Lecture Topics

   ■ Too Many Mothers; A case study using The Genealogical Proof Standard to determine the biological mother of Georgianna Peck  -- Examples of analyzing and weighing multiple documents  to produce credible genealogical conclusions.

  ■  Gathering Family Memories; Pointers and Evoking Queries To Create Successful Family Narratives -- Did you ever go skinny-dipping? Do you remember the school custodian? Convincing people to share their life stories isn't always easy. Nor is the first step of writing your own family history. A compilation of questions and ideas from experienced interviewers is provided. These pointers and evoking queries create rich family history memoirs.

  ■  Unveiling Holes and Adding Texture With Timelines -- Did Great-Grandpa have a slave? telephone? a radio? was it invented in his lifetime? Which wars occurred when he was a young man? Who was president? Details such as these allow us an insight into our ancestors' lives.

  ■  Piles of Papers: Various Organizing Methods For Finding Your Documents -- Again -- Examples of many distinctly different systems to collect and file the many documents family history researchers collect. By using one, or a combination of these techniques, the paper stacks may, almost, disappear.

  ■  Identifying Family Members in the Pre-1850 Censuses -- Prior to the 1850 census the head of the household were named on the federal censuses. The remaining family members are identified only by sex and age groupings. There are tricks to identify these family members.

  ■  Shoe Polish, Furniture Polish, Genealogy Polish: Make Your Research Shine With A Style Sheet -- Using a style sheet showcases your research when entering research "finds" in your computer, sharing your records, or publishing a book. Exhibiting your records with self-created "rules" shows forethought to displaying your information. Quickly, and easily, creating a customized style sheet makes your genealogy data appear refined and well-presented, or polished. As the rule-maker you can enjoy creating the shine.

 Classes & Workshops

  ■  Beginning Genealogy
       ■  Where to Start
       ■   Vital Records
       ■  Recording Your Information
       ■  Census
       ■   Computers & Software
       ■    Internet Searching & Websites

  ■  Intermediate Genealogy
       ■  Church Records
       ■  Probate Records
       ■  Land Records
       ■  Interviewing Family Members
       ■  Newspapers
       ■  Immigration & Passenger Lists
       ■  Organizing Your Documents

  ■  Advanced Topics
       ■  Naturalizations
       ■  Homesteading
       ■  Military Records
       ■  Census Details
       ■  Evaluation of Sources
       ■  Making a Real Person Out of the Facts

   More Lecture Topics

  ■  Censuses Tell Us Much More Than Birth Years and Places -- A discussion census year by census year to reveal the minute details that may be overlooked by the uninformed. The handout includes a blank census form for each of the federal census enumerations.

 ■  Exposing Relationships With City Directories -- City, county, farm, and social directories can provide answers to your obscure family history. This popular "hands-on" presentation reveals hidden clues to accelerate your family history search.