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Meet Shari, Project Manager for Legacy Tree Genealogists

Shari's journey into genealogy began with childhood curiosity, as she delved into old family photographs and stories. A memorable piece of advice from her father — «Watch out for the first few branches; they might swing back and hit you!» — added humor to her early explorations.

As an adoptive parent, her passion for genealogy took on new meaning. She understands deeply how powerful it is to help others bridge the gap to their biological roots and carries that empathy into her work with every client.

Before joining Legacy Tree Genealogists, Shari managed her own genealogy business, blending analytical expertise with a love for uncovering family narratives. With more than 30 years of professional experience as an analyst in the government sector, Shari brings a unique combination of analytical precision, strategic planning, and heartfelt dedication to her genealogy work. Her professional background has equipped her to manage timelines, coordinate complex research, and ensure an exceptional client experience.

Shari earned a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University in 2018 and is a graduate of the ProGen Study Group. She has also completed coursework at multiple genealogical institutes, focusing on military records, forensic genealogy, WWI, social history, and research in the North Central United States. Her research experience, including with adoption cases, has been instrumental in helping clients piece together their unique family stories.

At home, Shari and her husband cherish time with their two grown children. When she’s not exploring archives or collaborating on research projects, she finds joy in cross-stitching, delving into historical novels, and embarking on travel adventures to locales steeped in history. She also relishes camping and fishing excursions.

In every project, Shari combines her analytical acumen with heartfelt dedication, guiding clients through the intricate journey of discovering and preserving their ancestral legacies. She is honored to play a role in preserving the stories that shape us all.

We’d love to help you with your family history, whether we’re breaking down brick wall mysteries, finding your biological parents, or just starting from scratch finding the stories about your ancestors. Contact us today for a free consultation.

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Meet Terra, Client Support Director for Legacy Tree Genealogists

Terra Costin grew up listening to interesting stories about her family history from various family members, and always wondered which were true and which were embellished. Did her great-grandmother really run away with the circus in the 1930s, never to be seen or heard from again? Was her great-great-grandfather really the founder of Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho)? Did her ancestors really own a farm that provided potatoes to the Lays potato chip company? And more importantly, she always wondered where her ancestors came from and what circumstances originally brought them to the United States and ultimately to the San Luis Valley in Southern Colorado?

When she was at Brigham Young University majoring in History, Terra took a Family History class and started researching all her family lines—and got completely hooked. She discovered that learning more about her ancestors gave her a greater feeling of connection to the world as a whole. She ended up changing her major and graduated with a BA in Family History/Genealogy in April 2006.

Terra began working with Legacy Tree as a researcher shortly after graduation, and quickly learned that she is just as passionate about learning about other people’s family history as she is about her own. She loves helping people discover their roots and find that deeper connection with how they and their ancestors fit into history, and what events and circumstances helped mold them into the people they are today. In the many years she’s been at Legacy Tree Terra has worked in various roles and has been involved with thousands of projects from all time periods and geographic locations around the world. She loves continuing to learn new things and helping others do the same.

When she’s not working Terra loves reading, mountain biking, hiking, and exploring the world with her husband and 4 kids.

We’d love to help you with your family history, whether we’re breaking down brick wall mysteries, finding your biological parents, or just starting from scratch finding the stories about your ancestors. Contact us today for a free consultation.

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Meet Laura, Project Manager for Legacy Tree Genealogists

Laura’s journey into genealogy didn’t come from family tradition—it came from a longing for connection. Born in New Jersey but mostly raised in New Mexico, she grew up largely detached from extended relatives, with no one in her immediate family showing much interest in tracing their roots. But Laura was different. She wanted to understand where she came from, who her ancestors were, and how their stories shaped the life she knew.

That curiosity became a lifelong pursuit. Her greatest genealogical triumph (and greatest challenge) is her second great-grandfather, a Kentucky Derby-winning horse trainer. His remarkable achievements as a horse owner and trainer were nearly lost to time. Yet despite decades of research, Laura has yet to uncover who his parents were, proving that every genealogist—no matter how experienced—still has brick walls of their own.

Laura has pursued extensive genealogical education to enhance her expertise. She has completed the Genealogical Principles course at Boston University, participated in ProGen Study Groups, and attended advanced courses at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the Institute for Genealogy and Historical Research. Her dedication to continuous learning ensures she stays abreast of the latest methodologies and resources in the field.

Professionally, Laura turned her passion into a career, founding her own genealogy research company before joining Legacy Tree. She also brings over 20 years of experience in office management, human resources, and bookkeeping, most recently managing a law office. Her ability to organize complex information, track down elusive records, and problem-solve makes her a natural fit for guiding clients through their own ancestral journeys.

Laura lives in New Mexico, where her adult daughter, Taylor, also resides. She is also a widow and understands firsthand the importance of preserving family legacies. When she’s not immersed in historical records, she enjoys reading, Pilates, bingeing a good television show, walking her dogs, and spending time with family and friends who have become family.

We’d love to help you with your family history, whether we’re breaking down brick wall mysteries, finding your biological parents, or just starting from scratch finding the stories about your ancestors. Contact us today for a free consultation.

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How To Use Clues from Family Stories in Genealogy Research

World War 2 airmen

Image source: Library of Congress

How can family stories lead you to accurate genealogy research? Think about the story that repeatedly comes up at family gatherings. Yes, that story! Did you realize this anecdote, passed from generation to generation, can be used to enrich your family tree? In just a few steps, you can pull research clues from these long-told stories to further guide your ancestral discoveries. Here’s how:  

Documenting and Preserving Family Stories 

Our families share many tales. Some are flamboyant; others may be everyday ancestral events where lingering questions remain, or were never discussed. I have been tackling those lingering questions in my family stories, one at a time, to tie up loose ends. 

