General Tips and Tricks

Beyond the Obituary: Discovering Family History in Funeral Home Records

Did you know that funeral home records could hold the key to unlocking brick wall mysteries? They are wonderful resources to fill in...

4 Tips for a Brick-Wall-Busting Mindset

Want to know what's absolutely critical to our success in the world of family history research? Mindset. Now, I know... it might seem...

Cracking the Code: Using Naming Patterns to Solve Genealogy Brick Walls

If you're anything like me, you love nothing more than delving into your family history and discovering new ancestors. One technique that...

What To (and Not) Do to Crush a Brick Wall

Genealogy research is rewarding! And sometimes frustrating when you reach a dead end, also known as a "brick wall." Here are few quick...

Food for Thought: How Old Family Recipes Reveal Your Ancestral Story

Ever thought of trying old family recipes and cookbooks to solve a tough genealogy problem? Or at least using them to find fascinating...

Never Give Up: Why Multiple Online Searches are Key to Genealogy Success

You know what can make all the difference in your genealogy research? Conducting online searches multiple times. I know that it can be...

Genealogy is like putting together a puzzle… without the box!

Genealogy is often thought of as a jigsaw puzzle of sorts. Of course, we don't know what the final picture of our ancestor will look...

Could You Already Have the Answer to Your Brick Wall?

Are you sure the answer to your brick wall is not hiding in your files? Maybe a little reorganization would help? What about a LOT of...

Original Records: Uncovering Truth and Destroying Brick Walls

What are we missing if we don't view the original record? Anything? Is it ok to use the information we find in indexes, summaries, and...

It Takes Time to Break Down Brick Walls

Don't have enough time to investigate genealogy mysteries? I get it. We are all busy and live in busy times. So how can you save time...

Cemeteries and Gravestones - A Unique Resource

Cemeteries and gravestones are a crucial help to family historians. The location of a grave, the stone's information, the symbols, and...

Set Yourself Up for Success Before You Begin Researching

Instead of just jumping into searches and queries, take a little time to prepare. Knowing just a few things before you start will help...

What Am I Missing?

Ever feel like the answer to your brick wall “has to be here somewhere, I just can’t see it!” We all do. But there's a remedy. Read on....

"Zoom Out" to Learn More about Your Ancestor

Solving brick walls requires all the information we can find. Here's how "zooming out" from your ancestor can help. Sometimes, the...