

The Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast
Nicole Dyer
Research Like a Pro is a podcast about genealogy research methodology. Diana Elder and Nicole Dyer of FamilyLocket.com discuss how to take your family history research to the next level and uncover more of your family tree. Learn about research objectives, analysis, locality research, research planning, source citations, report writing, case studies, and more. Diana and Nicole are the mother-daughter team at FamilyLocket.com and the creators of the Amazon bestselling book, Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide. Diana created the Research Like a Pro method after becoming an Accredited Genealogy professional through the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists. Discover the process that a professional genealogist uses and make progress on your own brick walls.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 10, 2025 • 39min
RLP 348: William Kelsey's Diary and Spiritual Manifestations
In this episode of Research Like a Pro, Nicole and Diana discuss their ancestor, William Henry Kelsey, and the spiritual manifestations he recorded in his diary. They explore William's early life in England, his conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his missionary service. The discussion includes details about William's family, his various residences, and his marriage to Harriet Huggett. Nicole shares specific entries from William's diary, including accounts of spiritual experiences he had as a child and visions seen by others during his missionary service. The conversation also covers William's migration to Utah and his life there. Listeners will learn about the historical context of early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This summary was generated by Google Gemini. Links William Henry Kelsey's Diary and Spiritual Manifestations - https://familylocket.com/william-henry-kelsey-and-spiritual-manifestations/ AI Workbook - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-with-ai-workbook 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/

Mar 3, 2025 • 31min
RLP 347: Effie Kelsey and BitterSweet-A Poem, Researching Material Culture

Feb 24, 2025 • 35min
RLP 346: The Mystery of Claude "Dock" Harris' Nickname
Diana and Nicole explore the mystery of Diana's great-grandfather's nickname, Dock Harris. They discuss how his name was recorded as D.H., Dock H., or Dock in records, which was puzzling because it seemed like a nickname. They explain how this caused confusion for Diana's father, Bob, when he began researching the family history. Bob knew his grandfather as Grandpa Harris and had no other information to go on. The family bible even listed his name as Dock Harris. The hosts talk about how further research revealed that Dock's actual first name was Claude. They share details from a World War II draft registration card where Claude Harris is listed with Dock's birthdate and other identifying information. The card was dated 25 April 1942 and listed his address as Diamond, Missouri, an unusual location for Dock. As the hosts explain, additional research into Dock's medical records revealed that he was briefly away from the state hospital in Vinita, Oklahoma, where he was living at the time. This allowed him to register for the draft under his given name of Claude. They consulted multiple AI models and the 1880 census to determine if "Dock" was a common nickname in Texas. The hosts found that "Dock" was used as an informal or affectionate name for men and was derived from "Doctor." They confirm that Dock was a common nickname in Texas and conclude that Claude Harris went by the nickname Dock. Listeners will learn how to research nicknames and discover the value of using AI and census records to learn more about their ancestors. This summary was generated by Google Gemini. Links The Mystery of Claude "Dock" Harris' Nickname - https://familylocket.com/the-mystery-of-claude-dock-harris-nickname/ 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/

Feb 17, 2025 • 23min
RLP 345- Edward Raymond Kelsey- Horseman and Sheriff's Posse Member
Discover how to pick a favorite photo and the fascinating stories behind it! Dive into the life of Edward Raymond Kelsey, a horse lover and a member of the Sheriff's Posse. Learn about innovative AI tools that analyze photos, revealing rich details about settings and clothing. Explore how historical newspapers can unearth family legacies and thrilling ancestral tales. Let these insights inspire you to research your own family history and preserve it for future generations!