For example, my maternal grandfather served in World War II. He traveled overseas during the war, driving and repairing military work trucks. He returned home with an honorable discharge and was held up as an Army marksman — he even brought home his assigned pistol. When family members spoke about my grandfather, his shooting abilities were always discussed with delight. After his death, a family member sold the pistol and medals; the only item that remained of my grandfather’s military journeys was a black box camera that had traveled with him. 

I recall the first time I heard this story as a child when the entire family visited my grandmother’s house during the summer. The adults sat around in the family room telling stories while us grandchildren listened to their giggles and remembrances of their father, gone too soon. 

Capturing family stories like this one in writing keeps them from fading with time. While documenting, try not to embellish further; instead, provide the most accurate account as you were told. Most times, a paragraph or two will do it justice. 

Think back to the first time the story found your ears. Make a note of who initially told you the tale, and be sure to include when this storytelling occurred — after all, your recount is now part of that generational journey. If they shared additional details, such as how that person came upon the story themselves or if they knew about the legend first-hand, include those notations as well.  

world war two gunmen

Image source: Library of Congress

Finding Clues to Verify Family Stories 

Take your family stories one step further by scouring them for clues — they might determine a story’s validity of what may have occurred versus what may be just a fascinating tale. 

First, observe when the story took place. Make a note of any differences or discrepancies among family versions. Without judgment, ask yourself, «Does the story make sense? Or is it far-fetched and embellished?»

In my case, I recall first hearing my grandfather’s war story alongside most of my siblings and cousins — meaning the storytelling likely occurred during the late 1970s. Most of my aunts and uncles have replayed the same story with little hesitation since then. They each emphasized how wonderful a shooter grandfather was and how he’d allow them to shoot the pistol. When it came to the missing pistol, that intriguing matter went unspoken. 

Focusing on what you wish to know about a story can help you dive deeper. Writing out a statement question (or two) can guide your research. Here, I asked: 

  • Was Grandfather an Army marksman? 
  • Did Grandfather truly bring home his Army pistol? 

Next, I drafted the story’s pertinent details into a timeline using approximate dates and time periods. Start with the basics and use local and national events if necessary — your timeline doesn’t have to be elaborate at first. 

My story takes place during World War II, so I used that as a basis for my timeline. 

  • 1939–1945: World War II 
  • 8 December, 1941: United States officially entered WWII
  • 2 September, 1945: World War II ended
  • Grandfather discharged from WWII 
  • 1966: Grandfather died  
  • Late 1970s: I was told about the story 

Writing out this timeline allows me to see the timeframe I need to keep in mind — from the start of World War II until my knowledge of the story began. 

Keep your research moving by identifying details that spark questions. These may have produced a record of the events mentioned that you can compare your family story against. Make a list of these documents to look through — and don’t forget living people — such as:  

  • Grandma’s filing cabinet for documents, photographs, and death certificates 
  • World War II service records 
  • National Cemetery burial records 
  • Newspaper obituaries and funeral pamphlets 
  • Family interviews 
  • Family heirlooms 

world war two women

Image source: Library of Congress

Interviewing Family Members and Examining Artifacts  

Interviewing family members and friends of the family who may have knowledge of the story you’re researching can unearth more details you didn’t know existed. When those loved ones are no longer around, it’s possible to examine the artifacts they’ve left behind — even though they can’t talk themselves, they may corroborate or support your family story. 

My grandmother shared a single photograph of my grandfather from World War II, taken in the mid-1940s following the draft. He was dressed in Army fatigues and stood near military barracks. 

While I know from his discharge papers that he was, in fact, in the Army, the photo gives an extra visual confirmation, not to mention that it makes me proud to see that he served our country. 

I also inherited my grandfather’s black box camera, which contained several negatives I have since developed. Grandpa’s sisters confirmed that he and a brother were stationed together in Arizona and took turns photographing each other near the barracks seen in the background. The photographs were mailed in a letter to my grandmother; my uncle had written on the back of his photograph requesting it be forwarded to his mother, my grandfather’s sister. 

Moving down my list of search-worthy spots, I browsed through the family filing cabinet, which contained my grandfather’s discharge certificate and record of service. Marksmanship and medals were noted for his achievements. Researching various military histories revealed that many soldiers during World War II took home souvenirs from their participation in the war. Pistols were among those items. Now it all made sense — it’s likely true that my grandfather’s service weapon returned home with him. 

Recording documents and artifacts you find bolsters your family legends — whether or not they support your family story. Now’s the time to write about your findings and incorporate any documents as evidence.  

world war two veteran's diary

Image source: Library of Congress

Moving Forward When Clues Dry Up 

These discoveries did not uncover Grandpa’s elusive pistol and medals or reveal where they ended up today. I can estimate that the items disappeared between 1966 and the late 1970s, setting up a timeline for future investigation. Not every story will have easily identifiable documents or artifacts, which is where professional genealogists can assist in your efforts. 

In some cases, family stories, particularly those with sensitive details, may be difficult to parse out. In these situations, I caution you to use your best judgment when diving deep or sharing the story, treating the family members involved with honor and respect.  

But even if you’ve hit a brick wall where no documents or items are found, it’s still important to include the story you’re researching in the family history. Be sure to include any investigative efforts — don’t be disheartened. After all, negative results are just as important. 

Be it factual or family folklore, don’t dismiss the colorful stories that beg to live along your family trees.  

If you need help knowing how to use family stories in your genealogy research, we'd be happy to assist you! Our professional genealogists have helped thousands of families rediscover their ancestors. Contact us here to start the conversation.

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How To Create Locality Guides for Genealogy Research

Learn how locality guides can significantly improve your genealogy research success.

image of map and vintage photos

As we journey to discover our ancestors, we often find ourselves researching in unfamiliar places. It's tempting to jump right in and gather whatever information we can. However, this is not necessarily the most efficient way to start research in a new area, especially if it's an area where we will be conducting a lot of research. Creating a locality guide can keep us organized, save time, and uncover valuable resources we might not have otherwise known about. 

What is a Locality Guide? 

