Do Not Disturb: Fun Ways to Learn Genealogy While Solving Mysteries

-



freepik.com/free-photo/daily-planner-dream-big-concept_



How have you learned to do genealogy? Some of us began with basic classes that introduced us to census records, land records, military records and other basic resources. Some of us did wide open internet searches and got lucky on our first or second attempt; others had piles of material handed to them by older relatives.

No matter how we started, if we have stayed with our quest, we have refined our methodology in order to get to more accurate or obscure information. If you have subscribed to SKCGS.groups.io you may have seen messages between people who are in the current study group working on the book, Research Like a Pro. I admire the work these people are putting in on their projects, knowing they are developing strong research habits.

Another Way To Learn

But I don't have the time or inclination to put out that sort of effort. I have found another source for learning methodology--genealogical crime mysteries! Give me the books written by Nathan Dylan Goodwin, Steve Robinson or M K Jones! Their protagonists of Morton Farrier, Jefferson Tayte and Maze Investigations, respectively, employ sound genealogical research practices; a lesson in research in every novel.





And each of these authors have written series of books in which their protagonist progresses as technology advances. Morton Farrier has learned to use the internet resources and now DNA to solve mysteries. And he is an entertaining character with a worldwide following.




There are numerous other series and individual books now available; Genealogical Crime Mysteries are a popular genre of modern books. Search your public library or Amazon for Susan Finley, John Ahrens, Stephen Molyneux or Sylvia Nash.



The Chelsea Creek Murders is the start of a new series from Nathan Dylan Goodwin, a British author who has introduced us to Venator, a company based in Salt Lake City, Utah, that uses genetic genealogy to solve cold cases. Those of us who devoured the work of Madison Scott-Barnhart and her small team of forensic genealogists have been waiting for the sequel.





And the wait is over! The Sawtooth Slayer will be released on Friday, October 28 and can be pre-ordered on Amazon for your Kindle reader. Personally, I'm going to spend this week re-reading the Chelsea Creek Murders to refresh my understanding of their research methods. Please observe my Do Not Disturb sign if I happen to hang it out.




I hope others will find these books as entertaining and instructive as I have.  



MaryLynn Strickland



Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 25, 2022 at 11:56 AM

    When reading a Genealogy Crime Mystery, it's okay to draw a family tree chart. Just refrain from looking up the fictional characters on Ancestry!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Looking for a Needle in a Haystack? GAME CHANGER at FamilySearch

-
Image
Generated with Bing ImageCreator (AI), March 13, 2024 Where is YOUR Needle, Your Missing Record? Genealogical Proof Standard When we use the GPS (Genealogical Proof Standard) as our guide, we all know that "exhaustive research" can be both tedious and exhausting. Is life long enough to search page by page through all the counties where all the members of a family might have lived, paid taxes, bought, leased or sold property, made a will or died intestate? It is possible that the new Full Text Search at FamilySearch will  eventually  allow us to do just that. It has been estimated that 75% or more of the records at FamilySearch were browsable but not searchable; the only indexes those found in the records themselves. Those records are certainly attainable by using those indexes and browsing to the record of interest, but the process is tedious, often frustrating, and slow. And once found, the record must be read and transcribed to be useful. This new Full Text Search tackles a
Read more

What's the Question?

-
Image
We genealogists are often told by experienced researchers how important it is to begin with a research question. I resisted doing this for a long time, but now that I use a series of questions to guide my research, the search is more focused and actually finds more of the history of the family I'm investigating. I use a Google Doc as the  research proceeds, where I keep the question(s), the plan, timelines, checklist of resources to search, etc. all in one place. I've seen others use spreadsheets in the same way, perhaps splitting up things in tabs (Excel or Google Sheets). I prefer a document because I add source citations as I find them and I can begin writing up the case right there in the doc as the hypotheses are proven. Specific Questions in Previous Successes As beginners we often have no clue how much and what details we already know about a person, event or relationship, so it's hard to specify what we want to know. But when looking back at successful research, it
Read more

Help Save This Abused and Neglected Cemetery

-
Image
Screen capture from Google Maps History In an exchange of emails this past week in both the main SKCGS group, and in the Washington-State-Genealogy group, many facts were revealed about the history of the I.O.O.F. Comet Lodge Cemetery, also known as the Old Burying Ground, the Georgetown Cemetery, the Graham Street Burying Ground and maybe more.  FindAGrave sums it up this way: "Since it was established in 1881, the Comet Lodge cemetery site has been whittled away to less than half its original 5 acres. Records are sketchy but it's safe to say that some 500 pioneers were buried here, atop unknown numbers of native Duwamish people. New burials ended in the 1930s. Since then, homes and streets were built on top of many of the plots as the neighborhood around the cemetery grew.  "Upkeep and ownership of the cemetery bounced between the city, civic groups, relatives of Comet Lodge residents, and nearby neighbors. For years, much of the property was allowed to deteriorate int
Read more