In this episode of The Photo Detective, host Maureen Taylor speaks with Brian Rhinehart, founder of CivilWarRecords.com, about uncovering lost Civil War history through archival research. Brian shares his journey from genealogy hobbyist to professional researcher specializing in Civil War records at the National Archives. He explains the misconceptions about military records, emphasizing that most are not available online. They discuss the rich details found in pension files, including personal letters, affidavits, and service histories, as well as the rare chance of finding soldier photographs. Brian also provides insights on tracking elusive ancestors through military, pension, and bounty records. If you’re struggling with your Civil War research, Brian’s expertise can help you find those missing pieces.

Related Episodes:

Episode 245: The Enduring Legacy of Tintypes: From Civil War Soldiers to Contemporary Artists

Episode 60: Finding Pictures of Your Civil War Ancestors

Links:

• Civil War Records.com
• Sign up for my newsletter.
• Watch my YouTube Channel.
• Need help preserving your photos? Check out Maureen’s Preserving Family Photographs ebook
• Need help identifying family photos? Check out The Family Photo Detective ebook
• Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About My Guest:

Brian Rhinehart is a professional genealogist and speaker and is the owner of CivilWarRecords.com. He is a graduate of Boston University’s Certificate of Genealogy Research and is a regular researcher for the television show Finding Your Roots. A direct descendant of eight Civil War soldiers, Brian specializes in research and record retrieval for Civil War and War of 1812 soldiers at the National Archives in Washington DC and has retrieved military files for hundreds of clients there.

About Maureen Taylor:
Maureen Taylor, The Photo Detective® helps clients with photo related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street Journal and appearances on The View, The Today Show, Pawn Stars, and others. Learn more at Maureentaylor.com

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I'm thrilled to be offering something new. Photo investigations. These collaborative one-on-one sessions. Look at your family photos then you and I meet to discuss your mystery images. And find out how each clue and hint might contribute to your family history. Find out more by going to maureentaylor.com and clicking on family photo investigations.

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Barbara Tien discusses her role as the “ringleader” of Project Kin on the Photo Detective podcast. After her startup, Ponga, shut down, Tien decided to keep her team together and transitioned to creating Project Kin, a community focused on storytelling and family history without any financial gain. She emphasizes the platform’s global reach, privacy importance, and its emphasis on story preservation and sharing. The platform is built on a foundation of helping members tell their own family stories, with tools and support provided for free. Tien also touches on her previous use of Substack to enhance community engagement.

• Project Kin fosters a community centered on storytelling and family history.
• It’s a non-profit initiative with a global outreach, particularly across English-speaking countries.
• Tien emphasizes privacy and the preservation of family stories in digital and physical forms.
• Project Kin offers regular events and resources to help members document and share their stories effectively.

Related Episodes:

Episode 237: How Storied.com Transforms Family HIstory into Captivating Stories

Episode 240: The Hidden Stories of Tattooing: Dr. Matt Lodder on Tattoos in Photography and Society

Links:

• ProjectKin on Substack.com
• The Lafayette Project
• Sign up for my newsletter.
• Watch my YouTube Channel.
• Like the Photo Detective Facebook Page so you get notified of my Facebook Live videos.
• Need help preserving your photos? Check out Maureen’s Preserving Family Photographs ebook
• Need help identifying family photos? Check out The Family Photo Detective ebook
• Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About My Guest:

Barbara is the “ringleader” at Projectkin, a community of family historians hooked on stories. After a career in technology startups, she turned her long-time love of family history into a free, platform-independent community that encourages families to tell their stories. Through free events, tools, and articles, community members share creative inspiration, tips, and proven “recipes” for storytelling projects.

About Maureen Taylor:

Maureen Taylor, The Photo DetectiveÒhelps clients with photo related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street Journal and

I'm thrilled to be offering something new. Photo investigations. These collaborative one-on-one sessions. Look at your family photos then you and I meet to discuss your mystery images. And find out how each clue and hint might contribute to your family history. Find out more by going to maureentaylor.com and clicking on family photo investigations.

Support the show

In this January 2025 solo episode of her podcast, Maureen Taylor, the photo detective, shares news for users of Fileshadow.com. She also shares insights into her professional life, detailing her expertise in analyzing historical photographs to assist in dating them and incorporating them into family histories. She discusses a recent project involving a photograph from Providence, and how she used various historical resources to accurately date it, along with providing updates on the photo marketplace and tips for digital photo management.

• Maureen Taylor works with clients to help integrate historical photographs into their family histories, keeping up-to-date with the photo marketplace and new technologies.
• Discusses a case study involving a photograph of Market Square in Providence, using city directories and newspapers to date it to between 1845 and 1846.
• Notes the suspension of the digital photo organizer website Fileshadow, highlighting the importance of maintaining current contact information for digital services.
• Previews an upcoming podcast episode with Rick Voight about changes in the photo marketplace, including tips for managing and backing up digital photos.
• Shares insights from her consultative work with clients and students on various historical and photographic research projects.

Related Episodes:

Episode 254: Solving Family Photo Mysteries: A Journey with The Photo Detective

Episode 251: Through the Lens: Unveiling Family Stories

Links:

• Winslow Homer painting
• Civil War era backdrops
• Sign up for my newsletter.
• Watch my YouTube Channel.
• Like the Photo Detective Facebook Page so you get notified of my Facebook Live videos.
• Need help preserving your photos? Check out Maureen’s Preserving Family Photographs ebook
• Need help identifying family photos? Check out The Family Photo Detective ebook
• Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About Maureen Taylor:

Maureen Taylor, The Photo DetectiveTM helps clients with photo related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street Journal and appearances on The View, The Today Show, Pawn Stars, and others. Learn more at Maureentaylor.com

Did you enjoy this episode? Please

I'm thrilled to be offering something new. Photo investigations. These collaborative one-on-one sessions. Look at your family photos then you and I meet to discuss your mystery images. And find out how each clue and hint might contribute to your family history. Find out more by going to maureentaylor.com and clicking on family photo investigations.

Support the show