The Genealogy Guys Podcast #436

Date: September 16, 2025
Hosts: George G. Morgan & Drew Smith

Main Theme and Purpose

This special 20th anniversary episode of The Genealogy Guys Podcast celebrates two decades of genealogy community engagement, education, and tech-savvy advice. George and Drew deliver the latest genealogy news, updates on software and resources, listener success stories, community projects, and emerging research tools—emphasizing the ever-evolving genealogy landscape.

Episode Highlights and Key Discussion Points

1. 20 Years of the Genealogy Guys Podcast

• Celebrating 20 years since September 2005, with this being the 436th episode (plus 86 of Genealogy Connection).
• Shoutout to marathon listeners—Roger Moffatt notably listened to every episode while traveling.
  • Quote (George, 02:36): "If you want to be one of our superstars and listen to every episode, you better get busy."

2. Genealogy News Updates

a. RootsMagic 11 Launch

• Release of RootsMagic 11 for Windows and Mac (now with support for both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs).
• New features: enhanced navigation, AI prompt tool (create, save, and reuse AI prompts for deeper research), improved searching and reporting.
• Special launch pricing until September 30, 2025.
  • Quote (George, 04:07): “If you’re not familiar yet, you need to get busy with artificial intelligence or AI… prompts can be saved… copy and paste them into your favorite AI engine.”
  • Quote (George, 08:35): “I’d like to congratulate Bruce Busby and all of his wizard team out there in Utah… [for] the best genealogy software out there.”

b. MyHeritage Record Additions

• Added 229 million records in July and August 2025 including:
  • Finnish population tax lists, German newspapers, WWI POW/internees, Nordic and Spanish records, Swedish census 1940, Swiss and UK historical newspapers.
  • August updates include French, Irish, Slovakian, and US Southern newspapers, and additional Finnish records.
  • Special interest: South Carolina newspaper entries may help fill longstanding research gaps.
  • Quote (Drew, 09:03): “In the last two months, they have added, oh, let’s see, I’ll do the math, like 229 million records… all the Nordic countries, stuff from Spain… so much more.”

c. MyHeritage’s Live Memory Upgrade

• Live Memory allows users to animate family photos; 11 new creative effects and even more lifelike results thanks to improved AI.
  • Quote (George, 12:18): “If you want to… bring my ancestors back to life, Live Memory is really great… now look more lifelike and stay truer to facial features.”

d. Jewish Board Online Records

• Free New York-focused databases:
  • National Desertion Bureau Card Catalog (1911–1935): index to cases helping families find absent husbands.
  • United Hebrew Charities recipients/donors (1869–1877): names, addresses, interactive map—insight into Jewish community history.
  • Resource: 150yearsofcare.org

e. Allen County Public Library & Vivid-Pix Special Event

• October 3, 2025: Full-day conference for senior living professionals and caregivers about genealogy, brain health, and reminiscence programs.
  • Featured speakers: Rick Voight (Vivid-Pix), Dr. Josh Freitas, Kurt Witcher, Dr. Charlotte Yehudis.
  • Quote (George, 16:01): “I wish we could be there, Drew.”

f. FamilySearch September Update

• 5 million new records from 12 countries. Highlights:
  • Italy civil registrations (3.6 million)
  • Chile cemetery records
  • Portugal Catholic church records
  • Hosts emphasize that there are always new records being added, so revisit sites regularly.
  • Quote (George, 19:27): “If you think you’ve done all your research at any of these online sites… you probably have not.”

3. Listener Emails & Community Projects

a. Newspaper Research Success (Laura’s Story) - [22:55–29:38]

• Laura shares her journey discovering the fate of her great granduncle Henry Faller, a WWI casualty.
  • From a cemetery cenotaph to a resolved mystery through a Newspapers.com search—uncovering news articles, recovery reports, and even a heartfelt 1929 letter from Henry's sister to the military.
  • Laura visited Henry’s grave in France, bringing closure and family representation nearly a century later.
  • Quote (Laura’s email, read by Drew, 24:37): “I stood at that grave with my friends and godchildren and wept. To think that finally, nearly 100 years after his death, someone from Henry's family was able to stand and remember his sacrifice.”
  • Quote (Drew, 24:36): “I know how you felt… because I went to England… to the Cambridge American Cemetery, where my uncle… is buried… I was terribly choked up to be there.”

