finding memoirs, how obscure fashion archives can help date your mystery photos, and cutting-edge map sites that let you search text within the historical maps themselves. Plus, stick around until the very end for a special bonus tech tip to make your research even smoother! Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Download the ad-free show notes for this episode from the . (Premium Member subscription required.) Not a Premium Member? .) Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Our Sponsors for this episode: Newspapers.com Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems MyHeritage   Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:  

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: In episode 291 of the Genealogy Gems podcast, host Lisa Louise Cooke interviews genealogy author Sunny Morton about her article "Three's Company" from the . They dive into a detailed comparison of the top three genealogy websites—Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and MyHeritage.com—focusing on historical records, DNA tools, family tree features, and more. Sunny shares insights on how these platforms differ, their strengths, and practical tips for genealogists to maximize their research. Then, in an artificial intelligence update, Lisa covers the latest Gemini update. Get the full show notes on the .  Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Download the ad-free show notes for this episode from the  for this episode. (Premium Member subscription required.) Not a Premium Member? .)  Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Our Sponsors for this episode: MyCanvas.com Receive a 10% discount on your first  order with code GGEMS Archives  makes research quick and easy with an intuitive approach to genealogy. Newspapers.com Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems MyHeritage Order your  today.    Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:  

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: Lisa Louise Cooke discusses the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on genealogy research, exploring its evolution, ethical considerations, and the importance of data privacy. Genealogists need to understand AI's capabilities and limitations and develop a balanced approach to its use in research. She also covers the significance of being aware of data privacy when using AI tools. This video comes from our full-length "Elevenses with Lisa" live show exclusively available to Premium Members. Then we discuss genealogy resources, storytelling techniques, and the impact of AI on writing in the genealogy field with author Sunny Morton.  Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Download the ad-free show notes for this episode from the . (Premium Member subscription required.) Not a Premium Member? .) Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Our Sponsors for this episode: MyCanvas.com Receive a 10% discount on your first  order with code GGEMS Archives makes research quick and easy with an intuitive approach to genealogy. Newspapers.comGet 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems MyHeritage   Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: In episode 291 of the Genealogy Gems podcast, host Lisa Louise Cooke discusses the launch of the . Crista Cowan, Ancestry's corporate genealogist, discusses the census that covers 38 million people and it's significance due to its 100-year privacy law. Cowan highlights the importance of understanding the context, including the delay in census day due to a potential worker strike, the impact of World War I on marital status, and new employment details. The conversation also touches on the use of AI for indexing and the importance of family history storytelling. Then The Photo Detective Maureen Taylor shares strategies for identifying your old family photos from the 1920s.  Get the full show notes on the .  Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Download the ad-free show notes for this episode from the  for this episode. (Premium Member subscription required.) Not a Premium Member? .)  Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Our Sponsors for this episode: MyCanvas.com Receive a 10% discount on your first order with code GGEMS Archives makes research quick and easy with an intuitive approach to genealogy. Newspapers.com Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems MyHeritage Order your  today.    Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: In this episode, Lisa Louise Cooke shares 5 genealogy gems from 2024 that you can use to boost your family history. Get the show notes for Genealogy Gems Podcast episode 290.  Check out Lisa's LiveMemory™ video on the Genealogy Gems Facebook page:   Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Download the ad-free show notes for this episode from the show notes page for this episode. (Premium Member subscription required.) Not a Premium Member? .)  Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Our Sponsors for this episode: Newspapers.com Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems   MyHeritage   Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: In this episode, Lisa Louise Cooke covers the groundbreaking LiveMemory™ tool from MyHeritage, a revolutionary advancement that harnesses the power of AI to transform still photos into mesmerizing short videos. Check out Lisa's LiveMemory™ video on the Genealogy Gems Facebook page:   Then she shares a story of the curious publication of a 19th century photo by a news organization. Hear how she spotted the case of mistaken identity, and quickly uncovered how the error may have occurred. Then follow along as she answers the question of the man in the photo's real identity with just her smartphone and some tech tips that you can use in your own genealogy research.  Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Download the ad-free show notes for this episode from the show notes page for this episode. (Premium Member subscription required.) Not a Premium Member? .)  Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Our Sponsors for this episode: Newspapers.com Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems   MyHeritageDNA Order your  today.   Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:  