Feb 10, 2025 • 30min
RLP 344: Colonial American Research and "The Peopling of British North America"
In Episode #344 of Research Like a Pro, Nicole and Diana discuss Colonial American Research. Diana explains the difficulties of finding the original immigrant for ancestors who immigrated during the colonial years. Nicole suggests learning from historians who have studied immigration patterns and developing a hypothesis based on what is known about ancestors and their groups. They introduce the book "The Peopling of British North America: An Introduction" by Bernard Bailyn as a resource for understanding colonial immigration. Diana and Nicole discuss the book's value for genealogists and its four propositions. They explore how the propositions connect to genealogical research and provide examples of how to apply them to specific ancestral lines. Nicole highlights the importance of understanding immigration patterns and using historical context to form hypotheses about ancestors' origins and motivations for immigration. This summary was generated by Google Gemini. --Edit to the podcast: Bailyn died in 2020 not in 2000. -- Links Colonial American Research and a Review of "The Peopling of British North America: An Introduction" by Bernard Bailyn - https://familylocket.com/colonial-american-research-and-a-review-of-the-peopling-of-british-north-america-an-introduction-by-bernard-bailyn/ The Peopling of British North America: An Introduction by Bernard Bailyn - https://amzn.to/4au6SP5* and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Bailyn The American Farmer in the Eighteenth Century: A Social and Cultural History - by Richard Bushman - https://amzn.to/4h3m6gx* *This is an affiliate link. 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/

13 snips
Feb 3, 2025 • 38min
RLP 343: Turn Your Family Tree into a Book with Rebecca Shamblin
In this engaging discussion, genealogist Rebecca Shamblin shares her expertise in turning family trees into captivating family history books. Listeners will learn about the five essential phases: planning, researching, writing, printing, and distribution. Rebecca emphasizes selecting the right ancestor for storytelling and offers tips on interviewing relatives. She dives into using technology like Family Tree Maker and the Family Book Creator for enhancing the book’s layout. Finally, she outlines modern printing options, focusing on print-on-demand services to make family histories accessible to all.

Jan 27, 2025 • 30min
RLP 342: Joseph Lee Robinson and the Book of Covenants
In this episode, Nicole and Diana discuss Joseph Lee Robinson and the Book of Covenants. Joseph Lee Robinson was Nicole's husband's 4th-great-grandfather, who joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1836. He wrote an autobiography in 1883, where he described his conversion and testimony. The hosts explain the religious fervor in the United States during that time, known as the Second Great Awakening. They discuss Joseph's conversion experience, his brother Ebenezer's role in introducing him to the Church, and Joseph receiving a copy of the Book of Covenants. The podcast then explores the history of the Book of Covenants, its original name, and the process of its compilation and publication. Listeners will learn about the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the significance of the Book of Covenants, and gain insights into the personal experiences of one of their early converts. This summary was generated by Google Gemini. Links Joseph Lee Robinson and the Book of Covenants - https://familylocket.com/joseph-lee-robinson-and-the-book-of-covenants/ Joseph Smith Papers - https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/ Church History Catalog - https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/ 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/

5 snips
Jan 20, 2025 • 27min
RLP 341: The Value of Negative Evidence
Discover the intriguing concept of negative evidence in genealogy research. The hosts dissect the case of Henderson Weatherford, revealing how missing probate and tax records challenge long-held assumptions about his lineage. They stress the importance of thorough searches and documenting what isn’t found, which can lead to new insights and correct family connections. The discussion also highlights advancements in genealogy like AI and resources to enhance research methods. Tune in for a fresh perspective on uncovering family histories!

Jan 13, 2025 • 31min
RLP 340: Using AI to Analyze Tax Data
Dive into the intriguing world of AI applied to genealogy as experts unveil how they extract insights from tax records. Discover the process of exporting data into CSV files and utilizing AI tools like Claude for efficient analysis. Hear fascinating case studies on Jefferson and Henderson Weatherford, showcasing the profound connections revealed through tax data. The podcast emphasizes the balance between technology and human input, detailing how AI enhances research efforts while still requiring careful oversight to unravel family histories.

5 snips
Jan 6, 2025 • 30min
RLP 339: Customizing an Airtable Research Log for Tax Records
Delve into the fascinating world of genealogy as the hosts explore the power of tax records. They discuss using Airtable to customize research logs, making it easier to track economic status and analyze family connections. A case study on the Weatherford family demonstrates practical applications of this tool. The episode also compares Airtable with traditional spreadsheets, highlighting its advantages for organizing complex data. Listeners are encouraged to leverage tax records as invaluable resources in their genealogical journeys.