A locality guide is a comprehensive overview that contains information for researching a specific locale. Whether your focus is on a single county, state, or even a foreign country, a locality guide provides essential background information and directs you to the best resources for finding your ancestors. It is essentially a roadmap for your genealogical journey in a particular place. 

A well-constructed locality guide will typically contain: 

  • Historical background about the area 
  • Information about jurisdictions, boundary changes, and other local nuances 
  • A rundown of available records (both online and offline) 
  • Links to relevant online resources 
  • A directory of local repositories, archives, and libraries 

Why Are Locality Guides Important for Genealogy Research? 

Creating a locality guide may seem like a lot of work and will take some time, but the information is essential for thoroughly researching your ancestors and will save time in the long run. This is especially true for areas you will spend a lot of time researching. Creating the guide will help you learn about research in a location you are unfamiliar with and can uncover unique resources that may not be widely known. 

Locality guides are crucial for several reasons: 

  1. Focus Your Research: A guide helps you focus your efforts by showing you where to look first and what records are available, avoiding searching through unrelated documents or websites. 
  2. Save Time and Energy: By organizing your findings in advance, you won't waste time repeatedly researching the same topics. Instead, you'll have a clear path forward with specific targeted areas. 
  3. Uncover Local Resources: Many genealogical resources are not widely advertised or easy to find online. By creating your own locality guide, you might discover local repositories, records, or unique collections that aren't available on mainstream genealogy websites like Ancestry or FamilySearch. 
  4. Navigate Jurisdictional Complexities: Boundary changes, the formation of new towns and counties, and shifting jurisdictional responsibilities can all complicate genealogical research. A good locality guide will help you understand these complexities and identify the correct records to consult. 
  5. Preserve Knowledge for Future Use: Once you create a locality guide, you can reuse it for future research and may even want to share it with fellow genealogists or researchers working in the same region. 

What Should Be Included in a Locality Guide? 

When creating a locality guide, there is no single standard format. The purpose is to help you with your research, so it should be done in the best way for you. However, some essential parts should be included in every guide. Below is an outline of key sections that are typically found in a county-level locality guide: 

A Table of Contents

A well-organized table of contents is essential for quick navigation. This section should list the main topics in your guide and be clickable for easy access. A well-structured guide will save you time when you need to return to specific sections during the course of your research.

Current Maps

Good maps are invaluable when researching an area. Two types of maps are particularly helpful: a map showing all the jurisdictions (cities, towns, villages) located in the area and a map showing the bordering counties. 

map of monroe countyMap of Monroe County, New York 

Jurisdiction Information

It is critical to have a detailed list of jurisdictions that have existed in the area over time. This should include the current and former names of cities, towns, and villages, dates of formation, consolidation, or dissolution, and any name changes.   

Historical Background

This section should offer a concise summary of the region's history, including when it was formed, boundary changes, significant events, industries or agriculture, migration patterns, and any record losses. Including a few external references or links to local history books can also be helpful. 

Available Records

One of the most critical sections of a locality guide is information on the types of records available in the area, both online and off. Create a section for each major record group. This may vary by area, but in general, the sections are: 

  • Vital Records (births, marriages, deaths) 
  • Land & Property Records (deeds, mortgages, land patents) 
  • Probate Records (wills, estates) 
  • Church Records (baptisms, marriages, burials) 
  • Newspapers (obituaries, announcements, stories) 
  • Naturalization Records (declarations, petitions, certificates) 
  • Military Records (enlistments, service records)  
  • Cemetery Records (burial lists, grave markers)
  • Maps (historical maps, land surveys)

land records infoRepositories

A list of local repositories with their contact information (address, phone number, email) and what records they hold. This would include government offices, libraries, and local genealogical and historical societies.

Tips for Creating Effective Locality Guides  

  1. Include a last date updated: To keep your guide relevant, add a «last updated» date at the top of each guide. If you haven't used it in a while, it's a good idea to go through it, check links, and update what has been digitized on websites (MyHeritage, FamilySearch, Ancestry, Newspapers.com, local library, etc.). 
  2. Create it in an Electronic Format: Use software like Evernote, OneNote, or Word to create your guide. This allows for easy updates, the ability to include clickable links, and the convenience of searching through your document. 
  3. Make a Template: Using a template will save you time if you plan to create multiple locality guides. A template ensures consistency and allows you to create guides more quickly. 
  4. Make it Interactive: Whenever possible, use digital tools that let you include links to online resources, repositories, and digitized records. The more interactive your guide, the more valuable it will be for future research.

Conclusion 

Genealogical research can lead us to unexpected places, and knowing how to research in unfamiliar regions is essential for making progress. Creating a locality guide before you begin your research can dramatically improve your efficiency, help you uncover resources you might otherwise miss, and make your research process more organized and focused. Though it may take some time and effort to compile your first guide, the payoff in terms of time saved and discoveries made will be well worth it in the long run. 

If you are curious about working with us to help you with your genealogy research,
please reach out and we'll work together to find out if we're a good fit for you and your research goals!

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10 Best Genealogy Research Articles of 2024

We’ve compiled a list of our best genealogy research articles for the entire year of 2024 based on your interests and needs. Every week, one of our professional genealogists writes an article to help you navigate your family history research and get through any brick walls. From DNA to AI to regional archives, our genealogy articles cover every nook and cranny! Here are the most popular articles of 2024!

couple cooking together

10. When Your Relative Does Not Appear as a DNA Match

Genealogy can be fun and rewarding, but it can also be frustrating when you encounter problems that don't seem to make sense. What do you do if your family member's DNA doesn't seem to match your own? Legacy Tree Genealogists' Adrienne Abiodun explains how you can solve this all-too-common problem.

9. How To Use Mexican Marriage Records for Genealogy Research

Mexican marriage family photo

While researching Mexican marriage records, have you ever wondered, “why is there more than one marriage record, and why do they have different dates?” Early Mexican marriages are primarily found in Catholic church records. Civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths began in the 1860s.

