LECTURES & WORKSHOPS
GENETIC GENEALOGY
DNA 101 - A GENEALOGISTS NEW TOOL
Autosomal, mitochondrial, Y-DNA, chromosomes, “it’s all Greek to me.” Which type of DNA test is best? I’ve tested, so what do the results mean? DNA is one more piece of evidence to use to discover and help prove your family history.
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR ANCESTRYDNA®
You spit in the tube, mailed it to Ancestry, and now you have your AncestryDNA® results...what do they mean? How do you get more out of that list of DNA Matches? This workshop will focus on what you can learn from looking at the Matches Predicted Relationship, the amount of Shared DNA, the Matches’ tree and Shared Matches to help determine who might be the Most Recent Common Ancestor MRCA.
Workshop or Lecture
INTRODUCTION TO USING GEDMATCH
Want to play in more than one DNA pool? Use utilities not available with some DNA testing companies? GEDmatch is a free DNA utilities website created by crazy DNA enthusiasts that could program. It is free, but advanced tools are available for a small fee. With GEDmatch you can match people from other testing companies, make chromosome comparisons that may not be not be available where you tested, and have access to advanced tools. This workshop will help to understand the “One-to-Many” matches, One-to-One compare, look at your matches in the Chromosome Browser.
Workshop or Lecture
GENERAL GENEALOGY AND METHODOLOGY
BEYOND THE OBITS - FINDING THE LIFE OF OUR ANCESTORS IN NEWSPAPERS
Beyond birth announcements and obituaries, newspapers tell the comings and goings of our ancestors’ daily lives. Learn the when where, why, and how of what to look for. You only need to supply the “who.”
DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND OTHER LINEAGE SOCIETIES
Are you curious about the Daughters of the American Revolution? Do you know someone that joined a lineage society? Learn what lineages societies are, the benefits of becoming a member, how to tell if you qualify for a specific lineage society, and the application process.
DUSTING OFF THOSE OLD COURT RECORDS
More than birth, death, and marriage records are waiting to be discovered in the courthouse. Wills, probates, deeds, and court cases are some of the wonderful information and stories to be found in in those dusty old books. Learn what records are available, where the records can be found, and what to do to get ready for that courthouse trip.
FINAL RESTING PLACE – THE STONES TELL A STORY
Discover more about the life of your great grandfather by understanding the symbols on his gravestone. Learn how to read that death date on grandmother’s deteriorating stone. Find out how to care for that old tombstone before it completely disappears.
GET THE FACTS - VITAL RECORDS
Gathering birth, marriage, death records, known collectively as vital records, is the most basic way to make a connection between generations in a family. We will look at the information that can be gathered from each of these records and where to find them.
FROM LAND RECORDS TO GOOGLE EARTH: MAPPING YOUR FAMILY’S PLACE
There are numerous sources that give our ancestor’s legal land description; where are they and what do they mean? Learn where to look and how to convert section and range into Google Earth to see how that property looks today.
General Genealogy & Methodology; Technology; Workshop
HUNTING FOR YOUR ANCESTOR’S MEDICAL CLUES
Ever wondered what illnesses your ancestors may have had? Some of those answers might be right in front of you. Photos, census records, court records, and letters are just a few of the places those clues may be hidden.
LOOSE WOMEN: RECORD SEARCH FOR THE FEMALE FELON
PRESENTATION WITH JANIS MINOR FORTE
Is there a black sheep in your family? Gangsters and crooks in your ancestral closet? These ‘persons of ill fame’ usually produce more paper records than do the law-abiding citizen of the community. Generally, these dark shadowed individuals are of the male persona and called ‘black sheep’. But occasionally, these shady characters are of the ‘weaker sex’ known as the ‘black ewes’.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES RESOURCES AT THE CHICAGO BRANCH
“The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper.” The National Archives in Chicago hold Federal records from agencies in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin dating from the 1800’s including Territorial Papers, Farming and Agriculture, Naturalization, Military, Taxes, Postal Service, Court Cases and many more records. These that can be invaluable when researching your family history. Learn what’s available and how to access these rich resources.
