Genealogical Talks and Workshops

 Near the top of your match list, you’ve got this mystery match that just might be the key to your research. The only problem is: they don’t have a visible tree and they didn’t respond to the message you sent two years ago.  
But that doesn’t mean that you should give up!  

This class will give users of every skill level more tools to crack that difficult case.  You’ll learn about strategies for logically approaching your search, what you can glean from your match’s profile, how free & paid resources can help you, and you’ll receive a research template that will help you ensure you have left no stone unturned. 

All Audiences

Tags: DNA, Research, Infotainment

 Often, genealogists focus on building an ancestral tree for an individual or family.  However, one may wish to research the descendants of a pioneer, a president, or a preacher in your tree or your hometown.

 Mapping all of the descendants of an ancestor, whether in a surname project or in your own DNA, can provide a wealth of information. Bring your favorite note-taking tools and we will explore what you can gain from descendancy research and how you can help others.

All audiences

Tags: DNA, Research, Infotainment

 Our personal identity is comprised of facts, lore, and DNA.  How do we navigate that well, effectively honoring our family history, even when faced with inaccuracies, embellishments, or outlandish fabrications? From deciphering the truth behind mythical ancestors to understanding the significance of half-remembered tales, we will grapple with the importance of preserving family stories. By addressing the challenge of reconciling truth and myth within family histories, this class empowers attendees to shape their family’s identity with clarity and integrity, discerning fact from fiction, and preserving the essence of their heritage while embracing the complexities of their ancestral past.

All audiences

Tags: Research, Empathy, Infotainment

Improve your research, extract more data, translate, and creatively leverage tools and resources available to tech-embracing genealogists.

All audiences

Tags: Technology

 Navigating complex DNA scenarios can create difficulties in genealogical research. However, there are tools and techniques available to differentiate and interpret DNA data in situations where the Leeds Method and WATO do not work.

We will compassionately and clearly review the various challenges, ways to identify circumstances, and discuss tools and techniques to develop a hypothesis. Bring your favorite notetaking device, attendees will learn strategies to resolve mysteries and clarify relationships even when parents are closely related or when dealing with other challenging situations in genetic genealogy.

Intermediate/Advanced

Tags: DNA, Technology

 Explore an old tangled web of family secrets with this intriguing DNA case study set against the backdrop of a 1928 murder in the mountains of Kentucky. Enter into the courtroom drama surrounding a disputed paternity, and discover how modern DNA resources and methodologies can shed light on ancestral mysteries.

We’ll explore traditional genealogical resources, alternative approaches to the Leeds Method for use in endogamous communities, and effective search strategies.  

All audiences

Tags: DNA, Endogamy, Technology, Infotainment

 Jewish immigration spiked between 1820 and 1920, and by the Civil War, thousands of Jewish immigrants had settled along the Ohio river, partnering to build an essential network of merchants.  Though their faith communities were small, they cooperated with churches in the community and influenced middle-class culture and history in small-town America.

Bring your favorite note-taking device as we seek to understand the impact and legacy of Jewish settlements in the Ohio River Valley, which may be overlooked in broader historical narratives.  

We will look at a case study which will give us a glimpse into the migration patterns and cultural influences of Jewish settlers in the Ohio River Valley as we discuss resources for genealogical research.

Tags: History, DNA

 "NPE" is what happens when a person takes a consumer DNA test and discovers that their biological parent or parent is "Not the Parent Expected." It's often a shock for individuals, and the discovery can trigger conflict and rejection both in the family they were raised with, and in their biological family as well. We will explore the history and culture surrounding how we identify family, and how consumer DNA testing has re-framed these concepts.

Students will gain insights into the challenges faced by those experiencing NPE, developing empathy and practical skills for supporting individuals through this often turbulent journey of self-discovery. The course aims to equip participants with the knowledge and sensitivity needed to approach genetic surprises with understanding and grace.

All audiences

Tags: Empathy, Adoption, NPE

 We all have that ancestor with a first name, but no family name.  When traditional genealogical techniques fail to turn up an answer, we can turn to DNA to find more opportunities to discover clues.

Follow along as Kate explains how she used traditional genealogy, and  DNA clustering to write her ancestors’ surnames in their family tree! 

Bring your favorite note-taking tools and come away with a worksheet created to help you address your own brick walls. 

 All audiences 

Tags: Brick Walls, Genetic Genealogy, DNA

Have you ever scrolled down your match list...past known family, to second, third, and fourth cousins, finding yourself in a harsh landscape of distant cousins?  We'll talk about when distant matches can be useful in confirming Colonial ancestors...and when they can be misleading.

