The Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast

Nicole Dyer
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Dec 8, 2025 • 28min

RLP 387: Revisiting the Father of Cynthia (Dillard) Royston - Part 1 Objective

Diana shares her intricate journey to uncover the father of Cynthia Dillard Royston. She discusses testing the hypothesis around George W. Dillard, eliminating several candidates along the way. A breakthrough occurs with DNA analysis pointing to a cluster linked to Elijah Dillard. The discovery of Cynthia's husband in Cass County, Georgia, shifts the focus, sparking a new objective: to find a Dillard candidate from the 1830s in that area. It’s a masterclass in tackling genealogy's toughest challenges through rigorous research.
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Dec 1, 2025 • 38min

RLP 386: Disappearing Act: John Royston Apprentice (1750 – after 1814)

Diana and Nicole begin the episode by chatting about what they have been working on in their research. Diana then introduces the main topic, the fascinating case of John Royston, an ancestor who ran away as a 19-year-old apprentice in Virginia in 1770. They discuss the detailed advertisement placed in The Virginia Gazette by his master, Samuel Daniel, which provides a physical description, a list of his clothes, and mentions his skills as a chair maker and blacksmith. Diana shares how she uses AI tools to generate images based on the ad's description and, more importantly, to add historical context. The hosts discuss the information Diana gathered from AI regarding the apprentice system in Colonial Virginia and the significance of John's clothing—a working-class frieze coat paired with a "new broadcloath waistcoat and breeches" of "pretty fine cloth." The AI's analysis suggests this attire points to John having a middle-class social status and that he planned his escape carefully to maintain a respectable appearance. Diana highlights how the 1770 advertisement is crucial for connecting John to his father, Richard Wyatt Royston, in the records of a "burned county." Listeners learn how to utilize a single, detailed historical record and modern AI tools to transform a seemingly "disappearing" ancestor into a well-contextualized person with a compelling story. This summary was generated by Google Gemini. Links Disappearing Act: John Royston Apprentice (1750 – after 1814) - https://familylocket.com/disappearing-act-john-royston-apprentice-1750-after-1814/ The Virginia Gazette - March 15, 1770 (see page 4) - https://teacherresources.colonialwilliamsburg.org/API/Download/v1_0/GetOriginalLimited?Identifier=CW11851S Sponsor – Newspapers.com For listeners of this podcast, Newspapers.com is offering new subscribers 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription so you can start exploring today. Just use the code "FamilyLocket" at checkout. Research Like a Pro Resources Airtable Universe - Nicole's Airtable Templates - https://www.airtable.com/universe/creator/usrsBSDhwHyLNnP4O/nicole-dyer Airtable Research Logs Quick Reference - by Nicole Dyer - https://familylocket.com/product-tag/airtable/ Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide book by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com - https://amzn.to/2x0ku3d 14-Day Research Like a Pro Challenge Workbook - digital - https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-digital-only/ and spiral bound - https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-spiral-bound/ Research Like a Pro Webinar Series - monthly case study webinars including documentary evidence and many with DNA evidence - https://familylocket.com/product-category/webinars/ Research Like a Pro eCourse - independent study course - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-e-course/ RLP Study Group - upcoming group and email notification list - https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-study-group/ Research Like a Pro Institute Courses - https://familylocket.com/product-category/institute-course/ Research Like a Pro with DNA Resources Research Like a Pro with DNA: A Genealogist's Guide to Finding and Confirming Ancestors with DNA Evidence book by Diana Elder, Nicole Dyer, and Robin Wirthlin - https://amzn.to/3gn0hKx Research Like a Pro with DNA eCourse - independent study course - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-ecourse/ RLP with DNA Study Group - upcoming group and email notification list - https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-study-group/ Thank you Thanks for listening! We hope that you will share your thoughts about our podcast and help us out by doing the following: Write a review on iTunes or Apple Podcasts. If you leave a review, we will read it on the podcast and answer any questions that you bring up in your review. Thank you! Leave a comment in the comment or question in the comment section below. Share the episode on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Subscribe on iTunes or your favorite podcast app. Sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes - https://familylocket.com/sign-up/ Check out this list of genealogy podcasts from Feedspot: Best Genealogy Podcasts - https://blog.feedspot.com/genealogy_podcasts/
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10 snips
Nov 24, 2025 • 34min

RLP 385: Women and the Law of Property in Early America

Diana and Nicole dive into an intriguing 1867 divorce case that highlights the complexities of dower rights. They explore Marylynn Salmon's book on women's property law in early America, revealing how women's rights evolved post-Revolution. Key topics include the legal status of married women, varying regional laws, and the significance of understanding property records for genealogy. Listeners gain insights on statutes like the feme sole trader act and the impact of colonial laws on women's autonomy and property ownership.
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Nov 17, 2025 • 30min

RLP 384 : In the News - William Beddoes (1838-1920)

Discover the fascinating life of William Beddoes, an English immigrant who helped establish Salem, Utah. Explore how newspaper research uncovers family histories and community contributions. Learn about the unique construction of the Salem Canal and its significance for irrigation. Dive into the intriguing details of a primitive water leveling device mentioned in his obituary. The hosts discuss evaluating historical claims and the importance of local records for genealogical research, offering insights and future research possibilities.
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Nov 10, 2025 • 36min

