Solving Tough Problems on a Rough Day

When I'm having a rough day due to my health, like today, and can't drum up much energy to post, I post one of those amazing videos from the Legacy Family Tree Webinars series. 

James Ison (AG) recorded GPS: Finding Your Way Through Tough Research Problems earlier today:

Life is good when records with direct evidence exist. Typically that doesn't last long. At some point, one finds only bits and pieces of indirect or conflicting evidence and progress often comes to a screeching halt. This class examines a case study prepared for application to the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) where direct evidence was non-existent in identifying the family of  Jesse Roberts of Greenville County, South Carolina. Key strategies are presented to piece together strands and threads of evidence from disparate sources using the Genealogical Proof Standard.

1 hour 21 minutes

Free to non-subscribers through August 28, 2018

If you aren't a subscriber to this ridiculously affordable service you are missing out.



© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Webinar: "Better Together: Making Your Case with Documents and DNA" by Patti Lee Hobbs

You've taken one or more DNA tests.  Now what do you do with that information?  Let Patti Lee Hobbs, CG show you some of the ways that professional genealogists use the results of DNA tests in her webinar "Better Together: Making Your Case with Documents and DNA:"

The genealogical proof standard requires reasonably exhaustive research in solving ancestral-identity problems. DNA evidence is now often part of that research. Even the best DNA evidence must be combined with some traditional research. This webinar will show different ways that genealogical problems have been solved by integrating DNA evidence with the paper trail.

Runs 1 hour 28 minutes
Free to non-subscribers through April 24



© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Webinar: "Problems and Pitfalls of a Reasonably Shallow Search" by Elissa Scalise Powell

Don't be shallow!

Elissa Scalise Powell presented "Problems and Pitfalls of a Reasonably Shallow Search" on December 27, 2017.  There is some great advice here to keep you from making mistakes you'll have to correct in the next year:

Through examples the problems with not conducting an exhaustive search will be highlighted. Assumptions, misinterpretations, and not digging deep enough into original records will all be showcased as to how they can mislead research, sometimes for years. Encouraging the audience to follow the principles of a reasonably exhaustive search should give them incentive to make it a part of their usual research habits. They will also learn particular pitfalls to watch for.

Runs 1 hour 32 minutes
Free for non-subscribers through January 3, 2018


© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Legacy Family Tree Webinar: "I Thought He Was My Ancestor: Avoiding the Six Biggest Genealogy Mistakes" presented by James M. Baker, PhD, CG

Yeah, I'm guilty of thinking someone was my ancestor when they weren't.  For a while I thought a certain Thomas Taylor and his wife Sarah Lynchard were direct ancestors, but reexamining the evidence pointed to an entirely different set of ancestors.  James M. Baker shows how to avoid this pitfall in 6 steps in his webinar "I Thought He Was My Ancestor: Avoiding the Six Biggest Genealogy Mistakes":

Case studies are presented to show how to avoid the biggest mistakes, including trusting family myths; believing that the posted family trees are accurate; connecting the wrong "same name" people; and believing that all original family records are accurate.

Runs 1 hour 32 minutes
Free to non-subscribers through December 20, 2017

© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Free Time Webinar: David Ouimette presents "Databases, Search Engines, and the Genealogical Proof Standard"

The Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) videos at Legacy Family Tree Webinars continues to grow (35 available for subscribers as of today).  You can see one their latest ones, "Databases, Search Engines, and the Genealogical Proof Standard" presented by David Ouimette, for free for a limited time (through October 24, 2017):

With billions of indexed records available online, what methodologies should the researcher employ to best leverage these resources in keeping with genealogical standards?

Runs 1 hour 17 minutes.  
Originally aired October 24, 2017


© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Very Limited Time Free Webinar: "Systematically Using Autosomal DNA Test Results to Help Break Through Genealogical Brick Walls" by Tom Jones

Good grief, Legacy Family Tree Webinars is coming out with all kinds of great webinars lately!  I nearly missed this one's free-to-nonsubscribers window.

