Generations Cafe

DNA is powerful, bringing about remarkable discoveries to adoptees and long lost families. But there's another type of discovery - the unexpected relationships. Hear the story of how an experienced genealogist took a DNA test and the results changed her life and the lives of everyone in her family. She also shares how she dealt (and continues to deal) with the aftermath. It's a topic that all genealogists need to be aware of and be sensitive to. You can find the show notes at AmyJohnsonCrow.com/32

031 - How to Save Your Family History Treasures Before It's Too Late

Finding your ancestor's marriage record from the courthouse is a great feeling, but it isn't the only marriage record that you should look for.  In this episode, Amy shows how one clue in a civil marriage record can lead to another record that can have even more information, as well as alternate sources for marriage information. Amy also talks about the reality of our ancestors getting divorced.  You can find the show notes with examples of all of the records she talked about at AmyJohnsonCrow.com/

In this episode, Megan Smolenyak shares insight into what it takes to identify a serviceman who has been missing for years, locate his family, and bring him home. Megan also shares three of her favorite cases, including a Tuskegee Airman, a guitar hero, and a Red Cross worker.  The show notes have links to articles about the three people Megan highlighted and a collection of digitized letters written by one of them. You can find the show notes at AmyJohnsonCrow.com/29.

One of the most overlooked sources in genealogy is actually part of one of the most used sources. Mortality schedules are part of some federal censuses and detail deaths in that area.  In this episode, you'll learn what mortality schedules can tell us, what they cover, and where to find them.  The show notes include screenshots and links to relevant collections on Ancestry and FamilySearch.  You can find the show notes at AmyJohnsonCrow.com/28

Pinterest isn't just for recipes -- it's for our genealogy, too! Genealogy blogger and Pinterest power user Lisa Lisson shares how we can use Pinterest to stay organized and how to avoid going down rabbit holes chasing bright shiny objects.  In this episode, you'll learn how to: search effectively on Pinterest organize what you find & keep it organized get more genealogy into your Pinterest feed Show notes: amyjohnsoncrow.com/27

A little planning goes a long way toward having a successful research trip to the library. In this episode, Amy covers: Why you need to have a research plan Why having more than one research plan is a good idea Tips for using the catalog How to tap into local knowledge for the inside scoop on using a particular library What you need to take with you The question you should always ask the librarian You can find the show notes at AmyJohnsonCrow.com/26

If you've been ignoring the Genealogical Proof Standard because you think it's only for professional researchers, then take a listen. It's for everyone who wants to do good research.  In this episode, you'll learn what it is and how it can help you. You'll also learn the five parts to the GPS and what each one means - and doesn't mean - for your research.  You can find the show notes at AmyJohnsonCrow.com/25.

To find our female ancestors, we have to look at records with a close eye. Jane Wilcox shares how to use records as mundane as store ledgers to identify the females in the family tree... and why we have to research the men in her life.  You can find the show notes at AmyJohnsonCrow.com/24.

Disaster can strike at any time. If you want to keep your genealogy research safe, you need to take steps to protect and preserve it.  In this episode, you'll learn why just having a backup isn't enough and why the cloud can be your friend.  You'll also learn: - why "paper is permanent" is a fallacy - how LOCKSS can keep your research safe - how organizing plays a role in preserving your research - why publishing needs to be part of your preservation efforts Show notes: AmyJohnsonCrow.com/23

A look at major DNA announcements at RootsTech 2019, plus an announcement about a new way to learn genealogy.  Including: AncestryDNA's ThruLines, Ancestry's MyTreeTags MyHeritage's "Theory of Family Relativity" and AutoClusters. Also an announcement about my new Generations Cafe Circle membership, a new way to learn how to do genealogy. Find the show notes at: AmyJohnsonCrow.com/22

A research framework is a way of approaching your genealogy research so that you cover the basics and you don't miss something obvious. A good framework also sparks ideas for further research and more discoveries.  In this episode, Amy shares 3 ways of creating a framework (by different aspects of the ancestor's life; by record type; and by repository). Amy goes more in-depth into the types of places you should explore, no matter where your research takes you. Show notes: AmyJohnsonCrow.com/21

Before you mail off that DNA kit or ask someone to take a test for you, you have to consider the ethics involved. In this episode, Judy Russell shares some important things to consider: What is "informed consent"? What to do when you get a "surprising" result How you need to treat the person at the other end of the match Judy also shares resources for standards in ethical genetic genealogy testing.  You can find the show notes at AmyJohnsonCrow.com/20

Want a millennial's take on family history? In this interview, Amy interviewed her daughter Rachel. You might just be surprised at her answer as to whether or not millennials care about family history. (And what you can do to get them more interested.) Also, if you're part of a genealogy society and you've wondered why "the younger generation" isn't joining, Rachel has some sound advice. You can find the show notes at AmyJohnsonCrow.com/19

Researching your ancestors' finances is a great way to understand more about them beyond the names and dates. In this episode, Amy shares 3 sources that often have financial info. She also shows why you shouldn't assume "it was a lot of money back in the day." You'll learn how to convert money from your ancestors' time into today's dollars so you can compare it more accurately. You'll also learn to see how you ancestor stacked up financially against his neighbors.  Show notes: AmyJohnsonCrow.com/1