Podcast appearances and mentions of lisa louise cooke

In this episode of Best Websites, Lisa Louise Cooke offers tips for using Google Earth for genealogy.

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:  

The Newberry Library's Atlas of Historical County Boundaries is a free website that helps you identify changing county boundaries throughout history. Listen, and learn how to use this interactive site as well as how to download files for later use.

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:

In this episode of Best Websites, Stephen Morse highlights his website One-Step Pages, which has been going strong since 2001 and offering many tools for finding genealogical records. Best Genealogy Websites: One-Step Webpages by Stephen P. Morse In this episode, Lisa Louise Cooke's guest is Steve Morse, the founder of the One-Step Webpages website. Since […]

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:  

Lisa Louise Cooke speaks with Katherine Borges of the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) about using DNA test results to inform your genealogical research.

We're thrilled to celebrate Family History Month with a special guest: Lisa Louise Cooke of the Genealogy Gems podcast! In this episode, Lisa joins us to share some of her cherished family food stories and offer tips on how to track down those treasured family recipes. Whether it's a dish passed down through generations or a family favorite with a unique twist, these recipes carry the flavors and memories of our ancestors. Join us for a conversation that blends genealogy and gastronomy, and learn how to uncover and preserve your own family's culinary heritage.Keep exploring and learning about your own family history and culinary heritage in the resources below:Family History Never Tasted So Good! - Lisa Louise Cooke's post on sour cream drop cookies Spicy Sautéed Beet Greens with Garlic ChipsGround nutmegWhole nutmegNewspapers.comChronicling AmericaFind Family Recipes in Old Newspapers on Genealogy Gems.Find vintage cookbooks in home economics collection of Archives.orgGoogle booksNational Library of Medicine Cookbook SectionEtsyCustom fabricCustom handwritten recipe tea towelsCustom handwritten recipe apronsCustom handwritten recipe placematsCustom handwritten recipe wallpaperCustom illustrated recipe greeting cards  Listen to our interview on Episode 287 of the Genealogy Gems Podcast (Published in Sep 2024) See show notes for this episode at www.passingtheplate.org/39Thanks for tuning in to the Passing the Plate podcast! Ready to dig deeper into your kitchen adventures? Make sure to visit: Check out the Passing the Plate website. Check out our webinar and ebook on our Resource page. Ashley at Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen: Get inspired by delicious recipes and start cooking delicious food at home no matter your skill level. Lisa at Are You My Cousin?: Learn how to find your ancestors, grow your family tree and uncover fascinating family histories and stories that connect us through food. Stay hungry for knowledge, keep the stories simmering, and join us again for our next delicious episode!

In this episode of Best Websites, Lisa Louise Cooke chats with Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings, a long-running genealogy blog packed with genealogy tips, stories and even a little bit of humor.

In this episode of Best Websites, Lisa Louise Cooke talks with Brooke Schreier Ganz from Reclaim the Records, a group that aims to make genealogical records more accessible to researchers.

Lisa Louise Cooke chats with David Fryxell about some of the highlights from Family Tree Magazine's 2024 list of 101 Best Websites.

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:

This month, we are taking a look at our very own website, FamilyTreeMagazine.com. Find valuable free downloadable forms, eBooks and more.

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:  

In this episode of Best Websites, Lisa Louise Cooke walks us through Ancestry.com's card catalog and shows us how to access valuable records for free.

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:

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 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

In this episode, our host Lisa Louise Cooke and her guests discuss what archival supplies you need to safely protect and preserve your family history. Plus, editor Andrew Koch reviews the most significant genealogy news in 2021 and looks looks ahead to what's new in 2022. Listen for all this and more, and set yourself up for genealogy success in the new year!

Do you feel a spiritual connection to your ancestors? In this episode, our host Lisa Louise Cooke interviews author Lori Erickson about the connection between genealogy and spirituality. Plus, our DNA expert Diahan Southard is back to discuss how and why ethnicity estimates change, and we take a look at a Facebook group that returns lost family heirlooms to their rightful homes.

