Extreme Genes

Over many years anyone, like Fisher, can accumulate quite an Ancestral Museum. But without proper planning, where it goes after you might be to the dump!

Many families have long running oral traditions. But just how accurate are they?

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. David shares his remarkable find in reverse genealogy, pulling forward from his War of 1812 ancestor to family ties to the "X-Men" franchise! Then, hear about the shoes people are finding behind walls in Canada and why they're there. David also talks about the dead cats behind walls in Scotland he learned about years ago. What was that all about?! He'll tell you. Then, it's another major archaeological find in Egypt. The guys wrap up the segment, in the wake of the recent inauguration, talking presidents, particularly David's connection to one of the greats. Fisher then visits with well known researcher, speaker, and blogger Sunny Morton. Sunny has written a great article for Family Tree Magazine on how to plan out your research year, based largely on weather, holidays, and traditions. There's no doubt an idea or two waiting for you. Next, Russell Shorto, a renowned author talks about his new book coming out on February 2nd that discusses the history of the Mafia in small town America. His grandfather was part of the illegal activities that proliferated from coast to coast. Dr. Henry Louis Gates returns to fill us in on the next episode of Finding Your Roots on PBS. Season Seven is underway with some fascinating celebrity guests and discoveries. David then returns to wrap up the show with Ask Us Anything. He answers a question about sources for railroad workers. That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!

We all have family secrets. And if you're concerned about how to handle those secrets in a history, Fisher has some thoughts.

Over 40 years before photography became a thing, a printing process paved the way for the publication of numerous images, some of which may help tell your family story.

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. The guys begin Family Histoire News with the eyebrow raising story that the last Civil War widow has died! Catch the details on the show, plus the fact that her husband, who died in 1939, was already a great great grandfather. David suggests it is possible that this widow was a step FIFTH great grandmother at the time of her death! Fisher and David then talk about sharing DNA from their own fifth great grandparents who were born in the 1600s with other DNA testers. Next David notes a story about how women in Texas who couldn't start their own business without their husband's permission until 1968. Finally, a researcher has located a 97-year-old former World War II pilot who saved her father's life through his skills in ditching a plane. Next, Fisher begins a two part visit with Jim Puppe of Fargo, North Dakota. Jim travelled some 113,000 miles over 14 years collecting stories from seniors in every town, village and city in his state which he has published in a single book. Dr. Henry Louis Gates returns to the show to talk about his newest episode of Finding Your Roots on PBS, featuring actress Glenn Close and director Jim Waters. Then David is back for an Ask Us Anything question about chromosome mapping. That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!

Your old home movies may be a treasure trove of photographs you didn't even know you had. Here's how to get to them!

Have you ever been told that you are a cousin one or more times removed? What that means is simpler than you may think.

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. The guys begin with a salute to the late Brian Sykes, a noted DNA research pioneer who passed last month. Then, the discovery of King Richard III under a parking lot in England eight years ago has now led to a DNA test that is causing some to question the legitimacy of the current Royals! Speaking of DNA, Fisher and David next speak of the claim from the science community that sleepwalking may be an ancient response gone wrong that essentially kept people awake with "one eye open" for their own safety. We have a couple of items in our "Lost and Found" department this week. First, it's a metal detectorist in England who found a World War I medal in his back yard. He eventually returned it to the original recipient's grandson. Then, it was the find of a teen's "secret diaries" in an old house in Toronto that were also returned. Finally, aside from genealogy, there's been another area experiencing a boon in the past year. Find out what it is. Then, Fisher visits with Daryle Williams, co-principal investigator with Enslaved.org, a new website that is bringing together multiple databases on enslaved and enslavers from all over the world and all periods of time. Daryle shares a fascinating story about one enslaved man in Brazil and how the database revealed it. Next, Rachel Derenthal from Legacy Tree Genealogists talks about the tragic fire that claimed the 1890 Census and the politics that followed. Rachel explains alternative methods to gathering information from that time period. Dr. Henry Louis Gates visits with Fisher again to talk about the latest episode in a new season of Finding Your Roots on PBS. Finally, David returns for an interesting question from a listener about a relative who was an early player for the NFL. That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!

Have you been hesitant to write your own history? Everyone has a story to tell! Don't deprive your descendants of the lessons and events of your life.

Are you considering writing an ancestral history, but feel their life story is "spotty?" Here is how historical context can help you fill in the gaps.