Intermediate

Tags: Brick Walls, Genetic Genealogy, DNA, History

 Are you encumbered with boxes of papers left to you by dear Aunt Madge?  Have your grandchildren shown interest in your research, but they want to see information on their phones?  Do you struggle with filling in the rest of the story ("the dash") between a person's birth and death?  Not sure you're ready to trade in your pencil for a stylus, but you want to know more?  This class is for you! 

Tags: Organization, Artificial Intelligence, Technology

Perhaps you have a box of V-mail tucked away somewhere.  Maybe grandpa told some stories of his time overseas.  Learn to craft a compelling narrative history of your loved one's WWII service using V-mail, military records, personal stories, and testimonies from fellow soldiers. We’ll address the challenge of piecing together fragmented historical accounts, creatively weaving sources into an engaging narrative that honors the experiences of those who served.
Participants will hear the engaging stories of a young paratrooper who came ashore in Italy, parachuted deep behind enemy lines in France, and was wounded in an incredibly dogged and brave skirmish - a tank duel on Christmas Eve, 1944 in Freyneux, during the Battle of the Bulge.

All audiences

Tags: History, Artificial Intelligence, Military Research, Narratives

 If you have proven a theory using DNA evidence, your next step is to write a proof argument. 

DNA evidence is different from documentary evidence, and incorporating DNA into your genealogy requires planning, analyzing, drawing conclusions, reporting, and often working with living individuals.  Bring your favorite note-taking tools, and together, we’ll work through composing proof statements, summaries, and arguments, weaving together documentary evidence and DNA to tear down brick walls and resolve long-argued questions.  We’ll also talk about ways to break down our findings and theories so they can be presented to people in compassionate and comprehensive ways.

All audiences

Tags: DNA, Genealogical Proof Standard

Just a few years after the United States gained its independence, America was caught up in a global power struggle between Britain and France which has been referred to as “the silliest war we ever had.”  

Learn about the importance of this war that affected much of eastern North America, produced several great heroes and future presidents, and yet, is often overlooked in both British and US history.  We will discuss the major turning points and the diverse perspectives and experiences of different groups, including Canadians, Native Americans, and Black Americans during, and as a result of the war.  We will review where you can look for relevant records and information to further your genealogical research.

All audiences

Tags: History,  Genealogy

This lecture explores the intersection of adoption and genetic testing, covering how DNA analysis is changing the landscape of adoption and family relationships. Key topics include the rise of direct-to-consumer genetic testing, its impact on adoptees searching for biological relatives, and the ethical considerations surrounding genetic privacy and unexpected discoveries.

The lecture also discusses how DNA testing is influencing adoption practices, including its use in international adoptions and in identifying genetic health risks. Additionally, it examines the psychological and emotional effects on adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive families when previously unknown genetic connections are revealed.  

Tags: Adoption, Genealogy, History, DNA

 Discover tools and methods that will help you discover your grandparents, great grandparents, or further back.  We’ll explore DNA Brick Wall strategies,  traditional genealogical resources, and effective search strategies.    Explore an intriguing Cherokee DNA case study set in McCurtain County, Oklahoma.

Intermediate 

Tags; DNA, Adoption, NPE, Medical History

 Learn about the fantastic free resources that you can use from your couch, local library, and other archives.

All audiences

Tags: Research

 Join us for a fascinating exploration of reasons and ways our people have moved around these places we have called home.

All audiences

Tags: Migration, DNA, History, Genealogy

 Join Poppy the Weimaraner Pup on her DNA adventure! Discover why your Chihuahua thinks it's a Great Dane, why your retriever doesn’t bring you the paper, decode your dog's family tree, and learn canine evolution from wolf to wow. We’ll play “Guess that Breed,” as we look at purebred and designer dogs.  Perfect for curious pet parents.

All Ages

Tags: Infotainment

 This presentation explores the genealogical challenges and resources for tracing ancestors who faced religious persecution. It covers key historical periods of faith-based oppression, including the Spanish Inquisition, European wars of religion, and Soviet anti-religious campaigns. Speakers discuss specialized archives, such as Inquisition records and refugee registers, that can reveal details about persecuted individuals.

Kate explains how to interpret coded religious references in documents and identify name changes adopted to avoid detection by people who were forced to convert. The talk emphasizes the importance of understanding historical context and religious practices to accurately trace family lines. Lastly, it addresses the emotional aspects of uncovering ancestral trauma and suggests ethical ways to honor these stories.

Tags: Genealogy, History, Faith

 Explore the captivating life of  a 19th-century American impostor who embodied the ideal of the "self-made man". At the end of his life, he boasted his biography would “read like a page from the Arabian Nights.” Born and raised in Tennessee, his exploits took him to many places in North America.

In the course of his lifetime, he was a prison escapee, forger, counterfeiter, horse thief, Union Army officer, fake doctor, fake lawyer, and he was rumored to moonlight as the famous Ottoman Turkish field marshal Osman Pasha. 

Tags: Infotainment, History