Many marriages in Mexico in the 1860s and later are found in both civil and church records, but typically with different dates.Civil registration records will sometimes include more then one record for a couple. The first is usually a declaration of intention to marry followed, though not immediately, by the marriage contract.  

8. How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Genealogist?

Genealogy research has its ups and downs as you work devotedly to fill out your family tree with accuracy and confidence. It is incredibly rewarding when you are able to easily locate documents and piece together DNA results on your own. However, it can be surprisingly overwhelming and isolating when you hit a brick wall or aren’t quite sure if other family members working on your tree have validated all of their results. In this article, we help you understand what costs to expect when you hire a professional genealogist. 

7. Dutch Surnames and Origins

If you have any ancestral surnames linking your family to the Netherlands and the surrounding region, you may be wondering what those surnames mean, how they developed, and what they might be able to tell you about your ancestors. In this article, we’ll explore the common origins and meanings of Dutch surnames and the historical and cultural context in which they developed. Learn more about Dutch surnames here. 

6. 3 Essential Websites for Exploring German Parish Records

You have just discovered where your ancestor was from in Germany and know where they attended church. Congratulations! This is an exciting discovery worth celebrating! The most common question after making such a discovery is: what do I do now? Tens of thousands of churches dot the landscape in Germany, and many can trace their histories back several hundred years. However, finding the church records for your ancestor can seem like a daunting task. Read more here. 

5. Third Cousins Twice Removed and Consanguinity: Figuring Out How You’re Related to Your Relatives

How do you figure out exactly how you’re related to a specific ancestor? Explaining how those relationships are determined is relatively simple. A common ancestor is the foundation for the relationship. Your generational distance from that common ancestor (grandchild? great-great-grandchild? great x9 grandchild?) and the other person’s generational distance from that same ancestor is plotted on a chart, like the one below. Where the two lines intersect you see the term which defines your relationship. The further away you both are from the common ancestor the more distant the cousinship. Learn more here. 

4. Where To Start With Your English Ancestor Research

vintage photo street in England

English ancestor research can be simplified when you understand the importance of historical dates and which records will hold the information you seek.  In this conversation with Legacy Tree Genealogists Kimberly Gilboy, she shares tips and tricks she has learned over her years in English ancestor research.

3. Using AI Effectively for Genealogy Research

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) for genealogy research is still in its infancy but gaining momentum as each new tool is released, including ChatGPT and Google Translate. These tools do not replace the need for a professional genealogist to analyze the data but can speed up the research process by finding information more rapidly.

We asked our research team how genealogists can apply AI to their genealogy research projects. Here are some of their key learnings and cautions. Read more here. 

2. How Do I Determine Genetically Equivalent Relationships?

Correctly evaluating shared DNA within the context of genetically equivalent relationships first requires mastery of genealogical relationships. Here we review important genealogical relationships based on some of the pertinent variables. For the sake of simplicity, we limit our analysis to biological relatives and exclude in-law and step relationships.

An understanding of genealogical relationships is necessary before diving into genetically equivalent relationships in your family history. This article will provide an overview of both concepts.

1. Researching Cherokee Ancestry

cherokee teepee

As genealogists, we’re often asked to research the likelihood and details of a client’s Native American heritage. The Cherokee are currently the largest federally-recognized indigenous tribe in the United States. Although they originally lived in the Southeastern United States, they were among the people forcibly relocated by the policies of President Andrew Jackson in the 1830s via the Trail of Tears.

Today, many of their descendants are headquartered in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. They were known as one of the “Five Civilized Tribes,” and were known to be closely interacted and assimilated with the settlers of their areas. They even started becoming U.S. citizens as early as the 1810s and 1820s.

We hope you enjoyed many of our genealogy research articles throughout 2024. We can't wait to see how you like what we have lined up for 2025! You can always visit our blog to find the latest genealogy research articles to fit your every need.

 

Thank you for a great 2024! If you have new genealogy research goals for the upcoming year, we’d love to help you navigate every brick wall.

Learn more here about working with us.

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Holiday Genealogy Gift Guide 2024

Many of our most cherished memories are made during the holiday season as we gather with family to participate in traditions both generational and new. Gift-giving is central to many family holiday traditions, and it can be difficult to find the perfect gift for those you love year after year. We hope this year’s gift guide helps you delight the family historian in your life as well as all of your family members who will be surprised at how much they love experiencing family history stories in so many creative ways.

The gift of genealogy is truly a gift that will enrich your family for generations to come. We hope one or more of these offerings from our friends will help you give a meaningful gift to those you love.

GENEALOGY RESEARCH PROJECT

For the family historian who has an obsession with accuracy and collaboration:

Happy Holidays! What is one of the most inspiring gifts you can give your family this holiday season that will impact generations to come? A professional genealogy research project! This is the perfect time of year to finally find those brick wall ancestors, or figure out who your biological great-grandparents were. 

Starting now through December 20th, you can receive $200 off select research projects. Visit www.LegacyTree.com/projects to get started and save.

If you’d like a free quote, please feel free to contact us to discuss your genealogy research goals.

 

GERMANOLOGY COURSE BUNDLE DEAL

For your family member who goes above and beyond to embrace the family’s German heritage:

Save a huge $160 on the Germanology Course Bundle Deal! With these extremely popular self-paced online courses “Reading the Old German Handwriting” and “German for Genealogists”, learn to transcribe AND translate your German genealogy records – and save $160 while doing so!

Deal good until December 24 only. With life-time access to both courses, you can start whenever you like, and go back and review whenever you need to work on your genealogy! These courses include video lessons, flashcards, games, worksheets, tests, quizzes, and actual practice records – all designed to help you learn to decipher your German records on your own. Join thousands of students who can now read their German ancestor's documents and start filling in their family tree. Use coupon code GERMAN15 at check-out.

Join us for the Handwriting Immersion Workshop! In just eight weeks, you'll go from frustrated and overwhelmed to confident and excited to tackle your German records. We can't wait to learn with you – sign up below to join the already great group of German genealogists ready to learn!

