Join us LIVE on your computer tonight for Connect with FGS

How much can you learn about the upcoming February 2015 Federation of Genealogical Societies conference in 30 minutes? Join Cyndi Ingle, J. Mark Lowe, and me online tonight!

We are part of the inaugural edition of Connect with FGS. It is hosted by Caroline Pointer and Linda McCauley. Cheryl Hudson Passey is one of the FGS conference ambassadors and she will be on the show, too.

We are on live at 9 ET, 8 CT, 7 MT, and 6 PT.

You can watch all our smiling faces on Connect with FGS live from the FGS YouTube Channel or from the FGS Google+ Event.

For more details visit the FGS Voice blog and also learn how to view the program later. http://voice.fgs.org/2014/10/fgs-launching-monthly-hangout-on-air.html

The Voice blog also carries many other conference, FGS, and general genealogy news.

FGS free talk show online debuts Nov 6 with 3 "interesting" guests

Want more information about attending a big FGS genealogy conference? Join me, Cyndi Ingle, and Mark Lowe on Connect with FGS that debuts November 6 at 9:00 p.m. EST. We are all speakers at the 2015 Federation of Genealogical Societies conference being held next February in Salt Lake City in conjunction with RootsTech. Caroline Pointer and Linda McCauley host the show.

Connect with FGS will be a 30 minute FREE show broadcast on the first Thursday of the month as a Google+ Hangout and also on the FGS YouTube channel. Between now and February it will focus on the FGS 2015 conference scheduled for February 11–14 in Salt Lake City, but other FGS news and events will also be discussed.

Mark recently posted on Facebook that we will have a crazy time on this hangout. Yes, we will! It will be informative about FGS and the conference but I think we each might have some ideas up our sleeves. Will 30 minutes be enough for us? Will Caroline and Linda be able to rein us in?

To learn more about this new monthly event, check out the free FGS Voice blog
http://voice.fgs.org/2014/10/fgs-launching-monthly-hangout-on-air.html

For more about the conference https://www.fgsconference.org/

FGS Conference 2015: Connect. Explore. Refresh.

I am officially registered for the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2015 Conference. It is being held earlier than usual to take advantage of a one-time joint opportunity with RootsTech in Salt Lake City. I hope February 11-14 is already on your calendar. 

 

I have not missed a FGS conference since 1990. That is 24 years of great education, networking, shopping and even lots of fun. Yes, I am hooked. I even became a volunteer at many of these conferences. Now I am on the FGS Board of Directors. Really hooked on FGS.

 

The 2015 theme of Connect. Explore. Refresh. really tells why I love these conferences.

 

During all those years I have connected with many other genealogists, librarians, vendors, and others who are now my friends. They have shared valuable research advice, names of people to contact, and have held my hand through some tough times. I didn't make all these connections right away, but these developed as we recognized each other at subsequent conferences. I hope to add more of my readers to that list of friends after this coming February in Salt Lake City.

Attending a FGS conference allows me to explore in two main ways. I love exploring topics that are presented in lectures I might not have a chance to attend elsewhere. I often choose to attend a session on something totally different from my areas of research or experience. Exploration equals enlightenment. Then there is always the large hall filled with vendors of all kinds. They demo and sell software, books, subscriptions, magazines, office supplies, preservation materials and much more.

I find that the lectures, vendors, fellow genealogists, luncheons, and other parts of a conference allow me to hit the refresh button in my research. When I return from a FGS conference I am able to continue my research with a refreshed energy and new knowledge. It's an energy that's difficult to express, but it's a new level of excitement filled with paths to try.

Where exactly shall we meet in the Salt Palace Convention Center next February? The program, hotel info, and many more details are here: https://www.fgsconference.org/.  Online registration is a breeze on that same website. 

 

If your chosen hotel is full, check http://www.visitsaltlake.com/ for many more lodging places. Rumor has it that additional choices will soon appear on the FGS conference website. This is already a popular conference.

Two genealogy conferences in one place!

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) is having its conference a bit earlier in 2015. February to be exact and in Salt Lake City!

