Star of the North Genealogy Conference

Two nationally renowned genealogists will headline the Star of the North Genealogy Conference, September 19-20, at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul.

Minnesota professional genealogist Paula Stuart-Warren will teach a class on finding ancestral places of origin, as well as lecture on tactics for researching Midwestern ancestors with New England roots and easy ways to begin writing a family history. Stuart-Warren is a Certified Genealogist and a former Officer of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

Christine Rose, also a Certified Genealogist, will offer four lectures covering inheritance records, military records, ways to avoid erroneous conclusions and tips for solving complex genealogical problems in 25 hours or less. Rose has written many genealogical research guide books and has been an instructor at the Institute for Genealogical and Historical Research at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.

“This is a premier family history learning opportunity for Upper Midwest genealogists,” said Robin Panlener, President of the Minnesota Genealogical Society, sponsor of the event. “We invite family history researchers from Minnesota and neighboring states to experience the unsurpassed family history resources of the Minnesota History Center in Minnesota’s Sesquicentennial Year.”

Genealogists and family historians of all experience levels will be able to choose from 12 seminar offerings. Joe Amato, professor emeritus of history and rural studies at Southwest State University and Brigid Shields, Minnesota Historical Society reference librarian will give tips of telling family history stories. Amato is author of Jacob’s Well: a Case for Rethinking Family History.

Other classes will feature three other Certified Genealogists from Minnesota. Tom Rice will teach a class on using the internet to find unusual printed sources. Darlene Joyce will lecture on best practices for family history researchers, and J. H. Fonkert will present an illustrated talk on Midwest historical geography for genealogists.

The Friday evening program includes Minnesota Genealogical Society’s annual awards banquet. Dr. Annette Atkins, author of the Sesquicentennial retrospective, Creating Minnesota: a History from the Inside Out, is the featured speaker for the banquet. Atkins is Professor of History at St. John’s University and the College of St. Benedict.

Atkins, Amato and Rose will sign copies of their books at a 6 p.m. Friday reception preceding the banquet.

MGS will present its annual Service and Achievement Awards at the banquet.