Dates: January 23-March 20, Thursdays at 2:00-3:30 pm ET

$150 off with code HANDWRITING150, expires Dec 24, 2024

 

STORIED BOOK CREATOR

For your creative family member who tells the family story with visuals and has a knack for storytelling:

StoriedBook™ transforms genealogy into a lasting legacy, where your family's anecdotes and memories are the heart of your history. With StoriedBook™, you can keep your memories alive for generations to come. 

 

  • Superior Value: High-quality books for less than the competitor's cost.
  • Rich Personalization: Customize design, layout, and more to fit your family's unique narrative.
  • All-In-One Platform: Research, write, collaborate, and now print, all within Storied.

10% OFF All Storied Gifts Use Code: LEGACYTREE10

 

HERITAGE TOUR TO ITALY with MY BELLA VITA TRAVEL

For your family member who’s been saving every penny to return to their Italian homeland for a visit:

Travel is a popular gift to give for the holiday season–why not make it more meaningful and secure a heritage tour to Italy with My Bella Vita?

My Bella Vita has been providing private heritage tours since 2007. They guide travelers through Calabria’s hidden treasures. Whether you’re diving into family memories or seeking an intimate cultural adventure, they’ve got you covered, making every moment truly special.

To receive 10% off your heritage tour package with My Bella Vita, simply mention this Legacy Tree Genealogists Holiday Gift Guide by January 20, 2025 to receive your discount and a luxury welcome gift upon your arrival in southern Italy.

 

ARTIFCTS MEMBERSHIP

For your decluttering expert family member who doesn’t want to simply throw away so many cherished memories:

From saving memories while decluttering to preserving the value behind your family objects and heirlooms, Artifcts gives you a digital way to organize stuff and capture their meaning for generations to remember for years to come. 

An Artifcts membership allows you to stay organized, connect with family, declutter and downsize, and create books to keep and share. 

Use code LegacyHoliday24 for 25% off an Artifcts membership for you or a loved one + receive a bonus packet of Artifcts QR code stickers. Offer valid through Dec. 20, 2024 at 11:59 pm PST.

 

IMPROVE YOUR GENEALOGY SKILLS WITH A MEMBERSHIP TO GENEALOGYTV

For your genealogy-obsessed family member who can’t stop, won’t stop:

Giving the gift of genealogy education can be life changing.  With GenealogyTV you can gift that special someone a subscription to Genealogy TV Academy where they will find lessons, handouts, worksheets and 2 live Zoom sessions per month to continue learning and growing in their genealogy skills, on their own schedule.

Holiday special: 25% off with code GTVA25%

 

PHOTO RESTORATION WITH MEMORYCHERISH

For your family member who wears nostalgia on their sleeve:

MemoryCherish is a customer favorite as they transform aged or damaged photos into vibrant, preserved memories for your whole family to enjoy. This holiday, wrap up a gift that revives the past and enrichees the future, one restored photo at a time. 

Use LEGACYTREE to receive $5 off your order. This code and affiliate link do not expire, so feel free to feature us on your website or in future guides.

 

We hope this holiday genealogy gift guide helps you find the perfect gift for your family members this year. As always, if you'd like help with any of your genealogy research, please reach out!

 

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AI in Genealogy: interview with expert Mark Thompson

Mark Thompson is an AI in Genealogy expert who founded the website Making Family History, and he co-hosts a podcast called The Family History AI Show with Steve Little. Mark sat down with us to help us understand what AI can and can't do for our genealogy research, and how to best use it to get the most helpful and accurate results.  


From Collecting Family History Stories to Technology and AI

Legacy Tree:

We'd love to know more about your background and what brought you into the genealogy space. Based on your history and where you're at right now, how does AI overlay with that?    

Mark:  

I came to it naturally from the technological side. I've always been a bit of a geek​​, and spending ​​time at the library was always a fun thing to do when I was a kid. I got into computers in my teens, so I was always looking for some way to use them. ​​My whole career was in tech and high tech, and I've always found myself as the guy who was in charge of trying to figure out how to introduce new things, usually in a big corporate environment. I was ​always ​trying to figure out how to make things bigger, better, faster, stronger, and cheaper.  

Sometimes, technology would come along that a ​department head would want to take advantage of, or sometimes a department was in trouble and was running out of money or running out of people or running out of skills or whatever. They needed to introduce technology to ​​​improve things​. Thankfully, I found myself in that place where I was always looking at what was new. I'd evaluate how it works, what it's good for, and what it's not good for. Then we ​would​​ look at how the company ​could improve our business with the use of those technologies​.   

Genealogy became important to me in my early twenties. The family genealogist before me was my great-uncle, my paternal grandfather's brother. He had been the family genealogist for almost two generations. He was a Catholic priest, and he traveled around from kitchen table to kitchen table and parish to parish, collecting stories and facts ​and writing them down on ​​huge scrolls. When I was in my twenties, he visited me and started telling me stories about his genealogy work, and I was sold. That day, I wondered how I could get ​his work ​into a computer. I remember that it all clicked ​for me ​at the same time.    

How AI Is Similar to the .Com Era  

Legacy Tree:

How is AI perceived today?   

Mark:  

​​G​enealogy ​​​is ​currently in the crazy position of trying to figure out the best way to apply ​a new ​technology. Every single industry on the planet is going through ​​​this ​right now in a way that's not at all dissimilar to how I remember the .com era. We're in the same situation as in 1991, '92, '93, and '94, the early days of .com where everybody was going, «This internet thing, it's cool. It freaks me out a little bit. I don't like all this information sharing ​and hackers and bad guys.»​

A​ll of the movies coming up ​at the time ​​said all the worst things that could happen. But I see possibilities. That's where we are right now. It's very early days when people are still figuring out what we can do with AI. People are still trying to figure out what can be done and what's good to do in genealogy.   

