Zero to 6434, writing a genealogy blog

 

This is not me, I do not have a beard but I do have two monitors and a lot of books. 

When I saw the number of blog articles I have posted over the years (6434) and considering it is nearing the end of another year, I decided to write a bit of a retrospective. When I started doing genealogical research back in 1982, home computers were still a new oddity and the internet was still a year away. I had my first interaction with a computer in the 1970s with the mainframe at the University of Utah. I bought my first Apple II computer shortly after they became available in Arizona. Since that time I, computers, and genealogy have been pretty much constantly together. Because most of the early genealogy software was programmed for PCs, we also owned a series of PCs along with our Apple computers. By the time the Macintosh computers came out in 1984, I was well into putting all my research on a computer. As the genealogy programs continued to be developed, I worked with Personal Ancestral File and RootsMagic with all the limitations of storage capacity and speed. 

I was teaching at Scottsdale Community College when I heard about a new connection available in a study area. It turned out to be the World Wide Web, marking my first encounter with the internet. There were only six websites online at the time. The major turning point for genealogical research began with the first online historical records with Ancestry.com in 1996. I also worked with the first volunteer/free website, RootsWeb. I was also online with FamilySearch on May 24, 1999 when it offered 390 million searchable names for free, which overwhelmed the servers

What makes this retrospective interesting is the advent of usable AI in 2022 with ChatGPT. Even with Star Trek and Star Wars, we never imagined that AI would be a common reality. Now, I effectively have my own Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (reference to the books by Douglas Adams). From that first Apple II to my current Mac Mini M4 with Google Fiber, I am still looking for ways to do more even faster. I often speculate how different my life would be if I had a computer on the internet with today's AI apps when I was in high school. Now, I am taking advantage of the time I have left in this life, to learn as much as I can, as fast as I can.  

Genealogy continues to be challenging even with all the bells and whistles of AI. I have to admit that I have my Google Gemini Chatbot open here as I write to supply me with dates and such but I have learned a significant lesson in the last few months as AI moved onto center stage. Even with all the advances in technology, if you don't know enough to understand and utilize the tech, it is of no use to you. What is amazing, however, is that now I can ask questions, even complex and difficult questions, and get almost instant answers. I can also effectively do research in dozens if not hundreds of languages. 

I continue to watch the news for new developments in AI and other technology that may yet solve some of my most difficult genealogical challenges. Let's see what tomorrow brings and Don' Panic. I finally know the answer "42" but I am still waiting for the question. 

Evaluating the FamilySearch AI Research Assistant

 

FamilySearch.org

The notices of the FamilySearch.org AI Research Assistant have become ubiquitous and I have been receiving constant feedback about their use and effectiveness. I have been evaluating the usefulness of several AI Chatbots over the past two years in cluding Google Gemini, OpenAI ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity, Claude, and others. Initially, my conclusions about their ability to either do genealogical research or even assist with doing genealogical research were negative, to say the least. However, because my initial reaction to the FamilySearch.org AI Research Assistant (AIRA) was unfruitful and negative, I haven't really looked at it for a while. 

The questions being asked by the genealogists I usually work with are often also not very positive and also question the AIRA's usefulness. In addition, over time, I have found the latest versions of some of the Chatbots to be very helpful. I have recently written about my remarkable experience with Google Gemini 3. See Can Gemini 3 do valid genealogical research?

The AIRA from FamilySearch is not a chatbot. It is merely a specifically trained finding aid. Here is a recent entry from the website showing the results of clicking on the first suggested item. 

The two choices are to View Record or Attach. Basically, there is no way to know anything about this entry other than an entry for a "Frank Hamilton" in the Illinois, Births and Christenings, 1824-1940 record collection. The AIRA entry suggests that this record for this "Hamilton" who "is listed as a child of Frank James Hamilton in the record, but is not found in your tree." The record for Frank James Hamilton has three named children listed. 

There are also two record hints listed for the same record suggested by the AIRA. 

