Genealogy COMO 2015 Family History and Genealogy Conference

Transcription

1 Genealogy COMO 2015 Family History and Genealogy Conference Topics and Presenter Bios of Live Sessions and RootsTech 2015 Video Rebroadcasts 1. A REAL Beginners Guide to the Use of DNA in Genealogical Research, Debbie Furnell This session will discuss the types of DNA tests, how to apply DNA results in genealogical research, and a case study that demonstrates the use of DNA. There will also be a discussion of various websites and ways to become more educated about the use of DNA and genealogy. Debbie Furnell is a professional genealogist, serves as 2nd vice president for the Missouri State Genealogical Association, and is treasurer for the Genealogical Society of Boone County and Central Missouri, where she also serves as a library volunteer. Debbie also volunteers at the local Family History Center in Columbia and is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists. 2. Bringing Your Ancestors Back to the Future, Anne Leishman (a RT video) In this session you will learn the difference between inquiry and research and then focus on three basic record categories for new genealogists: census records, vital records, and headstones. Anne Leishman graduated from BYU with a BA in Genealogy in April Her passion lies in teaching novices how to jump into research. Currently she is the Family History Teaching Assistant at BYU and Welsh Mormon History Project Manager at BYU Family History Center. 3. Building a Genealogical Research Toolbox, Thomas MacEntee (a Roots Tech video) Have you ever had trouble relocating that wonderful website you discovered just last week? Come learn how to build your own toolbox of genealogy research resources you can use anywhere, with all the links, books, and articles you might ever need again. This is a great organizational tool. Thomas MacEntee was laid off during the 2008 recession after 25 years in the information technology field. That s when he decided to turn his love for genealogy into a genealogy-related business called High Definition Genealogy. Today he is a genealogy professional who s also a blogger, educator, author, social media connector, marketer, network builder and more. 4. Family Tree 101: An Introduction to Family Tree on FamilySearch.org, Harvey James Learn how to build and enhance your family tree on FamilySearch.org. Learn how to add and edit information, find and attach sources, upload stories and photos, and tag people in your family tree. Harvey James has been researching his own family history for over 25 years. Although he learned he is not related to the infamous 19th century American outlaw, he has traced his roots to Cornish tin miners and 1

2 Danish farmers. He loves the new Family Tree function that FamilySearch.org unveiled a several years ago, and he has pretty much mastered it. He can help you do the same. 5. Follow Your Family's Trail with Google Earth, Eric Stitt Google Earth is free computer software allowing you to see the globe in 3D imagery. Using geographic information found in deeds or addresses from sources such as census data, you can visually document your family's history. And, by taking a GPS to the family cemetery, you can mark the final resting place of your family members. Google Earth has worlds (sorry for the pun) of potential ways to document and share your family's discoveries in a fun and interactive way that all generations can enjoy. Come check out this demonstration and discover some creative ways to tell your family's stories. Eric Stitt traveled the world growing up in a military family and has served in the military himself for the last 15 years. Six years ago he began tracking down ancestors and sharing his research knowledge. His favorite way to present all his findings to his family, friends, and anyone else who s interested is through Google Earth with all it has to offer. Eric has been using Google Earth for over 8 years both in family research and in the military. He is married, and has two little girls. 6. Gateway to the West: Missouri Land Grant Records, Christina Miller This session will explore the various land grant records available at the Missouri State Archives, from the French and Spanish era to the U.S. Land Sales and everything in between, and provide tips on how to explore these records. Christina Miller is the Senior Reference Archivist at the Missouri State Archives. She has a Masters of Archival Studies from the University of British Columbia School of Library, Archival and Information Studies and is a Certified Archivist. 7. Getting the Most Out of Ancestry.com, Crista Cowan (a RootsTech video) You ve probably used Ancestry.com to search for people, but have you really explored how it can help you with your research. This is a great opportunity to learn more about making the most of this popular website s features. Crista Cowan has been involved in family history research for over 25 years and actively engaged in client research since Her specialties include descendancy research, Jewish immigration, and sharing family history with the genealogically challenged. She is an active member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and has been employed at Ancestry.com since Getting the Most Out of Your Trip to Cemeteries and Funeral Homes, Dennis Allen & Cris Nagla Have you ever wondered what you are missing when you research a cemetery or funeral home? Come and learn what hidden gems are hiding in these two resource-rich sites. Learn what questions to ask when visiting them. We will help you prepare for your research trip to the cemetery and funeral home. 2