How to Successfully Ask LLMs to Perform a Task  

Legacy Tree

Why is it important to use the right language when asking an LLM to perform a task? 

Mark: 

When you use certain words, you will find that large language models apparently “understand” them. If you know the right words, it will understand you better. Some people are good at choosing words that clearly describe their intent, and others are not. AI is like the revenge of the English majors. ​T​he​y​​ are people who are good at putting words together and clearly describing what they ​mean​. They will get better results from the current crop of large language models.  

If you know the words to describe what you want, you'll get better results than if you can't describe it well. If you know how to ask something from a large language model, you can get it, particularly if you're good at breaking complex problems down into small problems. Large language models are essentially trained on every word that has ever been publicly stated. If you're trying to figure out how to do something that has been stated many times on the public internet, you can probably get that information out if you know how to ask for it. ​     ​ 

If you know how to describe a genetic cluster and have the words to describe what that is, you can get a large language model to help you. If you know how to explain how you want something summarized, you can get it to summarize properly. ​For example, do you want it summarized by topic? Do you want it summarized by date? If you can describe what you want, you can get the LLM to do it. But if you just say summarize, you'll get something that is summarized, but not necessarily the way that you intended.​ 

Legacy Tree:

What are ways to get the output from an LLM that you expect?  

Mark:  

To get the output you expect, you must clearly understand what you want in your head and then communicate that with words to the chatbot. That is the definition of prompt engineering. If you ​have a hard time saying what it is that you want, ​your hallucination rate will go up. If it isn't clear, succinct, and understandable, the LLM will take a swing at what it thinks you asked for and ​it will ​give you something. However, it might be different from what you intended, but if you give it an open question without really clear expectations, it will go and take its best swing. That is both the beauty and the bane of prompting. You'll always get something back, but it might not have anything to do with it you actually wanted.  

  

Steer Clear of Genealogy Research Questions  

Legacy Tree:

Accuracy in LLM responses can be a problem. How can we improve accuracy?   

Mark: 

For the people new to genealogy and artificial intelligence genealogy, my recommendation is to steer clear of genealogy research questions.  

For example, where was great-grandpa Fred born? Asking the type of question you would type into Google is actually the worst-case scenario. That doesn't mean that you can't do it, but it's one of the riskiest endeavors in terms of getting a hallucination. It assumes that the fact is out there to be found, and it might only be if great-grandpa Fred is famous and written about more frequently than other people with the name great-grandpa Fred. You might get a great-grandpa, Fred, but you might not get yours. That's ​a common type of ​​​hallucination.   

There are many examples of chatbots giving back information that makes sense. It's just more frequently found information that sounds like yours. A chatbot shows you the most frequently found words in that part of the internet that match the prompt. It's just a statistical engine that comes back and says, here are the words most likely to relate to what you asked for, even if they're not the words you ​​​thought you were asking ​for.   

ASK LLMs What You Already Know  

Legacy Tree:

Why is it important to ask an LLM something you already know?  

Mark: 

LLMs are best at helping you do things you already know how to do faster and more efficiently. If you know how to summarize a document, you can use it to summarize the document quickly​ and accurately​. ​One of my favorite tasks is obituary analysis. There are lots of loops and turns through an obituary. There can be dozens of people referenced. Anybody who's ever tried to analyze an obituary and turn it into a family tree learns that ​​many are poorly written​. I would print out the obituary, go through each name, confirm it, and then add it to the tree. I know how to do it by hand. ​So I created a prompt that helped me do all those steps and turned a 15-minute task into a two- or three-minute​ task instead​.  

Legacy Tree:

What prompts are available to assist genealogists and how to create a prompt? 

Mark: 

​​I've created and made available my custom GPT for obituary analysis to anybody who wants it. And it gets used all the time. People look it up and just run it themselves, copy-paste​ the obituary into it​, and ​​​press the enter key​.

​Most people don't think about this, but you can get a chatbot to help you create a prompt for your chatbot​ as well​. You can say, «I'm having a tough time coming up with a prompt. Act in the role of a prompt engineer. Come up with a prompt for reliably analyzing an obituary so that it's easier for me to get it into my family tree. Can you help me with that?» Then ​you can review the response and then see where you went wrong or what you forgot to include. Essentially, it's teaching you how to be a prompt engineer through a real-world genealogy example.

Assigning LLMs a Role

Legacy Tree:

What does it mean to assign the LLM a role?

Mark: 
The ​​simplest prompt ​style ​is ​​​to give it a ​role and a task. For example, «Act in the role of a marketing person. Please review my copy for this ad and provide me feedback.»   

That's the simplest prompt style; some call it a role and a goal or a role and a task. In genealogy, I recommend three steps as the most basic prompt. A role, a task, and a format that helps ​analyze or create a ​​piece of ​genealogy information. In my obituary example, 

  1. ROLE: Act in the role of an obituary analyst.
  2. TASK: Please review the following obituary and tell me how everybody mentioned in the article relates to the decedent.  

If I stop there, I still have a narrative to go through and double-check. All I've done is reformat the information​, but I haven’t necessarily made my task any faster​.    

  1. FORMAT: Define the format of the information.   

In the obituary example, I always get it formatted as a table.  

Formatting LLM Answers as a Table  

Continuing the obituary example, I tell the chatbot to give me the information in a table. Then, it creates one line per person: Mary is Joe's daughter, Barney is Joe's brother, and Gertrude is Joe's mom. Now I've got a list that's ordered that I can go through, and now I don't have to print it out anymore because it's all in one row. It's easier for me to eyeball it on the screen. Picking a format that helps you with your next steps with the information is a great way to improve both the speed as well as the accuracy of whatever it is you’re working on​.  

Taking the formatting to the next level, you ​​​could ​say, «Column one is the person's name. Column two is the person's relationship to the decedent. Column three is the rationale that you used​ to determine the relationship​. Show me the text ​in column three that ​you used from ​the obituary that ​helped ​you come to that conclusion.»   