FGS and RootsTech are teaming up for a one-time special genealogy event at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, February 11–14, 2015. FGS and RootsTech will share the huge expo hall, general sessions, activities, and more while each conference offers their own program of sessions. FGS sessions will focus on methodology, records, ethnic research, and migration for honing your research skills and society issues to motivate and inspire society volunteers. RootsTech will offer a program of technology-based solutions for the genealogy needs of both individuals and societies.

I hope to see you there for this amazing event. Reserve your hotel room now. Don't forget that multiple light rail lines in the Salt Lake City area means you can also stay at outlying hotels.

Read the full details here https://www.fgsconference.org/ and register for the FGS conference online. Add RootsTech for only $39. 

The greatest savings on the registration cost is available only through September 12th! Anyone with an interest in genealogy, history, and family history is welcome.

War of 1812 Pensions: 362,206 more pages funded for digitization!

During the Federation of Genealogical Societies conference in San Antonio, last week, there was a special event that helped raise the funds to digitized 362, 206 more pages of the War of 1812 pension files.

Digitize and make them searchable, free, and printable to anyone forever. What a nice phrase.

The FGS 2014 Celebrity Fun Walk was extremely successful. If you hadn't heard about this, it was a fun event with many donations given on behalf of these four amazing individuals. The power of the four genealogists who woke up before sunset to walk from the convention center to the Alamo was amazing. The power of the community donations was wonderful. With all that was raised on behalf of Judy Russell, Josh Taylor, Kenyatta Berry, and Ed Donakey, plus the matching funds and other items, the total is almost $85,000.

Check out the Preserve the Pensions blog for more details and photos. 

The campaign isn't finished yet. There are many more files to be digitized. About 61,000 pages were digitized last month but that's only into the H surnames. Urge your fellow genealogists, historians, authors, military experts, and others to contribute. The Illinois and Indiana genealogical societies are once again providing matching funds for donations made through them. Check their society websites for details.

Registration Savings on North Star Genealogy Conference in Minnesota

Sunday, September 7th is the last day to register and save money on the 2014 North Star Conference. This is the Minnesota Genealogical Society's annual conference. The featured speaker for 2014 is Judy Russell, JD, CG^SM , CGL^SM , who is known as The Legal Genealogist.  Judy will present four lectures during the October 3-4 event. Several other speakers will also present sessions, including some woman named PaulaStuart-Warren.

Lunch is included in the registration price, and each attendee will receive tickets for door prize drawings. The location is Colonial Church in Edina, a Minneapolis suburb. The church  has plenty of parking and free Wi-Fi.

The full conference brochure is here. Register on the MGS website http://mngs.org/

On Thursday evening, October 2, MGS and the DNA Interest Group host Judy Russell for "DNA Goes Genderless." This requires a separate registration.Visit http://mngs.org/ for details.

Judy's description of this presentation: "Until 2010, genealogists could only use DNA to help prove ancestry if they could find sons of sons of a male ancestor or daughters of daughters of a female ancestor to test against each other. With the advent of autosomal DNA testing, DNA has gone genderless: it's now possible to test a male descendant of a man or woman against a female descendant. Learn more about this exciting addition to the toolkit of 21st century genealogists."

Genealogical Research Institute of Pennsylvania 1 & 2!

I am home from a successful week at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh that was held at LaRoche College. I had a classroom full of wonderful and sharing people in the course I coordinate, “Intermediate Genealogy: Tools for Digging Deeper.” The homework project for the week turned out to be one that featured many twists and turns. One newspaper article even called the family "notorious!" We were able to spend time discussing many of the students' own research problems and I hope they follow up on the great research suggestions we all shared. Sometimes it just takes a different set of eyes and experience to help solve an issue.

I also taught in the “Becoming an Online Expert: Mastering Search Engines and Digital Archives" that is coordinated by Josh Taylor and had fun sharing the ins and outs of searching on Ancestry.com and on public library websites. I appreciate the great presentations by Debra Mieszala, CG and D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS in the intermediate course.