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. David shares his plans for a family trip and a visit he plans to make to a place he's been before. Hear what he has in mind. David then shares the news that the Mayflower 2 is back at Plymouth after several years of repairs and maintenance. Then, the pandemic has led to the discovery of all kinds of historic and family items in a manor house in England. Find out what was discovered. In Scotland, a metal detecting investigator has stumbled upon a remarkable find dating back to the bronze age! Find out what he found and what is happening at the site now. And finally, a woman is celebrating what is thought to be her 116th birthday as the oldest person in America. You won't believe how many descendants she has! Fisher then visits with Marissa Gardner from Legacy Tree Genealogists. Marissa talks about passenger lists, immigration and emigration records, as well as some myths about Ellis Island. In the third segment, it's another "ordinary person with an extraordinary find." Hear Long Island, NY resident Andrew Malekoff talk about what he learned about his father and his activities as a teenager in the 1930s. It was an eyebrow raiser for Andrew and it will be for you too! Then David returns for two more of your questions on Ask Us Anything! That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!

Most people have records, photos, or heirlooms in their homes. But other relatives almost certainly do as well. And often the things they have are different than what you've had passed down. Perhaps it's time for an inventory of all the Family Archive "Branch Offices!"

Imagine a library that stores billions of webpages from sites that no longer exist, and digitized texts of millions of books and other assets. It's not in Greece, and it costs you nothing to visit.

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. Fisher begins by talking about a method he figured out to date a photo of his great great grandfather. David begins Family Histoire News talking about several aspects of life we can take from the pandemic of 1918-1920. First is the story of unique recipes of the time, including one including 'possum! Then the guys discuss the unique circumstances surrounding voting in the 1918 midterm election. David then talks about a family that is benefitting from a diary kept by their ancestor during the Spanish Flu outbreak. Fisher then begins his two part visit with Heather Maio Smith who is a key player with the USC Shoah Foundation. Heather was recently featured on 60 Minutes. Heather talks about her pet project of the past several years, interviewing Holocaust survivors and then using technology so they can seem to be having a conversation with you. Ask the question, they will answer! In part two of the conversation, Heather talks about how any of us will soon be able to use similar technology so that descendants generations from now can ask us questions about our lives and have us answer them! Then Melanie McComb from NEHGS visits to help us out with Ask Us Anything. That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!

There's a time for collecting and a time for distributing. While you're still here, it's time you figure out how that's going to happen. Fisher shares some thoughts on protecting your life's family history work.

Genealogy and family history, believe it or not, are actually defined very differently. Hear why the two terms are not the same.

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. The guys begin with discussion of an ancestral discovery David made this past week… one he could have had years ago had he paid attention to a communication sent to him in 2012! Then Fisher and David talk about a man who was given up as a foundling 83 years ago. Thanks to a genetic genealogist who wanted to help, he now knows who his birth parents were. Next, Smithsonian is running a great article on another pandemic Christmas… the Christmas of 1918. Genetic genealogy has again proven its worth in identifying a "Jane Doe" murder victim from 2000. Hear some of the details. Next, it's nice to hear of a man who has decided to help lower income people learn about their past. Hear who and why this man is backing this ambitious project. Finally, in Wethersfield, Connecticut, a recent dig has revealed artifacts that may change Connecticut history books. Then, Libby Copeland joins Fisher for a two part visit discussing four landmark events in DNA that all occurred in the past year, and where we might be going from here. She is the author behind The Lost Family, How DNA Testing Is Upending Who We Are. David comes back next for another round of Ask Us Anything. The guys begin with a question about ancestral signatures and their use in genealogy, as well as how to handle family scandals when writing up a family history. That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!

Wondering why you can't always find articles you believe should be there in a digitized newspaper? Here are some tricks for squeezing it all out of digitized newspapers!

If you've ever dug into Swedish ancestry, you know the issue. Tons of people have the same name and live in the same places. Well, Swedish Church records can at least help a little in sorting out which Hans Olsen might be yours. Fisher explains.

