The Genealogy Gems Podcast is the leading genealogy and family history show. Launched in 2007, the show is hosted by genealogy author, keynote presenter, and video producerLisa Louise Cooke. The podcast features genealogy news, interviews, stories and how-to instruction. It can be found in all major podcasting directories, or download the exclusive Genealogy Gems Podcast app to listen to all the episodes and receive bonus content.
In this episode, you’ll hear from genealogy experts on genealogical evidence & Proof, DNA, and organization.
Elevenses with Lisa Update
The live Elevenses with Lisa show is now a monthly show, typically on the 1st Thursday of the month. We announce the live show the week prior in the Genealogy Gems email newsletter. The date and time will be announced and there will be a red “click here” button that takes you to the “Show Notes” webpage for the show. On that page, you can watch the live show and get the downloadable cheat sheet notes. You can also click “watch on YouTube” in the media player and that will take you to the video on YouTube where you can participate in the chat during the live show. After the live show, the show is available as a video replay to watch at your convenience. You can find all past shows by clicking VIDEO in the menu on our website homepage. Videos are organized by topic. Also, anytime you want to see what the most recent content we’ve published, just click LEARN in the menu on our website. You will then see all of our videos and podcasts starting with the most recently published, and going back in time. So if you want to find something quickly that was done fairly recently, just click LEARN.
Watch Elevenses with Lisa
What’s even better than listening to a genealogy podcast? Watching and listening to a genealogy online show!
The free podcast is sponsored by MyHeritage:
Don’t leave your precious computer files at risk. Back up your computer with the Cloud back up Lisa uses.
Lisa Lisson and Lisa Louise Cooke at RootsTech 2020
Lisa Louise Cooke’s Tip:
Put the year in the file name first. It automatically puts your files in chronological order. (Genealogy Gems Premium Members can learn how to implement Lisa’s entire computer filing system by watching the Premium videos Hard Drive Organization Parts 1 & 2.)
Always try to only touch a piece of paper once. Make a conscious decision what to do with it and do it: Work with it right now, File it, or throw it away. Don’t just move it around your desk.
Lisa Louise Cooke uses and recommends RootsMagic family history software. Visit www.RootsMagic.com
GEM: DNA Q&A with Andrew Lee
Interview with Andrew Lee, author of the book DNA Q&A. Click here to order the book.
Andrew Lee and Lisa Louise Cooke with a lucky winner at RootsTech 2020
GEM: Evidence & Proof with Kate Eakman
The Genealogical Proof Standard tells us that we need to conduct reasonably exhaustive research in order for our work to be credible. If you’ve ever wondered just what constitutes “reasonable” (and if your family tree is up to snuff) my guest author Kate Eakman, professional genealogist at Legacy Tree Genealogists, has answers.
45 Minute Online Genealogy Consultations: Sometimes the wrong evidence or assumptions can push us into a brick wall. A fresh set of expert eyes can help you identify the problem and recommend the sources you need to pursue in order to compile trustworthy evidence.
If you are looking for some assistance in your genealogical research, Legacy Tree Genealogists can help. Our affordable ($100 USD) Genealogist-on-DemandTM Virtual Consultation service provides you with the opportunity for a 45 minute one-on-one discussion of your research with one of our expert genealogists. We can help guide you in evaluating evidence and determining research strategies to move forward with your research confidently.
The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox , 3rd Edition
By Lisa Louise Cooke
Fully Updated and Revised!
Brand New Chapters
Featuring Lisa Louise Cooke’s Google Search Methodology for 2020
A lot has changed and it’s time to update your search strategy for genealogy!
Click to order your copy of “The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox, Third edition” by Lisa Louise Cooke
Discover the answers to your family history mysteries using the newest cutting-edge Google search strategies. A comprehensive resource for the best Google tools, this easy-to-follow book provides the how-to information you need in plain English.
This book features:
Step-by-step clear instructions
quick reference pages.
Strategies for searching faster and achieving better results.
How to use exciting new tools like Google Photos and Google Earth.
Social Security Death Index (SSDI) search is not necessarily as straight forward as you might think. We’re going to explore what SSDI records are, their range of availability, and how they compare across the Genealogy Giants records websites.
If you’ve been dabbling in genealogy research for a while, then you are very likely familiar with the Social Security Death Index, more commonly referred to as the SSDI. But even experienced researchers have questions, like the one that Marti sent me recently:
From Marti in Texas:
Hi Lisa!!
Thank you so much for all your helpful resources on your website!! I just listened to the SSDI Working Backwards podcast episode (Family History: Genealogy Made Easy episode 3) and my grandparents passed away in 2012 and 2014. Do you know when the last time the index has been updated, I cannot locate them.
Thank you so much!!
