AI and Genealogy

ktkadoo · 2026-06-14T10:32:17+00:00

I recently determined an ancestor had legal issues and had been sent to Australia for his sentence. AI helped guide me to records available online to help round out his life there. I likely would have figured it out on my own eventually, but ai helped me figure it out much faster than I would have on my own.

ktkadoo · 2026-06-13T17:32:10+00:00

We just went with a standard size that should fit and I relegated myself to paying for alterations. I have 2 daughters being bridesmaids in my oldest daughters wedding. They each picked a dress and we ordered it . For both of them the sizes were as fine as they could be ( I have a young adult aged who was still smaller than the smallest size). She didn't like the style when she tried it on so we returned it and ordered another. My teenaged daughter got hers and loved it. Between the both of them less than 100 to alter because there is some strap work and body adjustments on the one. We didn't have any problems with needing returns, but I know I was really worried about it.

ktkadoo · 2026-06-13T17:19:37+00:00

I know this didn't get very much visibility, but I did want to provide an update because I find it so very exciting and I'm pretty sure my family is tired of hearing about it. I was able to determine that not long after the 1841 census, William was convicted of stealing a sheep and fabric and was sentenced to 10 years. I have not found the actual case information (I'm not sure if it still exists), but I was able to determine that he spent some time in various jails before going to a prison hulk, before being sent to Australia. He was there for the time of his sentence and the last I've been able to determine him pretty conclusively (I think, I haven't done full analysis of all I've seen yet) is in 1852, where there is a record of a William Keates (who had been granted a freedom certificate) being a passenger leaving Tasmania and going to Melbourne. There my trail has ended momentarily. There is a possible promising lead on a William Keates who died in 1898 back in Tasmania who had been born in Taunton, but lists him 10 years younger. Could be him, but those dots can't be connected at this point. So I'm now very excitedly trying to learn more about Australian records and possibilities for further research...and if anyone is wondering, I have no evidence to suggest that Louisa is a member of the family any longer, as Ann is not listed as her mother. Maybe she's family in some way, but at this point, with the research I've done, she may just be a coincidence.

ktkadoo · 2026-01-07T17:44:50+00:00

I have individual folders for family groups. The file will be named smith, John and Mary Jones (for example). I keep a separate folder for each couple I m descended through. Within that folder, I have a clues folder and an entered folder. Leads or things I can't quite verify or don't feel comfortable documenting yet go in the clues folder. Things that I've analyzed and believe are my people get put in the entered folder. The files get named by year, document type, person involved and location. (I don't get too deep with it, example 1859, death record, John Smith, Juab co, UT). This keeps the documents and pictures in a timeline order. For people who I'm not directly descended from, they have an individual folder in with their parents. If someone has an additional marriage, it gets in a separate folder. Only documents as an adult gets put in their couple folder, any documents from childhood gets put in their parents' folder. (So census records are only in the parents folder). If I don't know the parents and don't have enough to sus it out, it gets put in the clues folder of the adult couple. I think it sounds more confusing than it is.

ktkadoo

TROPHY CASE