RLP 383: Early Love County Records

Nicole shares her thrilling discoveries at Love County, including insights from cemetery visits and early deeds, like the intriguing Sophie Williams-R.E. Frazier Deed. The discussion dives into Indian Territory land allotments and navigating historical records. A mix-up with names leads to revelations in property transactions, while Nicole explores town patent books revealing fascinating community ties. The episode highlights the importance of meticulous research and the journey to uncover family histories in early county records.
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Nov 3, 2025 • 40min

RLP 382: Interview with Linda Broenniman

In this engaging conversation, Linda Broenniman, an author and speaker recognized for her family's Holocaust-era stories, shares her journey of uncovering eight generations of hidden family secrets. She reveals the complexities of her father's hidden Jewish identity and how her mother was honored as Righteous Among the Nations for her bravery during World War II. Linda discusses the emotional impact of family secrets, the importance of ancestry, and the healing journey that comes from discovering one's roots.
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Oct 27, 2025 • 38min

RLP 381: Love County Tax Records

In this episode, Nicole and Diana discuss Nicole's research adventures in Love County, Oklahoma, focusing on tax records. Nicole shares her experience of finding valuable genealogical treasures in an old jail, detailing the challenges she faced, such as a lack of workspace and a dying phone battery, and how she adapted. She explains the organization of the tax records, including multiple volumes per year and different organizational systems for land versus personal property and poll taxes. Diana and Nicole then discuss Nicole's first discoveries, tracing the Harris family through tax records, including the mystery of Dock Harris's absence in the 1920 records and the successful tracing of J.C. Harris and D.H. Harris in 1916. Nicole also shares her earliest record findings from 1908 and how she tracked family presence and movement through later years. A significant revelation from the 1920 tax roll regarding Arza Harris's land taxes is also highlighted. Listeners will learn about the importance of flexibility and persistence in onsite research, how to navigate historical tax records, and how these records can provide crucial economic context and help establish timelines for ancestors. This summary was generated by Google Gemini. Links Love County Tax Records: Research Adventures in an Old Jail - https://familylocket.com/love-county-tax-records-research-adventures-in-an-old-jail/ Sponsor – Newspapers.com For listeners of this podcast, Newspapers.com is offering new subscribers 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription so you can start exploring today. Just use the code "FamilyLocket" at checkout. Research Like a Pro Resources Airtable Universe - Nicole's Airtable Templates - https://www.airtable.com/universe/creator/usrsBSDhwHyLNnP4O/nicole-dyer Airtable Research Logs Quick Reference - by Nicole Dyer - https://familylocket.com/product-tag/airtable/ Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide book by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com - https://amzn.to/2x0ku3d 14-Day Research Like a Pro Challenge Workbook - digital - https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-digital-only/ and spiral bound - https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-spiral-bound/ Research Like a Pro Webinar Series - monthly case study webinars including documentary evidence and many with DNA evidence - https://familylocket.com/product-category/webinars/ Research Like a Pro eCourse - independent study course - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-e-course/ RLP Study Group - upcoming group and email notification list - https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-study-group/ Research Like a Pro with DNA Resources Research Like a Pro with DNA: A Genealogist's Guide to Finding and Confirming Ancestors with DNA Evidence book by Diana Elder, Nicole Dyer, and Robin Wirthlin - https://amzn.to/3gn0hKx Research Like a Pro with DNA eCourse - independent study course - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-ecourse/ RLP with DNA Study Group - upcoming group and email notification list - https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-study-group/ Thank you Thanks for listening! We hope that you will share your thoughts about our podcast and help us out by doing the following: Write a review on iTunes or Apple Podcasts. If you leave a review, we will read it on the podcast and answer any questions that you bring up in your review. Thank you! Leave a comment in the comment or question in the comment section below. Share the episode on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Subscribe on iTunes or your favorite podcast app. Sign up for our newsletter to receive notifications of new episodes - https://familylocket.com/sign-up/ Check out this list of genealogy podcasts from Feedspot: Best Genealogy Podcasts - https://blog.feedspot.com/genealogy_podcasts/
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14 snips
Oct 20, 2025 • 42min

RLP 380: Love County Courthouse Land Records

Join a thrilling genealogical treasure hunt at the Love County Courthouse, where land records for the Harris family unfold. Discover how meticulous preparation, including mapping locations and understanding Public Land Survey System, leads to incredible finds. Hear about Dock Harris's 1915 deed and the hidden gems in oil and gas records for family members. Learn tips on photographing records and navigating courthouse protocols to maximize research success, all while weaving a story of historical land transitions in Oklahoma.
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Oct 13, 2025 • 42min

RLP 379: Handwritten Text Recognition with Google AI Studio

Discover the power of handwritten text recognition with Google AI Studio's Gemini 2.5 Pro. Hear about a fascinating transcribing journey of a 1791 South Carolina deed, showcasing AI's accuracy and utility. The hosts discuss the significance of clear images for effective transcription and share tips for using this cutting-edge tool. They also delve into the future possibilities of AI in genealogy research, highlighting practical applications and the importance of verifying AI outputs. Get ready to enhance your transcription skills in a whole new way!
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12 snips
Oct 6, 2025 • 1h 2min

RLP 378: Interview with Gavin Beinart-Smollan

Gavin Beinart-Smollan, a public historian and PhD candidate at NYU, explores the intricacies of Jewish immigration history. He shares fascinating insights on the National Desertion Bureau Card Catalog, revealing how it tracked deserted husbands and included details like causes of abandonment. Gavin explains the significance of a genealogy database created by the Jewish Board to connect individuals with their pasts, discussing the ethical implications of sharing these historical records. He also introduces the United Hebrew Charities dataset, shedding light on early charitable practices and social divides in New York.

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