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. The guys open the show talking about their discoveries this past week. Then, David plows into Family Histoire News starting with a little talk about the 79th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and an online message from one of the survivors. Then, genetic genealogy for solving cold cases has now spread to Canada. Hear about how one of their first cases was solved by a genie who was just doing his thing. Sweden has made another great find concerning those Vikings whose remnants keep popping up everywhere! Then, it's a new site that's devoted to memorializing the millions of people enslaved over the first several centuries of European settlement. Learn more about Enslaved.org. Next, Fisher visits with David Gervais. The North Carolina man was the beneficiary of the kindness of a group of people who had a mystery on their hands, a 70-year-old military uniform without a name tag. Hear how David and his family were able to get his grandfather's uniform, complete with ribbons from two world wars, back in the family. Then, Jim Beidler of Legacy Tree Genealogists talks about holiday traditions that could help you start family history conversations or even point to your heritage. Jim also delves into a pair of eyebrow raising traditions from other countries. David Lambert then returns for a pair of questions on Ask Us Anything. The first concerns what to do with your records and heirlooms and how to plan for their future, while the second considers the subject of "gateway ancestors." That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!

Two key census record sets were destroyed in Ireland in 1922, but some of that information was preserved in another way. Fisher explains why your ancestors' data from those census records may still be available.

Within the United States, it was not uncommon for churches to give a "letter of transfer" to a member of their congregation who is moving to a new location. But sometimes they came with immigrants from across the ocean. What can this mean to you? Fisher explains.

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. The guys begin by talking about a remarkable string of luck in their own research. Hear how Fisher discovered his late father-in-law's unique place in the historical record. David kicks off Family Histoire News with a story about how modern genomics is rewriting history. Then, law enforcement in Tennessee is seeking public financial support to solve a four decade old cold case. Fisher notes that in Idaho, a grant has been awarded to a law enforcement agency there to cover DNA analysis on a cold case. He also points to a group of wealthy businessmen in Utah called the "Honorary Colonels" who financially support law enforcement in such matters. David then shares the story of Daniel Smith. He's one of America's last living children of a slave! Then, a man in eastern Europe has stumbled upon a 3,000 old sword. Next, Fisher shares one of his favorite "visits from the vault." Actor, singer, and renowned genealogist Hank Jones talks about his collection of stories of strange things that have happened when doing genealogy and family history work. Then, Fort Worth genie Sharon Manson discusses her journey that helped her learn why her parents would tell her never to ask about her paternal grandmother! Finally, David returns for Ask Us Anything, discussing Revolutionary soldier lineage societies (there are more than you think) and Canadian emigration to the United States. That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!

Obituaries often reveal connections to the Free Masons. If you have an ancestor that belonged to this organization, his membership application may provide great information on him. Fisher has more.

Slave research is hard enough, and this little nugget, unfortunately, might make it harder. Not all slave names come from the most recent slaveholder. Fisher shares some other possibilities.

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. The guys begin by talking about a shockingly low price on a whole genome sequencing test from Dante Labs. Neither Fisher nor David has ever done such a test before. David then begins Family Histoire News with news of a Maryland county that's using a grant to support genetic genealogy in their police work. Hear who it is. Then, the Irish Times has been writing about how the ancestors of several presidents, including incoming President-Elect Biden, had Irish ancestors who all left the Emerald Isle in the same short period of time. Find out when and which presidents came from these people. Then, David talks about a military family that has received a remarkable, and very personal, long lost heirloom. Then, the one and only CeCe Moore joins the show. CeCe brings us up to date on what's happening in her world and explains why she feels that her work solving cold cases is exonerating more people than it is finding guilty people. Next, Ron Fox, the photo expert from Salt Lake City shares some thoughts on finding photos that can enhance your family history stories. He also shares a remarkable experience providing an important photograph to Dick Van Dyke! Hear about Van Dyke's reaction to the image. David then rejoins the show for Ask Us Anything as the guys tackle questions about inoculation records and ancestor criminals. That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!

The settling of the west wasn't much unlike the settling of colonial America a century or two earlier. And as people came, more and more lines were drawn. Fisher shares just a few so you know what to look for as you consider your research strategy.

War, population growth and shifting can all contribute to boundary changes. And boundary changes mean that, even if your ancestors stayed in the same place, their records could be hiding in many places.

