Presentation List 2018
All presentations are a minimum of 1 hour in length and can be customized to better accommodate your group. Presentations include a Power Point presentation and handouts for participants. Enjoyed one of my articles or blog posts? Many of those can also be adapted for a presentation.
Methodology
Solving Your Brick Wall (2 part workshop)
We begin part one of this workshop with some tips for solving brick wall problems. Types of brick walls we will cover include pre-1850 ancestors and common surnames, and same name individuals. We will also go over resources every researcher should know. In the 2nd part of our workshop we will look at participant’s brick walls and suggest a research plan to help go from being stuck to solved.
What You Don’t Know About the US Census
Think you know everything about the US Census? Most researchers know some of the ins and outs of researching the decennial census but don’t know about some of the other gems the census provides including non-population schedules, census bureau reports, and more. Learn more about the census so you can use it to create a more in-depth analysis or your ancestor’s life.
A Genealogist Visits the Library
Are you a frequent library patron? What types of libraries have you visited? Do you know what to look for at a library in the hometown of your ancestor? Whether you have a wallet full of library cards or you haven’t been in a few year, this presentation will provide you the tips you need to do better research. In this presentation we will look at types of libraries, what they hold in their collections, and tips for getting the most of your library trip.
Tackling a Research Project
You want to research your great-grandma. Great! Now what? After you spend some time looking online and have hit the brick wall, what are you supposed to do? Tackling a research project is so much more than entering names into a database. Learn more about planning, creating and researching so that your time online and off will be a success.
Researching Your Ancestor in Periodicals
Periodicals can fill in the pieces between the birth and death of your ancestor. Whether the information is biographical, a transcription, or reporting on an event, periodicals provide rich detail about your ancestor’s life. In this lecture we will discuss the types of periodicals that exist and what indexes (JSTOR, PERSI and others) to use to find articles.
We’re Related to George Washington?: Proving (or Disproving) Family Stories
I have them and you have them. In fact, we all have them, that story about our family’s brush with greatness. Maybe you’re related to Jesse James, or your ancestor was on the Titanic, or you’re descended from three brothers who came to America. But is it true? Learn the methodology for proving or disproving that family story.
Journals, Store Ledgers and Letters to Aunt Mary: Using Manuscript Collections
Manuscript collections include documents detailing life about individuals, groups, and communities. Manuscript collections are a rich source for research that is basically ignored by many conducting family history research. In this lecture we will discuss what manuscript collections exist, how to find them, and what they hold for your research.
Using Dissertations for Genealogy
Have you ever used a thesis or dissertation for your family history research? They have typically been difficult to access but just like history books, they can provide important information for your research. We’ll take a look at types of theses and dissertations you might be interested in, some examples of what can be found in them, and how to access them.
Record Sets
The Anatomy of BMD: What You Don’t Know About Vital Records
Everyone knows about vital records, right? It’s one of the first record sets you look for in the hunt for your ancestors. But do you know everything about those records you seek? What do you do when no records exist? This presentation looks at the history of vital records in the United States, variations of those records, and alternatives.
The Records that Tragedy Leave Behind
Was your ancestor a victim of a tragedy? Sinking ships like the Lusitania or Titanic, Geological events like the 1907 San Francisco Earthquake and weather events like the Children’s Blizzard can mean destruction and death. Did those events touch your family? Where are the records to help tell that story? Using case studies we will explore the events and the records they left behind.
5 Steps to Better Newspaper Research
How do you reach your ancestor in the newspaper? Coming up empty handed? Do you know there’s more out there but you can’t find it? Learn the 5 steps to better newspaper research that will enhance your searches and help you find what you need.
Female Ancestors
Uncle Sam Wants You: Women’s Lives During World War I
2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the United States’ entrance into World War I. As genealogists, we are familiar with records like the WWI Draft Registration but what about women’s roles and the records they left behind? We will look at what women did on the home front, the battlefield and the records that document their lives.
Wives, Widows, Spinsters, and Mistresses: Documenting Women’s Relationships
Details about women’s lives are found in examining their relationships. What records exist that document relationships to significant others? Learn what records exist that connect a woman to her husband, partner, or significant other, what information the records provide, as well as where these records can be found.
Grandma was an Alien?!: Marriage and Citizenship in 20th Century America
Not too long ago American women lost their citizenship for marrying non-citizens. While the 1930s saw changes to this law, women were still applying for their citizenship well into the 1970s. We’ll discuss marriage and women’s citizenship as well as their repatriation. Examples from research at the National Archives and other repositories will help tell the story of these women’s lives.
Martha Proby and her Book: A Case Study of a 19th Century English Woman
Martha Proby, a spinster living in early 19th century England left behind a unique artifact, a commonplace book. The research done to uncover who Martha was, her community, her manuscript, and her modern-day family includes methodologies that can assist anyone researching a female ancestor. Beyond the same old same old, these techniques go beyond typical family history research.
Her Name was Not Unknown: Finding Female Ancestors
“What’s her maiden name?” “What happened to her after her husband died?” “How do I start researching my great-grandmother?” We’ve all felt the disappointment of seeing the word “unknown” to describe a female ancestor’s name. How do we go from “unknown” to finding a name? This presentation will explain techniques, methodology, and resources vital to family history research. Enhance your research skills using a 5-step approach to researching (and finding) female ancestors.