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: Finding the maiden names of your ancestors can be challenging, but with the right research strategies they can be found. Author Shelley Bishop joins me in this episode to discuss 12 strategies for finding elusive maiden names of female ancestors. Then I'll cover additional resources to help you track down the records.  Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Download the ad-free show notes for this episode from the for this episode. (Premium Member subscription required.) Not a Premium Member? .)  Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Our Sponsors for this episode: Archives  makes research quick and easy with an intuitive approach to genealogy.   Newspapers.com Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems   MyHeritageDNA   Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: Food has always been at the center of family life, so if you want to know more about your family's history, a logical and tasty place to start is with your family's culinary heritage.  The food they ate and  the recipes they cooked can actually tell you a lot about them, and my guests today can help you uncover those stories.  Ashley Covelli is the food photographer, recipe developer, and culinary instructor behind the website  Lisa Lisson is the genealogy researcher behind the  YouTube channel. Together they produce and host , a podcast that explores the intersection of family history, cultural heritage, and culinary traditions. Are You My Cousin? Y Free Are You My Cousin? Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen free Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Download the ad-free show notes for this episode from the show notes page for this episode. (Premium Member subscription required.) Not a Premium Member? .)  Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Our Sponsors for this episode: Archives makes research quick and easy with an intuitive approach to genealogy.   Newspapers.com Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems   MyHeritageDNA Order your  today. Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: When you find family history information online it's important to make every effort to find the original genealogy record. There are 5 reasons to find original records. I'll explain what they are, and what to look for so that you get the most information possible for your family tree. Then I'll help you get the most out of those genealogy websites that you pay for. Avoid randomly searching in hopes of finding something about our family. Instead, follow these steps that will lead to finding more records about your ancestors, faster! These topics are also available in video form on the show notes page on our website.   Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Download the ad-free show notes for this episode from the show notes page for this episode. (Premium Member subscription required.) Not a Premium Member? .)  Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Our Sponsors for this episode: Related Faces - 20% off discount through 2024 is offering Genealogy Gems listeners a special discount of 20% off your first subscription.  Use coupon code: RFNQBAJ178 (case sensitive). This discount is good through the end of 2024.   Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems     Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: Cemeteries have some of the most intriguing stories to tell us about our ancestors. In this episode, Joy Neighbors (The Tombstone Tourist), author of the book  joins me to discuss: How to prepare for a successful cemetery research trip The meaning behind tombstone symbols  The most surprising things she has discovered at cemeteries This episode is also available in  on the show notes page on our website.   Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Download the  for this episode. (Premium Member subscription required.) Not a Premium Member? .) Includes a convenient cemetery visit checklist and meaning of the most popular cemetery symbols list on page one for convenient printing exclusively for Premium Members.  Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Our Sponsors: Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems   Get your  today. Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: Learn the 5 steps to successfully finding marriage records for genealogy research.  This episode is also available in on the show notes page on our website.   Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Log into your  and download the ad-free Show Notes handout that complements this episode: Downloadable ad-free  for .  Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast  downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Our Sponsors: Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems   Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: Do you have a revolutionary war ancestor? Have you thought about joining the ? I've invited Barbara Jurs of the DAR to explain the process. In this video, you'll learn the answers to the questions: What is the DAR? What do I need to do first?  How much genealogical proof do I need? How do I apply for the DAR? How do I find local DAR chapters near me? These interviews are also available in video form on the show notes page. And if you're a Genealogy Gems Premium Member, you'll be able to download those show notes as a PDF cheat sheet in the Resources section at the bottom of the page. Visit the  for this episode.  Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Log into your  and download the ad-free Show Notes handout that complements this episode: Downloadable ad-free  Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast  downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Our Sponsors: Get your today.   Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems   Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: In our first segment, Lisa Louise Cooke and her guest Jenny Ashcraft from Newspapers.com discuss how to use newspapers to fill in the missing stories in your ancestors' lives. Jenny shares strategic tips on finding unique information many researchers miss.  In the second segment of this episode, Shannon Combs-Bennett, the author of the article A Genealogist's Guide to Finding and Using Historical Obituaries published in Family Tree Magazine, covers everything you need to know about obituaries including:  the important backstory on obituaries, what obituaries can tell you about your ancestors, where you can find obituaries, both online and offline, and strategies you can use when obituaries aren't where you expected to find them. These interviews are also available in video form on the show notes page. And if you're a Genealogy Gems Premium Member, you'll be able to download those show notes as a PDF cheat sheet in the Resources section at the bottom of the page. Visit the  for this episode.  Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Log into your  and download the ad-free Show Notes handout that complements this episode: with Jenny Ashcraft with Shannon Combs Bennett Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast  downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Our Sponsors: Get your .   Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems   Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: Discover more than 100,000 old family photos on . Founder Joe Bott explains how to find photos of your relatives on this free website, as well as how to post your unidentified photos. Who knows, someone else may spot your photo and have the answers.  This interview is also available in video form on the show notes page. And if you're a Genealogy Gems Premium Member, you'll be able to download those show notes as a PDF cheat sheet in the Resources section at the bottom of the page. Visit the  for this episode.  Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Log into your  and download the ad-free Show Notes handout that complements this episode: Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast  downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Our Sponsors: Get your   Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems   Archives.com Archives is an invaluable resource if you want to make your family history research simple and affordable.  and let your family history journey begin.   Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES:  Whether you want to visit the village where your ancestor was born on your next vacation, or you just want to find their records, you'll need to know the exact place name and location. Professional genealogist Rich Venezia of  joins me in this video to help us pin down those ancestral places. This interview is also available in video form on the show notes page. And if you're a Genealogy Gems Premium Member, you'll be able to download those show notes as a PDF cheat sheet in the Resources section at the bottom of the page. Visit the  for this episode.  Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Log into your  and download the ad-free Show Notes handout that complements this episode: Our Sponsors: MyHeritage   Learn more: watch    Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems   Archives.com Archives is an invaluable resource if you want to make your family history research simple and affordable.  and let your family history journey begin. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast  downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES:  I've got two great genealogy topics and interviews for you in this audio podcast episode. First up we're going to tackle the problem of conflicting birthdates. When you find different dates in a variety of genealogical records, how do you decide which one to record in your family tree database? Well, you have to do more digging and analysis! So, we're going to talk about: Reasons for Birthdate Discrepancies in Genealogy 5 Questions You Should Ask About Conflicting Birthdates Birth Record Substitutes Case Study Strategies for Solving Conflicting Birthdates Then we're going to switch gears and take a look at a popular online DNA tool called DNA Painter and who better to tell us about that than the creator of the shared centimorgans project on DNApainter.com, Genetic Genealogist Blaine Bettinger. He's going to explain DNA Painter, the Shared Centimorgans tool, and what he sees coming next in genetic genealogy. Visit the  for this episode.  Watch the Videos Watch the video version:  . Watch the video version:  . Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Log into your  and download the ad-free Show Notes handout that complements this episode: Our Sponsors: Get your   Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems   Archives.com Archives is an invaluable resource if you want to make your family history research simple and affordable. and let your family history journey begin. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast  downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: Get the very latest on the major update Google has made to Bard, and the answer to the question "Should I use Bard, ChatGPT, or any of the other chatbots for genealogy research?" I've got some surprising answers for you! Visit the show notes page for this episode.  Watch the Video You can watch the video version:  Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Log into your and download the ad-free that complements this episode. Our Sponsors: MyHeritage   Learn more: watch  Visit Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, Indiana is the home of the second-largest free genealogy library in the country. Make your plans to visit today. Learn more at   Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast  downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