PROBATE RECORDS: LOOKING BEYOND THE WILL
Probate records were probably generated upon your Ancestor’s death even if they didn’t have a will. Estate settlements and sales, receipts or cancelled checks, property transfers, guardianships and more provide clues to understanding your ancestor or identify an elusive one.
RESEARCHING COLONIAL AMERICAN ANCESTORS
Did your ancestor live in one of the Original Thirteen Colonies? Were they here before the Revolutionary War? If so you possibly have Colonial American Ancestors. Each colonist came to the “new world” for different reasons and each colony was different. They come for both religious and economic opportunities. Find out what records are available and where they are, so you can learn about your Colonial American Ancestors.
WHERE TO START - THE BASICS OF GOOD GENEALOGY RESEARCH
Want to know about your family history but don’t know how to get started? The first steps to gathering information about your family and how to record that information are discussed. Learn about the many records and resources available and where to begin looking.
Beginner: Workshop or Lecture
GENERAL GENEALOGY AND METHODOLOGY: CENSUS
DELVING DEEPER INTO THE CENSUS
The U.S. Federal Census records are more than just names and dates. The data was processed into statistical tables, maps, and published reports. Find out what data is available and how you can use it. Learn more about your ancestors by delving deeper into the US Census Bureau reports.
KEEPING TRACK OF PEOPLE - CENSUS RECORDS
Taken every ten years since 1790, the United States federal census contains unique information that can tell you interesting details about your ancestors. Find out what you can learn about your family using these historically fascinating sources. State and Special Censuses will also be covered.
THE 1940 CENSUS, A SNAPSHOT IN HISTORY
The 1940 census is the most current census available to researchers. It contains information about our parents, grandparents, and possibly us. It gives a peek into the time of the Great Depression and this country's recovery and how it affected our families. Learn how to read and understand this valuable census.
GENEALOGY AND TECHNOLOGY
ANCESTRY® TIPS AND TRICKS
Ancestry®, one of the largest genealogy sites, offers a wide variety of resources for the genealogist. This continually evolving website can be personalized to suit the needs of the researcher. Both subscription and library versions are discussed. Tips for easy navigation, successful searches and personalization will highlight this presentation.
RESEARCHING JEWISH ANCESTORS ON ANCESTRY® LIBRARY EDITION
Ancestry® is one of the largest genealogical websites and has a wealth of documents along with European and Jewish records. Ancestry® Library Edition is available at some public libraries with many of the Ancestry® subscription records including some worldwide records. This presentation will focus on the European and Jewish records, the similarities and differences between the subscription and library editions, and the wealth of Ancestry® resources available at the library.
RESOURCES AVAILABLE THROUGH ANCESTRY® LIBRARY EDITION
Ancestry® is one of the largest genealogical websites and has a wealth of information. ProQuest has partnered with Ancestry® to provide Ancestry® Library Edition which is available at many public libraries. In this presentation you will learn about their similarities and differences and the wealth of Ancestry® resources available at the library.
MOBILE DEVICE APPS FOR THE FAMILY HISTORIAN
The Star Trek generation has grown up and the future is now. Learn about smart phone and other mobile applications that you hold in your hand that will help you with your genealogy data collection. Carry your searchable family tree everywhere with you in your pocket.
MAPPING AND SHARING YOUR ANCESTOR'S MILITARY EXPERIENCE
Whether a relative or ancestor was in the Revolutionary War or in Afghanistan you can map and record their experience using records, images, letters, diaries, etc. to better understand, share or preserve that piece of their life.
SEARCHING GENEALOGY WEBSITES SUCCESSFULLY
The words you type into the box and the way it is typed determine the results you get when using a search engine such as Google, Yahoo or Bing. This PowerPoint presentation teaches how to get what you are searching for. Come explore beyond the most popular websites.