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 

In this episode, host Andrew is joined by family historian, author, lecturer, and podcaster Lisa Louise Cooke (Genealogy Gems). She talks about how she got hooked on researching her own family history as a child. Relatively SpeakingLisa chooses her husband's entrepreneurial grandfather Harry Cooke as her life story. We follow him from his beginnings in mid-19th century rural Huntingdonshire, to Kent in England, before a double family tragedy sends the family off for a brand new life in Canada. The Brick WallThe hunt is on for Lisa's great grandfather Gustaf Sporowski, born in Kotten in Kreis Johannisburg, East Prussia (modern-day Poland). Do you have any research ideas or clues that could help her demolish her research Brick Wall? If you think you can help, then head over to Lisa's LisaLouiseCooke.com website, or alternatively you can visit our contact form and drop us a message (we'll pass it on). Andrew offers to help with Lisa's research by using something special he keeps in his garage. How could she refuse?- - - Episode CreditsSeries One, Episode Four:Andrew Martin (Host/Producer)Lisa Louise Cooke (Guest)Show notes: familyhistoriespodcast.comFollow us on Twitter: @FamilyHistPod

In this episode, join our host Lisa Louise Cooke and her guests as they discuss strategies for researching indentured servants, websites for Jewish genealogy research and so much more.

The Genealogy Gems Podcast is the leading genealogy and family history show. Launched in 2007, the show is hosted by genealogy author, keynote presenter, and video producer Lisa Louise Cooke. The podcast can be found in all major podcasting directories, or download the exclusive Genealogy Gems Podcast app to listen to all the episodes and receive bonus content.  We are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Genealogy Gems app. We blazed a new trail back in 2010 when we launched the app – apps were still really new back then.  I loved the idea of having a way to deliver exclusive bonus content to you as well as the audio, the show notes and best of all an easy way for you to contact me and the show. It's more popular than ever, and as far as I know we are still the only genealogy podcast app available. If you haven't already downloaded it just search for Genealogy Gems in Google Play or Apple's App Store, or get the right app for your phone or tablet . In this episode I have two interviews for you on very different subjects. First up will be a follow up to last month's episode where we focused specifically on the New York Public Library Photographers' Identities Catalog. Well, in this episode we're going to talk to the genealogy reference librarian at the New York Public Library, Andy McCarthy. And as you'll hear, there are a massive amount of resource available there for genealogists everywhere. Then we'll switch gears to Scandinavian genealogy with David Fryxell, author of the new book The Family Tree Scandinavian Genealogy Guide: How to Trace Your Ancestors in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The free podcast is sponsored by The free podcast is sponsored by   Don't wait another day. Get the computer backup that I use to view the complete show notes.  App Users: Don't miss the bonus content!

Hosted by Lisa Louise Cooke Recorded December 2019 My how time flies and it's flying further and further way from when our ancestors' got their photographs taken, which can make the task of identifying and dating them harder and harder. Do not fret my friend because I have the coolest free tech tool for you that can help you zero in on the date of your photos. David Lowe a Specialist in the Photography Collection of the New York Public Library will be joining me today to tell you all about it. And, we're going to be talking about some important genealogical records that you may be missing at Ancestry.com. I wrote about How to Find and Browse Unindexed Records at Ancestry in the Genealogy Gems newsletter which linked over to my article on our website, but this is so important that we need to talk about here together. for the complete show notes   This free podcast is sponsored by:   Lisa Recommends Computer Backup Learn more about Backblaze computer cloud backup and get your computer backed up today at   Read our latest articles at Genealogy Gems:   Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning Member Gain access to the complete Premium podcast archive of over 150 episodes and more than 50 video webinars, including Lisa Louise Cooke's newest video The Big Picture in Little Details. Become a member .   Please Help Us by Taking the 1 Minute Genealogy Gems Survey Please help us create the best podcast for you by taking .   Join Lisa Louise Cooke in person at Genealogy Roots What:        2 days of innovative genealogy education at the Senior Expo When:       January 14 & 15, 2020. 9am – 4:30pm Where:      Dixie Convention Center in beautiful St. George, Utah Who:         All ages and skills levels Cost:          2 day pass: $50  |  Early Bird Price: $35 (Expires 12/31/19) If you didn't have an opportunity to attend this event in Salt Lake City in October 2018, this is your chance! . of Genealogy Roots in Salt Lake City. of Genealogy Roots in Salt Lake City.   Get the Genealogy Gems Podcast   Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:   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. to sign up today.  