I made some new friends last week and some of them are even attending a course in Orchard Lake! They are hooked on the institute experience.

The next offerings of the week-long institute are July 20-25, 2014 in Pittsburgh and August 3-8, 2014 in Orchard Lake, Michigan (a beautiful suburb of Detroit). I will be repeating the “Intermediate Genealogy: Tools for Digging Deeper” and will also be teaching in the “Bridging the Gap: New England to the Midwest, 1780-1840.”

There are still some openings in the Orchard Lake week. Visit http://www.gripitt.org for more details.

You may still register for the FGS Genealogy Conference in San Antonio!

I just had someone ask me if they could still register for the FGS (Federation of Genealogical Societies) conference in San Antonio, Texas.

That answer is easy: YES!

One other question that I usually receive since I am a member of the FGS Board of Directors is whether this is just a conference for genealogical societies. Another easy reply: NOT AT ALL!

Anyone may register and you don't need to belong to a genealogical society. Though, I would then ask why that person doesn't belong to a society where they reside and also where the ancestors resided. Whether you are just starting out with your family history research or have been researching for a long time, there are helpful presentations, networking, vendors, speakers, topics, fun events, plus the beautiful and famous San Antonio River Walk just steps from the convention center and hotels.

Check the conference information, speaker and topic lineup, hotel details (a second large hotel was added), luncheons with special speakers, evening events, workshops, exhibit hall participants, and more at https://www.fgsconference.org. Be sure to click on the Blog and read updates and important details, too.

If you register now, you will soon get online access to the full syllabus. Each conference registrant will receive notice in early August that the conference syllabus of lecture handouts is online and ready to read. Be sure to print the sections for lectures you plan to attend. Many speakers refer to specific points, have the URLs in there, and you may want to add additional notes on some of the points.

Calling all genealogists! FGS San Antonio Conference BIG savings deadline

The end of my summer includes attending and speaking at the 2014 Federation of Genealogical Societies conference in San Antonio, Texas. Air conditioned comfort in the convention center and hotel and lovely walks along the famous River Walk.

The best part for right now is that if you register for the conference no later than July 1st, you save $55.00 off the full four-day price. That savings can then be used in the large Exhibit Hall or on a couple luncheons.
I have also registered for the two big evening events that sound like a lot of fun.

Yes, I am on the FGS Board of Directors and have a special interest in the FGS Conferences, but I attended them long before I was on the board. As you have heard me say over and over, it's a time for education, networking, fun, and a buying spree in the Exhibit Hall. I keep reading the conference website and conference blog to plan my first-ever trip to San Antonio. When I return home from San Antonio, I will have another amazing first-time experience but that story will be for another day.

See you there. https://www.fgsconference.org/

2014 FGS Genealogy Conference in San Antonio!

I just spent some time catching up on the FGS Conference Blog. After so many years of editing or at least writing posts for the conference blog, I thought I would miss it a lot. In reality, it was time to let others handle it and they are doing a great job for the 2014 conference that will be held August 27-30 in San Antonio, Texas.

I have registered for the conference, have a hotel room, and am about to make my airline reservation. Don't forget that July 1st is the end of the discount registration time and it's a $55.00 savings off of full conference registration! Don't miss a great four days of learning, networking and an event that has something for every level of genealogical experience.

Check here for all the conference details: https://www.fgsconference.org/

Check here for the conference blog that is always a must for extra conference new, information, and last minute details. https://www.fgsconference.org/blog/

I am a member of the Board of Directors of FGS and I hope to meet new friends in San Antonio and renew some acquaintances.

Genealogy lectures live streamed from Jamboree

There's nothing better than attending a genealogical conference or institute for great knowledge, camaraderie, networking, and on-the-spot help. There are many great educational opportunities. I would love to meet many readers in just 2 weeks at the Southern California Genealogical Society's Jamboree but I do realize that some have family, work, health, and budget limitations.

However, the SCGS is offering a great array of Jamboree presentations via live-streaming right in your own home. The first day has a fee and the three following days are free.
You'll find a complete list of the sessions, with links to the registration pages and as well as registration information on the Jamboree website and also on the right hand column of this blog.

