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General Topics:
Beginning Your Genealogy Journey: 8 Steps to Getting
Started
This presentation will give beginners the knowledge and
confidence they need to begin and move forward with building a correct family
tree.
Mistakes I Have Made: Confessions of a Repentant
Genealogist
We all make mistakes as we build our family tree. Discover
how to avoid them from a repentant genealogist. She made mistakes, but you
don’t have to!
Back to School: Build Your Skills with Genealogy Education
Continuing education is an important part of becoming a
competent researcher. In this session, attendees will learn the types of
Genealogy Education available and how to choose which is right for them.
Reeling ‘Em in with Cousin Bait-10 Ways to Connect with
Family
Creating Cousin Bait helps connect with those who may have
information about your family. Learn 10 strategies to help you connect and
collaborate with family members.
From Searching to Researching: Organize Your Family History
Do you have more things in piles than files? Learn some
practical ways to organize your family history documents, photos, books,
ephemera, and more. With everything in its place, you can go from searching for
them to using them for clues to further research.
Record Methodology:
In Other News…Finding Family in the Paper
Newspapers can be an excellent source for obituaries. But
did you know there is so much more? Scandals, events, stories, and gossip are
among the things you may find to put flesh on the bones of your ancestors. Tips
on searching both online and off will help you to discover what your family may
have been doing between their dashes! Warning! You never know what you may
find!
Analyzing Probate Records: Following the Clues Left After
Death
Probate Records can shed light on your ancestors even when
there's no will. Learn how to use these records, find clues, and help answer
your research questions.
Claiming Loyalty to the Union Cause: Finding
Ancestors in the Records of the Southern Claims Commission
Full of information, including answers to application questions and witness testimony, these records can add details of our southern ancestors' lives- both white and black-not found anywhere else.
Researching in the 1950 Census
The release of the 1950 Census has been a great help to our family history research. Learn how to get the most out of the newest census to be released. Attendees will understand where to locate the records, the importance of the enumerators’ instructions, and how to gather clues from the answers to the questions asked.
Diving into Directories: Ways to Find Family and Clues Between
the Pages
City Directories once were where people went to look for
information on people, businesses, and locations, but they are more than just
simple listings. Learn how reading from cover to cover may produce clues to
family and additional records.
What Does That Say? Strategies for Reading Old Handwriting
Reading old handwriting in documents can often be a
challenge. If we can’t understand what a record says, how can we glean facts,
clues, and other information to help us build our family trees? This session
will show some of the best strategies to decipher old handwriting so you don’t
miss or misunderstand a thing!
Stories Among the
Headstones-Researching in the Cemetery
Cemeteries provide more than birth and death dates. We may find clues that lead to more details about the lives of
our ancestors. Learn tips for researching in the cemetery and how to gather the
stories among the headstones.
Someone to Watch Over Me: Guardianship Records
An often-overlooked record within a probate package,
guardianship records for underage children-even when their mother was still living-and for those deemed unable to care for themselves, can contain important
clues to family, living conditions, and so much more!
I Got it on eBay! Shopping for Family History
Family photos, postcards, memorabilia, and more can be
found on eBay!
Learn how to search, buy and set up notifications for items and places of
interest. Don't overlook this unique way to find treasures to add to your
family story!
Research Methodology
5 Elements for Sound Research: A Guide to Applying the
Genealogical Proof Standard
Intimidated by the GPS? This session will help you
understand each of the 5 elements and create a solid foundation for your
research.
Evidence:
Direct, Indirect, or Negative? It Depends!
Do you know the
difference between Direct, Indirect, and Negative evidence? Are you confused
about why it matters? In this session, examples of each of the three types of
genealogy evidence will be presented, along with explanations on how to
recognize and use each to climb your family tree.
Finding the Living: Genealogy in Reverse
Locating Cousins, Heirs, Next of Kin, and DNA Matches are
just some of the reasons to find living people. Discover the tools and
techniques used to find and make the connections you are looking for.
Beyond Dry Facts: How to Examine Records for Information
that Leads to Great Stories Note: This is a joint-presentation proposal with
Laura Hedgecock and Cheri Hudson Passey as co-lecturers
Go beyond vital statistics! Discover how to maximize the
information gleaned from records and how to convert those facts into a
compelling narrative.
From Shock to Understanding: How to Examine, Process, and
Write About Uncomfortable Family Discoveries Note: This is a joint-presentation proposal with
Laura Hedgecock and Cheri Hudson Passey as co-lecturers
Uncomfortable discovery? Learn how to interpret and share
records, as well as how to write about ancestors in a way that increases
understanding and accuracy.
Collateral Research—The Secret Sauce to Finding Family
Records
Your ancestors didn’t live and have experiences alone.
Researching collateral lines may be the secret sauce you need to find clues
that will answer genealogy questions. What is Collateral Research? Research of
family members you are not a descendant of.
Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan: The Key to Thorough Research
Thorough research
is one of the elements of the Genealogical Proof Standards. How do you know if
you've done enough? A research plan is the key. From creating to working
through your plan, learn how to use this tool to keep you on track and be as
thorough as possible.