Now I've not only gotten the information, but I've also got a hallucination check. I can read the text that the chatbot used to conclude that Mary was Joe's daughter and confirm ​it ​without ​having to search through ​the obituary.  

​​​I can look at the text in the obituary to double-check. I'm not relying on the chatbot to make my work product. I'm relying on a chatbot to help me make my work product efficient and reliable​ to use​. It will help me get a little faster or help me get a little bit more reliable, reduce my human error rate, help me be more efficient, and help me do things consistently. Some of our family trees have thousands of people. So we do these processes, like obituary reviews or looking at a census record, hundreds and thousands of times. If we can find one step in that process to simplify, automate, make more efficient, make more reliable, that's the kind of gift that ​​keeps on giving​.     

Analyze Your Manual Processes and Create Automation with AI  

Mark:  

Before jumping into AI automation, ask yourself a few questions. How do I do that task manually​, or, ​​ what​ are the steps I follow to do that task​ myself​? I ​encourage you to ask yourself how you do the task today. Then, we see if the process can be done faster with AI. Or we focus on the benefit that you get from using the tool. Ask yourself, where does bringing a tool in ​better improve​​ things​? It all starts with the analysis of the manual way. If the old way worked fine, you ​wouldn't​​ ​bother bringing ​a webtool​ into the mix​.   

Legacy Tree:

Tell us a bit about Clustering and AI.   

Mark: 

As genealogists, we cluster all day, every day, and we don't even think about it. I'm doing surname clustering. I'm clustering first names. I'm finding a pattern. Clustering is just pattern recognition. And we see those names that flow through our families. That's a form of clustering. I wish I could go back in time and tell my Thompson ancestors that there were more names than John, Charles, James, and George. Family names are a form of clustering. I feel better if I see one of those names because Thompson is a very common last name. But if I see a John Thompson or a James Thompson or a George Thompson, I create this cluster in my head that ​suggests these people ​might be ​​one of my ​people.   

Clustering shows up in so much of genealogy. We look at migration patterns. We look at immigration patterns. We look at naming patterns. We look at clothing styles and haircuts in old photos.   

AI is amazing at seeing patterns. As long as you can describe the pattern you want it to see, you can back off and ask a very, very open-ended question and say, do you see any patterns here? One caution with this type of question is that it can be prone to hallucinations, so you need to check the pattern the LLM returns to see if it is legitimate.

​​​L​arge language model​s​ ​catalog, group, and organize patterns and ​based on ​the​​ ​prompt​ you give them​. That's their secret sauce. So if you can figure out how to describe the pattern you want the LLM can ​help you ​look for it.  ​     ​  

Legacy Tree:

If you know how to do a thing, you can get AI to help you do the thing. What does this mean? 

Mark: 

If you can't verbalize what you want, your hallucination rate will be higher. In the worst case, you don’t have the words ​to ask the chatbot how ​to do the ​​​task​. The best thing about large language models is the actual tool itself. The technical hurdle with using a chatbot is quite low. There has never been a technology tool with this much power where the effort to learn how to use it ​is this low. That is an amazing superpower. We just have to use words, but we have to use the right words. The more accurate the words, the less hallucination you get and the more that they will support the work that you're trying to do.   

You no longer need to wonder how you're going to get these ideas out of your head and into this crazy user interface with all the clicks on the menus and stuff. That hurdle's gone now.   

Legacy Tree:

How do we get the data into an LLM for analysis?   

Mark: 

Part of the challenge of getting chat GPT to help you with a problem is getting the information into the prompt. For example, it could be a simple prompt to summarize a document. Copy and paste the 500 words into the prompt, and then give it your prompt for how you want it to be summarized. ​Then, c​​​lick enter.

A year ago, even that was hard, and you couldn't get a spreadsheet in. It was groundbreaking when you could get a CSV file in. Now, you can actually upload an Excel-formatted XLSX file straight off your desktop and put it in​to most of the chatbots​. So ​​the ​barriers to entry regarding how I get my information is changing ​rapidly.   

Legacy Tree:

How do AI companies help get data into an LLM?  

Mark:

Currently, the three big chatbots are Claude, Chat GPT, and Gemini. They're all ​​​built into ​​Amazon, ​Microsoft, and ​Google​. Because these companies store your data, they ​are working very hard to ​solve the problem of getting ​your ​data into ​their​​ ​chatbot. The chatbot environment itself can access the places where your data is stored. For example, when you get a Google Gemini account, it's part of your Google workspace. Your Google Workspace has access to all your files. So you can say, “look through all of the reports that I wrote last year, and please find me the paragraph that talks about great-grandpa Fred.”  

It finds the paragraph and pulls it out. You can direct it to find all the paragraphs I wrote in my 49 documents about great-grandpa Fred in the last ten years, summarize them into a timeline for me, and Gemini pulls it all up. Google and Microsoft both announced recently how they will be able to do this.   

Microsoft Copilot for the enterprise does this today. I can search through my Microsoft OneDrive today and extract data from files. But in five years, my Ancestry account, MyHeritage account, and DNA match list will be securely accessible from the chatbot because I authorize it just like you do when you sit down at Zoom and give Zoom authority to access your Google Calendar so that it can update. So I ​believe we ​will ​be able to ​authorize ​ChatGPT ​to access my Ancestry account and so it can analyze my ​DNA match list.  

With the new technology we just discussed, there'll be many privacy concerns. There are societal and cultural issues to overcome before this ​will be ​​​widely available. I would not be surprised if all that stuff is taken care of in the next five years​​. Some people will gladly make their information available by choice by opting in to consolidate ​​​information ​from different sources​​. ​Then they ​could analyze, massage, summarize, consolidate, assimilate, and output it from their chatbot. Then rather than going through the hassle of transferring information between systems for ​analysis, we ​could ​just connect​  to the data ​directly.  ​​     ​

This takes away the need for so many of the tools​, not to mention the effort of learning how to use them​. That is what the future looks like for AI. It's not one big system to rule them all. It will connect to all those systems and be able to read from them, understand the nuances between them, and reason through ​​​what it finds there​. Then give it back in a prompt organized ​and formatted ​as you instructed. That's what the future of information management looks like. And it's an incredibly exciting place​​.
Getting Started with AI for Beginners: Chatbots are Not Like Google

Legacy Tree:

For people who are new to AI, there are a few conceptual hurdles that everybody goes through.