3 Dennis Allen has learned, after 30 years researching is own family, that sometimes we only need to go back to the basics and use a simple process in finding what we need. Dennis has volunteered for many genealogical/historical organizations in Iowa and the mid-west and, along with Cris Nagla, has given many presentations. In addition to mastering new technologies that enhance cemetery research, much of their free time is spent cleaning stones and showing others how to do so safely. 9. Inside the World of Searchable Records at FamilySearch, Rodney DeGiulio Get an inside peak at the Records Division at FamilySearch.org from the person responsible for overseeing digitization and indexing programs. Learn about the challenges of digitizing technology in genealogical research. Also learn more about current initiatives like that of the Freedman s Bureau records and how such projects are selected. This will also give you an opportunity for you to ask your favorite questions about FamilySearch. Rodney DeGiulio is a senior vice president at FamilySearch, International, overseeing the Records Division. Prior to working for FamilySearch, Rodney completed a 26 year career with Hewlett Packard, which included 7 years as a Vice President over segments of HP s highly successful printer business and HP s worldwide supply chain. Rodney has a BSEE from Brigham Young University and a MBA from Boise State University. 10. Missouri: The Spoiled Brats in Genealogy, Tim Dollens We are the Show Me state for a reason! Tim will show you why we ARE the spoiled brats of genealogy, whether or not your ancestors were ever in Missouri. Learn about the various records, repositories, databases and collections, and organizations that make doing family history research in Missouri easier than it is for many people in other states! Tim Dollens has been "hooked on researching his--and others--family history since he was a teenager when his aunt Betty Lou asked him to type up her book "The Zug, Zuck, Zook Family Trail"-- about a branch of his family tree. He is Past President of the Genealogical Society of Central Missouri and is the current President of the Missouri State Genealogical Association. As a senior associate with the Daniel Boone Regional Library in Columbia, MO, he often helps patrons with their family history. 11. More Than Just the Facts: Writing Your Families Histories, Debbie Youd Your ancestors lived exciting and interesting lives! Isn t it a tragedy when their written histories are so boring that their descendants don t want to read about them? This class will give you ideas on filling out the facts of Great-Grandpa s life to give it personality and help you really get to know him. It will also give you suggestions of the best way to preserve your priceless family histories. Debbie Youd was bit by the genealogy bug when she was an early teen and it has been her passion ever since! She has researched her own family for decades, as well as helped others on their quest to climb their family trees. She has served as Family History Center Director and consultant. For the past three years she has served as program director for Genealogy Kansas City ( 3

4 12. Placing Your Ancestors in Historical Context: A Tale of Two Franks, Beth Foulk Why did your ancestor settle here? How did he get there? What was life like there? What prompted him to move? At the heart of genealogy is the answer to all of the decisions that played out to ultimately shape our ancestors lives, who lived in an ever changing world with forces pushing and pulling on their lives. We ll look at the wonderful world of background sources, and their cousin, finding aides, to provide depth. Beth Foulk s enthusiasm for genealogy was initiated by her father s commitment to it. She expresses that enthusiasm through her website, and through one-on-one assistance, her blog, and by teaching throughout the year, often at conferences. She has the ability to explain challenging concepts in a very accessible way. 13. Problem Solving Using FANs--Friends, Associates & Neighbors, Beth Foulk Often the answer to climbing a genealogy brick wall is simply to go around it. By broadening our research to include our ancestor's friends, associates and neighbors, we can find answers. Beth will show you just how to use this approach to problem solving. Beth Foulk s enthusiasm for genealogy was initiated by her father s commitment to it. She expresses that enthusiasm through her website, and through one-on-one assistance, her blog, and by teaching throughout the year, often at conferences. She has the ability to explain challenging concepts in a very accessible way. 14. Putting It All Together: Sharing Your Family Stories, Rob Taylor Now that you ve done the research, how do you share it with people whose eyes glaze over at the sight of a pedigree chart? Learn some creative suggestions for sharing your family s story with others. Rob Taylor has been researching his family history for over two decades. He is past president of the Genealogical Society of Boone County and Central Missouri (GSCM) and has served as their journal editor since He also is the current editor of the Missouri State Genealogical Association (MoSGA) newsletter and has previously served in various leadership positions in that organization. 15. Record Sources You Don t Want to Overlook, Arthur Nott-Hopkins The class will examine the less-obvious sources of genealogical information like Land Records, County Histories, City Directories, Tax Records, and other records that are often overlooked. You will explore these records and see how they help fill in the stories of our ancestors lives as well as provide clues for additional research. These records allow the researcher to go beyond just the names, dates, and milestone events. Arthur Nott-Hopkins is the Director of the Moberly MO Family History Center. He has been actively researching his family history for over 10 years. He currently works for the State of Missouri as a Veterans Service Officer for the Missouri Veterans Commission. Prior to moving to Missouri, he served 11 years in the United States Army. 4