Show Notes: Professional Genealogist J Mark Lowe joins Lisa Louise Cooke on the show to share a marriage research case study that highlights the importance of understanding Gretna Greens. Then Professional Genealogist and blogger Robyn Smith shares her 3 step process for researching witnesses found on records from her new Family Tree Magazine article Witness Testimony.   Visit the Watch the Videos Watch Lisa Louise Cooke's on Marriage Research.  Watch Lisa Louise Cooke's on researching witnesses found on genealogical records. Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Log into your Premium membership and then download the handy show notes PDFs that complement the topics covered in this podcast episode: Our Sponsors: MyHeritage Get your  Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code GenealogyGems   Visit Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, Indiana is the home of the second largest free genealogy library in the country. Make your plans to visit today. Learn more at   Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast  downloadable ad-free show notes PDF cheat sheets Become a member .   Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .  Get the Free Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

Google Books is known for having millions of free digitized books. But did you know that it's also packed with hidden old newspapers? Since newspapers don't typically appear in your initial search results in Google Books, I'll show you two ways to filter down to only newspapers. Plus I'll also show you some of the most effective ways to quickly find the right ancestor and the right article. Get the . (This page includes affiliate links from which we are compensated. Thank you for supporting this free podcast. ) MyHeritage Get your today! Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code genealogygems   Visit Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, Indiana is the home of the second largest free genealogy library in the country. Make your plans to visit today. Learn more at   Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts Monthly Elevenses with Lisa show The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes handout PDFs Become a Premium Member . Free Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems:

Has it been a while since you worked on your genealogy research? As passionate as we may be about genealogy, the reality is that a little thing called “Life” can get in the way! Getting back into genealogy can actually be a bit daunting. Where did you leave off? Where should you start back up? If it's been months or even years since you had your hands in genealogy, you're in the right place. In this episode, we're going to talk about how to pick up your genealogy after a hands-off spell so that you can quickly and efficiently get back on the trail of your ancestors. Get the .  (This page includes affiliate links from which we are compensated. Thank you for supporting this free podcast. ) MyHeritage Get your  Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code genealogygems   Visit Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, Indiana is the home of the second largest free genealogy library in the country. Make your plans to visit today. Learn more at   Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts Monthly Elevenses with Lisa show The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes handout PDFs Become a Premium Member . Free Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems:

Gretna Green is a term you need to know if you are searching for marriage records. In this video professional genealogist J. Mark Lowe joins me to discuss Gretna Green: what it means, why it matters, and how Gretna Greens may have affected your ability to find your ancestors' marriage records. Get the . MyHeritage Get your  Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code genealogygems   Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts Monthly Elevenses with Lisa show The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes handout PDFs Become a Premium Member . Free Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems:

The GEDCOM digital file format is essential to genealogy. My expert guest from FamilySearch explains what a GEDCOM is, how to use it, and the most recent changes. He'll also answer some of the most common GEDCOM questions.  Get the  MyHeritage Get your  Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code genealogygems   Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts Monthly Elevenses with Lisa show The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes handout PDFs Become a Premium Member . Free Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems:  

A ton of genealogy and family history research can be done for free. In this episode I'll share 15 fabulous free websites and what I love about them. These are essential for everyone serious about saving money while climbing their family tree. Get the . MyHeritage Get your Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription.  and use coupon code genealogygems   Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts Monthly Elevenses with Lisa show The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes handout PDFs Become a Premium Member . Free Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems:

Finding great sources of information is part of what makes genealogy so fun! But citing those sources may not be so much. In this episode professional genealogist, Gail Schaefer Blankenau makes the case why source citation is a vital part of great genealogy research and she's going to give us the resources to help get the job done right. Get the . MyHeritage Get your  Get 20% off.  and use coupon code genealogygems   Visit Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, Indiana is the home of the second largest free genealogy library in the country. Make your plans to visit today. Learn more at     Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts Monthly Elevenses with Lisa show The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes handout PDFs Become a Premium Member . Free Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems:

