[Genealogy] Grandfather's farm, the 78th is Coming Home, UFO Ancestors and More
Michael John Neill
mjnrootdig at gmail.com
Wed Oct 14 14:39:34 CDT 2026
Genealogy Update
13 October 2026
** My Grandfather Owned the Farm
** UFO Ancestors
** Extended Classes on Notebook for Genealogsts and Full-Text Search
** The 78th Is Coming Home
** Keep Getting the Update
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My Grandfather Owned the Farm
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Land records can contain a variety of information.
This affidavit from 1942 discusses three generations of land ownership in
the Rampley family of Walker Township, Hancock County, Illinois.
It was located using the tract index to land records that the Hancock
County Recorder’s Office has–that index locates records geographically
based up on the quartersection in which the property being referenced is
located.
That’s how this item was found.
But there are a few lessons with this document.
*Records may be created or recorded decades after the person of interest
died. * James Rampley (the grandfather) is the ancestor in this case. James
the affiant and grandson of James the ancestor is a an actual cousin of
mine. This document was recorded nearly sixty years after James the
grandfather died and could have easily been overlooked if I had only used
records created during James the ancestor’s lifetime. Genealogists don’t
always think to research land records quite this far after someone dies.
*Items recorded with land records may not be actual “deeds.” *This
affidavit was created to assist in clearly up some title issues to the
property referenced in the deed. Like many records, it doesn’t precisely
state what precipitated its creation. That was determined by looking at
other records and creating a time line–and by using a little logic and
reasoning.
--------------------
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UFO Ancestors
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More about our webinar on UFO ancestors.
Description: Your ancestor was not dropped off by a UFO, but it may seem
like it. This session will discuss methods and approaches when a person
“just appears” in a location with little in the way of background or
identity. See reasons why people just show up and ways to try and determine
where they were from before. Geared towards advanced beginners or
intermediate researchers.
Order now for immediate download.
<https://michael-john-neill.dpdcart.com/cart/add?product_id=199700&method_id=217451>
*FamilySearch Full-Text Search and Notebook for Genealogy Class offerings*
*Improve your skills!*
*save your spot today!!*
5-week class on Using FamilySearch’s Full-Text Search
With Michael John Neill
Are you getting the most from FamilySearch’s Full-Text Search? Our five
session class on FamilySearch’s full-text search will help you to get the
very most from this truly paradigm-shift way of searching. Presentation and
discussion is practical and down-to-earth. Students will receive practical
and easy-to-implement search strategies and will be encouraged to share
successes and failures with other class members via an online group and
discussion sessions.
Week 1
Overview of FamilySearch full-text search.
This session will provide an overview of full-text search methodology,
discuss how full-text search is different from typical searches, discuss
workarounds for transcription errors, searching specific sets of images,
and search organization.
Week 2
Sourcing and Determining what has been found with FamilySearch full-text
search.
This session will discuss determining what has actually been located,
downloading all information and images for a complete source citation, and
creating a completion citation.
Week 3
Common Name Searching at FamilySearch full-text search.
This session will discuss some specific strategies for searching for common
names in full-text search.
Week 4
Problem-Solving with FamilySearch full-text search.
This session will discuss search formulation, tracking, and problem-solving
when specific items have not been located.
Week 5
Wrap up
Structure
Lectures will be available for downloading the week before the discussion
session. Students will view presentation and do optional homework the week
before the discussion. Each week’s discussion will review the lecture,
discuss homework assignment, and have time for student questions and group
discussion. Homework is optional, but will help students to understand
concepts and get more from discussion sessions.
Discussion sessions will be held:
18 and 25 October and 1, 8, and 15 November at 7:00 pm central time.
Class meetings will be via Zoom. Class communication will be via a Google
group. Registration for class is $70
<https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=BKU7EFP9P55C4>.
Registration is limited and can be processed here
<https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=BKU7EFP9P55C4>.
Confirmation of registration will be made within 24 hours of receipt.
Contact Michael at mjnrootdig at gmail.com with questions.
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.
An overview of NoteookLM
NotebookLM (often simply Notebook) is Google’s suite of AI-driven tools to
analyze data from files and information you provide it. .
Notebook uses sources of your choosing, not what it found online. You
upload your own materials—including PDF files, text files, Google Docs,
slides, or web links—and the AI creates a private workspace built
exclusively around that data. You can upload any genealogy information to
it tht you wish , but it is recommended that only deceased people be
included and that you not upload DNA information on living people.