Neither of these two Record Hints had a direct reference to anyone named Hamilton. The second Record Hint (aka Research Help) suggested a Full-text search of the Births: Hancock, Illinois. Birth Certificates 1891 collection. I did the Full-text search and examined all 43 results. I did find an interesting entry for this family but not the one linked to the AIRA suggestion. 

I have no question about the value of full-text searches. Here is the other record suggested by the AIRA. It does not appear to have an entry for anyone named Frank or Hamilton. 

I find the record hints to be useful when verified by either existing information or additional research. I do not think that giving people the chance to attach a record without verification or additional research is a good idea. 

By the way, the records I found by full text search mostly have the name Hamilton because of a town name not a person's name. In addition, as noted above, the Frank Hamilton family in the FamilySearch Family Tree has a child born in October of 1892, Clara Marguerite Hamilton L5NK-1LB, with death records with a death date of October 26, 1892, the same month and date as the full-text search document but a different year. So this unnamed document is probably their first child with the correct birth date. 

What does all this indicate to me? I see no difference between a record hint and the so-called AIRA. Both can be inaccurate or helpful but both usually require a significant amount of research to validate the suggested information. It does not help to label the suggested research as being AI-generated. 

Can Gemini 3 do valid genealogical research?

Here is a screenshot of two entries in the FamilySearch.org Family Tree. Garrard Mogan (#1) L7GZ-YBB b. 1755, d. 1786 is shown as the son of Doctor John Morgan GM8Y-L9D b. 1734, d. 1765. Doctor John Morgan's wife is Mary Woodson b. 1738, d. 1765. The genealogical research question is whether this relationship is adequately supported by valid historical records. The practical issue is whether Garrard could possibly be the son of Doctor John. 

Garrard Morgan has 5 listed sources. Only one of the listed sources has any parent/child relationship information and that is a record showing the birth of his son, also Garrard Morgan (#2) LW1B-V31. This second Garrard Morgan #2 shares a source record with his father documenting his birth in St James Northam Parish, Goochland, Virginia, British Colonial America (this designation of British Colonial America is not universally accepted). But any reference to the Garrard #1's relationship to Doctor John Morgan is missing. Additionally, Dr. John is shown a being born in Shepardstown, Berkley, Virginia in 1734. While Garrard #1 is shown as born in Goochland, Colony of Virginia, British Colonial America. 

My inclination is to look at the physical locations cited for both Garrard #1 and Doctor John, so I am going to craft a prompt for Google Gemini 3 telling it to consider the information that is there and decide if these to people are related and also to suggest future research options. If you have read this far, I suggest that you try out using this prompt with your own favorite chatbot. I have a subscription to Gemini 3 Pro, by the way.You may not know, but Google Gemini has access to all the information in the FamilySearch Family Tree except for living people and some restricted records. 

I wrote a rather detailed prompt and then asked Gemini to examine the prompt and suggest changes. It suggested some substantial changes that I then incorporated. It is a good idea to let the chatbot tell you how to ask it questions. 

Here is the prompt. 

Role: Act as a professional genealogist and forensic investigator.

Objective: Evaluate the genealogical proof for the parent-child relationship between Garrard Morgan (L7GZ-YBB) / Elizabeth Milton (22J1-HM4) and their purported son, Doctor John Morgan (GM8Y-L9D) (husband of Mary Woodson GM8B-MS9).

Input Data: I have pasted the vital statistics, timeline, and source lists for these four individuals below. 

Garrard Mogan (#1) L7GZ-YBB b. 1755, d. 1786 is shown as the son of Doctor John Morgan GM8Y-L9D b. 1734, d. 1765. Doctor John Morgan's wife is Mary Woodson b. 1738, d. 1765. The genealogical research question is whether this relationship is adequately supported by valid historical records. The practical issue is whether Garrard could possibly be the son of Doctor John. 