In this episode, we're going to be visiting two of the most pivotal states in the U.S. for genealogy research. These states played key roles in the development and expansion of the United States of America, and we're going to explore a top online resource for each. First up is the state of Pennsylvania, officially known as the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1681 through a royal land grant to William Penn, and established as a haven for religious and political tolerance. And since for over 300 years the port of Philadelphia was a major gateway for arriving immigrants, many many family trees include people who passed through Pennsylvania. One of the best and most important resources for records of interest to genealogists is the State Library of Pennsylvania, and we'll be exploring it today with Kathy Hale, the Government Documents Librarian, and Amy Woytovich, the Genealogy Librarian at the State Library of PA. Then we will head west to Ohio which joined the union back in 1803, and where many of our ancestors settled, or passed through on their way West.  The Ohio Memory website is a rich source of historical materials that tell the story of this state and potentially many American families. Jenni Salamon, the Ohio Memory Digital Services Manager will be joining me to explain the depth of the available materials and provide insight into how to best navigate the website. Get the full show notes for this episode here.  MyHeritage Get your Get 20% off.  and use coupon code genealogygems   Visit Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, Indiana is the home of the second largest free genealogy library in the country. Make your plans to visit today. Learn more at     Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts Monthly Elevenses with Lisa show The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes handout PDFs Become a Premium Member . Sign Up for the Free Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

In this episode, we're focusing on early Virginia genealogy.   In our first segment, I've invited a professional genealogist to join us to help pave the way for tracing our ancestors back to Virginia just prior to the Revolutionary War. Jeri Satterwhite-Dearing specializes in early Virginia research in her work as a professional genealogist with  In this video, she explains some of the biggest challenges you'll face when researching early Virginian ancestors, the records you should be looking for, and some of the best resources.     In the second segment, I'll cover a list of the best websites for Virginia Genealogy.  Get the full  MyHeritage Get your  Get 20% off.  and use coupon code genealogygems   Visit Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, Indiana is the home of the second largest free genealogy library in the country. Make your plans to visit today. Learn more at     Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts Monthly Elevenses with Lisa show The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes handout PDFs Become a Premium Member . Sign Up for the Free Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

In this episode, Lisa Louise Cooke and Jenny Ashcraft from Newspapers.com discuss how to use newspapers to fill in the missing stories in your ancestors' lives. Jenny shares strategic tips on finding unique information many researchers miss.  Get the full .    From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!"  Get your .    Get 20% off.  and use coupon code genealogygems   Visit Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, Indiana is the home of the second largest free genealogy library in the country. Make your plans to visit today. Learn more at     Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts Monthly Elevenses with Lisa show The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes handout PDFs Become a Premium Member . Sign Up for the Free Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a Forensic Genetic Genealogist. Dr. Claire Glynn joins me to talk about the field of investigative genetic genealogy, criminal cold cases solved, and the new F she has developed at the Henry C. Lee (notable for his work on the OJ Simpson case and many others) College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences at the University of New Haven. .  MyHeritage Get your Get 20% off.  and use coupon code genealogygems   Visit Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, Indiana is the home of the second largest free genealogy library in the country. Make your plans to visit today. Learn more at     Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts Monthly Elevenses with Lisa show The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes handout PDFs Become a Premium Member .   Sign Up for the Free Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today.   Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

In this episode Lisa Louise Cooke discusses: Organizing and Reducing inherited genealogical information Ideas for donating portions of genealogy research How to decide what to keep and what to toss How to process information gleaned items such as compiled family histories .  From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!"  Get your .  Get 20% off.  and use coupon code genealogygems   Visit Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, Indiana is the home of the second largest free genealogy library in the country. Make your plans to visit today. Learn more at     Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts Monthly Elevenses with Lisa show The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes handout PDFs Become a Premium Member .   Sign Up for the Free Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today.   Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:  

If you've been wondering how to write and self-publish a book about your family history, my guest has answers for you! In this episode author J.M. Phillips shares: How to be a great family history storyteller Her favorite writing techniques that help create a compelling story What she learned about self-publishing (and what you need to know) Her experience living on and writing about Lamlash Street .  From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!” Get your and make new discoveries! Get 20% off.  and use coupon code genealogygems   Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts Monthly Elevenses with Lisa show The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes handout PDFs Become a Premium Member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

In this episode you'll discover the best places to locate records that can substitute for the lost 1890 census. You'll learn: what happened to the 1890 census which parts of the 1890 census survived Information that was provided in the 1890 census the best substitute records and where to find them From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!” Get your Get 20% off.  and use coupon code genealogygems   Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts Monthly Elevenses with Lisa show The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes handout PDFs Become a Premium Member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

In this episode we're talking about this unique moment in time where we have access to the 1950 U.S. Census but we don't yet have the full index.    The 1950 census must be indexed so that we can search for relatives by name, location and much, much more. You can help with this exciting project, and no special skills or background are required. Jim Ericson of FamilySearch  explains what's happening and how you can get involved.   Resources mentioned: (How to find and use them)   From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!”   Get 20% off.  and use coupon code genealogygems   Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts Monthly Elevenses with Lisa show The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes handout PDFs Become a Premium Member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