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. David's been up late a lot recently working his DNA matches while Fisher has been going through some items retrieved from an old family Bible. They talk about their experiences. Family Histoire News begins with word that RootsTech now has four fascinating keynote speakers lined up for this coming year's virtual conference, RootsTechConnect. Then, a German man has learned that his family business was obtained by his grandfather, a Nazi, who virtually stole it from a Jewish family. Hear what this grandson has done. Ground Penetrating Radar has brought about another awesome discovery in Norway. Hear what it is. Next, History is running a fascinating article on the family of Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth. It's filled with eyebrow raisers. Then, David reveals a site for some amazing Civil War data. Might you have an ancestor in there? Next, Fisher visits with Lisa Murphy of Orem, Utah, an "Ordinary Person With An Extraordinary Find." Lisa's grandfather was a family enigma. He died without ever telling anyone exactly where he was from, and very little about the family itself. But along comes DNA and well… you know the rest. Hear the story Lisa and her family has learned about her long deceased grandfather's origins. Then, Fisher talks new archive discoveries with "The Archive Lady," Melissa Barker of Houston County, Tennessee. Melissa is always digging up inspiring items in her archive to encourage people to get back to where many family treasures may be waiting. Hear what she's found this time. David then returns for "Ask Us Anything." The guys discuss Revolutionary War pensions and coats of arms. That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!

Fisher had given up on finding the parents of an elusive ancestor when he took one last step before closing the book on the case. And it made all the difference in the world!

Female ancestors are sometimes difficult to find. Fisher shares a few thoughts on other ways to look for them.

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. The guys begin with a salute to our veterans on this Veterans Day week. David then tells the story of the oldest living American vet. Hear who he is, his ridiculous age, and where and when he served. Next, a possible survivor camp for the early settlers of Roanoke may have been located. Catch the evidence for this intriguing site. Then, a man who obtained ten century old letters from an abandoned post office has gone to work to deliver them to living descendants. Plus, Psychology Today writes about why Americans are obsessed with family history… as if we need an explanation! Fisher then visits with Crista Cowan from Ancestry.com, one of our show sponsors. Crista talks about how Ancestry.com is going to help us all through our socially distanced Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, with free access to stories about your ancestors. Hear how it's done and how you can get to the information! Crista Cowan, Ancestry's corporate genealogist, has worked at Ancestry since 2004. You can find Crista as The Barefoot Genealogist, hosting videos on Ancestry's social channels YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Tom Kelly from Shelton, Connecticut joins us next. Tom received a Christmas gift a while back that gave him an odd ethnicity result. With the help of Legacy Tree Genealogists (also one of our sponsors) he learned the truth about his parentage. But the full story might well have been missed because of an unusual DNA match. Paul Woodbury, DNA specialist at Legacy Tree, picks up Tom's story and talks about the match that could easily have led to the wrong conclusion. Paul explains why it didn't. Then, David returns for Ask Us Anything. The guys first deal with a question about 19th century "dead mail," and then another about military commissions. That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!

Struggling to figure out where your ancestor's Social Security records went? They might not have been there at all because things were different before 1951!

Ever notice familiar repeating family names in a single family group? It could be the parents were following a classic pattern. And that pattern can tell you some very important truths about the previous generation.

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. The guys begin with the story of an adjustment that was made on the headstone of Susan B. Anthony just in time for election day. Hear what it was and why it was done. Then, a Virginia State Senator has made a sad discovery on his own property, again involving headstones. Find out what it was. Then, the British are looking for descendants of three World War I casualties and another from World War II. Might you be one, or know of one? Next, the London Metropolitan Archives have begun a new database of Londoners of African, Caribbean, Asian and Indigenous descent. Learn more about it. And finally, what a family feud! And recently, the sale of a dinosaur skeleton made it even worse. You'll want to hear this one! Next, in a classic rewind interview with Legal Genealogist Judy Russell from 2019, Fisher and Judy discuss copyright, fair use, ethics, and much more in two parts. If you are preparing to write a history on your family this is must-hear radio! Then David Lambert returns for a pair of questions on Ask Us Anything. That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!

Back in 1752, England enacted a law that changed our calendars forever. But did that law ever make a genealogist's life complicated!

Ancestors love to play tricks on us as we trace them down… sometimes by disappearing from where we think they should be. Fisher explains where you might want to look next.

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. The guys begin talking about the coming International Conference on Jewish Genealogy. (Want to speak there in Philly next August? Their Call for Proposals is open through November 19!) David then shares the story about how the grandson of a couple who were lost in the Holocaust recently was presented with an important item that once belonged to his grandparents. Next, David talks about an important new database released by the New England Historic Genealogical Society. Might your ancestors names be in it? The British Library has just released a remarkable collection of almost 18,000 maps tied to King George III! Black history Marine biologists have been recovering artifacts from 19th century slave ships and airplanes flown by the Tuskegee Airmen. Hear more about their project. Next, Fisher visits with Dr. Scott Woodward on our shared blood with Neanderthals and what that means in our fight with Covid-19. Then David Lambert returns for Ask Us Anything, as we take your questions. That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!

