[Genealogy] No Intelligible Statement, Word Blindness, and Word Deafness, Migrations Via Pensions, UFOs, and Classes
Michael John Neill
mjnrootdig at gmail.com
Sun Oct 18 13:09:45 CDT 2026
Genealogy Update
18 October 2026
** No Intelligible Statement, Word Blindness, and Word Deafness
** UFO Ancestors
** Extended Classes on Notebook for Genealogsts and Full-Text Search
** Documenting Migrations via Pension Applications
** Keep Getting the Update
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No Intelligble Statement, Word Blindness, and Word Deafness
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I’ve been reviewing the Civil War pension file for Leander Butler, a
veteran from Kansas who lived most of his post-war life in Missouri.
A doctor’s statement from 1899 indicated that Leander was unable to provide
an “intelligible statement” for the doctor at the time of the examination.
The statement goes on to provide more details about Leander’s ability to
answer questions. While my understanding of “word-deafness”(generally
meaning that one hears sounds but can’t make out the words/meaning) and
“word-blindness” (sees letters but can’t make out the words) needs to be
refined, the implications are clear: Leander’s ability to communicate was
hindered.
How often do we think about how able our relative was to provide accurate,
reliable information to the census taker? We often think about whether an
informant actually “knew” the information and whether they had “first-hand”
knowledge of that information?
But do we stop and ask how reliable their memory was when they were
providing information? They may have had first-hand knowledge of an event,
but their memory may have been challenged by the time they were providing
information.
Based on this doctor’s statement, here’s hoping Leander didn’t answer
questions from the 1900 census taker.
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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
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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.
-------------------------------
Documenting Migrations Via Pension Applications
-------------------------------
As part of an ongoing project, the War of 1812 military pensions are
available for free on *Fold3.com*. As we’ve mentioned before, these pension
files (actually all military pension files) can be a wonderful source for
genealogical information. Lately my own use of these materials has focused
on establishing micro-migration chains from one small area of the United
States to another small area further west.
The image in this post (which has been reduced in size for posting) is from
the widow’s application for Mary Hughes of Fulton County, Illinois. This
affidavit in her application includes key details about her life, including
when and where she married the soldier Taylor Hughes and when the family
moved from Harford County, Maryland, to Ohio and from Ohio to Fulton
County, Illinois. Unfortunately the affidavit does not provide the
specific residence within Ohio. The family’s move in 1820 to Ohio follows
the move of two of her siblings there three years earlier. Her move into
Illinois in 1840 precedes the move of some of her nephews and nieces to
Illinois by a few years. That’s assuming her memory of the year is correct
in the affidavit.
Mary (DeMoss) Hughes is a sister to my ancestor Christianna (DeMoss)
Rampley and is a part of a larger chain of migrants from Harford County,
Maryland, into eastern Ohio and eventually into west-central Illinois
(generally Fulton, Adams, and Hancock County Counties–although these
counties do not all share a common border). As part of an ongoing project,
I’ve been tracking the movements of these families.
Widow’s pensions for extended family members may help the researcher in
documenting a variety of aspects of the life for the person being
researched. For migrations specifically, these records may:
- specifically mention dates of migration
- include names of witnesses who lives may have intersected with the
claimant in more than one location
- resurrect lost family members who appear to provide testimony or
witness affidavits
-----------------------
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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