[Genealogy] Genealogy Humor, Whys that are not There, time for Notebook Class, and More
Michael John Neill
mjnrootdig at gmail.com
Sat Aug 15 06:36:38 CDT 2026
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Genealogy Update
15 August 2026
** Some Genealogy Humor--the Son
** Notebook for Genealogy--4 week class--don't wait
** Is Your Process the Problem Webinar
** The Whys that are not There
** Midwest Genealogy Center Trip Registration Ending
** FamilySearch Full-Text Searching Webinar
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Some Genealogy Humor--the Son
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I’m not certain of the origin of this joke, but I’m paraphrasing it here.
I’m fairly certain this joke first crossed my path at least ten years ago…
——————————————————–
A widow had “discovered” genealogy and found it a great way to occupy some
of her spare time in her retirement. She spent some money, but was
judicious in what she spent and was not in any danger of frittering away
her retirement. In fact, she stayed well within her genealogy budget.
Her son, thinking that his mother was spending too much time “looking for
dead people,” constantly berated her for it and criticized her for spending
too much money.
She finally told him that since her genealogy work bothered him so much,
she had decided to develop a new past time that might cost less. The local
tavern had a weekly “ladies’ night” and she was hopeful that she’d meet a
man there could be her son’s stepfather.
He never complained about genealogy again.
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Notebook for Genealogy Class--Don't Miss It!--spots are filling up
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*Announcing!*
Due to several requests, we've developed this class on using Notebook for
Genealogy.
Notebook for Genealogy–A Four Session Pick Your Own Problem Course
With Michael John Neill
Our focus is on being practical, exhibiting sound genealogy methodology,
and demonstrating responsible use of Notebook (Google’s suite of AI tools)
in genealogy research. This course is for those who would like guidance and
suggestions in how to use Notebook and have a place to get feedback and
additional direction.
Course Prerequisites & Required Materials You should have digital records
for one ancestor or a father-mother-children family, including every extant
record available.
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Format: PDF or JPG for images; PDF, Word, or raw text for transcriptions.
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Preparation: Be familiar with the specific ancestral research problem
you plan to work on to get the most from Notebook LM and AI concepts.
Gather all materials between registration and the start of class.
Course Format & Zoom Sessions
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Pre-Recorded Lectures: Students will view two hours of presentations
before group sessions begin.
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Live Zoom Sessions: Held on Sunday nights (and recorded for later
viewing). Sessions combine live demonstrations by Michael working through a
set of family records alongside group discussions where students share
prompts, results, challenges, and questions.
Class Focus & Weekly Assignments
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Weekly Assignments: One assignment per week focused on Notebook's media
outputs using your own research problem.
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Scope: The course focuses on mastering the tools and capabilities of
Notebook rather than providing individual research advice, making it
accessible to participants working on problems from any region.
Community Discussion & Communication
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Private Google Group: Used for asynchronous discussion, peer
interaction, Q&A, and prompt sharing outside of live sessions.
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Email Requirement: A Gmail account is strongly recommended. Accounts
with AOL, Yahoo, or Hotmail frequently experience delivery issues with
group emails.
Important Dates
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1 September: Pre-recorded lectures become available for download, and
the private Google Group opens.
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Live Zoom Discussions (Sunday Nights): 13 September, 20 September, 27
September, and 11 October. Meetings are at 7 PM Central Daylight Time. They
will be recorded and posted for those unable to attend live.
Registration & Tuition
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Fee: $70–register now to save your spot
<https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=EAYH3Z2FWUR9S>
.
-
Availability: Registration is limited.
Develop your AI skills today!
<https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=EAYH3Z2FWUR9S>
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*Is Your Process the Problem?*
*----------------------*
We're updated and revised this presentation from years ago.
[image: image.png]
Are your family history searches hitting frustrating dead ends? In Is Your
Process the Problem?, professional genealogist Michael John Neill breaks
down the unseen research traps—from unexamined assumptions and target
"grazing" to missed source details—that keep researchers stuck. Discover
how to transition from passive data gathering to active analysis—this
presentation is practical, easy-to-follow, and down to earth. Whether you
need to streamline your source citations or break through long-standing
genealogical brick walls, this practical session will help you refine your
methodology, eliminate costly research habits, and get clear results.
We will look at common research pitfalls, ways to avoid those pitfalls, and
a research process to provide structure to your family history searches.
Genealogical breakthroughs require shifting from passive data collection to
systematic analysis, detailed citation, and continuous evaluation–we’ll see
how to do that.
Order for immediate download for introductory price of $16
<https://michael-john-neill.dpdcart.com/cart/add?product_id=105641&method_id=111474>.
Regular price is $24.
-----------------------------------
The Whys that are not There
-----------------------------------
The records our ancestors left behind only tell us a part of the story. One
has to be careful reading more into documents than is actually there.
Johann George Trautvetter and his wife Sophia Elisabeth (Derle) Trautvetter
immigrated from Wohlmuthausen, Thuringen, Germany, in June of 1853 with
their three sons and one daughter. They arrived in July of 1853 in
Baltimore and immediately settled in Hancock County, Illinois, where they
purchased property. Approximately in 1869 Johann George returned to Germany
and died there in 1871. His funeral entry in the church register at Bad
Salzungen indicated that he had returned to Germany and left his wife and
family in America.
He and Sophia sold their farm to their youngest son in the late 1860s. No
reason is given. It could have been as simple as they were retiring, wanted
to avoid the eventual costs of an estate settlement, and needed the money
from the sale.
And I really can’t speculate as to why he returned. There’s no diaries,
family letters, or records that provide any specifics. Did he return for a
visit and become too ill to return to his family? Was he unhappy in
America? Was the marriage an unhappy one? Did he want to return to Germany
while Sophia refused to leave her children? While the biography of one of
their sons simply says Johann George “returned for a visit” to Germany and
died there, that explanation may have been one that put a positive spin on
his travels and looked better in publication than the actual situation.
All I have are records. I don’t have reasons.
And I’m hesitant to spin a story explaining someone’s behavior when that
person is dead and gone and did not leave reasons behind.
There are times where it’s a little easier to see the probable reasons
behind someone’s behavior even if those reasons are not stated.
It’s slightly different when a woman with small children is widowed by her
husband in the 1850s and remarries in short order. In that case it’s
reasonable that economics forced her hand. The same is likely true of a
widower in a similar situation during the same time period.
A young male who leaves Prussia in the late 1860s probably did so to escape
serving in the Prussian Army. Probably. But is there anything specifically
stating that he did? Such a story may be in a biography, obituary, or
family story passed down through the generations. And even the family story
may have been started by relatives long after the immigrant himself was
dead.
Try and stick with the facts as evidenced by records as much as possible.
In some cases there is an amazing amount of detail in what records *are* left
behind without trying to “figure out” what else happened without any
sources to back it up.
Would you want your descendant taking the documented details of your life
and spinning stories around them?
----------------------------------------
Registration Ending for Midwest Genealogy Center Trip
----------------------------------------
We're closing registration for this trip next week---reserve your spot
today! Details on our October trip to the Midwest Genealogy Center in
Independence, Missouri are on our Midwest Genealogy Center
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/mid-continent-genealogy-library-october-2025-research-trip/>
page.
--------------------------
*Full-Text Searching Webinar*
-----------------------------------------
No Monkeying Around!
[image: image.png]
** FamilySearch Full-Text Webinar August 2026 Version Released
We're excited!
We have finally released our updated webinar on using
FamilySearch's full-text search. If you pre-ordered this presentation and
did not get your download link, please let me know.
We talk about various ways to use the advanced search--keywords, wildcards,
places, dates, searching versus filtering, and more.
This updated presentation is an hour long, includes discussion on full-text
search strategies, options and includes an extensive handout. Presentation
style is clear, informal, and practical.
Learn how to get the most from full-text search and what search options are
available. Full-text search is more than just typing a few words in boxes
and hoping for the best.
Save $10 by ordering now
<https://michael-john-neill.dpdcart.com/cart/add?product_id=246272&method_id=268990>---download
is immediate. View as often as you like. No streaming.
Order your copy today at the intro price of $25
<https://michael-john-neill.dpdcart.com/cart/add?product_id=246272&method_id=268990>--regularly
$35.
------------------------------
*Upcoming Trips*
------------------------------
Join me on one of these research trips:
- Midwest Genealogy Center–October 2026
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/mid-continent-genealogy-library-october-2025-research-trip/>--registration
ending soon!
- Library of Virginia–March 2027
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2025-library-of-virginia-research-trip-richmond-virginia/>
*Need to unsubscribe? Do so at:*
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Michael John Neill
Genealogy Tip of the Day
PO Box 17
Henderson, IL 61439
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