Genealogy classes and events offered by MGS

MGS is the Minnesota Genealogical Society and the event and class offerings continue to expand. This "spring" has a crowded calendar. This is fantastic for everyone who desires to progress further in their family history research.

MGS has been offering special events and classes since the mid-1980s. I remember teaching the first classes at the donated old dining room table in the MGS library's first location on West 7th St. in St. Paul. 

Click on the links below for more details:

Classes: http://mngs.org/classes.htm
Events: http://mngs.org/

Don't forget to check under "About Us" for the link to Branches/Affiliates for more educational offerings. 

Tracing your family history with the 1940 census and other tools

Join me and Mary Jo Webster from the St. Paul Pioneer Press at the St. Paul Public Library, Highland Park branch, for a free class next week. Mary Jo is a reporter and computer-assisted reporting editor for my hometown newspaper.

Mary Jo will talk about her first-ever experience in researching the free, online 1940 U.S. census and finding a neat capsule of her own family history. I will add more about the 1940 census, other censuses, and share tips on researching your family history via materials that are online and some that aren't. There are many free resources for starting to research your family history.

It's a free class on Wednesday, May 23d at 6:30 p.m.

Click here to see directions to the Highland Park Library: http://bit.ly/KxPIBg
Click here to see the library calendar http://bit.ly/MqfIPO

Minnesota genealogy webinar

I just did a run-through of my Minnesota Genealogy Crash Course for Family Tree University. I will be presenting it live next Wednesday, April 25th at 7:00 pm here in the Midwest. That will be at 8:00 Eastern, 6:00 Mountain, and 5:00 Pacific.

Diane Haddad at the Genealogy Insider just posted some teasers about the presentation. Click here to read that and for the link to sign up for the class.

Minnesota genealogy webinar April 25th

On Wednesday, April 25th, I will be presenting a webinar on Minnesota genealogy. It's part of Family Tree University. I have been researching, writing, and teaching about Minnesota genealogical research for more years than I am willing to admit. When I began my Minnesota research, the late Minnesota Historical Society librarian, Wiley Pope, gave me stacks of his personal genealogy periodicals to read. Then I used to sit at the state archives and read through the voluminous finding aids to learn more about the government, business, personal, military, organizational, and other collections. Then I would request box after box of these records to actually see what was in them. Fast forward to today and we have many finding aids, records, and indexes online. Having Minnesota ancestry is wonderful. I think it's the best! I love telling others about it whether through classes, private consultations, articles, or webinars. 

Join me on your computer for the webinar next Wednesday. Visit the Family Tree University website to see a bit more about this Minnesota Genealogy Crash Course and to sign up. The early bird price is only $39.00. Listening live also comes with the opportunity to ask questions.

The webinar is at 8:00 pm. EDT, 7:00 CDT, 6:00 MDT, and 5:00 PDT.

February 2010 National Archives events -- Washington, DC area

The snow will have melted (won't it?) and people can venture to the National Archives locations in the Washington for these events.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE               
February 4, 2010

Special Programs Highlight National Archives Records in February and March

Washington, DC.   All programs are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted, and will be held in the National Archives Building in Washington, DC.   Please note that three of the programs will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland, in Lecture Room B.

Visitors to all programs in the National Archives Building Research Center (Room G-24) should use the Pennsylvania Avenue entrance, between 7th and 9th Streets, NW.  Visitors to programs in the Adams and Jefferson Rooms of the National Archives Building should use the Special Events Entrance on Constitution Avenue at 7th St.  The National Archives at College Park, MD, is located at 8601 Adelphi Road.  For directions to both locations, see:  http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro. 

Tuesday, February 9, at 11 a.m., Room G-24, Research Center   
African American Genealogy in Ancestry.com
Sabrina Petersen of Ancestry.com discusses African American genealogy resources in National Archives records available through Ancestry.com. (The lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park on Thursday, February 11, at 11 a.m.)