Garrard Morgan has 5 listed sources. Only one of the listed sources has any parent/child relationship information and that is a record showing the birth of his son, also Garrard Morgan (#2) LW1B-V31. This second Garrard Morgan #2 shares a source record with his father documenting his birth in St James Northam Parish, Goochland, Virginia, British Colonial America (this designation of British Colonial America is not universally accepted). But any reference to the Garrard #1's relationship to Doctor John Morgan is missing. Additionally, Dr. John is shown a being born in Shepardstown, Berkley, Virginia in 1734. While Garrard #1 is shown as born in Goochland, Colony of Virginia, British Colonial America.  

Instructions:

Source Analysis: Critique the quality of the sources provided. Are they original or derivative? Do they provide direct evidence of birth/parentage, or only indirect evidence?

Data Consistency: Cross-reference the dates and locations. specificially look for:

Biological impossibility (e.g., mother's age at birth).

Chronological inconsistencies in location (e.g., being in two states at once).

Relationship Logic: Determine if the sources explicitly prove the link between Garrard/Elizabeth and John, or if the link is merely based on assumptions (like similar surnames in the same county).

Conclusion: Provide a verdict based on the Genealogical Proof Standard. Classify the relationship as "Proven," "Probable," "Possible," or "Disproven."\

There were other variations in the prompt suggested also. Yes, this type of detailed prompt might be necessary. 

Here was the response:

Based on the genealogical data and constraints you provided, here is the forensic evaluation of the relationship between Garrard Morgan (#1) and Doctor John Morgan.

---

Genealogical Forensic Report

Subject: Verification of Parentage for Garrard Morgan (L7GZ-YBB) Purported Parents: Doctor John Morgan (GM8Y-L9D) & Mary Woodson (GM8B-MS9) Investigator Role: Professional Genealogist

1. Source Analysis

• Direct Evidence Missing: The most critical finding in the source analysis is the absence of direct evidence. You noted that while Garrard Morgan (#1) has five sources attached, none of them name Doctor John Morgan as his father.

• Misattribution of Evidence: The only source cited as proving a parent/child relationship actually applies to the next generation (Garrard #1’s son, Garrard #2). In professional genealogy, this is a common error known as "conflation of generations." A record proving Garrard #1 is a father does not prove who his father was.

• Reliability: Without a will, bible record, deed of gift, or baptismal record explicitly naming "John Morgan" as the father of "Garrard Morgan," the current source list has zero probative value for the relationship in question.

2. Data Consistency & Biological Feasibility

• Biological Timeline (Plausible but Tight):

  • Father (John): Born 1734. Age at Garrard's birth (1755): 21. (Biologically possible).

  • Mother (Mary): Born 1738. Age at Garrard's birth (1755): 17. (Biologically possible and common for the era).

  • Note: While biologically possible, these are young ages for a couple to be established enough to be documented, which often implies they would appear in marriage bonds or parish registers around 1754/1755. The absence of such records is notable.

• Geographic Consistency (Highly Problematic):

  • The Goochland vs. Berkeley Disconnect: Garrard #1 is firmly placed in Goochland County (St. James Northam Parish).

  • Doctor John is placed in Shepherdstown, Berkeley (modern-day West Virginia).

  • In the 1750s, the Shenandoah Valley (Berkeley) and the Piedmont (Goochland) were culturally and geographically distinct. Migration usually flowed from the Tidewater/Piedmont to the Valley/West. It is historically unlikely (though not impossible) for a family established in the frontier (Berkeley) in 1734 to move back east to the settled plantation society of Goochland to have a child in 1755. The geographic vector is backward for standard migration patterns of that era.

3. Relationship Logic

• The "Same Name" Assumption: The link appears to be based on an assumption rather than evidence. Users likely found a "Morgan" in Goochland and attached him to a prominent "Morgan" in Berkeley without proof.