5 16. Show Me Military Records, John Dougan This session will focus on using military records to help you trace your ancestors. Their enlistment, duty, discharge and benefit records document both their military service and their family history. Examples from the Missouri State Archives will be used as models of these valuable sources. John Dougan serves as the Missouri State Archivist where he oversees the Records and Archives Division in the Missouri Secretary of State s Office. The Archives is possibly best known for their award winning Missouri State Archives website, MissouriDigitalHeritage.com. 17. The Missouri Digital Newspaper Project: Doing Research in the Digital Newspaper Collections of the SHSMO, Laura Jolley and Julie Cox Newspapers are the first draft of history. American newspapers preserve essential records and provide detailed accounts of politics, issues, events, and the lives of everyday people. Made possible by LSTA, NEH, and Library of Congress grants, the project has digitized almost one million pages of Missouri newspapers that represent 71 counties. This session will explore the joys and frustrations of searching historic digital newspaper content through on-line sources. Laura R. Jolley is a Senior Manuscripts Specialist with the State Historical Society of Missouri in Columbia. Prior to this, she worked for the Missouri State Archives in Jefferson City for 15 years. Laura has over twenty years of experience working with government and private papers, photographs, and map collections and enjoys helping the public find what they need in original documents. Julie Cox has a Masters in Library and Information Sciences from the University of Missouri in She currently works at the State Historical Society of Missouri where she focuses on the Missouri Digital Newspaper Project. She also works at the Daniel Boone Regional Library where she is involved with their Digital Archives project. 18. (Grandpa 'Stole Chickens in the Nighttime') What State Penitentiary Records Can Tell About Your Family, Mary Stansfield In this overview of Missouri State Penitentiary records relating to inmates, you just might find someone you know. The class will include a brief history of penitentiary records and explore how to search penitentiary records for your incarcerated ancestors. Mary Stansfield, MA, CA, is a Research Analyst at the Missouri State Archives. She is a graduate of Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. 19. What s New at FamilySearch? Devin Ashby (a RT video) Come discover the latest tools from FamilySearch and learn how to use them! And, don t let the new changes on the website frustrate you. You ll soon see your family in a whole new way. 5

6 Devin Ashby is a Community Advocate for FamilySearch, the largest genealogical organization in the world. He has been involved in family history for over ten years. He is a popular teacher and developer of material that help keep genealogical researchers up-to-date. 20. What's Your Story? The Process of Tracing Families with Unusual Web Sources, Traci Wilson Kleekamp This session will demonstrate the process of building a framework that allows researchers to trace their ancestors through time and space. The focus is on thinking outside the box, both with regard to what one already knows, and in terms of using internet sources other than the traditional subscription resources where we too often conclude our online searches. Traci Wilson Kleekamp is a Family History Research Consultant. As such, she explores the resources available online and in local, state and national historical repositories that help family historians discover more about their African-American heritage. She is currently featured on the Missouri State Archives website: African-American Genealogy: Putting Together the Pieces of Your Past. She also hosts a blog at Tracilizz's Genealogy Blog & Diversity's Gleanings. 21. Where Do I Start, Because I Don t Have a Clue? Courtney Newton A class for absolute beginners. Learn how to start with what you already know (no matter how much or little you know), how to set a research goal, and where to begin looking for more information. Only the very basics will be covered in this class. Courtney Newton received her BA in Family History (Genealogy) from Brigham Young University and worked for a professional genealogy research firm in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has a strong background in U.S. research and has also performed German and Italian research Pieces of Tech I Can t Live Without, D. Josh Taylor (a RT video) Josh discusses 30 pieces of technology without which he can t function. You might not be interested in each one, but surely there are some suggestions here which, if implemented, would make your research life a bit easier and better organized. D. Josh Taylor is a nationally known and recognized genealogical author, lecturer, and researcher and a frequent speaker at family history events across the globe. Passionate about family history, Joshua is active in the genealogical community and the current President for the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS). Currently Joshua can be found taking Americans through their past as a host on the popular PBS series Genealogy Roadshow. 6