When you're working on our genealogy, you've got data and records coming from all directions: websites, interviews, archives, downloadable documents, and more. Some of it you're actively working on, some of it you need to save for later, and the rest has already been analyzed and is ready for archiving. This variety of data requires a variety of storage locations.   In this audio podcast episode I'm going to share with you my genealogy data workflow. We'll talk about how it all fits together to ensure an uncluttered desk and the ability to instantly put my hands on what I need when I need it.    From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!” Video and Show NotesThis audio comes from my video series Elevenses with Lisa .  have exclusive access to the downloadable show notes "cheat sheet" handout. Premium Members also have access to all of the archived earlier episodes. To access the Elevenses with Lisa Premium Member , log in to your membership at  and under in the main menu under Premium go to Premium Videos and click on Elevenses with Lisa. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes PDF Become a Premium Member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media: #genealogy #genealogypodcast

Researching ancestors in another country can be a little daunting. Challenges include foreign languages, moving boundaries, and spelling variations. This is certainly true for German genealogy. If you're new to German genealogy or your research has stalled, this episode is for you. In fact, even if you don't have German ancestors I think you will still find the principles and ideas covered very helpful. Translator, author and German handwriting expert Katherine Schober shares her 10 Top Tips for Beginning Germany Genealogy. These tips are packed with tools and resources that you can start using right away. Katherine Schober is a German / English translator, specializing in the old German handwriting. She is the author of “The Magic of German Church Records” and “Tips and Tricks of Deciphering German Handwriting”, as well as the creator of the online course “Reading the Old German Handwriting.” This episode brings you the audio from Elevenses with Lisa episode 52. You can watch the video version on the .  From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!”   Get 20% off.  and use coupon code genealogygems   Video and Show NotesThis audio comes from my video series Elevenses with Lisa . Genealogy Gems Premium Members have exclusive access to the downloadable show notes "cheat sheet" handout. Premium Members also have access to all of the archived earlier episodes. To access the Elevenses with Lisa Premium Member , log in to your membership at  and under in the main menu under Premium go to Premium Videos and click on Elevenses with Lisa. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes PDF Become a Premium Member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media: #genealogy #germangenealogy

Th National Archives releases the 1950 census in April 2022. Before you start searching for your family, familiarize ourselves with this important records collection and start preparing for success.    This episode brings you the audio from Elevenses with Lisa episode 51 PLUS important updates. You will learn: the interesting and little known stories behind the 1950 census, what it can reveal about your family, (and who you will NOT find!) the important documents associated with it that you can access right now! The status of the Infant Cards. What you can expect when it comes to indexing the collection.  From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!”   Get 20% off. and use coupon code genealogygems   Video and Show NotesThis audio comes from my video series Elevenses with Lisa . Genealogy Gems Premium Members have exclusive access to the downloadable show notes "cheat sheet" handout. Premium Members also have access to all of the archived earlier episodes. To access the Elevenses with Lisa Premium Member , log in to your membership at  and under in the main menu under Premium go to Premium Videos and click on Elevenses with Lisa. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes PDF Become a Premium Member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media: #genealogy #1950census

Join me for an inspiring conversation with Tom Hegg, author of the New York Times best-selling book “A Cup of Christmas Tea”. Genealogists from around the world gathered together for this special live show to share a cup of tea and hear a story of the importance of touching base with our fellow man. It's a message we can benefit from any time of year, and especially in a year where we've spent more time apart than ever. It's also a wonderful reminder of the importance of family and how our older family members hold a piece of our own history in them.    Get your copy of A Cup of Christmas Tea .  You can also watch the interview: You're in for a special treat: a personal reading of this classic book by the author himself. I promise you, it will lift your heart this Christmas and all year long. About the book A Cup of Christmas Tea: A Cup of Christmas Tea, written by Tom Hegg and illustrated by Warren Hanson, is a simple, heart-warming story of how one man's reluctant visit to an elderly aunt's house renews his holiday spirit and brings him unexpected joy. The book's Christmas 1992 debut on the New York Times Bestseller list after 10 years in print, was followed by three more years on the list and is unprecedented in publishing. To date this book has sold more than 1.5 million copies. Charles Kuralt said, "I have a feeling that (this) little green book will be around for a long time, raising lumps in throats and smiles on faces. To it, I raise A Cup of Christmas Tea." Source: Tristan Publishing, Inc. Wishing you all a happy and healthy new year!

Visit the show notes page at Genealogy Gems. This episode is brought to you by our wonderful sponsors: StoryworthGive your relatives a meaningful gift with StoryWorth. Get started right away with no shipping required by going to   You'll get $10 off your first purchase!  From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!” Episode Topic: DNA Problem Solving  Maybe it's as simple as having a ton of matches and not knowing what to do with them. How do you keep track of all those matches. How to you know which matches to focus on? How can you can use all your matches to do what you really want to do, which is learn more about my family history? In this episode Sara Allen of the Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library joins me to share strategies for working past many of these problems. I wanted to talk to Sara because she's not a biologist, or a Genetic Genealogy Guru. She's like you and me: she's passionate about family history! She shares genetic genealogy with folks in a very practical, and easy-to-understand way. Video and Show NotesThis audio comes from my YouTube video series Elevenses with Lisa . Genealogy Gems Premium Members have exclusive access to the downloadable show notes "cheat sheet" handout. Premium Members also have access to all of the archived earlier episodes. To access the Elevenses with Lisa Premium Member , log in to your membership at  and under in the main menu under Premium go to Premium Videos and click on Elevenses with Lisa. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Elevenses with Lisa downloadable show notes PDF Become a Premium Member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media: #genealogy #DNA