USING FAMILY TREE MAKER 2017 UPDATED FOR LATEST FTM VERSION
Family Tree Maker was created as a DOS program by Banner Blue Software in 1989. Through the years it has been updated, from DOS to Windows and Mac versions and owned by several companies, most notably Ancestry. In 2016 Ancestry® announced that it was discontinuing Family Tree Maker. MacKiev, creator of the FTM Mac version for Ancestry, stepped in and purchased Family Tree Maker. In 2017 MacKiev released their newest edition, Family Tree Maker 2017 with color coding and syncing with FamilySearch and Ancestry. Want to understand the similarities and differences?
USING A DIGITAL CAMERA AND SCANNER IN GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH
Put your digital camera and that all-in-one printer or scanner to work. Learn what the technical terms, such as jpg and dpi, mean. Find out how and why to scan photos and documents and what to with all these digital images once you have them. You will leave this talk knowing why taking a camera with you on that genealogy trip is important.
WHAT IS “THE CLOUD” AND WHY DO I CARE?
You’ve heard people mention “the cloud,” learn what it is and how you can make use of it on your mobile device and computer. Collaborate, share, backup and see your data and images anywhere.
WORKSHOPS
FROM LAND RECORDS TO GOOGLE EARTH: MAPPING YOUR FAMILY’S PLACE
There are numerous sources that give our ancestor’s legal land description; where are they and what do they mean? Learn where to look and how to convert section and range into Google Earth to see how that property looks today.
Workshop or Lecture: General Genealogy & Methodology; Technology
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR ANCESTRYDNA®
You spit in the tube, mailed it to Ancestry, and now you have your AncestryDNA® results...what do they mean? How do you get more out of that list of DNA Matches? This workshop will focus on what you can learn from looking at the Matches Predicted Relationship, the amount of Shared DNA, the Matches’ tree and Shared Matches to help determine who might be the Most Recent Common Ancestor MRCA.
Workshop or Lecture: Genetic Genealogy
INTRODUCTION TO USING GEDMATCH
Want to play in more than one DNA pool? Use utilities not available with some DNA testing companies? GEDmatch is a free DNA utilities website created by crazy DNA enthusiasts that could program. It is free, but advanced tools are available for a small fee. With GEDmatch you can match people from other testing companies, make chromosome comparisons that may not be not be available where you tested, and have access to advanced tools. This workshop will help to understand the “One-to-Many” matches, One-to-One compare, look at your matches in the Chromosome Browser.
Workshop or Lecture: Genetic Genealogy
WHERE TO START - THE BASICS OF GOOD GENEALOGY RESEARCH
Want to know about your family history but don’t know how to get started? The first steps to gathering information about your family and how to record that information are discussed. Learn about the many records and resources available and where to begin looking.
Beginner: Workshop or Lecture
GENEALOGY SOCIETY MANAGEMENT
INTERNET COLLABORATIVE TOOLS FOR GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES
Online conferencing and collaboration tools can make your society more efficient. Online shared workspaces allow your members to work together at a distance. See what your society needs in its “tool bag.”
OH, THOSE PESKY MINUTES AND MOTIONS
The minutes are taken, approved, and filed. Do we ever go back and look at them? Should we? Absolutely!!! They are the history of the Society, the communal memory. Board members move on and we forget what we, as a board, have decided and voted on. We must review, and by law, we must follow what those before us decided. We need to remember what we have accomplished as well.
YOUR GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY IS NOT ALONE
Today, more than ever, Genealogical Societies need to talk to each other, share ideas, share problems and solutions.
BANQUET OR LUNCHEON PRESENTATION
FOLLOWING THE 10TH ILLINOIS INFANTRY
A visual presentation of the route one regiment took during the Civil War and what they may have seen and experienced.