This two-fold question is a good one. While many genealogical record sets have privacy laws that dramatically restrict more recent records from being available, the SSDI is not one of them. But even if the records are available, there may still be times when we have trouble locating our relatives.
Whenever you run into a road block finding ancestors in a record collection, do what good detectives do, and go back to the beginning. In this case, let’s learn more about the collection itself.
Social Security Death Index Background
The Social Security Act was signed into law in 1935 by President Franklin Roosevelt. By 1937, more than 30 million Americans had registered. Today, the Death Master File from the Social Security Administration contains around 90 million records of deaths and they are publicly available online.
Some data goes as far back as 1937, but most of the information included in the SSDI dates from 1962. This is because the Social Security Administration began to use a computer database for processing requests for benefits in 1962. Some of the earlier records back to 1937 have not been added.
It’s important to know that the SSDI does not have a death record for everyone. It’s also very possible that you may occasionally find an error here and there if something was reported incorrectly. But don’t let that stop you from tapping into this major resource! It’s a wonderful alternative source for finding people who were counted in the 1890 census (which was unfortunately mostly destroyed) because they may still appear in the SSDI. Also, those who were born before vital records registration in their home state began, may also show up. Remember, working folks just had to live past 1937 to have been possibly included. That means some people could have been born sometime in the late 1800s.
Now that we have a handle on the history of the SSDI, let’s look at who has it and how recent their records are.
Where to Find the SSDI
The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) is available on all of the ‘big 4’ genealogy records websites, which we here at Genealogy Gems refer to as the “Genealogy Giants.” The links below will take you directly to the SSDI search page for each.
MyHeritage (It is not stated how current the database is, but a search for 2014 did retrieve results)
Findmypast
(No dates or citation provided, but a search for people who died in 2014 did retrieve results)
In Marti’s case, she will want to search every single one of these websites for her ancestors. The good news is that they all appear to be up-to-date, but that doesn’t mean they are all exactly the same. The same collection of genealogy records can appear differently from site to site for a number of reasons such as accidental omissions, variations in the power of their search engine, differences between indexers and scanners, and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) inaccuracies. These may or may not affect the SSDI, but the point is that you can’t go wrong searching each one of the Genealogy Giants just in case. And since SSDI search can be conducted for free at all of the Genealogy Giants, it doesn’t cost you anything to do so.
A quick way to find all of the websites that include the SSDI is to Google SSDI genealogy. Here’s a link to the results.
SSDI Search Head-to-Head Comparison
Another excellent reason to search the SSDI on multiple websites is that each website displays the information a little differently. And as you can see from the chart below, when it comes to the Genealogy Giants, there are definitely differences.
It’s interesting to note that Ancestry is the only website that provides information about the year that the Social Security number was issued. It isn’t exact, but it’s more than the others offered in my search for Alfred H. Sporan.
The differences between the 4 major websites can be sometimes subtle or quite dramatic. Understanding their strengths and weaknesses, as well as free versus subscription offerings, is key to successful research that is both efficient and cost-effective.
The quick reference guide Genealogy Giants: Comparing the 4 Major Websites is a must-have for anyone serious about getting the most out of free and paid subscriptions.
The author of this 4-page full-color cheat sheet, Sunny Morton, is Contributing Editor here at Genealogy Gems, and she’s packed this guide with everything you would ever want to know, and many things you probably didn’t know that you needed to know. You can pick up your copy here in our store.
SSDI Search and Beyond
There is another database at Ancestry that is worth keeping your eye on. It’s called the U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index and it shouldn’t be missed! Currently, this covers 1936-2007, but who knows, they may update it in the future. It includes even more information. It was first released in 2015. Read more about it here at Genealogy Gems.
Gems: Share Your SSDI Search Experience!
I invite you to take a moment to share your SSDI search experience in the comments below. Have you had any surprises? Did you find a difference between the records found at different websites? We want to hear your story because we all benefit from each other’s experiences.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links and Genealogy Gems will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on these links (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for supporting Genealogy Gems!
SHOW NOTES: In episode 292 of the Genealogy Gems podcast, Lisa Louise Cooke discusses the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on genealogy research, exploring its evolution, ethical considerations, and the importance of data privacy. Genealogists need to understand AI’s capabilities and limitations and develop a balanced approach to its use in research. She also covers the significance of being aware of data privacy when using AI tools. This video comes from our full-length “Elevenses with Lisa” live show exclusively available to Premium Members. Then we discuss genealogy resources, storytelling techniques, and the impact of AI on writing in the genealogy field with author Sunny Morton.
Listen to the Podcast Episode
To Listen click the media player below (AUDIO ONLY):
AI has been around for a while – genealogy websites have used variations of it. But clearly we are experiencing a big uptick in the role that AI is playing not only in genealogy research, but life in general.
