Posted on

Professional Genealogy and RD 900 earn Kudos from National Genealogical Society Quarterly

National Genealogical Society Quarterly Review
Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards

The June 2019 of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ), arguably the most influential journal in the field, has given “thumbs up” to Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards (Progen PPS), edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills; and The Royal Descents of 900 Immigrants to the American Colonies, Quebec, or the United States who were Themselves Notable or Left Descendants Notable in American History (RD 900). Two Volumes, by Gary Boyd Roberts.

The Royal Descents of 900 Immigrants to the American Colonies, Quebec, or the United States

Cari A. Taplin, CG, writing about Progen PPS for the NGSQ, remarked that, “For genealogists aiming to become professionals or for current professionals working to improve skills and knowledge, this book is a must-have . . . . The strength of this book lies in having in one place the voices of so many highly-regarded professionals.”  Later in her review Taplin focuses on Chapter One: Defining Professionalism, written by Thomas W. Jones, for delving “into the characteristics of expertise and integrity and [describing] their importance for individual family historians and for genealogical groups . . . . The chapter clarifies the importance of the rest of the text: practicing higher standards, advancing skills in research and business practices, and adhering to a common code of ethics, ultimately raising the bar for the entire field of professional genealogy . . . . “

The review of RD 900 was prepared by David M. Morehouse, JD, CG. According to Mr. Morehouse, “This significantly expanded two-volume reference includes lines of descent, mostly from medieval western European royalty, for more than 900 immigrants to these shores, including 45 French Canadians . . . . Most [lines] are traced through  seventeenth-century North American colonists from whom substantial numbers of modern Americans descend. Roberts works almost exclusively from secondary sources, of which he has an encyclopedic knowledge . . . . Nonetheless, as Roberts claims, his work remains ‘the most comprehensive compendium of such American lines to date.”

For more information about either/both of these distinguished works, please consult the links below:

Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards

The Royal Descents of 900 Immigrants to the American Colonies, Quebec, or the United States who were Themselves Notable or Left Descendants Notable in American History