Visit the show notes page at Genealogy Gems. This episode is brought to you by our wonderful sponsors: StoryworthGive your relatives a meaningful gift with StoryWorth. Get started right away with no shipping required by going to   You'll get $10 off your first purchase!  From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!” Episode Topic: Genealogy at the Internet Archive The Internet Archive is a free website that strives to archive the internet. Within their massive collection you can find a lot of genealogy too! In this episode I'm sharing with you 10 genealogy records that every genealogist needs that can be found at Internet Archive. Video and Show NotesThis audio comes from my YouTube video series Elevenses with Lisa. Genealogy Gems Premium Members have exclusive access to the downloadable show notes "cheat sheet" handout. Premium Members also have access to all of the archived earlier episodes. To access the Elevenses with Lisa Premium Member , log in to your membership at  and under in the main menu under Premium go to Premium Videos and click on Elevenses with Lisa. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Elevenses with Lisa downloadable show notes PDF Become a member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media: #genealogy #internetarchive  

Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode 256 with Lisa Louise Cooke September 2021 Visit the show notes page at Genealogy Gems. This episode is brought to you by our wonderful sponsor: From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!” Episode Topic: Interview with Nathan Dylan Goodwin, author of The Chester Creek Murders Author Nathan Dylan Goodwin () joins Lisa Louise Cooke for a conversation about writing, DNA, Criminal Cold Cases, and his new book The Chester Creek Murders.  Video and Show NotesThis audio comes from my YouTube video series Elevenses with Lisa . Genealogy Gems Premium Members have exclusive access to the downloadable show notes "cheat sheet" handout. Premium Members also have access to all of the archived earlier episodes. To access the Elevenses with Lisa Premium Member , log in to your membership at  and under in the main menu under Premium go to Premium Videos and click on Elevenses with Lisa. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Elevenses with Lisa downloadable show notes PDF Become a member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media: #genealogy #nathandylangoodwin

Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode 255 with Lisa Louise Cooke August 2021 Visit the  at Genealogy Gems. This episode is brought to you by: From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!” Episode Topic: The U.S. National Archives Online Catalog for Genealogy In this  episode Lisa Louise Cooke will answer important questions such as: What kind of genealogy records can be found at the National Archives website? Which genealogy records are not available at the National Archives? How do I search for records at the National Archives online Catalog? How can I retrieve only digital items from the National Archives Catalog? How can I get better search results in the National Archives Online Catalog? How do I download files from the National Archives Website? What is the Record Group Explorer? Video and Show NotesThis audio comes from my YouTube video series Elevenses with Lisa . Genealogy Gems Premium Members have exclusive access to the downloadable show notes "cheat sheet" handout. Premium Members also have access to all of the archived earlier episodes. To access the Elevenses with Lisa Premium Member , log in to your membership at  and under in the main menu under Premium go to Premium Videos and click on Elevenses with Lisa. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Elevenses with Lisa downloadable show notes PDF Become a member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media: #genealogy #nationalarchives

Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode 254 with Lisa Louise Cooke July 2021 Visit the at Genealogy Gems. This episode is brought to you by: From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!” Today's Topic: Google Photos for Beginners Have you thought about using Google Photos but just weren't sure how it worked or where to start? This episode will answer your questions and give you the confidence to use it effectively. In this introductory tour to Google Photos we will answer the questions: What is Google Photos? Is Google Photos private? What features do I get with Google Photos? How does Google Photos storage work? (Is Google Photos free?) How do I start using Google Photos? How do I upload my photos and videos? How to search and retrieve photos and videos in Google Photos How would Google Photos benefit genealogists, archivists and others? Video and Show NotesThis topic comes from my YouTube video series Elevenses with Lisa .  Genealogy Gems Premium Members have exclusive access to the downloadable show notes "cheat sheet" handout. Premium Members also have access to all of the archived earlier episodes. To access the Elevenses with Lisa Premium Member , log in to your membership at  and under in the main menu under Premium go to Premium Videos and click on Elevenses with Lisa. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Elevenses with Lisa downloadable show notes PDF Become a member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media: #genealogy #googlephotos 

Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode 253 with Lisa Louise Cooke June 2021 This episode is brought to you by: StoryworthGive your dad the most meaningful gift this Father's Day with StoryWorth. Get started right away with no shipping required by going to   You'll get $10 off your first purchase!  From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!” In this episode: In this episode we head back to 17th century New England with Lindsay Fulton of  the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. She's going to share the best resources for finding your early American ancestors.  Lindsay Fulton is with American Ancestors and New England Historic Genealogical Society where leads the Research and Library Services team as Vice President. She is a frequent contributor to the NEHGS blog and was featured in the Emmy-Winning Program: Finding your Roots: The Seedlings, a web series inspired by the popular PBS series “Finding Your Roots.” Video and Show NotesThis topic comes from my YouTube video series Elevenses with Lisa . You can find all the free Elevenses with Lisa videos and show notes at . Genealogy Gems Premium Members have exclusive access to the downloadable show notes "cheat sheet" handout. Premium Members also have access to all of the archived earlier episodes. To access the Elevenses with Lisa Premium Member , log in to your membership at  and under in the main menu under Premium go to Premium Videos and click on Elevenses with Lisa. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Elevenses with Lisa downloadable show notes PDF Become a member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media: #genealogy #americanancestors  

Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode 252 with Lisa Louise Cooke April 2021 This episode is brought to you by . From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!” In this episode: Newspaper Navigator is a new free online tool for finding images and photos in old newspapers at Chronicling America. It doesn't work the way the Library of Congress website works, so in this episode I show you how to navigate the Newspaper Navigator. It's a fun session that will have you finding new newspaper gems in no time! Video and Show NotesThis topic comes from my YouTube video series Elevenses with Lisa . You can find all the free Elevenses with Lisa videos and show notes at . Genealogy Gems Premium Members have exclusive access to the downloadable show notes "cheat sheet" handout. Premium Members also have access to all of the archived earlier episodes. To access the Elevenses with Lisa Premium Member , log in to your membership at  and under in the main menu under Premium go to Premium Videos and click on Elevenses with Lisa. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Elevenses with Lisa downloadable show notes PDF Become a member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media: #genealogy #oldnewspapers

Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode 251 with Lisa Louise Cooke March 2021 This episode is brought to you by . From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!” In this episode: If you're looking for a wide array of free online genealogical records for your family history, look no further than then Allen County Public Library's Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It's the second largest genealogy library in the country. In addition to the in-house collection, the Genealogy Center offers a vast amount of free digitized resources through their website and partnerships with other websites.  I invited Allison Singleton, Senior Librarian at the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana to the show. She is taking us on our tour of the website and sharing her tips and strategies for finding genealogy gems. Video and Show NotesThis topic comes from my YouTube video series Elevenses with Lisa . You can find all the free Elevenses with Lisa videos and show notes at . Genealogy Gems Premium Members have exclusive access to the downloadable show notes "cheat sheet" handout. Premium Members also have access to all of the archived earlier episodes. To access the Elevenses with Lisa Premium Member , log in to your membership at  and under in the main menu under Premium go to Premium Videos and click on Elevenses with Lisa. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Elevenses with Lisa downloadable show notes PDF Become a member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media: #genealogy

Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode 250 with Lisa Louise Cooke February 2021 This episode is brought to you by . From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!” In this episode: Who doesn't love a good genealogical surprise? Sometimes we discover something we overlooked the first time around. Other times we find gems in places we never expected. Google Books is one of those places full of unexpected surprises. Google Books is a free online catalog of over 25 million books, 10 million of which are digitized and searchable. The collection is international in scope. I'll explain how to search it and what to look for. And then at the end of the episode, I'll share a very surprising turn that my own research took recently! Video and Show NotesThis topic comes from my YouTube video series Elevenses with Lisa . You can find all the free Elevenses with Lisa videos and show notes at . Genealogy Gems Premium Members have exclusive access to the 5-page downloadable show notes handout. Premium Members also have access to all of the archived earlier episodes. To access the Elevenses with Lisa Premium Member , log in to your membership at  and under in the main menu under Premium go to Premium Videos and click on Elevenses with Lisa. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Elevenses with Lisa downloadable show notes PDF Become a member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership.  to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media: #genealogy

Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode 249 with Lisa Louise Cooke January 2021 This episode is brought to you by . From Lisa: “I use MyHeritage for my own genealogy research. It makes all the difference!” In this episode: It's a new year. Are you ready for genealogical success/ In this episode we cover the 10 questions you should be asking yourself as you begin your new research year. This exercise will help us all fill in the gaps in our organization and preparedness and give us the confidence to really dig in and add to our family tree. Video and Show NotesThis topic comes from my YouTube video series Elevenses with Lisa episode 39. You can find all the free Elevenses with Lisa videos and show notes at . Genealogy Gems Premium Members have exclusive access to the 7-page downloadable show notes handout in the Resources section of the Elevenses with Lisa . Premium Members also have access to all of the archived earlier episodes. To access the Elevenses with Lisa Premium Member , log in to your membership at  and under in the main menu under Premium go to Premium Videos and click on Elevenses with Lisa. Elevenses with Lisa Episode 39 – Rate Your Readiness for Genealogy SuccessWatch the video and read the full show notes . Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Elevenses with Lisa downloadable show notes PDF Become a member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media: #genealogy

Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode 248with Lisa Louise CookeDecember 2020 This episode is brought to you by: StoryWorthVisit  for $10 off. In this episode we cover a plethora of strategies that will give you access to loads of free genealogy records and resources. You will learn: How to follow the path of least resistance to find what you need for your genealogy research. The best ways to find free genealogy records online. What you need to know about the genealogy industry that will help you save money. How you can bee-line your way to the free records that are to be found at each of the big subscription genealogy websites (Ancestry, MyHeritage and FindMyPast). Two Google secret searches that can help you locate free genealogy resources. How to search online to find free records offline. A clever way to get free help with your genealogy brick wall. Video and Show NotesThis topic comes from my YouTube video series Elevenses with Lisa episode 21. You can find all the free Elevenses with Lisa videos and show notes at . Genealogy Gems Premium Members have exclusive access to the 5-page downloadable show notes handout in the Resources section of the Elevenses with Lisa . Premium Members also have access to all of the archived earlier episodes. To access the Elevenses with Lisa Premium Member , log in to your membership at and under in the main menu under Premium go to Premium Videos and click on Elevenses with Lisa. Elevenses with Lisa Episode 21 - Free Genealogy!Watch the video and read the full show notes . Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning MemberPremium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Elevenses with Lisa downloadable show notes PDF Become a member . Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. Click below to sign up today. Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media: Getting Your Old Home Movies Digitized with Larsen DigitalI use Larsen Digital and have been extremely pleased with the service and results. The folks at Larsen Digital have put together special and exclusive discounts for Genealogy Gems listeners and readers.   