b. Military Record Resources Discussion

• George explains the role of the Graves Registration Service (GRS) and American Battle Monuments Commission in US military history and genealogy.
  • GRS established in WWI, evolved into modern Mortuary Affairs Program.
  • Resources for researching American war dead abroad.
  • Quote (George, 29:38): “It operated under the Quartermaster Corps… and you can do a search in Google for Graves Registration Service and you’ll get an AI overview.”

c. Stories Behind the Stars Project (Tom’s Email) - [33:09–35:36]

• Tom outlines his volunteer efforts to memorialize WWII fallen, posting research on Fold3 and Together We Served.
  • Detailed approach: requests for Official Military Personnel Files, reconstructs biographies focused on Navy veterans.
  • Invites listeners to join the project via their Facebook page.
  • Quote (Tom’s email, 33:09): “If any of your listeners have ancestors lost during the war, they may find some very detailed information on one of these two sites.”

d. County Laois (Leash), Ireland Gets a Pop Culture Shout-out (Christine’s Email) - [35:36–37:35]

• Christine, prompted by Drew’s Ireland trip talk, hears County Laois referenced in Aaron Mahnke’s lore podcast, episode 68.
  • Drew encourages listeners to explore that podcast, acknowledging ghost stories as a universal cultural touchstone.

4. Tips, Tools, and Software

a. FamilySearch Full Text Search [37:35–52:01]

• George and Drew discuss the power and process behind FamilySearch’s new AI-driven full text search.
  • Allows searching for names and keywords in digitized (and only partially indexed) historical documents—especially helpful with handwritten documents.
  • George’s success: discovered hundreds of land/deed records for his great-grandfather, Greenberry Holder.
    • Quote (George, 43:20): “I am so excited and tickled pink… full text search gives us that tool.”
  • Drew demonstrates using uncommon names (Lewis Wineglass) to pinpoint otherwise hidden census and probate records, revealing new insights into family migration and legal disputes.
    • Quote (Drew, 44:12): “You don’t know what you’re going to get when you open up this box of records that full text searching will unleash for you.”

b. Advice:

• Be flexible with search terms/spellings and use place/year filters.
• AI/optical character recognition is powerful but not infallible—review hits carefully.
  • Quote (George, 51:24): “If you thought there were records that would never be indexed… now this opens up a whole range of possibilities for you.”

5. Upcoming Speaking Engagements

• Drew’s conference schedule:
  • Sept. 22: Virtual presentation for Puget Sound APG.
  • Oct. 4: In-person at Cleveland Public Library’s annual Family Day.
  • Oct. 11: Lakeland Public Library, Florida.
  • Quote (Drew, 52:10): “I’m going to be traveling to Cleveland for the first weekend in October… if you’re anywhere near Cleveland, this would be a really good time.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• 20th Anniversary Tribute:
  • “Happy anniversary, George.” — Drew (01:09)
  • "Do you believe it?... 20 years have zipped by and we aren't done yet." — George (01:27)
• On Genealogy Progress:
  • “If you think you’ve done all your research… you probably have not.” — George (19:27)
  • “Just be prepared. There could be a lot of stuff there.” — Drew (51:15)
• On Community and Listener Input:
  • “We have to imagine you listening to us, but it’s nice when we actually can meet you in reality.” — Drew (54:30)

Suggested Listening Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|--------------------| | 00:08 | 20th Anniversary opening and history | | 04:07 | RootsMagic 11 release and features | | 09:03 | MyHeritage records roundup | | 12:18 | MyHeritage Live Memory upgrade | | 13:28 | Jewish Board’s new databases | | 16:01 | Allen County Public Library & Vivid-Pix senior living event | | 18:23 | FamilySearch September update | | 22:55 | Listener email: Newspaper research and WWI soldier’s story | | 29:38 | info about Graves Registration Service, American Battle Monuments Commission | | 33:09 | Stories Behind the Stars volunteer project | | 35:36 | County Laois pop culture sighting | | 37:35 | FamilySearch full text search—demo and case studies | | 52:10 | Upcoming speaking engagements |

Tone and Style

Friendly, conversational, and encouraging—both hosts celebrate genealogical successes, gently reinforce the need for ongoing research, and foster an inclusive, supportive community spirit. They inject humor and camaraderie, especially when poking fun at past blunders or the vast number of podcast episodes.

Closing Thoughts

The Genealogy Guys’ 20th anniversary episode showcases not only the rapid developments in genealogy resources and technology but also the lasting value of dedication, curiosity, and community connection. Listeners are encouraged to revisit favorite resources with new tools, remain open to emerging technologies, and participate in projects that honor family and historical legacies.

Contact: genealogyguysmail@gmail.com
Patreon: Search for The Genealogy Guys on Patreon.