Fisher worked to break open one ancestral line for fifteen years. It wasn't until he was closing the book on the case by creating a timeline that he saw the answer!

Just the way not every record is digitized, many records are digitized but not indexed! Can't find what you're looking for? It's time to check those massive unindexed records!

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.com. Fisher talks about his latest heirloom acquisition… an 1851 Bible with a special family inscription. The guys then pass 100th birthday greetings on to an American flying legend. David shares a story of a recent wedding that featured a surprise for his bride she will never forget. (And it involved her late grandmother!) "Pepper's Ghost" is "reappearing" in London. Hear what it is and how it got started. Finally, the guys touch on the story of how and when controversial Columbus Day got its real start in our country. Next, Fisher visits with slavery expert Kenyatta Berry. The two talk about the formerly enslaved individuals, including Frederick Douglass, who sailed to Britain in the late 1840s to reveal to the public there the horrors of slavery, and to create international pressure on the US to end it. They also talk about some successful escapes, and the challenges of even making the attempt. Todd Godfrey, the VP of Global Content for Ancestry.com, joins the show next to talk about their huge new database release, the Newspapers.com Marriage Index. Created by artificial intelligence, it's the latest use of this advanced technology to bring us some very valuable records. David then rejoins Fisher to talk about collecting heirlooms and the use of eBay in your quest. That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!

Fisher's Top Tips #220r - Those Tricky Immigration Records

Fisher's Top Tips #219r - Historic Time Lines and What They Can Reveal

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. Fisher opens the dialog talking about how he is using genetic genealogy to help a friend identify a parent of his grandfather. They need to narrow down from TWELVE children! David then shares news of the passing of the grandson of our tenth president, John Tyler! Yes… grandson! (Don't worry, there is still another one living!) David then shares news that if you have an unusually high amount of DNA from Neanderthals, you might be at greater risk for harsh symptoms from Covid-19. A new study is out explaining how the human family is likely more closely related to each other than most realize. Of course, this has everything to do with what is called "pedigree collapse." Hear the guys map this out. And finally, MyHeritage has another great photo tool available for you. Find out what it is. Next, Fisher catches up with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, host of the PBS series Finding Your Roots. New episodes have resumed and Dr. Gates fills us in on what is soon to come on the show. Then, D. Joshua Taylor, President of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society joins Fisher to discuss the efforts of those tied to the New York Municipal Archives to license public records! These are records we, generally, paid to create, and taxes pay to maintain. Since they belong to us, "the people," this licensing could become a costly problem, not only in New York, but elsewhere as well. David then returns for a pair of questions on Ask Us Anything. The first has to do with Civil War pension records, while the second has to do with alternatives to birth certificates. That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!

Fisher's Top Tips #218r - The Potential Benefit of Swapping Brick Walls

Fisher's Top Tips #217r - "Dit Names"… What the Heck Are Those?

Tune in to hear an important interview with Josh Taylor on a time sensitive matter concerning records.

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. The guys begin with news that RootsTech Connect 2021 is bringing in some 1,500 registrants a day! It's going to be a massive on line event. (And it's free!) Next, Fisher and David share thoughts on the Abraham Lincoln death picture that is making the rounds. A couple of World War II items were recently found and returned to their families. Hear what the items were, where and how they were found, and who the lucky families were. Then, a missing elevator has been found! Along with a missing early 20th century telephone switchboard! All at a hotel in Florida. Catch the details. Fisher then visits with Paul Woodbury, lead DNA specialist at Legacy Tree Genealogists. Paul shares an interesting technique he uses to rank your most important DNA matches across web sites, in some cases allowing for the varying algorithms the DNA companies use. Next, Brooke Ganz from Reclaim the Records explains the group's latest victory. After a four year law suit, some important public records in Missouri are actually now freely available… to the public. Imagine that! Hear what they are and how you can access them. Fisher then welcomes David back for a pair of questions on Ask Us Anything. This time they concern undertaker records and preserving old Bibles. That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!

Fisher's Top Tips #216r - Marriage Bonds and What They Can Reveal