I can always use another example of how to use autosomal DNA to solve genealogical problems.  Tom Jones presented this webinar "Systematically Using Autosomal DNA Test Results to Help Break Through Genealogical Brick Walls" on October 6, 2017:

A case study set in the early 1800s demonstrates methodology for using autosomal DNA test results to help solve longstanding genealogical problems. Presented live at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and sponsored by the Board for Certification of Genealogy

Runs 1 hour 4 minutes
Free to non-subscribers through October 13, 2017


© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Thursday Night Free Webinar: Elissa Scalise Powell presents "Beating the Bushes: Using the GPS to Find Jacob Bush's Father"

One of my former teachers at the Boston University Online Genealogical Program, Elissa Scalise Powell, presents a another great webinar, "Beating the Bushes: Using the GPS to Find Jacob Bush's Father."

Eli Bush's grandfather was reported to be Daniel Bush, but was his father Jacob? Witness the research process unfold as land, probate, census, tax lists, and church records are correlated. Watch out for pitfalls such as different men with the same name and other red herrings.

Runs 1 hour 24 minutes.  Recorded June 20, 2017, and is free to non-subscribers through June 27, 2017.





© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Thursday Night Free Webinar: Debbie Parker Wayne Presents "MAXY DNA: Correlating mt-at-X-Y DNA with the GPS"

Need tips from an expert on using the DNA results in a genealogical proof standard?  You know I do!

Debbie Wayne Parker presented "MAXY DNA: Correlating mt-at-X-Y DNA with the GPS" on May 16, 2017:

MAXY DNA includes mitochondrial DNA (M), autosomal DNA (A), X-DNA (X), and Y-DNA (Y). Case studies demonstrate analysis principles and techniques that work. Learn to correlate DNA test results with documentary research as part of the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS).

This webinar is hosted and sponsored by the Board for Certification of Genealogists.

1 hour 27 minutes.  Free for non-subscribers through May 23, 2017.



© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Saturday Night Webinar: Chris Staats presents "Analysis and Correlation - Two Keys to Sound Conclusions"

Genealogist Chris Staats (his blog) presents "Analysis and Correlation - Two Keys to Sound Conclusions":

Careful analysis of individual records may reveal more evidence than we might think. Careful correlation combines all the evidence to solve difficult research problems.

Chris demonstrates analysis and correlation using one of his former brick wall ancestors as an example.



Rated Intermediate/Advanced (nice--while I appreciate and can learn from webinars geared for the beginner, it is great to see an example of a difficult case).

Originally recorded November 2, 2016, and runs 1 hour 25 minutes.  Free for non-subscribers through November 9, 2016.






© 2016 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Free Saturday Night Webinar from Legacy Family Tree: "Another Kind of Navigation: GPS for Genealogy" by Shellee Morehead

Wow!  Great webinars continue to come from Legacy Family Tree Webinars!

Since I've already spent the first part of my genealogical endeavors gathering all the low hanging fruit, it is important to keep buckling down and analyzing what I already have, and stop going on wild goose chases.  Shellee Morehead, PhD, CC, conducts this advanced level webinar, "Another Kind of Navigation: GPS for Genealogy," using all the reasoning needed to come to believable conclusions:

This lecture describes the 5 steps of the Genealogical Proof Standard to establish proof of identities and relationships. Shellee will present examples at each step, along with a case study of a complex problem that was solved with research, creativity, attention to detail and a defined process. See how reasonably exhaustive research, accurate citations, analysis and correlation of data, the resolution of conflicting data and a reasoned, written conclusion was used to identify the parents of a Civil War soldier who shaved 10 years off his age and complicated the search for this relationship.

This webinar is hosted and sponsored by the Board for Certification of Genealogists.

This is really what I need to be doing from here on out.  Well, that and diligently keeping a daily research log.

The webinar was originally recorded on August 16, 2016 (1 hour, 30 minutes), and is free for non-subscribers through August 23, 2016..

Most of Legacy Family Tree Webinars are not free and I recommend subscribing to their site for full access to all their amazing, affordable genealogy webinars.



© 2016 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.