Episode 251 - What’s Ahead For FamilySearch? / Researching Descendants And Learning About Ancestors

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. Fisher shares two stories from his recent trip to Indiana, including a unique experience while giving his keynote address at the Federation of Genealogical Societies conference in Fort Wayne. The other story illustrates the unexpected danger of exploring cemeteries in Michigan! Listen to what happened! David then opens Family Histoire News with the awful news of a fire that has destroyed the National Museum in Brazil. The loss is unimaginable. Then Fisher and David talk about a man in England who had a dilemma. His beloved mother-in-law had passed, and the funeral home where she was to have her viewing had gone out of business. Wait til you hear what he did! Then, David shares the heartwarming story of a 99-year-old man who walks six miles a day to visit his ailing wife of 55 years!  David then shines his Blogger Spotlight on Jo Henn at jahcmft.blogspot.com. Jo blogs her family stories hoping to use them as “cousin bait” to learn more about her ancestors. Next, Fisher visits with Ron Tanner of FamilySearch.org. Ron and Fisher discuss the many changes coming to the iconic website, and particularly “The Tree,” which will soon include same sex couples. It’s a great update on one of genealogy’s great resources. Then, Fisher talks with Brian Irwin of Legacy Tree Genealogists about descendancy research. To hear Fisher tell it, it’s one of the most important strategies you could ever pursue, especially when trying to break down brick walls. Finally, Tom Perry, the Preservation Authority from TMCPlace.com, talks about a unique digitization problem he recently came upon, possibly from the 1920s, and how he has been able to resolve it. In part two, Tom goes into the importance of getting those oral histories recorded now if you’re planning to include them in video presentations intended to be done for the holidays. That’s all this week on Extreme Genes, America’s Family History Show!