Mark: 

  1. I ask a simple question. I want a simple answer. That's different from what an LLM is designed to do. «Tell me what the temperature is today in Victoria.» That's not what they're designed to do. That's what Google's designed to do. But LLMs behave differently than we have learned to interact with Google. Google has trained us to think in a specific way. To put information into that little white box, ask an incredibly terse, keyword-rich, verb-light question.  

We've been trained to do that for the last 25 years of Googling, but that's not how a chatbot interacts. With a chatbot, ​​​it’s better to ​give a clear, precise, ​nuanced ​​​​description ​​of what you want. When you do this, you tend to get back what you intended, which is awesome. And that's a ​very ​different way of thinking​ than Googling​​.     ​   

  1. The other genuine big conceptual hurdle for people new to AI is that if I use my software this way today and ​then I ​do precisely the same thing tomorrow, I'll get the same result. That's not the way AI works. It's ​specifically ​​designed ​not ​to do that. If I give the same prompt two days in a row – how do I cluster my DNA – I will get a different answer. And that is very confusing because we have learned that if I click on the file menu and then I click the print button, the printer will work the same way today as it did yesterday​. That's not the way AI works. ​     ​

Chatbots pull things together slightly differently ​​​every time​, with a certain amount of randomness built in. If you get a result you really like, you'll want to copy it and use it, because you will get a different answer tomorrow.   

Because of these, and many other differences, ​​it’s important to experiment with AI. Y​ou just have to try stuff because Chat bots are so fundamentally different from other technology ​that you’ve learned. ​Take time to learn how to use the tools. It's fun. Get comfortable with the fact that you'll be uncomfortable for the first 20 or 30 hours until it starts to click​.  By then, you'll be able to ​​write prompts that deliver the results ​​​you’re looking for​.  

Legacy Tree:

What are the next steps for more experienced AI users?  

Mark:

For people who have spent 40 or 50 hours practicing and testing with a chatbot and have found some things that work for them, the next step is writing a reusable prompt inside ​Chat​ ​GPT​, what they call a CustomGPT​. Creating custom​ ​GPTs is probably the most important reason to use Chat​ ​GPT for people who have spent 40 or 50 hours and have found the things that they do all the time.  

Legacy Tree:

Why are Custom​ ​GPTs important?  

Mark: 

Custom​ ​GPTs are so important because they don't just allow you to reuse a prompt. They give you a place to go back and ​​​improve ​​your ​prompt based on how you use it. Custom GPTs make your tools better and allow you to refine them constantly. Until recently, Chat​GPT was the only game in town that allowed you to create custom prompts to save and reuse. Now, the other major AI players have entered the scene. ​​Gemini ​is calling their ​reusable ​prompts Gemini Gems. Claude is calling their reusable prompts Projects.​​ 

The ability to create a prompt that you can reuse again is invaluable for the professional genealogist. It ​can ​create ​massive time savings—it's like having a template for your genealogy report.   

Legacy Tree:

How are Custom GPTs shared?    

Mark:  

When you save a custom GPT in OpenAI, you can save it for yourself or create a shareable link to send to others. You can also make it publicly available. When you share the prompt, it describes it, but you don't see the actual prompt steps. In this way, a person's work ​on the prompt ​is ​somewhat ​protected.   

If you type genealogy into the chat​ ​GPT library, you can see all the names and descriptions of custom​ ​GPTs made using the word genealogy. The system will also show you how often each GPT has been used.   

It is like downloading an app. I don't know how the app works, and I don't need to know how to code it. I just want to use it. You hunt around and find one that you like. ​You make the call about what you like. But knowing how to make a GPT is not necessarily what everybody wants. Some people just want to use ​ones created by someone else​.  

AI and Privacy  

Legacy Tree:

What about privacy?  

Mark:  

The good rule of thumb for any genealogist is what I ​call the water cooler test. If you wouldn't be comfortable taking that piece of information that you are about to upload to your chatbot and pinning it to the wall ​at the office above the water cooler, don't put it into your chatbot.  

Whether that's for privacy reasons, legal reasons, or because your boss thinks that information is competitive intelligence, ​always ​use the water cooler test. ​If you are ever in doubt, don't put it in your chatbot.   

Legacy Tree:

How can we make the most of AI today?     

Mark:  

If you love AI and using these tools, keep learning and trying new things. The AI you use today is the worst AI you will ever use. It's going to get better every day. Use it for what it can help you do today. Learn how to do with AI what you already do with your genealogy, whether making family trees, contacting your matches, sending messages to family, or organizing the family reunion. Whatever you already do, those are the best things to do with AI.  

Learn More about AI and Mark's Resources

​​If you want to learn more about Mark Thompson and AI in genealogy, visit https://makingfamilyhistory.com/​.    ​​ ​​ 

​​Or, listen to The Family History AI Show podcast that he cohosts with Steve Little​. 

The Family History AI Show Podcast at Apple Podcast​​ 

​​​https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-family-history-ai-show/id1749873836​​ 

​​​​​​Mark’s personal website​​ 

​​​https://makingfamilyhistory.com/​​ 

​​Mark’s Obituary Analysyt CustomGPT​​ 

​​​https://chatgpt.com/g/g-XVcnp2TJ4-mark-s-obituary-analyst​​ 

​​Mark’s Locality Guide for Genealogical Research​​ 

​​​https://chatgpt.com/g/g-TpLAIvCzD-locality-guide-for-genealogical-research​​

If you'd like help with any of your genealogy research projects, please reach out to us! We'd love to work with you:
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