The Secret Lives of Women: Research Female Ancestors Using the Sources They Left Behind
Why is finding a female ancestor so difficult? One reason is the way we research their lives. Successful research must combine familiar genealogical sources and the specific sources that women left behind. It is the sources that women authored or participated in that tell us their unique story. In this lecture we look at the specific trail women left including signature quilts, community cookbooks, journals and diaries.
I'm in the Book: Researching Women in Directories
City directories are great but what other types of directories exist that can lead you to information about female ancestors? Surprisingly there are numerous kinds that include members of a church, community group, and membership organizations. Learn more about directories, what they contain and most importantly where to find them.
Women’s Work: Tracing Your Ancestor’s Occupations and Volunteer Work
Grandma was a housewife? Well maybe, but there’s a chance she may have worked for pay or as a volunteer. Learn more about women’s occupations and volunteer work and how to trace what your female ancestor did.
Fabric, Cigars and Murder: Reconstructing a Community of Women
Imagine finding a 1930s quilt top with the name of numerous women and through genealogical research, uncovering a community. After I purchased a quilt top in Southern California, I started a research journey that led me to Indiana and a unique community of women and the records they left behind.
Women in the Newspaper
Newspapers are the great equalizer and women are prominent in their pages. In this lecture we will discuss they types of articles women can be found in as well as search engine tips specific to researching women.
Researching Women: Community Cookbooks and What They Tell Us About Our Ancestors
Community cookbooks, commonly known as fundraising cookbooks with the plastic comb binding, have been around since the Civil War. They serve as a “city directory” of women with everything from names, residences, and in some cases familial relationships and photos. Learn more about community cookbooks and using them for your family history.
Researching Mormon Women
The lives of Mormon women are documented in various archives, libraries, and museums. In this presentation learn ways to find out more about your Mormon ancestress aside from information about her in familiar sources like the census or vital records.
Social History and Ephemera
What I Learned about Social History from Watching Miss Fisher or Introduction to Social History and Where to Find it
What is social history? How can incorporating social history be beneficial to genealogists? Where can you find social history sources? We will delve into the study of social history and what resources and repositories exist with social history materials.
Life in 1920 Using life in the 1920s as a case study we will look at sources for learning more about the era and the people living during this time. We will explore fashion, home management, occupations, membership organizations, news, historical events, entertainment, and more. We will then discuss how to conduct social history research in any era.
The WPA: Sources for Your Genealogy
The Works Progress Administration left behind a legacy that is used by family historians today. In this presentation we will discuss The WPA, projects under the WPA relevant to genealogy, and how you can research some of those records today.
Ephemera: Scraps of your Ancestor’s Life
What’s ephemera? It’s the stuff that much of our genealogy research is built on. Defined as paper items that were not meant for long-term archiving, ephemera can hold great genealogical value. In this presentation I will show you examples of ephemera and how and where you can find it.
Social History through the Ages: Sources for Social History from the Colonial Period to World War II
Learn more about your ancestor’s life by using social history. In this presentation we will talk about websites that provide us the detail about our ancestor’s lives and resources for further research.
Finding Images to Tell the Story of Your Ancestor
A picture is worth a thousand words and it can make a difference in how you tell your family story. Even if you weren’t lucky enough to inherit pictures of your ancestors you can illustrate their story with images. In this presentation learn places to find images and how to incorporate them into your ancestor’s story
Jello Molds, Peacocks and Turtle Soup: Genealogy and the History of Food
My ancestor ate what?! What our ancestors ate was very different from the food that we eat today. Learn more about how food history interacts with your family history including food availability, food during war time, and what our immigrant ancestor ate.
Technology and the Internet
From Sea to Shining Sea: Using Travel Writing for Genealogy
Did your ancestor travel or migrate to a new home? What was their journey like? How can you better tell their story? We’ll look at sources that detail traveling experiences, where to find them, and what they reveal.
10 Databases You Didn’t Know Were on Ancestry.com
Sure, you know that the census, city directories and the World War I Draft registration on Ancestry.com but what about those little-known databases that includes images, digitized books, and indexes. There are hidden treasures in Ancestry for those who know how to find them. We will explore searching on Ancestry to uncover the lesser known databases and we’ll look at 10 specific ones for your research.
Using the FamilySearch Catalog
It’s the most important genealogy tool you should be using but do you know all the features of the FamilySearch Catalog? Learn more about ways to search, search terms, and other catalogs that help you find Family History Library materials outside of Salt Lake City.
Finding your Genealogy in Digitized Books
We are so lucky to be living in today's world where we have access to so many digitized books online. In this presentation learn about what types of books exist online, how to access them, and how you can search for them. Websites discussed will include Google Books, Hathi Trust, and Internet Archive.
50 Websites Every Genealogist Should Know
You’re familiar with Ancestry.com and FamilySearch but there's so much more to researching genealogy then the well-known websites. Learn more about other websites that can help you with your genealogy and help you break down brick walls.
That’s New to Me: Unfamiliar Websites for your Genealogy
It's hard to keep up with all the different websites that can help you with your family history but there's a few core ones that are crucial to your research. In this presentation we will explore such websites as WorldCat, ArchiveGrid, and the Digital Public Library of America.