Capabilities
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Answers with Citations: When you ask questions or search your uploaded
files, every response includes citations to your uploaded documents,
allowing you to double-check sources.
-
Synthesis & Content Creation: Notebook automatically generates concise
summaries, outlines main themes, and identifies connections or conflicts
across dozens of sources at once. You do need to validate its summaries and
conclusions.
-
Audio-visual Outputs: Beyond text answers, Notebook can create study
guides, briefing documents, timeline charts, slide decks, podcast
interviews, and videos based on your content. Even if you never share the
created materials, just viewing them and interacting with them may give you
some insight into your genealogical problem.
Course Prerequisites & Required Materials You should have digital records
for one ancestor or a father-mother-children family, including every extant
record available.
-
Format: PDF or JPG for images; PDF, Word, or raw text for transcriptions.
-
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
-
Pre-Recorded Lectures: Students will view two hours of presentations
before group sessions begin.
-
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
-
Weekly Assignments: One assignment per week focused on Notebook's media
outputs using your own research problem.
-
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.
-
Email Requirement: A Gmail account is strongly recommended. Accounts
with AOL, Yahoo, or Hotmail frequently experience delivery issues with
group emails.
Sections of this class--two options--take the class on Sunday nights..
Sunday sessions
Important Dates
-
Live Zoom Discussions (Sunday Nights): 18 and 25 October and 1 and 8
November. Time: 8 pm US Central Daylight Time.
Registration & Tuition-
-
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.
-------------------------------
The 78th Is Coming Home
-------------------------------
[image: image.png]
In an ongoing effort to learn a little more about the 78th Illinois
Volunteer Infantry, I’ve been searching for the unit on *GenealogyBank*
<http://www.genealogybank.com/gbnk/?utm_source=9378&utm_medium=gbhp_text&utm_campaign=affil&kbid=9378&m=3>among
other sites.
And I ran across this little gem in the Springfield, Illinois, *Daily
Illinois State Journal* from 10 June 1865.
The 78th was in the eastern United States at the end of the War. I’m
wondering if the family John and Riley Rampley (who served in the 78th)
knew they were on their way home. I’ll have to look in the Hancock County,
Illinois, newspapers to see if there’s any mention of the 78th’s returning
to Illinois. The majority of the men in that unit were from Hancock and
Adams Counties and their return would certainly have generated local
excitement.
I’ve had moderate success searching digital newspapers for mention of the
78th Illinois. One has to keep in mind all the various iterations by which
the unit could be referred:
- 78th Illinois (the most common)
- 78th Ill Inf.
- 78 Ill Inf.
- etc.
78 is not often spelled out due to space considerations. “Illinois” (or
abbreviated versions) may not necessarily be near “78,” so proximity
searches need to be constructed with those two terms near and not-so-near
apart.
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Want to Keep Getting These Updates?
-------------------------
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--------------------
Webinars
--------------------
Ready-to-Go Webinars from Michael–download immediate:
-
AI as a Genealogy Consultant
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/using-ai-as-a-genealogy-consultant/>
--New!
-
Creating Children’s Stories from Genealogy Events
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/creating-childrens-stories-from-genealogy-information/>
-
Creating Families from pre-1850 Census Records
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/creating-families-from-pre-1850-census-records/>
-
DeedMapper webinars
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/deedmapper-intro-and-more-deedmapper-webinars/>
-
FamilySearch Catalog
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/02/19/using-the-familysearch-catalog-webinar/>
-
Farming Ancestor webinars–landowner and non-landowner versions
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/rooting-around-for-farmers-and-tenants-and-laborers/>
-
Female Ancestors
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/researching-female-ancestors/>
-
Full-Text Search at FamilySearch
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/08/05/updated-familysearch-full-text-search-webinar/>
-
Full-Text Search at FamilySearch with Common Names
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2025/11/04/common-names-at-familysearch-full-text-webinar/>
-
How Errors Get in Records
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/how-errors-get-in-records-webinar/>
-
Illinois Genealogy Research
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/03/10/genealogy-research-in-illinois-webinar/>
-
Metes and Bounds With AI–platting and analysis
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/using-ai-for-metes-and-bounds-deed-analysis/>
-
Unburying Funeral Home Records
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/unburying-funeral-home-records/>
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Michael John Neill
Genealogy Tip of the Day
PO Box 17
Henderson, IL 61439
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