Here are the specifics:

Family History and DNA Conference - June 5, 2014
-Five streamed sessions, 10:00am to 6:00pm PDT
-Pay for view, $30 per session
-All-Day Pass $130 includes complete DNA syllabus
-Requires a two-step registration process
-Sessions available for 30 days after initial webcast
-Sessions will not be available in the SCGS webinar archive

• CeCe Moore: "Real World Stories from the Desk of a Genealogy DNA Detective"
• Diahan Southard: "Lab Tour: How Your Data is Generated"
• Blaine Bettinger, PhD, JD: "Using Autosomal DNA to Explore Your Ancestry"
• Dr. Maurice Gleeson: "Which DNA is Best for You?"
• Tim Janzen, MD: "Advanced Techniques for Use of Autosomal DNA Tests to Break Through Genealogical Brick Walls"

Southern California Genealogy Jamboree - June 6-8, 2014
-14 streamed sessions over three days
-Initial webcast provided free of charge
-Cost is partially underwritten by Diamond Sponsor Ancestry.com
-Many sessions will eventually be available in the SCGS webinar archive for viewing by members

Friday, June 6 - Four sessions 1:00pm to 6:30pm PDT

• Judy G. Russell JD, CG, CGL - "Dowered or Bound Out: Records of Widows and Orphans"
• Blaine Bettinger PhD, JD - "DNA and the Genealogical Proof Standard"
• Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FUGA - "Manuscript Finding Aids: Locating Migrating Family Records"
• F. Warren Bittner, CG - "Proof Arguments: How and Why"

Saturday, June 7 - Six sessions 8:30am to 6:00pm PDT

• F. Warren Bittner, CG - "Elusive Immigrant!"
• Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL - "Staying out of Trouble: The Rights and Responsibilities of Today's Genealogist"
• Michael Leclerc - "Researching Your New England Ancestors"
• Bennett Greenspan - "The Future of Genetic Genealogy"
• Dr. Maurice Gleeson - "Researching Your Irish Ancestry"
• Cyndi Ingle - "The Internet: A Genealogist's Printing Press"

Sunday, June 8 - Four sessions 8:30am to 3:30pm PDT

• D. Joshua Taylor - "Resources of the DAR: Beyond Revolutionary War Soldiers"
• Dawn Thurston - "How to Write a Personal History that Captures your Interesting Life"
• Dr. Maurice Gleeson - "Ireland and the Slave Trade"
• Denise Levenick - "Dirty Pictures: Save Your Family Photos from Ruin"

Please help us spread the word about this outstanding educational opportunity for family historians and genealogists from around the globe. Share this news with your cousins, friends, society members, and followers.

Paula is interviewed on the Genealogy Guys Podcast

While I was at the Ohio Genealogical Society's conference in Sandusky, Ohio earlier this month, I was interviewed by Drew Smith for the Genealogy Guys Podcast that is hosted by Drew and George G. Morgan. We covered several topics including railroads, research planning, and genealogical institutes. I was able to mention my own railroad connections and love of railroads. Drew is a great interviewer. At the end I loved hearing that George picked up several tips from my railroad lecture at that conference.

You can listen to the entire May podcast at http://genealogyguys.com. My segment is at the end, but the rest of the podcast is very worthwhile.

4 busy months of genealogical education for me

I just updated my large wall calendar that I see each time I walk into my office. I have a busy next four months. I hope you will be able to join me at one or more of these places where I will be lecturing. Be sure to click on the links for full details on the hotels, registration and all the presentations at each event.

