The Genealogy Guys Podcast #429
Release Date: September 9, 2024
Hosts: Drew Smith & George G. Morgan

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the newest developments in the genealogy community, with a focus on major updates and acquisitions from MyHeritage. George and Drew advise a listener on a tricky early-1800s Pennsylvania ancestor question and recap Drew’s recent participation in the WikiTree “Wiki Games” and his enrollment in a genealogy writing course. The show rounds out with a practical discussion of emigration from Europe to the US and the evolving complexities of naturalization, offering tips and context for modern genealogy research.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Genealogy News: MyHeritage Acquisitions & Record Releases

• [01:17] MyHeritage Acquires French Canadian Site MES AIEUX
  • MyHeritage has acquired the major French Canadian service "mes-aieux.com," founded in 2004, popular in Quebec with over 1 million users and 15 million historical Canadian records.
  • Quote – Drew Smith [02:25]:
    “If you have French Canadian ancestors, you should be celebrating at this point.”
• [03:17] MyHeritage Adds 84 Million New Records (Aug 2024)
  • 16 new collections from the US, UK, Ireland, Israel, Spain. Includes wills, parish records, births, marriages, deaths, military records, and images.
    • England & Wales Wills and Probate Administrations, 1996–2023 (7.3M)
    • Irish Births, 1864–1958 (9.4M)
    • Maryland Births, 1875–1922 (2.25M)
    • Texas County Marriage Licenses, 1845 onward (4M new, 7.8M total)
    • Plus significant records from Alabama, Idaho, Florida, Spain, and UK
• [09:33] Major Newspaper Obituary Update
  • MyHeritage “Old News” newspaper collection now has 261 million extracted US obituaries.
  • These are AI-extracted and now powering new hint notifications for users.
  • Quote – George G. Morgan [10:45]:
    “These just add more and more life context.”

2. Listener Email: Early 19th Century Pennsylvania Brick Wall

• [11:07] Julie’s Question: Seeking the father of Jesse Patterson, born 1810, Pennsylvania, mother is Mary Patterson (maiden name), no father listed, mother marries after Jesse’s birth.
• Drew’s Advice [12:21]:
  • 1810 birth pre-dates state vital record coverage; recommend starting with the FamilySearch Research Wiki for Pennsylvania.
  • Suggests reviewing local church records, understanding Mary’s religion for church outreach, and checking for local genealogical/historical societies’ holdings.
  • Facebook groups for Pennsylvania genealogy and DNA testing among known descendants as next steps.
  • Quote – Drew Smith [13:20]:
    “I'll be honest, this is not going to be easy, particularly given the nature of if the child has his mother's surname and there’s no known father at this point.”
• George’s Additions [17:09]:
  • Use Facebook groups including “Pennsylvania Genealogical Research Group” and “The Genealogy Squad” for crowdsourcing local expertise.
  • Understand the limits of record availability; consider wider family and community context in all research steps.

3. WikiTree Wiki Games Recap

• [21:59] Drew Participates in WikiTree’s "Wiki Games"
  • Annual collaborative competition modeled on the Olympics with genealogy-themed events: Sourcing Slalom, Date Diving, Cross Country Connecting, and Long Distance Locating.
  • International teams named after trees; Drew’s team "Charming Chestnuts" placed bronze once and silver thrice.
  • Events involved cleaning up sources, adding vital dates, connecting profiles, and standardizing locations.
  • Quote – Drew Smith [25:34]:
    “The idea here is genealogy should be fun.”
  • WikiTree’s collaborative and quality-focused spirit highlighted, including quality control and cross-checking tools.
  • Personal highlight: discovering distant cousins and expanding Drew’s Smith family branches.

4. Genealogical Mystery Writing Course

• [35:24] Drew Enrolls in Nathan Dylan Goodwin’s Pilot Writing Course
  • Course aims to teach the craft of genealogy-based fiction/mystery writing.
  • Nathan, acclaimed author of Morton Farrier and Venator DNA series, is teaching his first class with 25 students; Drew reports the experience is rewarding and insightful so far.

5. Immigration & Naturalization: Historical Trends and Research Tips

• [37:56] George & Drew Explain US Immigration Laws and Records
  • Recommended Book: They Became Americans by Loretto Dennis Szucs (1998), a perennial guide to naturalization laws and record types.
    • Quote – George G. Morgan [39:06]:
      “The best book I've ever read on the subject of immigration and naturalization laws is by Loretto Dennis Szucs.”
  • Federal laws required passenger lists from 1820 onward; prior to 1820, records were state-based.
  • Various US ports received immigrants in waves (not just New York; also Baltimore, Philadelphia, Charleston, Galveston, New Orleans, San Francisco, etc.).
  • Naturalization:
    • “First papers” (Declaration of Intention) and “Second papers” (Petition for Naturalization) differ in form/content and were kept at many court levels. Some records are on Ancestry/FamilySearch, sometimes fragmented or indexed only.
    • Women’s citizenship status complicated and changed repeatedly over time—underlines need for historical/legal context.
  • Researching European Departure Records:
    • Hamburg/Bremen lists now fully digitized and indexed—valuable for finding European emigrants.
    • Quote – Drew Smith [53:55]:
      “Not only did I find Mendel in the Hamburg records, I found Hirsch and my great grandfather Lewis…Even found my great great grandmother Frumut and the daughters.”
  • Strategy for Understanding Migration Context:
    • Check the history and events at the time of migration (e.g., Irish famine, German conscription avoidance, religious persecution).
    • Study departure and entry ports to trace migrant routes and community settlement patterns.
    • Quote – George G. Morgan [52:11]:
      “I pay attention to really why these people migrated…from those standpoints, I'm building context.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “If you have French Canadian ancestors, you should be celebrating at this point.” – Drew Smith [02:25]
• “These just add more and more life context.” – George G. Morgan [10:45], on MyHeritage obituary additions
• “This is not going to be easy, particularly given the nature of if the child has his mother's surname and there’s no known father at this point.” – Drew Smith [13:20]
• "The idea here is genealogy should be fun." – Drew Smith [25:34], on WikiTree Wiki Games
• “The best book I've ever read on the subject of immigration and naturalization laws is by Loretto Dennis Szucs.” – George G. Morgan [39:06]
• “I pay attention to really why these people migrated…and from those standpoints, I'm building context.” – George G. Morgan [52:11]

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:00 – 03:10 – Podcast open, MyHeritage French Canadian acquisition
• 03:17 – 10:50 – New MyHeritage record collections & obituary expansion
• 11:07 – 18:43 – Listener email: researching an 1810 Pennsylvania birth
• 21:59 – 33:21 – Drew’s WikiTree “Wiki Games” experience
• 35:24 – 37:56 – Drew’s genealogical mystery writing class
• 37:56 – 56:31 – Emigration and naturalization: laws, records, and practical tips
• 56:31 – End – Encouragement to send email/questions to the hosts

Closing Notes

• The hosts invite listener emails on any genealogical topic, emphasizing openness to share experiences, especially regarding immigration and naturalization.
• Contact: genealogyguys@gmail.com

Overall Tone:
Friendly, supportive, and enthusiastic, with occasional humor and deep practical expertise. The hosts blend serious research advice with encouragement and camaraderie, ensuring genealogy stays a collaborative and enjoyable pursuit.