• Naming Patterns: The name "Garrard" is almost certainly a surname used as a given name (likely the mother’s maiden name). If Doctor John Morgan’s wife was truly Mary Woodson, the son should logically be named "Woodson Morgan" or named after the father/grandfather. The appearance of the name "Garrard" suggests Garrard #1's mother was likely a Garrard, not a Woodson.

4. Conclusion and Verdict

Verdict: UNSUBSTANTIATED (Likely Incorrect)

Reasoning:

1. No Proof: There is no direct evidence (wills, deeds, parish registers) linking the two men.

2. Geographic Conflict: The locations are inconsistent with prevailing migration patterns.

3. Onomastic Conflict: The name "Garrard" conflicts with the purported mother's surname "Woodson."

Summary: The relationship currently fails the Genealogical Proof Standard. The link appears to be a "path of least resistance" attachment common in online trees. Garrard Morgan (#1) is likely a member of a different Morgan line indigenous to the Goochland/Albemarle area, possibly connected to a Garrard family by marriage.

---

Next Step: Would you like me to help you brainstorm a search strategy to find Garrard Morgan's actual parents, perhaps by looking for "Morgan-Garrard" marriages in Goochland prior to 1755?

In following the subsequent instructions I have a possible solution to the inaccurate information. The conversation with Gemini 3 continued for several long pages. Yes, Gemini 3 can help. 

My conclusion is that you may find adding Google Gemini 3 ( and subsequent updates) as your research companion. I might also suggest that you compare the results here with those of your current chatbot usage. 

You can contact me through the BYU Library Family History Center if you want to obtain further information or give feed back. You can also comment to this post. 

Lack of literacy challeges genealogy, archives, libraries, and humanity in general

 

I have spent a large part of my life in libraries great and small and I currently volunteer at the Brigham Young University Library Family History Center. I also spent my life reading books; probably thousands and thousands of books. I pains me to see both books and libraries under attack here in the United States. I am certain that at least part of the reason both are being attacked involves the simple fact that a significant percentage of the U.S. is either totally illiterate or marginally so. 

Literacy is the ability to read, write, speak, and listen, but it extends to understanding and using information in various forms—like numbers (numeracy), media, technology, and health—to function, learn, and thrive in society, essentially the skill to engage with the world through language and symbols, from reading a sign to understanding complex media. It's not just about books, but about comprehension, communication, and critical thinking across different contexts like digital platforms, financial documents, and scientific concepts. See National Literacy Trust. “What Is Literacy? | Importance Of Literacy.” Accessed December 11, 2025. https://literacytrust.org.uk/information/what-is-literacy/.

Illiteracy is the inability or insufficient ability to read and write. 

Genealogical research is text intensive. Lack of reading and writing skills closes the door on doing any genealogy. In addition, the places where valuable genealogical sources are located are essentially closed and unavailable to the illiterate. In addition, genealogical research will challenge even those with advanced levels of literacy. Illiteracy is a barrier to learning about a person's ancestral heritage. Access to learning about genealogy is closed to those who cannot read and write. 

How serious is the problem here in the U.S., here are some of the facts:

• On average, 79% of U.S. adults nationwide are literate in 2024.
• 21% of adults in the US are illiterate in 2024.
• 54% of adults have a literacy below a 6th-grade level (20% are below 5th-grade level).
• Low levels of literacy costs the US up to 2.2 trillion per year.
• 34% of adults lacking literacy proficiency were born outside the US.
• Massachusetts was the state with the highest rate of child literacy.
• New Mexico was the state with the lowest child literacy rate.
• New Hampshire was the state with the highest percentage of adults considered literate.
• The state with the lowest adult literacy rate was California. 

See National Literacy Institute. “2024-2025 Literacy Statistics.” Accessed December 11, 2025. https://www.thenationalliteracyinstitute.com/2024-2025-literacy-statistics.

Here are a few of the sources for the above statistics:

APM Research Lab. “Reading the Numbers: 130 Million American Adults Have Low Literacy Skills.” Accessed December 11, 2025. https://www.apmresearchlab.org/10x-adult-literacy.