Tuesday, February 16, at 11 a.m., Room G-24, Research Center
"Face to Face with History": African American Civil War Surgeons
Jill L. Newmark, exhibition specialist and registrar in the History of Medicine Division at the National Library of Medicine, discusses her article "Face to Face with History" from the Fall 2009 issue of Prologue magazine. She shares her discovery of William P. Powell, Jr.'s story as an African American surgeon during the Civil War and how National Archives records provide a glimpse into a rarely studied part of history. (The lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, Thursday, February 18, at 11 a.m.)

Wednesday, February 17, at 11 a.m., Room G-24, Research Center
Beyond the Basics: African American Genealogy
Archives staff teach "beyond the basic" archival research skills on the third Wednesday and third Saturday of the month.

Saturday, February 20, at 10 a.m., Room G-24, Research Center
Beyond the Basics: Finding Aids
Archives staff teach "beyond the basic" archival research skills on the third Wednesday and third Saturday of the month.  The next lecture is Wednesday, March 17, on non-population census schedules.

Saturday, February 20, noon-4 p.m., Room G-24, Research Center
"Help! I'm Stuck"
Not sure where to begin? Has a genealogical problem stumped you? Hoping to explore new directions in your research? On the third Saturday of each month, an archivist is available from noon to 4 p.m. to answer questions. Look for the "Help! I'm Stuck" sign at the Research Center desk.

Tuesday, February 23, at 11 a.m., Adams Room
George Washington in the Records
Prior to the noontime Book Group discussion, and in celebration of George Washington's birthday, Archives Technician Timothy Duskin, explores the many records held at the National Archives on the first President of the United States.  (The lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, on Thursday, February 25, at 11 a.m.)

Tuesday, February 23, at noon, Adams Room
From the Records Book Group Discussion: The Valley Forge Winter:
Civilians and Soldiers in War The Book Group discusses The Valley Forge Winter: Civilians and Soldiers in War by Wayne K. Bodle.  Please check the Archives Shop (202-357-5271) for book availability and a special discount.  The March 16th book selection will be Our Mother's War: American Women at Home and at the Front during World War II by Emily Yellin.

November Discount for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy 2009!

Still thinking about registering for the January 12-16, 2009 Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy? Some courses are already full, and others are filling quickly! But, SLIG is offering a special deal for you.

From now until November 28, 2008, you can register with a $25 discount. This is a great opportunity to save on your registration fee.

Whether your interests are in a locality strategy, like the Gulf South States, England or Germany, or on improving your skills, like using the Internet or researching Beyond Libraries, the 2009 Institute has a course for you. Maybe you'll want to take advantage of a rarely offered course on Hispanic Research for Spain and Latin America. Or for more individual help, you might try American Research and Records or Problem Solving.

See the U.G.A. website at www.infouga.org for the latest registration information and details about each course.

Whatever your choice, the 2009 Institute will be a great experience!

Hope to see you at the 2009 Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy!

Geoffrey Morris
Director 2009

Upcoming Appearances

I am frequently on the road speaking at genealogy events. I will periodically post the dates and the links so you can find more details. My columns for Ancestry.com carry the invitation to introduce yourselves to me at these events. Please do that and let me know if you are a reader of my blog.

If your historical, genealogical or other type of group is interest in my lecture services, just e-mail me at PaulaStuartWarren@gmail.com.

2008
February 23 So. St. Paul MN, Minnesota Genealogical Society: How to Research American Indian Ancestors. Details

April 12, St. Louis, MO: St. Louis Genealogical Society, Annual Family History Fair Details

April 18-19, Cincinnati, OH: Ohio Genealogical Society Annual Conference Details

May 14-17, Kansas City, MO: National Genealogical Society Conference in the States Details

May 30-31, Chicago, IL: Newberry Library Seminar. Details available soon.

September 3-6, Phildadelphia, PA: Federation of Genealogical Societies Annual Conference Details. More details coming throughout February.

