Episode 195
The Genealogy Gems Podcast
Episode 195
with Lisa Louise Cooke
In this episode, I’m celebrating the 100th episode of another podcast I host: the Family Tree Magazine podcast. So I’ll flashback to one of my favorite interviews from that show, an inspiring get-in-shape conversation for your research skills: how you can strengthen your research muscles and tone those technology skills to find and share your family history.

Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode 195
Listen now – click the player below
More episode highlights:
- News on Chronicling America and Scotland’s People;
- Comments from guest expert Lisa Alzo on millions of Czech records that have recently come online;
- A YouTube-for-genealogy success story from a woman I met at a conference;
- An excerpt from the Genealogy Gems Book Club interview with Chris Cleave, author of Everyone Brave is Forgiven;
- Diahan Southard shares a DNA gem: the free website GEDmatch, which you might be ready for if you’ve done some DNA testing.
NEWS: GENEALOGY WEBSITE UPDATES
- Scotland’s People
- Findmypast.com: Scottish records
- Chronicling America
- Chronicling America: New state partners join the program
- Chronicling America: Expanding its current scope
- MyHeritage Adds DNA Matching
NEW RECORDS ONLINE: FREE CZECH RECORDS AT FAMILYSEARCH.ORG
- Czech Republic Church Records 1552-1963
- Czech Republic Land Records 1450-1889
- Czech Republic School Registers 1799-1953
On browse-only records:
Though not fully indexed, the new Czech browse-only records number over 4 million. Click here learn how to use browse-only collections on FamilySearch.org.
Lisa Alzo, Eastern European genealogy expert and author of the new book The Family Tree Polish, Czech and Slovak Genealogy Guide comments on the significance of these records coming online:
“These records are a real boon for Czech researchers because at one time the only to get records such as these was to write to an archive and taking a chance on getting a response or spending a lot of money to hire someone to find the records or to travel there yourself to do research in the archives.
The church records contain Images and some indexes of baptisms/births, marriages, and deaths that occurred in the Roman Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran, and Reformed Church parishes, as well as entries in those registers for Jews.
Land transactions containing significant genealogical detail for a time period that predates parish registers. The collection includes records from regional archives in Opava and Tebo and from the district archive in Trutnov.
School registers contain the full name for a child, birth date, place of birth, country, religion and father’s full name, and place of residence.
While researchers should keep in mind that not everything is yet online, and FamilySearch will likely add to its collection, having these records from FS is an amazing resource for anyone whose ancestors may have come from these areas. And hopefully, there are more records to come!”
GENEALOGY GEMS NEWS
Story of My Life by Sunny Morton, life story-writing journal available as a print workbook and as a writeable pdf e-book
Genealogy Gems app users: For those of you who listen to this show through the Genealogy Gems app, your bonus handout is a PDF document with step-by-step instructions and helpful screenshots for Google image search on mobile devices. The Genealogy Gems app is FREE in Google Play and is only $2.99 for Windows, iPhone and iPad users
Lisa Louise Cooke uses and recommends RootsMagic family history software. From within RootsMagic, you can search historical records on FamilySearch.org, Findmypast.com and MyHeritage.com. In the works: RootsMagic will be fully integrated with Ancestry.com, too: you’ll be able to sync your RootsMagic trees with your Ancestry.com trees and search records on the site.
Keep your family history research, photos, tree software files, videos and all other computer files safely backed up with Backblaze, the official cloud-based computer backup system for Lisa Louise Cooke’s Genealogy Gems. Learn more at http://www.backblaze.com/Lisa.
Review your search results especially those that pop up in the Images category.
MAILBOX: Robin’s YouTube Success Story
YouTube video with Robyn’s father: Cleves, Ohio: Edgewater Sports Park
The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox, 2nd edition has an entire chapter on using YouTube to find family history in historical videos
YouTube for Family History: Finding Documentaries about Your Family
MAILBOX: FEEDBACK ON THE PODCASTS
Free, step-by-step podcast for beginners and a “refresher” course: Family History: Genealogy Made Easy
Genealogy Gems Premium podcast
SHAPING UP WITH SUNNY MORTON
Family Tree Magazine Podcast celebrates 100th episode
Sunny Morton has get-in-shape advice for us from strengthening research skills to toning tech muscles–from the article “Shaping Up” featured in the March 2010 issue of Family Tree Magazine.
More resources for genealogy education:
- Genealogy Gems Premium eLearning membership
- Family Tree University
- National Genealogical Society Educational Courses
- Boston University Programs in Genealogical Research
- Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree annual conference
GENEALOGY GEMS BOOK CLUB: Everyone Brave is Forgiven, the best-selling novel by British author Chris Cleave. A love story set in World War II London and Malta. This story is intense, eye-opening and full of insights into the human experience of living and loving in a war zone?and afterward. Everyone Brave is Forgiven is inspired by love letters exchanged between the author’s grandparents during World War II.
Video: Chris Cleave on the U.S troops coming to Europe in World War II
Click here for more Genealogy Gems Book Club titles