• April 30-May 3, Ohio Genealogical Society Conference, Genealogical Expedition, Sandusky, Ohio. My presentations are:
• Midwestern Railroad Research
• What Next?Hands-on Research Planning (2 hour workshop)

• June 6-8, Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree, Burbank, California. My presentations are: 
• Manuscript Finding Aids: Locating Migrating Family Records
• Research Reports for Ourselves: More than a Research Log
• What Next? Hands-on Research Planning

•  July 20-25, Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My presentations are in two of the courses:
• Intermediate Genealogy: Tools for Digging Deeper: (12 sessions)
• Becoming an Online Expert: Mastering Search Engines and Digital Archives (2 sessions)

•  August 3-8, GRIP on the Road in Orchard Lake, Michigan (suburban Detroit). My presentations are: 
• Intermediate Genealogy: Tools for Digging Deeper: (12 sessions) 
• Bridging the Gap: New England to the Midwest, 1780-1840 (2 sessions)

•  August 27-30, Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference, San Antonio, Texas. My presentations are: 
• The Dotted Line: Sign Before Other Steps
• Volunteering from a Distance
• Research Gems: Southern and Western Historical and Sociological Journals

Update on 2014 Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh

In case you didn't know, this is a reminder that the 2014 edition of the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) is being offered in two places this year.

• July 20 - 25 on the serene campus of La Roche College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with 6 courses
• August 3-8 on the beautiful campus of the Polish Mission in Orchard Lake, Michigan (suburban Detroit) with 4 courses.

There are still spots in courses at each location. Join the students, instructors, coordinators, and GRIP directors for a great week of learning. Classrooms and dorms are air conditioned, the cafeterias are handy, the education is superb, each registrant gets a course syllabus, the networking and other learning are dedicated, and fun is also guaranteed. The areas of both campuses have hotels and restaurants within a few miles. I actually like the airports in both places so that's another plus.

Just ask anyone who has attended GRIP the past two summers and you will likely find someone itching to return.

See you in both cities!

Bus it to the FGS Conference from Minnesota

If you live in Minnesota or Wisconsin, why not consider riding to the Federation of Genealogical Societies August 21-24 Conference in Fort Wayne with a bus filled with eager genealogists? The conference theme is "Journey through Generations" and you have the opportunity to travel with others who understand that phrase!

Check the website of the Minnesota Genealogical Society for the full details. MGS has arranged for hotel rooms and the bus will deliver you to the convention center each day.

2013 FGS Conference Early-Bird discount ends July 1

This press release is from the Federation of Genealogical Societies. I am on the FGS Board of Directors and am also National Conference Co-Chair for this event.

“Journey through Generations” – A Conference for the Nation’s Genealogists

June 10, 2013 – Austin, TX.  Discounted early-bird registration for the 2013 Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference will continue only until July 1. Early registrants receive a $50 discount for the full four days, or a $20 discount for any single day. Details at http://www.fgsconference.org. 

The conference will be held 21-24 August 2013 in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the Grand Wayne Convention Center. This year’s conference theme is “Journey through Generations,” and the local hosts are the Allen County Public Library (ACPL) and the Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana (ACGSI). Platinum sponsors are FamilySearch.org, FindMyPast.com and Ancestry.com.

The conference offers opportunities for all who are interested in researching their family history, with over 160 educational sessions on records, strategies, and tools for genealogists at all levels. The exhibit hall features over 70 vendors offering a wide range of genealogical products and is open and free to the public. 

Luncheons, workshops and special events provide additional opportunities for networking and learning. Make sure the get your tickets to these conference “extras” early to guarantee your spot.

See you in Fort Wayne in August!

Learn More and Stay Connected:

• Visit or subscribe to the FGS Conference Blog at http://www.fgsconferenceblog.org.
• Like the conference on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/FGSconference.
• Follow the conference on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/FGSconference and hashtag #FGS2013.
• Visit Fort Wayne at http://www.visitfortwayne.com/FGS.

Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree

I really enjoyed the special genetics learning day at the Jamboree. The speakers, lectures, and comaraderie were great. I volunteered as a room monitor all day and tonight my feet really know I did that! I learned a lot about DNA testing from knowledgeable presenters in the rooms where I worked. I am convinced more than ever that I need to do this NOW.

I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. during a late afternoon break with Cyndi Ingle Howells and Elyse Doerflinger. Thank you to Cyndi for arranging the meeting.