Where in the
World? How to Tackle a New Research Location
Finding a branch
from our tree that lived in a place we have never researched can leave us
clueless about where to begin. Learn methods and strategies for understanding
the records, history, and best practices for tackling a new research location.
Beginning Strategies for Searching Online Records & Resources
Searching records
and resources is more than just filling out the form on a site and hitting search.
Build your skills by learning the best practices for filling out a search form,
locating the record collections you are looking for, and useful tips and tricks
to help you as you begin researching online. From the big record repository
websites to free resources like the FamilySearch Wiki, you will learn to use
your time wisely, stop searching, and begin researching!
Beyond the Basics
Online Research Techniques
Build your skills
and move beyond the beginner level of search strategies. Learn to target your
queries in search engines and search boxes to help return the best results. Use
the power of the internet to help locate various types of records. The session
will look at the large online record repositories, newspapers, and other
collections to show the best methods of producing results that can lead you to
more discoveries about your family history.
Off to America:
Finding Living American Cousins
Do you have
family in your tree who left to find their fortunes in America?
Looking for their
descendants?
Discover the
tools and techniques that can help you make cousin connections.
Somewhere in
Time-Placing Ancestors in Historical Context
Our ancestors
were influenced by events happening around them.
Discover ways to learn
about what may have shaped the lives of those on your family tree.
From Name
Collection to Name Confirmation: Adding Leaves to the Right Branch
In our desire to
find family and build our tree, we may be guilty of name collection instead of
name confirmation. Learn steps to help slow down, take a good look, and verify
to add leaves to the right branch.
Discovering Hidden Treasure: Miscellaneous Papers and Mixed Provenance Records
Libraries and Archives often receive documents and other items that are difficult to catalog. They end up being placed in files or boxes labeled Miscellaneous or Mixed Provenance, so they are often overlooked. These records can hold hidden treasures that answer genealogy questions!
Business Helps:
Becoming a Professional Genealogist: From Passion to Profit
Are you thinking
of becoming a professional genealogist or looking for ways to grow your
existing business? From education to marketing to getting that first paid gig,
discover some of the things to consider and steps to take before you decide to
hang out your shingle.
Blogging for
Clients: Bringing in Customers a Post at a Time
Although some
have declared blogging dead, it is still alive and well and can be a successful
avenue to drive traffic to you and your business. In Blogging for Clients:
Bringing in Customers a Post at a Time, learn how and why a blog can be a great
way to showcase your knowledge and skills to potential clients.
Becoming a
Genealogy Speaker-From Preparation to Presentation
Thinking about
becoming a Genealogy Speaker? Learn tips
on finding topics, creating a presentation, filling out the calls for presentations, and more!
Location:
Carolina On My
Mind: Researching in the Palmetto State
South Carolina is
rich in history but poor in records. Learn strategies for those that are extant
and how to use indirect evidence when not.
From South to
West: The Southern Diaspora in The United States
Southerners have
been migrating west for centuries.
Learn to track
your family across the country as they search for a new place to call home.
Ethnic Groups
Enslavers in Your
Family Tree? Moving Past the Emotions to Help Families Connect.
Have you found a
record of your ancestor showing the ownership of the enslaved? What do you do
with the information? Learn how to extract the names of the enslaved and where
to share them so that they may be remembered, found, and connected.
Descendants of
the Enslaved and Enslavers -Working Together to Discover Family
Sharon Batiste Gillins,
a descendant of enslaved ancestors, and Cheri Hudson Passey, a descendant of
enslavers, share how to overcome emotions and other obstacles to work together
to connect families.
FamilySearch
How to Use the
FamilySearch Catalog
The FamilySearch
Catalog is an underused resource by many genealogists.
Learn tricks and
tips on using this tool to its full potential for finding records within
the collection.
FamilySearch Tips and Tricks
The FamilySearch website is one of the best tools for locating information to build your family tree. Shockingly, some have not heard of it or do not use it. This presentation will explain why it should be in every genealogist toolbox and share tips for using it better and smarter.
Youth
Family
History-Are You Doing It? Cue the Eye Rolls and Heavy Sighs
Getting eye rolls
and heavy sighs when you talk to youth about Family History? Learn tips for
helping them get involved and enjoy the journey!
Society Helps
Online Meetings:
Helping Your Society Move into a Virtual World
Today, virtual
programming is more important than ever. Learn how to meet online and convince reluctant members to embrace new technology.
Society Growth -5 Ways to Offer Your Membership Quality Programming
From assessing the needs of your society to finding and working with a speaker. Learn five ways to build and support membership with quality programming.
Society Support: Hybrid Meetings
Hybrid meetings
are a choice as we return to a new normal for our Society meetings. How to know
if it's time to go or stay hybrid and best practices for success!
After the Merge:
Society Support Under NGS Leadership
How have things
changed since the merger of FGS and NGS?
What can your
organization expect moving forward?
More Topics on Request
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