Presentation

Most of us chase our ancestors through census lines, vital records, and the usual paper
trail, but their work lives often hold the missing clues. By exploring a family business,
trade, or industry, you can open new doors when traditional research hits a dead end.
This lecture shows you how to look at familiar sources in fresh ways and introduces
underused records that reveal the professional worlds your ancestors inhabited. You'll
walk away with new strategies, new resources, and a stronger, more three-dimensional
family tree.

Speaker

Michelle L. Spencer, owner of RomaMaryGrace, is a specialist in family business
research, small towns, and historic preservation. With more than 30 years of experience,
she has lectured at major genealogical institutions and the WWI Museum & Memorial.
She has co-authored over 60 National Register of Historic Places nominations, and her
work has appeared on Who Do You Think You Are? and Finding Your Roots. Find her at
romamarygrace.com or on YouTube @romamarygrace1909.

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Presentation

The Homestead Act of 1862 opened millions of acres of land for settlement across 30 states. Interested individuals needed to meet certain criteria before the land could gain title to this land. The records created from this process are often overlooked my family historians. This session will help you understand the wealth of knowledge that can be found in these valuable records.

Speaker

Amber Oldenburg is a genealogist, lecturer, and social media manager with a degree in Family History Research from Brigham Young University-Idaho, where she currently serves as an online instructor in their Family History Research program. She specializes in Midwest and Great Lakes states research.

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Presentation

This lecture is designed to help researchers move past the limitations of general search queries and harness the power of Ancestry’s vast collections more effectively. By understanding the difference between the “collection period” and a more “focused research period” in a genealogist’s career, attendees will learn how to craft well-defined research questions and maintain detailed research logs to avoid duplicating efforts. A primary focus of the presentation is Ancestry’s Card Catalog, where participants discover how to use titles, keywords, and specific filters to access over 33,000 individual databases. The lecture also provides critical guidance on evaluating “hints,” utilizing the member search feature, and reading database metadata to ensure high-quality, accurate genealogical discoveries.

Speaker

Cari A. Taplin is related to Roy Rogers. Or at least that’s what her family told her. As a result, finding her true heritage has been her focus since the year 2000. She is a native of Wood County, Ohio but now lives in Longmont, Colorado. Cari holds the Certified Genealogist® credential and has served in a wide variety of volunteer and leadership positions for local, state, and national societies. As the owner of GenealogyPANTS, she provides speaking services. She also lends help and shares her expertise as an administrator on the highly popular Facebook Group “The Genealogy Squad.” Cari currently works for Ancestry ProGenealogists. Cari’s personal research focuses on midwestern and Great Lakes states.

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Presentation

There are a handful of “cluster” immigrant communities throughout the United States that blossomed during the immigration influx of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Exploring “cluster genealogy”—the process of researching those relatives, friends, and neighbors who lived near an ancestor—can often break down brick walls in the search for individual family lines and help to place our ancestors’ lives in historical context. For those descendants who’ve moved away from such traditional immigrant enclaves, 21st-century technology can be used to rebuild “cluster communities” in the virtual world. This lecture will cover: How to identify chain migrations/cluster communities using key records; ways to share and collaborate with other researchers, and the benefits, pitfalls, and obstacles associate with a shift to “virtual” cluster communities; and how to use tools such as social networking sites, Wikis, etc. build online genealogical communities.

Speaker

Lisa A. Alzo, M.F.A., is a freelance writer, instructor, and internationally recognized lecturer, specializing in Eastern European genealogical research and creative nonfiction writing. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Nonfiction Writing from the University of Pittsburgh in 1997. Lisa is the author of eleven books, including The Family Tree Polish, Czech and Slovak Genealogy Guide, and the award-winning Three Slovak Women, and hundreds of magazine articles.  She also developed the Eastern European Research Certificate Program for the International Institute of Genealogical Studies and works as an online educator and writing coach.  Lisa is a frequently invited speaker for national conferences, genealogical and historical societies, and webinars.  Visit <https://www.lisaalzo.com> for more information. 

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Presentation

In the middle of the Great Depression, a rough-and-tumble cowboy from Canada ended up in Wyoming using an alias and with two kids in tow. He then disappeared, leaving the kids and their mother—and a mystery—behind. We describe the process of elimination employed to determine the identity of the mystery G-Grandfather, and the genealogical research that verified the results of that process. It is geared towards an audience familiar with autosomal DNA and fairly experienced in genealogy.

Speaker

Bob Masson—aka Bobski—is a retired high-tech marketing pro who loves living at the crossroads of technology and genealogy. Today, he applies DNA and AI to genealogical research, consults, volunteers helping seniors navigate technology, explores Colorado’s outdoors, and enjoys life with his wife Connie and four daughters.

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Presentation

Our ancestors didn’t live in a void. Events and people in their communities, region, and world affected their decisions and other factors in their lives. We can learn much more about our families when we research their friends, neighbors, and associates and learn about the history and geography of the places they lived, including neighboring jurisdictions. This lecture will introduce the concept of cluster research and explore resources to help you better understand the jurisdictions and history of the areas in which your ancestor lived.

Speaker:

Julia A. Anderson is an Accredited Genealogist® and Accredited Genealogist Lecturer™ with expertise in the U.S. Gulf South Region. She received a bachelor’s degree in history and university honors from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree in history and post-secondary education from Grand Canyon University. Julia works full-time at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she manages one of the research teams. Julia is also the owner and managing member of Anderson Genealogical Research, LLC in Orem, Utah and serves as a commissioner on the board of ICAPGen. Julia and her husband, Scott, live in Orem, Utah. Together, they have nine children and eleven grandchildren.

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Presentation

Ever wonder what treasures await you in the courthouse where your ancestor lived? This presentation will help you prepare for your visit before you leave, and then show you what records to look for and what gems you might find!

Speaker

With 20 years experience, eight of those as a professional genealogist, Jim has researched in repositories across the Southeast. He is a graduate of the GenProof and ProGen courses, has taught at local meetings and national conferences, and won first place in the Professional Writing Category for TxSGS. He is chief researcher for Heroes of the Past, researching across the U.S. but specializing in Texas and the Southeast.

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Presentation

Recreating neighborhoods can provide rich and insightful details about an ancestor’s life and surroundings. This lecture will demonstrate ways to build a map using Sanborn Fire insurance maps, census records, and city directories in Google Maps.

Speaker

Ari Wilkins, FTxSGS is a genealogist, lecturer and instructor who has been actively researching family history for over twenty-five years. Ms. Wilkins is a graduate of Louisiana State University. She speaks on a variety of genealogical subjects and specializes in African American research and Southern research.

As a lecturer, Ms. Wilkins has spoken nationally at the National Genealogical Society, the Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research, the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, RootsTech, and a multitude of state and local societies.  She has also led the African American course for the Texas Institute of Genealogical Research for the past three years.

Ari is active in the genealogical community. Previously, she served as a board member of the Dallas Genealogical Society and the Texas State Genealogical Society. She has been active with the National Genealogical Society and served on numerous committees.

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Presentation

Quakers were prolific record keepers, and their minutes can document family relationships, migrations, and community life in extraordinary detail. Learn key Quaker history, how meetings were organized, and where to find the records that make Quaker research so rewarding.

Speaker

Annette Burke Lyttle, CG® owns Heritage Detective, LLC, providing professional genealogical services in research, education, and writing. She speaks on a variety of genealogical topics and loves helping people uncover and share their family stories. Annette is a course coordinator for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. She is a published writer whose research interests include Quaker ancestors and ancestral migrations in the United States. She is past president of the Association of Professional Genealogists and editor of The Florida Genealogist.

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