Amy Johnson Crow

We’ve heard the horror stories about people using AI Artificial Intelligence with disastrous results. (Like the lawyer who used ChatGPT to write a brief, only to have it create fake legal citat...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/using-chatgpt-for-genealogy-accurately/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=using-chatgpt-for-genealogy-accurately

There are countless resources you can use for your family history or genealogy research, but they are a little tough to track down. Sometimes only a few copies exist, and some are literally one o...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/using-worldcat-org-to-find-countless-genealogy-resources/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=using-worldcat-org-to-find-countless-genealogy-resources

Family stories abound with tales of being related to someone famous, whether it’s George Washington, Queen Elizabeth, or Elvis. But how do you know if that story is actually true? Here’s a st...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/are-you-really-related-to-someone-famous/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=are-you-really-related-to-someone-famous

Wills can be excellent resources for your genealogy research. But what does it mean when your ancestor isn’t included or received only $1? Let’s take a look at the possibilities and what they...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/when-your-ancestor-isnt-in-the-will/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=when-your-ancestor-isnt-in-the-will

Genealogy can be more than just an enjoyable hobby. It can be a way to explore issues like generational trauma. That’s exactly what actor Zachary Levi did in his episode of Who Do You Think You...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/healing-through-family-history/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=healing-through-family-history

“Who Do You Think You Are” can be not only entertaining and inspiring, but can also show you some good insights into genealogy research… if you look closely. Here’s one important lesson f...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/what-billy-porters-wdytya-episode-can-teach-you/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-billy-porters-wdytya-episode-can-teach-you

The 1950 US Census has helped countless genealogists. However, there’s a portion of the census that many people are overlooking: the enumerator’s notes. Let’s take a look at what they are, ...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/an-overlooked-part-of-the-1950-census-the-notes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=an-overlooked-part-of-the-1950-census-the-notes

Digging into military records can yield an incredible amount of information about our ancestors. (My favorite is my 3rd-great-grandfather’s Civil War pension file. It showed that he married his...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/3-clues-discover-military-service/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=3-clues-discover-military-service

In genealogy, we deal with a lot of names. It can be confusing when our ancestors changed their names or used a name we aren’t expecting. Here’s how you can sort everything out. You can liste...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/when-ancestors-changed-names/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=when-ancestors-changed-names

The 1950 US census will give genealogists another valuable tool to use in their research. Here’s what you can do to get ready for when the 1950 census is released — including how to narrow a ...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/getting-ready-for-the-1950-census/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=getting-ready-for-the-1950-census

FindAGrave just announced two big updates that will have an impact on memorials for the recently deceased and who qualifies for a required transfer. These are changes that members of the genealog...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/major-update-to-findagrave-memorials/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=major-update-to-findagrave-memorials

There are some common genealogy mistakes that researchers make. I was going to say that “beginners make,” but honestly, we all make these mistakes. So here are the most common mistakes in gen...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/genealogy-mistakes-that-everyone-makes-and-how-to-avoid-them/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=genealogy-mistakes-that-everyone-makes-and-how-to-avoid-them

DNA is an incredible tool for our genealogy and it’s more accessible than ever before. But before you mail off your spit or convince a relative to send theirs, there are some things you need to...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/dna-testing-for-genealogy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dna-testing-for-genealogy

Millions of Americans descend from a Civil War veteran. But how do you know if one of your ancestors did (if any)? Here are some easy steps to take to find you Civil War ancestor and how to start...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/how-to-find-your-civil-war-ancestor/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-find-your-civil-war-ancestor

It’s so frustrating to look for a record on Ancestry — a record that you just KNOW exists — and you can’t find it. No matter how many ways you try spelling the name, you just can’t find...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/is-ancestry-missing-your-ancestors/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=is-ancestry-missing-your-ancestors

You’ve spent a lot of time, energy, and money tracing your family tree. Not to be morbid, but have you thought about what happens to all of that when you’re gone? Don’t leave things to chan...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/preserve-genealogy-research/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=preserve-genealogy-research

With scanning technology being easier and cheaper than ever before, why aren’t more genealogy materials online? The answer isn’t, “Just scan it.” Here’s a look at everything involved in...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/why-arent-more-genealogy-records-online/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=why-arent-more-genealogy-records-online

Yearbooks are a fantastic resource for genealogy. Not only do they give us information about our ancestors, but they also provide context, a glimpse into everyday life, and the occasional embarra...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/getting-more-out-of-yearbooks-for-genealogy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=getting-more-out-of-yearbooks-for-genealogy

FamilySearch is one of the biggest genealogy websites out there, but most researchers barely scratch the surface of how it can be useful. If you’re feeling a little stuck in your research (and ...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/jumpstart-your-genealogy-with-familysearch/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jumpstart-your-genealogy-with-familysearch

Many of us feel the need to share our genealogy with others. It helps us make connections with others, gives us a sense of “paying forward” the efforts of those before us, and helps in our ef...

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/easy-ways-you-can-share-your-genealogy-beyond-an-ancestry-tree/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=easy-ways-you-can-share-your-genealogy-beyond-an-ancestry-tree