Hosted by Lisa Louise Cooke Recorded November 2019 Federal court records are wonderful because they are so packed with genealogical information. But knowing which records are available and where to find them can sound daunting, and that stops many genealogists from ever tapping into them. In this episode our aim is to fix all that. Professional forensic genealogist Michael Strauss is here to pull back the curtain and introduce you to these valuable records. You know Michael from our Military Minutes segments here on Genealogy Gems. He also recently introduced us to descendancy research on Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast . The response to that episode was terrific. Many of you wrote into say that it opened up a new avenue of research for you. This episode promises to do the same. for the complete show notes   This free podcast is sponsored by:   Lisa Recommends Computer Backup Learn more about Backblaze computer cloud backup and get your computer backed up today at   Read our latest articles at Genealogy Gems:   Learn German Handwriting  Katherine Schober of SK Translations, professional German script expert, translator, and author has created Reading the Old German Handwriting Online Course - so you can be reading those old German letters in just a matter of months. Complete with videos, flash cards, games, and more, this do-it-yourself course has students raving.     Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning Member Gain access to the complete Premium podcast archive of over 150 episodes and more than 50 video webinars, including Lisa Louise Cooke's newest video The Big Picture in Little Details. Become a member .   Please Help Us by Taking the 1 Minute Genealogy Gems Survey Please help us create the best podcast for you by taking .   Join Lisa Louise Cooke in person at Genealogy Roots What:        2 days of innovative genealogy education at the Senior Expo When:       January 14 & 15, 2020. 9am – 4:30pm Where:      Dixie Convention Center in beautiful St. George, Utah Who:         All ages and skills levels Cost:          2 day pass: $50  |  Early Bird Price: $35 (Expires 12/31/19) If you didn't have an opportunity to attend this event in Salt Lake City in October 2018, this is your chance! . of Genealogy Roots in Salt Lake City. of Genealogy Roots in Salt Lake City.   Get the Genealogy Gems Podcast   Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:   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. to sign up today.  