September 13, Tampa, FL: Florida Genealogical Society Seminar. Details to appear soon.

September 19-20, St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Genealogical Society Annual Seminar. Details to appear soon.

October 25-November 1: The Atlantic Ocean; Genealogy Seminar at Sea upon a glorious cruise ship. Details

November 8: San Mateo, CA: Genealogy Seminar. Details to appear soon

Late next fall join me on a CRUISE

Well, me and a lot of other people. And a whole cadre of excellent genealogy lecturers. The Genealogy Seminar at Sea takes place from October 25 - November 1, 2008. The ship is the beautiful and new Liberty of the Seas from Royal Caribbean International. To see more about the ship and its amenities look here. This website has wonderful pictures, tells you about cruising, what to wear, ports of call, and once you see all this, I am willing to bet you will be eager to join us. Make your reservation and deposit now to ensure you have a spot.

During the three days at sea, you will have a wide choice of educational (and entertaining) lectures to choose from. The extensive list of the lectures complete with a description is here. The speakers include (in alpha order!) John Philip Colletta, Stephen J. Danko, Michael J. Leclerc, Paul Milner, George G. Morgan, Donna M. Moughty, Laura G. Prescott, and Paula Stuart-Warren. (I think I may have heard of that last speaker ) This is a fantastic group of speakers who do know each other and we might just tell a few tales about each other.

I used to think that I would be bored on a cruise -- oh, has that been proven wrong! And a genealogy cruise is the way to go.It give you a special comraderie and is even a chance for the non-genealogist friend or relative to see that we genealogists can be fun. The people you bring along with you will not be bored at all.

By the end of the week, you will have new friends, be relaxed, have eaten well, toured some beautiful places, maybe climbed a rock wall, swam, had a massage, played miniature golf, plunked a few coins in a slot machine, lounged in the whirlpool, visited the ship's library, watched a movie, and of course, enhanced your genealogical education in a fun setting. Bring along a friend, spouse, significant other, or your fellow genealogical society members for a memorable week. The more the merrier and you might find another genealogist who shares an ancestral link or who knows about that town where Great Grandma Annie was born and raised.

To be a part of the genealogical portion of this cruise, you need to reserve your spot with Cindy at Fly Away Travel (800) 837-0295. For more cruise details visit http://www.genealogycruises.com/

Researching American Indian Ancestors

On Saturday, February 23d, 2008, I will be teaching a 2-hour class on American Indian Research. The class is being offered at the new location of the Minnesota Genealogical Society, 1185 Concord St. N, South St. Paul, MN.

The class fee is $12.00 for MGS members and $15.00 for non-members. The fee includes an extensive handout.

Check the MGS website for both online and mail reservation instructions. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged to assist with space planning and handout duplication. Visit the MGS website for more details.

Basic Genealogy Class in St. Paul

On Saturday, September 22nd, from 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., I will be teaching Tracing Your Family History Online and Off. This class is held at the Minnesota Historical Society. The full class description is:

Do you need a refresher on research basics or are you just catching the genealogy bug? This session assists you in beginning to research your family history or updates what you already have learned. The extensive handout includes an abundance of useful Internet addresses and locations of places to do additional research. The class covers steps to take no matter what your ethnic origins happen to be. (I have at least seven in my background.) The importance of researching the greater family including the siblings of your great grandparents is demonstrated. You never know what surprises their records might hold.

Extensive PowerPoint visuals will show you the wealth of ancestral information found in censuses (1790–1930), records related to births, deaths, marriages, churches, probate, cemeteries, citizenship, and more. You will learn where to find these records both online and off. Some information is wonderfully close to home and – no matter where your family lived. Hear about the ever-changing face of genealogy research and have the opportunity to ask questions. It is never too late to too early to learn more about your family.

Visit the Minnesota Historical Society's website for cost and registration details. Click on Library and then on Library Classes.