What is AI?
According to ChatGPT: “These terms describe different levels of artificial intelligence:
1. AI (Artificial Intelligence): This is a broad term referring to machines or software that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as recognizing speech, analyzing data, or playing chess. Most AI today is narrow AI (ANI), meaning it is specialized for specific tasks (e.g., ChatGPT for conversation, DeepMind’s AlphaFold for protein folding).
2. AGI (Artificial General Intelligence): This refers to AI that can understand, learn, and apply intelligence across a wide range of tasks at a human-like level. An AGI system would be able to reason, solve novel problems, and adapt like a human without being limited to pre-programmed tasks.
3. ASI (Artificial Superintelligence): This is a hypothetical AI that surpasses human intelligence in all aspects, including creativity, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence. ASI would be capable of independent thinking and continuous self-improvement, potentially leading to intelligence far beyond human capabilities.
Right now, we have narrow AI (ANI), while AGI is still theoretical, and ASI remains a concept in science fiction and futurist discussions. We are currently at “AI” with AGI as a long-term goal that has not yet been achieved.”
Lesson: Real is usually better than artificial.
Analogy: Even though grandma’s home cooking is better than the cheaper and faster McDonald’s, it doesn’t mean I won’t occasionally take advantage of it carefully and selectively.
Is AI good or bad? Should I avoid AI?
My personal opinion is that there’s no way that AI won’t be used for evil. It’s just human nature. So, AI can be both good and bad. A knife is a perfect example. It’s good on a dinner table, and bad in the hands of a killer.
For me, it boils down to my world view. Personally, I have a Biblical worldview and that makes things much clearer for me. It dictates how I will use it – for good, to help people. However, there will always be people seeking power and control. And there are serious concerns that ASI could get to a place where it attempts to take power and control. I know, it sounds like science fiction…as did airplanes to our ancestors! AI could easily become an idol to mankind. It’s not hard to imagine finding it difficult to live without the conveniences of AI once we get used to them. In fact, we might think we can’t bear to give it up. I don’t personally fear that because my worldview makes my choice crystal clear.
No matter where you currently stand on all this, AI is here, and we can do our best to understand it together. The scope of this show isn’t about a future we can’t control. I don’t believe that you or I can control the acceleration of AI. But we can focus on how it can help us in our research, and to help others.
Keep in mind the Silicon Valley saying that Vice-President Vance shared during his speech to the global AI Action Summit recently held in Paris, “If you aren’t paying for the product, you are the product.” I’ve said this myself when teaching about using Google and other technology. In other words, we may be tempted to only use free AI tools. However, we must keep in mind that nothing is free. We learned that with the evolution of Google, genetic genealogy, and many other forms of technology. Assume that what you are doing on free AI tools is public and once said can never be retracted. Keep an eye on the way various tools use your data. You get what you pay for.
Copilot’s Integration into Windows 11
The AI chatbot Copilot is now integrated with Windows 11 by default. You don’t need to download it separately. Use Alt + spacebar to open it wherever you’re working on your PC.
Family History Writing and Storytelling
Guest: Sunny Morton
In this conversation we discuss genealogy resources, storytelling techniques, and the impact of AI on writing in the genealogy field.
Resources mentioned:
• Get Sunny Morton’s book How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records: A Genealogist’s Guide
• Watch the Genealogy Gems video class on Church Records with Sunny Morton (Premium)
• Genealogy Gems video class by Sunny Morton: Share Your Life Story in a More Meaningful Way (Premium)
• Genealogy Gems video class by Sunny Morton: Reconstructing Your Family’s Amazing Stories (Premium)
Takeaways:
• Storytelling is crucial for sharing family history effectively.
• Genealogists should focus on the stories that resonate with them personally.
• AI can serve as a helpful tool in genealogy writing. (Lisa will be covering these techniques in upcoming episodes.)
• Practicing storytelling can enhance engagement with family members.
• Finding the right hook is essential for captivating an audience.
• Genealogy writing should be concise and impactful.
• Understanding the historical context of ancestors enriches storytelling.
• Ethical considerations are important when using AI in genealogy.
Sign up today here. The Genealogy Gems email newsletter is the best way to stay informed about what’s available with your Premium eLearning Membership.
Don’t leave your precious computer files at risk.
The Genealogical Proof Standard tells us that we need to conduct reasonably exhaustive research in order for our work to be credible. If you’ve ever wondered just what constitutes “reasonable” (and if your family tree is up to snuff) my guest author Kate Eakman, professional genealogist at Legacy Tree Genealogists, has answers. 
Another excellent reason to search the SSDI on multiple websites is that each website displays the information a little differently. And as you can see from the chart below, when it comes to the Genealogy Giants, there are definitely differences.