with Lisa Louise CookeOctober 2019 NEWS: New and Returning genealogy-themed television Shows: A New Leaf on NBC A New Leaf will be included in the Saturday NBC morning programming block called The More You Know beginning October 5, 2019.  From the Ancestry Blog:  “Each week ‘A New Leaf' will follow people on the cusp of key life inflection points, who using family history, genealogy, and sometimes AncestryDNA® analysis will go on a journey of self-discovery and learn from the past while looking to the future. In partnership with Ancestry, Fuentes will join families as they learn the importance of appreciating and understanding their family history and ancestors in order to make important life decisions. ” Website: Finding Your Roots on PBS Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s sixth season of Finding Your Roots on PBS will have two new episodes this fall and eight more in January 2020. The new people featured include Melissa McCarthy, Jordan Peele, Isabella Rossellini, Gayle King, Terry Gross, Queen Latifah and many more. Check your television schedule and cable provider. Website: The DNA of Murder with Paul Holes on Oxygen Another new show that taps into genetic genealogy is The DNA of Murder with Paul Holes. It premieres October 12 at 8 p.m. on the Oxygen channel. Website: New Services for Genealogists: Legacy Tree Genealogists Offers a New Consulting Service Visit:  From the press release: “Genealogist-on-Demand: Legacy Tree Genealogists Launches Virtual Consultation Service Offering Access to Family History Experts, Any Time, Any Where. Legacy Tree Genealogists announced today the launch of a new service—45-minute, virtual one-on-one consultations with a professional genealogist. At only 100 USD, these consultations provide users with a cost-effective resource to have their research questions answered in real-time by a professional genealogist, from the comfort of their own home.    Larsen Digital Now Digitizes Your Old Negatives In the past I've told you about the incredible work that Larsen Digital did for me getting some of my old home movies digitized. Well, they've just launched a new service where you can send them your old negatives and they will convert them into beautiful high-resolution digital images that you can use. We're talking 4000 dpi images! The service is called Value because it's less expensive than the Pro which includes restoration. It's a great way to get all your old negatives digitized. Then you can decide if there's further restoration you want done on select images. Negatives can deteriorate over time just like photos. The sooner you get them digitized the better condition images you will have. Larsen Digital is offering Genealogy Gems listeners a great discount on both the new value service and the Pro negative digitization service, as well as 35mm negatives & 35mm Slides.  Visit the Genealogy Gems page at .  Use coupon code GENGEM.    Findmypast Now Supports Tree to Tree Hints Long gone are the days of having to search for genealogical records all alone. When you have any part of your family tree online on any of the “” websites (Ancestry, MyHeritage, Findmypast and FamilySearch) they do a lot of the hunting for you. They deliver hints that have a good chance of matching up with your ancestors. Your job is to carefully review them and determine if they are your ancestor's records.  (Genealogy Gems Premium Members: Listen to Premium Podcast  devoted to hints at Ancestry that includes a bonus download guide on Genealogy Hints at a Glance.) Up until now,  offered hints on birth, marriage and death records. Now they are joining the other Genealogy Giants in offering hints based on other user's family tree on their website.    The free podcast is sponsored by:   GEM: Downsizing with Family History in Mind with Devon Noel Lee Get your copy of Downsizing with Family History in Mind .  (We hope you enjoyed the interview, and thank you for using our link.) At some point we all face downsizing. Whether we are helping our parents downsize to a smaller house, or we need to downsize our own belongings to carve out a spare bedroom or just make room in a closet. it's never really an easy task. And I think it's safe to say it's even more difficult for the family historian, because we collect a lot of paper, photos and other things that are often near and dear to our hearts. Devon Noel Lee and her husband Andrew Lee of the Family History Fanatics YouTube channel have taken on this challenge themselves and they've written a new book called Downsizing with Family History in Mind. Here to help you make the tough choices and clear the clutter is Devon Noel Lee. There are many reasons for downsizing: To move to a smaller place Absorbing inherited genealogy Divorce To free up space in your own home Downsizing the sentimental items is the hardest part of downsizing. Question: A lot of us just think, well it's a Saturday morning, I think I'll just do some decluttering. But you say in the book that decluttering doesn't work. Why is that? Devon's Answer: “There are three things that experts teach us that are absolutely wrong:” We don't give ourselves enough time for nostalgia. We're really bad at evaluating what's going to last for the long term We use the wrong boxes when decluttering – all the experts say to use Keep, Sell and Donate. Devon recommends the following boxes: Keep Giveaway (combining sell and donate) – to family, societies, archive, university special collections, libraries, etc. Trash (or recycle) Process How to “process”: Digitize Process the information in your binders and get rid of the binders if no one wants them. Use it: Sad to say, most people don't want your family china. Give yourself permission to use it and enjoy it now. Make