Genealogy Gems Podcast turns 200: Tell me what you think?
As we count down to the 200th episode of the free Genealogy Gems Podcast, what have been YOUR favorite things about the podcast? Any particular topics, interviews or segments of the show? What keeps you coming back? What would you like to hear more of? Email me at genealogygemspodcast@gmail.com, or leave a voicemail at (925) 272-4021, or send mail to: P.O. Box 531, Rhome, TX 76078.
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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!
New Records at US History Digital Archives Tell Amazing Stories
Record collections and digital archives of US history reveal fascinating stories from our collective past. Here we report on resources relating to the US Colored Troops in the Civil War, old Southern architecture, higher education in Virginia, Southern burial grounds,...Native American Genealogy – Episode 76
Native American genealogy research follows the same path that all good genealogy research does, but it also includes some unique records along the way. It’s a fascinating journey, and in Elevenses with Lisa episode 76 professional genealogist Judy Nimer Muhn (Lineage Journeys) joins Lisa Louise Cooke to pave the way. Judy will discuss:
- Tribal and personal naming conventions
- Tribal-specific resources
- How geography impacts research
- Native American genealogical records
- and more…
Episode 76 Show Notes
Native American genealogy research follows the same path that all good genealogy research does, but it also includes some unique records along the way. It’s a fascinating journey, and in Elevenses with Lisa episode 76 professional genealogist Judy Nimer Muhn (Lineage Journeys) joins Lisa Louise Cooke to pave the way. Judy will discuss:
- Tribal and personal naming conventions
- Tribal-specific resources
- How geography impacts research
- Native American genealogical records
- and more…
Five Tribes
- Navaho/Navajo: Diné
- Cherokee: Tsalagi or Aniyunwiya
- Sioux: Lakota, Nakota or Dakota
- Chippewa: Ojibwa
- Choctaw: Choctah or Chahta
GEOGRAPHY
Native Land Map
Features:
- Enter a location
- Mouse and click around on the map to see the relevant territories in a location.
- Select or search from a dropdown of territories, treaties, and languages.
- Click and links will appear with nation names. Click a link to be taken to a page specifically about that nation, language, or treaty.
- Export the map to a printable image file
- You can turn map labels on or off to see non-Indigenous borders and towns
- Mobile apps available for iOS and Android.

Native Map Digital Map
CENSUS RECORDS
Census Records at Genealogy Websites:
- Ancestry ($)
- MyHeritage ($)
- FamilySearch
From the Article: “Native people were largely excluded from the federal census until at least 1860.”

Native American Research at FamilySearch Wiki
National Archives
- Article by James P. Collins called Native Americans in the Census, 1860-1890 which will help you understand what you may be able to find during that time period.
At the National Archives you will find:
- Links to Native American records
- Download data collection research sheets for free
Visit the National Archives resource page for Native American Research
The Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs was required to take an annual census of Native communities. (ex. Dawes Rolls)
- Some are available for free at Familysearch.org
- Compiled into one collection ranging from 1885 to 1940.
- Not all communities were represented.
- Collection may not be fully indexed
Free Native American Genealogy Databases
- 1817 Cherokee Reservation Roll
- 1880 Cherokee Census
- 1924 Baker Roll
- 1954 Proposed Ute Rolls
- Armstrong Rolls
- Dawes Commission Case Files
- (Dawes Rolls) Final Rolls Index and Search the Final Rolls
- Drennen Rolls
- Guion Miller Roll
- Kern Clifton Rolls
- McKennon Roll
- Old Settlers Roll
- Wallace Roll
Library of Congress
Here you’ll find many resources including newspapers, photos and reports to congress and oral histories.
Judy found materials deep within the Library of Congress website using Googling strategies from my book The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox available exclusively at the Genealogy Gems Store.
Michigan State University
Native American Studies Research Guide: Introduction

Michigan State University Native American Resources
Resources
These show notes feature everything we cover in this episode. Premium Members: download this exclusive ad-free show notes handout PDF. Not a member yet? Learn more and join the Genealogy Gems and Elevenses with Lisa family here.
How to Watch the Show Live
Three ways to watch:
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Elevenses with Lisa Archive
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