Ballard Brief. “Illiteracy Among Adults in the United States.” Accessed December 11, 2025. https://ballardbrief.byu.edu/issue-briefs/illiteracy-among-adults-in-the-us.

“Causes of Low Adult Literacy in the US.” ProLiteracy, n.d. Accessed December 11, 2025. https://www.proliteracy.org/news/causes-of-low-adult-literacy-in-the-us/.

Contributors, NU Editorial. “49 Adult Literacy Statistics and Facts for 2025.” National University, June 24, 2025. https://www.nu.edu/blog/49-adult-literacy-statistics-and-facts/.

DoSomething.Org. “11 Facts about Literacy in America.” Accessed December 11, 2025. https://dosomething.org/article/11-facts-about-literacy-america.

“Literacy Gap Map | Barbara Bush Foundation.” Accessed December 11, 2025. http://map.barbarabush.org.

National Literacy Institute. “2024-2025 Literacy Statistics.” Accessed December 11, 2025. https://www.thenationalliteracyinstitute.com/2024-2025-literacy-statistics.

National Literacy Trust. “What Is Literacy? | Importance Of Literacy.” Accessed December 11, 2025. https://literacytrust.org.uk/information/what-is-literacy/.

Perfas, Samantha Laine. “What’s Driving Decline in U.S. Literacy Rates?” Harvard Gazette, September 24, 2025. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/09/whats-driving-decline-in-u-s-literacy-rates/.

“The Literacy Crisis in the U.S. Is Deeply Concerning—and Totally Preventable.” EdTrust, n.d. Accessed December 11, 2025. https://edtrust.org/blog/the-literacy-crisis-in-the-u-s-is-deeply-concerning-and-totally-preventable/.

“US Literacy Statistics.” Accessed December 11, 2025. https://www.magnetaba.com/blog/us-literacy-statistics.

The United States' global ranking in literacy is debated, but recent studies show it ranks 14th out of 31 countries for literacy skills and 24th for numeracy. See “US Literacy Statistics.” Accessed December 11, 2025. https://www.magnetaba.com/blog/us-literacy-statistics.

If you are reading this blog post, you could be part of the solution. Think about it. 

RootsTech 2026 Bonus and Benefits

 

https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/

RootsTech 2026, the largest genealogy and family history conference in the world, is scheduled for Marth 5-7, 2026 online and in person at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah. Meanwhile, by visiting the website, you can enjoy and learn from the following activities and learning opportunities. 

Find what you’re looking for on the RootsTech website for free with more than 1,500 sessions on 185 topics in over 30 languages.

Join the RootsTech website in December 2025 again for free with helpful learning about bringing family history into your holidays, US court records and a sneak peek at our global offerings for RootsTech 2026.

Both online and in-person, the Expo Hall is a chance to meet family history and genealogy organizations and companies from all over the world. The Expo Hall is typically the hub of the conference. For 2026, the hours are scheduled as follows:

• Thursday, March 5: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
• Friday, March 6: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• Saturday, March 7: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Family Discovery Day)

The Expo Hall will host over 120 exhibitors and sponsors. While the full finalized directory is typically released closer to the event. 

As has been the case for the past few years, The Family History Guide will have a prominent booth in the Expo Hall. I will be attending in person as a Media representative and as a participant at The Family History Guide booth. 

RootsTech 2026 Volunteers Needed for The Family History Guide

 thefhguide.com

Are you planning to attend RootsTech 2026 in Salt Lake City? We would love to have you help as a Booth Volunteer for The Family History Guide! Thanks to all who have helped us in the past—we’re excited to have you join our expanded booth in the high-energy Expo Hall again.