Follow up on a Consultation with a Professional Genealogist You will find the complete show notes for the topic discussed in this episode at the .  Sometimes we just a need a little help with a brick wall. That was certainly the case with the Irish line of my family tree. In episode 18 of my YouTube video series Elevenses with Lisa I enlisted the help of professional genealogist Kate Eakman of Legacy Tree Genealogists. In that 45 minute consultation she broke things wide open on my Irish family lines and gave me the information and resources I needed to make substantial progress. It's the best investment I've made in my genealogy in a long time. They have experts in all areas. Learn more about how easy it is to . . During the consultation we spent significant time digging into Irish genealogy websites. However, I think you'll find Kate's approach to brick walls helpful and informative even if you don't have Irish ancestors. (The consultation doesn't lend itself to an audio podcast because we spent a lot of time digging into websites. ) After my consultation I updated my research plan and got to work collecting more genealogical evidence. In this episode. In this episode you'll hear the audio from Elevenses with Lisa Episode 19 called Filling in the Genealogy Blanks. Watch the video and get the full show notes .  I'll take you through how I went about filing in the blanks in my genealogy research plan. I hope it inspires you to take on your own brick walls, and provides you with a pathway to success. We'll explore a variety of genealogical records and I'll share some of my favorite tips along the way.  Genealogy Gems Premium Members can download the handy PDF show notes for each of these Elevenses with Lisa episodes. Simply log into your membership, and then in the menu under “Elevenses” click “.” Click the episode and scroll down to the Resources section of the show notes. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast  downloadable show notes PDF Become a member . Getting Your Family History Digitized I use Larsen Digital and have been extremely pleased with the service and results. The folks at Larsen Digital have put together special and exclusive discounts for Genealogy Gems listeners and readers.  Genealogy Gems Podcast AppDon't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player. .    Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems NewsletterThe Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. .   Get Unlimited Photo Enhancement and Colorization at MyHeritageGet genealogy records and unlimited Enhanced and Colorized photos as a MyHeritage PremiumPlus or Complete Plan Subscriber. . Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

How to Make a Video for Free with Adobe Spark Video In last month's episode we talked about how to construct a great story for video. In this episode I've got the ideal tool for you to use to make your video: Adobe Spark Video. Video is the perfect medium for sharing your family's history. It captures the interest of the eyes and the ears. Adobe Spark Video is a free app and website tool that makes it easier than ever to create shareable videos.  Watch the companion video and read the full show notes . Watch Elevenses with Lisa How to Make a Video with Adobe Spark  to learn how to make videos quickly and easily for free. Genealogy Gems Premium Members can download the handy PDF show notes for each of these Elevenses with Lisa episodes. Simply log into your membership, and then in the menu under “Video” click “.” Click the episode and scroll down to the Resources section of the show notes. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast downloadable show notes PDF Become a member .   Getting Your Family History Digitized I use Larsen Digital and have been extremely pleased with the service and results. The folks at Larsen Digital have put together special and exclusive discounts for Genealogy Gems listeners and readers.   Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player.  .    Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. Click below to sign up today.   Get Unlimited Photo Enhancement and Colorization at MyHeritage Get genealogy records and unlimited Enhanced and Colorized photos as a MyHeritage PremiumPlus or Complete Plan Subscriber. .   Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:

Telling Your Family's Story and Creating Family History Videos Don't just gather genealogical information. Take the time to tell your ancestors' stories! Video is the perfect medium for sharing your family's history. It captures the interest of the eyes and the ears. In this episode my special guest is Kathy Nielsen. She's a librarian from California who recently started creating videos. She's going to walk you through the simple yet effective process she followed. Then I will share additional things to consider and strategies that you can use. If you're not interested in creating a video, that's OK. Today's episode will make you a better storyteller and will provide you with inspiring story examples by other genealogists. Watch the companion video and read the full show notes . After listening to this episode, watch Elevenses with Lisa How to Make a Video with Adobe Spark  to learn how to make videos quickly and easily for free. Genealogy Gems Premium Members can download the handy PDF show notes for each of these Elevenses with Lisa episodes. Simply log into your membership, and then in the menu under “Video” click “.” Click the episode and scroll down to the Resources section of the show notes. Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning Member Premium Members have exclusive access to: Video classes and downloadable handouts The Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast Elevenses with Lisa downloadable show notes PDF Become a member .   Getting Your Family History Digitized I use Larsen Digital and have been extremely pleased with the service and results. The folks at Larsen Digital have put together special and exclusive discounts for Genealogy Gems listeners and readers.   Genealogy Gems Podcast App Don't miss the Bonus audio for this episode. In the app, tap the gift box icon just under the media player.  .    Stay Up to Date with the Genealogy Gems Newsletter The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what's available with your Premium eLearning Membership. Click below to sign up today.   Get Unlimited Photo Enhancement and Colorization at MyHeritage Get genealogy records and unlimited Enhanced and Colorized photos as a MyHeritage PremiumPlus or Complete Plan Subscriber. .   Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media: