Paul Allen to Guest on 3 May Show

Our May 3rd show will have a very special guest. As the founder of Ancestry.com, Paul Allen, will be discussing the future of Internet genealogy with us. Currently the CEO of World Vital Records, Paul's been measuring and assessing the Internet as a genealogical venue for more than a decade. Few people know more about how to use the Internet as a vehicle to bring people together with records, other researchers, family members, and even their ancestors. He'll have the inside scoop for us on Family Link, a new way to approach your family history research. Paul's excitement and experience is something we can all learn from. You won't want to miss this special interview with America's leading Internet genealogy entrepeneur.

More Library Links from 26 April Show

We had a great show with Christine Rose, and we again thank her for her time and knowledge, as well as the lifetime of research work she has put into family history. During the show we talked a lot about researching common surnames and there were a couple of points to bring out here on the website. Christine mentioned the value of DNA surname study projects, especially for common surnames, to see into which clan of the name your family might fit. It can be hard to find such projects, so start with the major DNA companies, such as Relative Genetics, Family Tree DNA or Sorensen Molecular Genealogy Foundation, but it would not hurt to do a Google search such as "Miller DNA Study." Christine also reminded us to make good use of the different genealogy forums, which we discussed further in the show. It is also important to use Cyndi's List as well as Linkpendium to find surname websites.

Christine is also a noted author. We earlier wrote about her book on courthouse research, but she is also the co-author of the Idiot's Guide to Genealogy, available at most book stores. Her other books are available on her website.

In our research tip from the Pros, we spoke about the very helpful "Site Finder" from Gold Bug. It's easy to use, and tells you the county for any location, while also plotting it on a map. Be sure to choose "Show both map and table." Meanwhile, our "Free Data Site" for the week was the excellent Database Searches from the Kentucky Land Office.

We also answered Laurie's question about creating her own free website by pointing out a series of articles (now up to three installments) on Dick Eastman's Online Newsletter. Go to "Host Your Own Genealogy Web Server at Home" for more information.

Also, as we wind down the first season of Family Roots Radio, we asked listeners to send us their suggestions for guests and topics as we plan the next season. Just write to korym@familyrootsradio.com. We're anxious to hear from you!

Christine Rose to Guest on 26 April Show

We have the rare privilege of having one of America's best and most respected genealogists joining us on Family Roots Radio on 26 April. We are very excited to be welcoming Christine Rose, one of just 50 Fellows of the American Society of Genealogists as we discuss a subject we all have to deal with: researching a common surname. Well known as an excellent genealogist, author and speaker, Christine Rose has spent much of her time pursuing the Rose families. Her experience in sorting out people with a common name, and researching in over 500 U.S. courthouses will be of interest to all researchers. She has also authored several significant reference books, including the quintessential guide to courthouse research. You won't want to miss our discussion about these topics with one of genealogy's leading ladies.

Tom Kemp to Guest on 19 April Show

Family historians love libraries, in large part because they have so many records. Who better to discuss the effective use of libraries with than Tom Kemp, one of America's premier genealogical librarians. Not only has Tom worked as a genealogical librarian in several libraries, he has served as the director for two major genealogy libraries in New England. He has also worked for two major library vendors, including his current position as NewsBank's Director of Genealogy Products. That will give us a chance to discuss America's Genealogy Bank, one of the newest major collections of information available online for genealogists. We'll also discuss ways to make your library research more efficient, and what every genealogist needs to know about libraries. So, tune in for more research success!

Historian Martha McCartney to Guest on 12 April Show

You won't want to miss this one! You don't know her yet, but you certainly should. So far, our guests have been well-known in genealogical circles, but it's also important for Family Roots Radio to introduce others who have had a significant impact on the field. Martha McCartney is an historian-archeologist who has applied her careful and diligent findings to genealogy and the field of family history is much better off for her efforts. A multiple award-winning research historian, with a focus on Jamestown, Virginia, Martha has recently published an 800 page biographical dictionary, Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers, 1607-1635. With biographical sketches of 5,500 early settlers, everyone with Virginia ancestors should take notice.

But, we're not limited to Virginia. We'll be discussing the kinds of sources and strategies Martha used to develop these biographies. Every researcher will want to learn from her experience. Come listen in, and become a better family historian!

Megan Smolenyak to Guest on 5 April Show

She's been all over the television on network news shows, and now, we've got her at Family Roots Radio! Megan Smolenyak, one of the founders of Roots Television will be our guest on April 5th. Learn the inside scoop on the search for Rev. Sharpton's roots and hear about the great additions at Roots Television. But, most of all, enjoy Megan's wonderful insights as we discuss ways of locating some of your missing, but living, relatives. With experience as broad, and touching, as hers, you won't want to miss this show. Be listening!

Myra Gormley on 15 March Show

Few people have done as much to popularize Internet genealogy in recent years than Myra Vanderpool Gormley. She began her career working for newspapers, so when she started doing serious genealogy, she was a natural to start a newspaper column, "Shaking Your Family Tree" in the early 1980s. It was successfully syndicated into many major newspapers around the country. She was also an early Internet pioneer, starting in 1990 as a genealogy content provider for Prodigy, an early ISP. The growth of the Internet, and the popularity of RootsWeb led to the creation of RootsWeb Review in 1998, with Julia Case, one of the first and largest e-zines for genealogy.

Myra knows what's happening out there in genealogy, and she knows the kind of questions and problems family historians face. You can learn more about her in an article from Genealogical Computing. Come listen to Myra as we explore the world of RootsWeb, and the future of online genealogy!

Karen Clifford to Guest on 8 March Show

We are very pleased to have long-time genealogical educator, Karen Clifford as our guest on Family Roots Radio on 8 March. One thing all genealogists soon realize is that they need more information about how to pursue their ancestral hunt. It may be a need to learn about a new source, a new location, or a better strategy for solving a genealogical problem. Karen has been at the forefront of genealogical education for almost two decades. Not only has she taught at local, state and national conferences, she has also created college-level courses for both classroom and Internet use. She has also written several genealogical textbooks, such as The Complete Beginner's Guide to Genealogy, the Internet, and Your Genealogy Computer Program.

Karen is a past director of a Family History Center, served on the board of the Federation of Genealogical Societies and was the president of the Utah Genealogical Association. She is the owner and president of GRA Online. Come give a listen as we discuss the many ways you can learn just what you need to know to become more successful in your family history pursuit.

Craig Scott to Guest on 1 March Show

Family Roots Radio is very happy to be welcoming Craig Scott, CG in our interview segment on our 1 March show. Craig is the owner of Heritage Books, one of the nation's largest genealogical publishers. But, Craig is not just a business man; he is an avid genealogist who has turned his passion into a means of helping hundreds of thousands of genealogists by providing greater access to genealogical data and instruction.

Craig is an engaging and knowledgeable genealogist and a popular speaker at local, state and national conferences. He has also taught at the nation's three largest genealogical institutes. You'll often find him in exhibit halls honoring his own Scottish ancestry by dressing in a kilt of his clan's colors.

Be sure to listen to Craig's insights about genealogical publishing. We've got some tough questions for him, from which you're sure to learn some important and new information!

Kathy Hinckley to Guest on 22 February Show

Family Roots Radio is very pleased to announce that this week's guest is noted professional genealogist, Kathleen Hinckley of Colorado. Kathy has been a major contributor to the field of genealogy for more than 15 years. In addition to being an excellent genealogist, she is also a private investigator who specializes in finding lost family members and estate heirs. In her "spare time" she also serves as the Executive Director of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG). As the owner of Family Detective, she has helped hundreds of families learn more about their ancestors, and their descendants. She is also the author of two important books in the field of genealogy: Locating Lost Family Members and Friends, and of special interest to our topic; Your Guide to the Federal Census. Her experiences are broad and varied, and we'll have a lively conversation. Be sure to tune in on Thursday, 1 PM Pacific, 4 PM Eastern (or listen to the archive shortly after the show).

Matt Helm to Guest on 15 February Show

We are excited to have an early Web genealogy pioneer as our guest on Family Roots Radio for the 15 February webcast. Matt Helm began categorizing genealogy websites way back in 1994 and has been a leading figure in the field ever since. His Genealogy Toolbox was one of the first large collections of links and thousands of people have been able to find their ancestors due to his care in developing that list.

Matt and his wife April are also the authors of the best selling Genealogy Online for Dummies, now in it's third edition. In recent years, he's been making all of our research easier by digitizing old documents and posting them on the web. Many of the sources in his HistoryKat collection are not available online anywhere else. In addition, his Genealogy Portal provides a unique index to a diverse number of obscure genealogy sites.

With such an expert on Internet genealogy, you'll certainly want to tune in as we discuss effective ways to search the Internet for ancestors and relatives.

John Philip Colletta to Guest on 8 February Show

Greetings, and welcome to Family Roots Radio! We are excited to be launching this new venture, and to bring the knowledge and experience of some of America's best genealogists to the shows listeners.

We are particularly pleased to have John Philip Colletta as our very first guest. I have known Dr. Colletta for at least 15 years and have personally learned much from his books and teachings. He is an outstanding genealogical speaker and educator. In addition to conducting workshops for the National Archives, he is an instructor at two of the nation's premier genealogical institutes: the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research at Samford University (Birmingham, AL) and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy.

His book, Only a Few Bones is a wonderful example of an engaging and instructive history of a family tragedy. However, he is probably best known for his work with immigration issues, including his popular book, They Came in Ships, now in a third edition from Ancestry. Since it's one of my favorite topics, and pertinent to virtually every North American genealogist, that will be the main theme of our first show.

So, be sure to tune in to the VoiceAmerica Channel on Thursday, 8 February at 1 PM Pacific Time (4 PM Eastern).

For more information on Dr. Colletta, please visit his website.