Event Details

• When: Thursday, March 5 – Saturday, March 7, 2026
• Where: Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, UT

Booth Volunteer Information

• Shifts: Approximately 3 hours each, with time for a drink/rest.
• Expo Hall Hours:
  • Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
  • Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
  • Saturday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• Requirements:
  • Must be at least 14 years old.
  • Have a working knowledge of The Family History Guide.
• Attire: Volunteers should wear a Family History Guide shirt (please find yours from a past year, if possible). Note: New booth workers will receive a free shirt to wear.
• Training: More details will be provided closer to the event.
• Benefits: Booth workers receive access to the Expo Hall. Note: Registration for classes and other RootsTech events is separate. Join our high-energy team and help attendees discover the joy of easier family history research

 How to Sign Up

Please reply ASAP to ann@thefhguide.com if you are interested!

• This preliminary reply helps us with planning.
• In your reply, please let us know if you have a shirt you can wear.
• The official registration portal from RootsTech to register as a booth worker typically opens in January, and you will be contacted then.
• Feel free to share this invitation with a friend!

University Genealogy Collections around the US

 

https://www.library.ca.gov/sutro/

Many genealogists can become fixated on the big four online genealogy websites and ignore other important collections of valuable genealogical records in local university libraries.

There isn't a single, definitive number of university genealogy collections (like "425 libraries") because no central agency tracks every university with a "genealogy collection." However, based on repository lists and digital archive directories, the landscape looks like this:

Major Hubs: There are roughly 20–30 major US university libraries that are considered national-level genealogy destinations (e.g., BYU, Yale, University of North Carolina).

Regional Repositories: There are hundreds of universities (likely 300+) that don't call themselves "genealogy libraries" but host the primary Digital Special Collections (yearbooks, local newspapers, oral histories) for their specific region. See “Digital Archives | Ohio University.” Accessed December 3, 2025. https://www.ohio.edu/library/collections/digital-archives. for example.

You likely won't find a button labeled "Genealogy" on their homepages. Instead, you have to look for "Special Collections," "Archives," or "Digital Commons." See “Special Collections | ALA.” Accessed December 3, 2025. https://www.ala.org/tools/challengesupport/selectionpolicytoolkit/special.

The "Big Three" Types of University Genealogy Collections

If you are hunting for records, it helps to know which universities hold what specific types of data:

A. The Genealogy Giants (Religious & Specialized) 

A few universities have genealogy as a core part of their mission, often due to religious affiliation or historical endowments. Brigham Young University (BYU): The Family History Archive is one of the largest online genealogy book collections in the world. It is massive and free. The Family History Archive is presently located on the FamilySearch.org website. 

The Allen County Public Library (affiliated with universities): While a public library, its collection is so academic and vast (the second largest after Salt Lake City) that it functions like a university archive for researchers.

B. The Regional History Keepers

Most state universities serve as the official historian for their state. If your ancestors lived in a specific county, the nearest state university likely holds the papers for that county. The University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill): Their "Documenting the American South" collection is the premier spot for Southern U.S. ancestry, slavery records, and diaries. The University of Washington holds the Digital Collections for Pacific Northwest history, including unique labor and ethnic history records. The University of Florida's The Digital Collections (UFDC) hosts vast Caribbean and Florida pioneer records.

C. The "Hidden" Collections (Alumni & Student Data)

Almost every US university (thousands of them) has a digital archive containing: The Yearbooks: Often fully searchable by name, The Alumni Directories: Lists of graduates, often with biographical details, The Student Newspapers: A goldmine for finding ancestors who attended college (mentions of marriages, awards, campus visits).

Key Collections to Bookmark

If you want to browse, these university libraries have the most accessible online portals:

University Library	Best For...
Brigham Young University (BYU)	Family history books, western US migration, LDS history.
Harvard University	Colonial history, legal documents, early American diaries.
University of Texas (Austin)	The "Perry-Castañeda Library" Map Collection (the best historical maps online).
Cornell University	"Making of America" collection (19th-century journals and censuses).
University of Illinois	Digitized historical newspapers and rural midwest history.

Genealogists who have the time and resources will never run out of places to find more records about their ancestors.