memories with it! Let your children play with things. Four Basic Downsizing Principles in the book: Reduce:  Divide things into the boxes. Preserve: This is when you're going to digitize the things in your process box. Photograph objects. Transfer your genealogy into software and online trees. Reclaim: Take everything out of the process box after processing, and divide into Giveaway, Trash and Keep. Don't put things into storage! Showcase: Put on display what you found worth keeping so it can be enjoyed. Transform what you have into something that is easier to pass on like videos, podcasts, scrapbooks. Focus on story-based items. From Lisa: It puts us back in control as to what happens to it. Making sure the right people get it. I'm a big fan of displays. If we haven't taken a moment to get something on the wall - to put a display together - how can we expect our family to appreciate it and embrace our family history values?   Question: Many downsizing projects are much more than a single day. When you're faced with a really big job, where do you recommend that people start, and where should they put their primary focus? The book includes action plans for folks who have: just an hour Weekend 3-6 months 6-12 months Capture what is right now: Photograph the outside of the home. Photograph what's inside. Then focus on photographing the collections in their context. Mentioned by Lisa: Genealogy Gems Podcast includes a Gem called Thanks for the Memories. In it, I share an example of mentally walking through my Grandma's house and capturing all of my memories on paper. Get a piece of paper or pull up a word document.  Close your eyes for a moment and visualize a favorite memory from your childhood.  In my case I started with a favorite place, my maternal grandma's house.  But perhaps yours is the back alley where you and your friends played baseball, or your great uncle's garage where he showed you how to work on cars.  Whatever is meaningful to you. Now, open your eyes, and write your thoughts one at a time.  Just free flow it. They don't have to be complete sentences.  Later you can try your hand at writing more of your actual experiences or memories of a person.  Again, it doesn't have to be a novel or sound really professional.  It's just the memories from you heart.   Family Photos: Question: If we have piles and piles of family photos, particularly ones we've inherited, how to do we decide which to keep and which to toss? Or do you ever toss? Devon's answer: Get rid of the duplicates! Keep 1 of the biggest and best and throw the rest away. Don't bog yourself down with hours spent trying to track down someone else to give them to. Get rid of blurry, overexposed, underexposed, and meaningless photos. Unlabeled photos: There will be some circumstances where you will not be able to keep them. You can't go into debt for unlabeled photos. You want to separate them from the labeled so that other family members don't throw them all out together. If you have time, try to identify them by asking relatives, and posting them to DeadFred.com. If you can, donate the remaining unlabeled photos to orphaned photo collectors, or toss. You did the best you can. Don't feel guilty because your ancestors didn't label their photos. Question: What advice do you give your readers who are faced with what to do with their genealogy when they don't have descendants or when no one in the family wants it? What encouragement can you offer when there is no one who descends from you, or there is no one who wants them. Devon's answer: If you think you don't have anyone in your family who is interested, you're wrong. Downsizing and organizing will increase the chances of someone willing to take it later. If you don't have anyone in your immediate family who wants your stuff, start looking for distant cousins actively working on a surname. They won't want everything. You will have to divide the material. They want it organized. Do it while you're living – don't leave it to someone else. Digitize it and get it online where it can be shared. From Lisa: Getting your stuff in good condition makes it more desirable. Our collection, broken up, may have much more value to other people. Get your copy of Downsizing with Family History in Mind . (We hope you enjoyed the interview, and thank you for using our link.) The free podcast is sponsored by: GEM: Profile America – The 1830 U.S. Federal Census Saturday, October 5th. The national census to be taken April 1 next year will be the 24th time this once-a-decade count has been conducted since 1790. The fifth census in 1830 profiled a quickly expanding nation, counting nearly 13 million residents — an increase of more than one-third in just 10 years. New York remained the largest city, while second and third places were a near tie between Baltimore and Philadelphia. Also, among the 10 biggest cities were Charleston, South Carolina, and Albany, New York. In the decade to follow, Cyrus McCormick invented the grain reaper, opening huge sections of the Great Plains to agriculture, and Texas declared its independence from Mexico. Sources:     Read our latest articles at Genealogy Gems: Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning Member Gain access to the complete Premium podcast archive of over 150 episodes and more than 50 video webinars, including Lisa Louise Cooke's newest video The Big Picture in Little Details. Become a member . Please Help Us by Taking the 1 Minute Genealogy Gems Survey Please help us create the best podcast for you by taking . Get the Genealogy Gems Podcast App Get the right app for your phone or tablet .   Follow Lisa and Genealogy Gems on Social Media:   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. to sign up today.  

Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode 231 with Lisa Louise Cooke July 2019 NEWS: Google Earth News Jennifer in California sent me a fascinating item recently , and she says “Thought you might get a kick out today's blurb from Google, where they pat themselves on the back for what can be done with Google Earth. No argument from me; it's amazing!” So, what can be done with Google Earth besides all the family history projects that I teach here on the podcast and in the Premium videos? Well, Peter Welch and Weekend Wanderers in the UK are using Google Earth to find treasure! Read all about it Visit the   FamilySearch adds audio FamilySearch.org, the free and massive genealogy website from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints  has added a new way for you to add more memories to your tree. In addition to photos you can now add audio both at the and the FamilySearch FamilyTree and Memories apps which you can download from your mobile device's app store. So now as you're selecting and uploading family photos to familysearch, you can also gather and record the stories that go with those photos. It's sort of like being able to write on the back on the photograph, but in an even more personal way. Your voice, and the voices of your relatives can now be part of your family's history. about adding audio From the FamilySearch website: “Photos and audio attached to deceased ancestors can be viewed by other users on the FamilySearch Family Tree. To protect privacy, photos and audio attached to living people can be seen only by the person who added the memory unless that person .” MyHeritage App updateAmong the newly introduced features are Family Timelines, the ability to view family trees that you're matched with, the ability to choose which information you extract from Smart Matches™, an improved research page, and more.   MAILBOX: We received lots of great feedback on the article by Joy Neighbors From Craig: “After finding my Paternal grandfather and great-grandfather, I looked for my Paternal GG Grandfather in the same area. No luck. I went to the R.B. Hayes library in Tiffin, Ohio and started looking at every page in the burial listing for the township I thought he would be in. And there he was – last name misspelled! (The “A” was changed to a “K”.) I was able to drive over to the cemetery and located his stone – still readable after his burial in 1885. I plan to go back to the area this summer to look for his wife, who was buried elsewhere (they were separated.) I wish I could get someone to update the lists with the correct spelling, to match the gravestone and census papers, but that seems impossible to do.” From Ann: “My brother Ray says we have visited more dead relatives than live ones. Trying now to visit the relatives above ground!” From LeRoy: Spent many hours walking, crawling, pushing through brush brambles and briers just to find and take pictures of tombstones. I regret only one such adventure. If I may. My sweetheart and I went to a small cemetery in New Jersey to gather family names and pictures for Billion Graves and our personal records. While I was taking pictures, my wife was clipping brush and bushes from the stone that identified her families plot. We had a great day. I filled two clips of pictures and my sweetheart did a magnificent job on that stone. It was only a few hours later, when she started itching that I really “looked” at the pictures and realized that the brush that she cleared from that stone was poison ivy. Wouldn't have been so bad, but when she found that I'm not affected by poison oak, ivy or sumac. She was not happy. From Shirley: I have recently started doing ancestry research and have been astounded at what I have found. No creepy tree stories. However, it is nice to know that some ancestors took special care to by buy family plots even though they knew eventually the girls might marry and want to be buried with their husband. I found it interesting that both my grandfather and my grandmother are both buried with their individual parents. From Patsy: Shirley's  story jogged my memory. My mother died in 1934 when I was 4 years old. She is buried in her father's plot rather than my paternal grandfather's plot. I have wondered for years why the burial was arranged that way and imagine all sorts of situations. Were the families feuding? Was one family more financially able to foot the bill. Did my paternal grandfather not like my father? Hmmmm……… From Sharon: I checked out this book from the local library about a month ago. Decided I needed my own copy. All genealogist should read it. It is very informative & entertaining. From Marinell: About 5 years ago I found the farm on which my gr great grandparents were buried. The tall granite marker with the parents' names had been knocked over, the foot stones stacked and several large rocks were around the monument and it was in the middle of a field that was being planted and harvested. We made contact with the owner and received permission to have it raised. In the meantime, I found an obituary for a son who was buried on the family farm. I also found an article about a woman who did dowsing, contacted her and she agreed to come perform the dowsing. I was videoing it when my phone went totally dead! I had never had that happen and it was charged. Thirty minutes later it came back on mysteriously! She found 2 adult women, 2 adult men and three toddlers. After further search I found another obituary for a grown daughter buried there and 3 toddler grandchildren who died in 1882. She said that the large rocks would have marked the graves. Sadly, they had totally desecrated the family cemetery. But I was excited to learn all I did and was startled by the phone totally dying. The free podcast is sponsored by We first talked to Julianne last year  in Genealogy Gems Podcast . In that episode we explored the tragic story of Julianne's ancestors, the Metthe family. It was a riveting case study of the twists and turns that genealogy can take us on.GEM: Checking in with Julianne Mangin Julianne had originally been a bit of a reluctant genealogist. But after a 30 year career in library science, including 14 years as a librarian and website developer for the Library of Congress in Washington DC, she could couldn't help but try to find the truther in the piecemeal stories that she was told by her mother. Julianne has continued to research and write at her , and I thought it would fun to check back in with her and see what she's been up to. Her latest blog series is called Alice's Story. It follows the path of discovery she followed to uncover the story of a previously unknown aunt. – the Exeter School – Final Resting Place The research began where most good genealogical research begins: at the end of Alice's life and her death certificate. Institutional Records - But with few records and no first-hand interviews available, Julianne turned to researching the institutions themselves to dig deeper into Alice's experience. Resource:Genealogy Gems Premium Video: ( required) State Census Records can help fill in the gaps between the federal census enumerations.  Search for “state census” in the card catalog:   The free podcast is sponsored by   Resource: “Copies of many state censuses are on microfilm at the . The Family History Library's most complete collections of state censuses are for Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. However censuses exist for the following states also:  , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  ,  and . State, colonial, and territorial censuses at the  are listed in the Place Search of the  under "STATE - CENSUS RECORDS"   Old Postcards are a great resource for images. Resources:Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast and feature strategies for finding family history on ebay. (Genealogy Gems Premium required)   Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning MemberGain access to the complete Premium podcast archive of over 150 episodes and more than 50 video webinars, including Lisa Louise Cooke's newest video The Big Picture in Little Details.   Institutional Annual Reports – Julianne searched for annual reports to the Legislature for more details on the various institutions where Alice resided. Resources:   Old Newspapers offered a counterbalance to the annual reports. Resources:   “The institutions were like characters in the story.”   Also mentioned in this interview:   You worked really hard on your family history – protect it with the Cloud backup service that Lisa uses:

Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode 229 with Lisa Louise Cooke May 2019 NEWS: Lisa Louise Cooke is back in the studio after two weeks on the road speaking at the Ohio Genealogical Society (OGS) Conference and the National Genealogical Society (NGS) Conference. Each conference was great and had its own unique feel, and there were many new genealogists in attendance. Genealogy Gems listener Carol stopped by and enthusiastically shared with how the eBay search strategies for family history that Lisa discussed in paid off in a big way!   MAILBOX: Robin wrote in to share how Sydney Orton's song with her grandpa in Genealogy Gems Podcast brought her to tears in a toll plaza while driving!   Steve wrote in to rave about the value that his new has brought to his family history research.   Rylee says she's grateful to have found the podcast and she shares a story of genealogical discovery that she hopes will inspire others. Rylee asks “How do I find sources for these people? I have searched all over ancestry and Family Search and have had no luck again. I really want to believe that the people I have as Adam's parents and siblings all the way through his 2nd great-grandparents (paternal) are truly his family but I need to get more information. Where can I go for help with German records and where can I continue my search?” Lisa's comments: You're absolutely right, what you found are just hints. It sounds like it's time for you to move on from the "Genealogy Giants" (Ancestry, FamilySearch, etc.) and into German records websites, libraries, and archives to find real sources that nail down the family tree. Lisa recommends the quick reference comparison guide. We have several articles and episodes at Genealogy Gems that can help you do this: Go to At the top of the home page select "German" from the "Start Learning" drop down menu That will take you to featuring our German research strategies. I'm optimistic for you because Germans are known for keeping excellent records, and I have had good luck in searching them.    GEM: Your Master Family Tree, and Sharing Branches Online Explained I describe it this way: Plant your tree in your own backyard and share branches online. A master family tree has three important characteristics: It is owned and controlled by you. It is the final say on what you currently know about your family tree. It is protected with online backup to ensure it is safe. Plant Your Master Family Tree Lisa uses software for her master family tree. Learn more about GEDCOM files in this article: Protech Your Master Family Tree Lisa uses to back up her master family tree and computer. Visit (Using this link also helps keep this free podcast free. Thank you!) Read more: Share Branches Online available in the Genealogy Gems store.   Read Lisa's article: for all of the strategies mentioned in this episode.   The free podcast is sponsored by:   PROFILE AMERICA: Friday, May 24th, 2019 In a way, today marks the 175th birthday of the World Wide Web. Only it was electro-mechanical, not digital. On this date in 1844, Samuel F.B. Morse activated the first telegraph line, sending a dots-and-dashes code message from the U.S. Capitol building to a receiver in Baltimore. By the late 1850s, the first telegraph cable had been laid across the Atlantic Ocean, and in 1861, the telegraph spanned the continental United States. Over the ensuing decades, the wires wrapped around the world. From the 1844 demonstration, telecommunications today has grown into a half-trillion dollar a year industry, and employs more than 1 million workers in over 59,000 industry establishments. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at . Sources: Joseph Nathan Kane, Kane's Famous First Facts, Fifth Edition, H.W. Wilson Co., New York, NY, 1997, #7692.     Become a Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning Member Gain access to the complete Premium Podcast archive of over 150 episodes and more than 50 video webinars, including Lisa Louise Cooke's newest video The Big Picture in Little Details. . (Membership doesn't auto-renew because we don't like that either. Prior to your membership expiring you'll receive a friendly reminder email from us.)

Featured Guest Lisa Louise Cooke Lisa Louise Cooke is the owner of Genealogy Gems, a genealogy and family history multi-media company. She is producer and host of the Genealogy Gems Podcast, the popular online genealogy audio show (downloaded over 1.5 million times!), as well as the Family History: Genealogy Made Easy podcast. Both podcasts are … Continue reading TGP 29 Lisa Louise Cooke – Genealogy Gems → The post TGP 29 Lisa Louise Cooke – Genealogy Gems appeared first on The Genealogy Professional podcast.