Elyse Doerflinger, Dr,. Gate, and me

I met new friends and spent some time with long-time friends. That's an important part of these conferences. Also, that we ate too much! Looking forward to three more days in Burbank learning, presenting and having meetings. Hey fellow Minnesotans, the sun really does still exist.

St. Cloud, Minnesota Genealogy Conference, June 22

The Minnesota Genealogical Society and the St. Cloud Area Genealogists are hosting the St. Cloud Genealogy Conference on Saturday, June 22, 2013. It’s an all-day event and the cost is only $35 which includes lunch and snacks.

The program features two plenary sessions and two rounds of breakout sessions, with topics including researching at the National Archives, scanning images, finding European origins, and the newest changes at FamilySearch.org, plus two German research topics: reading German church records and German research on the web.

The location is the Apollo High School at 1000 N 44th Avenue in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

For more details and to register, visit the MGS website:  www.mngs.org

Six weeks left to save on FGS Fort Wayne Conference

Just six weeks left to take advantage of the fantastic $50 savings on the 2013 Federation of Genealogical Societies conference registration. If you register for the FGS Fort Wayne conference no later than July 1st, you will save $50 off the full four-day registration price.  The savings on a single day registration is $20. The conference has things of interest for all levels of genealogical experience.

If you have already registered, please let your genealogy co-horts and fellow society members know about the savings deadline. Consider registering soon for workshops, luncheons, and special events. All of these are showing fantastic registration numbers and some may fill soon.

It’s easy to go back to the registration page of the conference website, log in, and add luncheons, special events, the Farewell Brunch, donate to the War of 1812 Preserve the Pensions Fund, or other items.

Check out the conference website at www.fgsconference.org

First-ever New York State Family History Conference September 20 and 21, 2013.

This press release was received from the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society. I am honored to be among the speakers at this inaugural event. I have some brief New York ancestral connections, have researched that state for clients, and a fun research project on a relative's family has been all over the state.

NEW YORK, NY, March 19, 2013 -- The Central New York Genealogical Society and the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society are cosponsoring the first-ever statewide genealogical conference in New York.  The two-day conference will be held on September 20 and 21 at the Holiday Inn & Conference Center Liverpool, just outside Syracuse, New York.  Preconference research activities will be available on September 19.  Attendees will have an opportunity to advance their skills in researching

New York families and to build general skills through 20 lectures in two parallel tracks; two luncheons and a dinner, all with riveting speakers; and exhibits by vendors and societies. The Conference Program and exhibitor information may be found on the Conference website, www.NYSFHC.org.

New York State poses numerous challenges for even the most experienced family history researcher.  The New York State Family History Conference will break down research barriers and provide a forum that brings people together to share their research knowledge and problem-solving experiences and to collaborate on key research issues. Future conferences will be scheduled at regular intervals.The earlybird registration fee for the two-day Conference (excluding meals and printed syllabus) is $115 until July 1, after which it will be $140; members of the CNYGS or the NYG&B receive a $25 discount. Purchase tickets in the online store at www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org. 

Conference speakers include the top names in New York genealogy:  Blaine Bettinger, The Journal of Genetic Genealogy;  Ruth Carr, New York Public Library (retired);  Sachiko Clayton, New York Public Library;  Laura Murphy DeGrazia, CG, NYG&B Record; Stefani Evans, CG, National Genealogical Society; James D. Folts, New York State Archives;  Karen Mauer Green, CG, NYG&B Record;  Eric Grundset, Library of the Daughters of the American Revolution;  Terry Koch-Bostic, National Genealogical Society; Michael Leclerc, Mocavo; Joseph Lieby, Palatines to America German Genealogical Society;  Maira Liriano, New York Public Library;  Kathleen Roe, New York State Archives;  Paula Stuart-Warren, CG; and  D. Joshua Taylor, findmypast.com.

Sponsors of the conference include: findmypast.com, Mocavo, the National Genealogical Society, the New York Public Library, the Office of Cultural Education/New York State Education Department, and the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.

For more information on the host organizations, please visit their websites:

• The Central New York Genealogical Society www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nycnygs.

• New York Genealogical and Biographical Society www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org.