Famine and Family History will look at the parameters of famine, how to recognize whether famine conditions existed in areas where our ancestors lived and what the direct impact of famine was on communities and families.

The United States Postal Service can trace its roots to 1775 to the Second Continental Congress; where Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first Postmaster General. Officially created in 1792; and elevated to a cabinet department in 1872; and changed in 1971 to an official Government agency. These records are an overlooked genealogical source to locate family members who may have worked with the postal system.

If you have already worked out that ‘Mc’ and ‘Mac’ surnames are the most complicated British surnames, you must listen to this webinar. And if you haven’t already worked this out, you must absolutely listen to this webinar. ‘Mc’ surnames are double the trouble because they can suffer distortions at the beginning, middle and end of the ‘Mc’ prefix as well as at the beginning, middle and end of the rest of the surname, the root word. Sound glides are a particular problem, in which the ‘k’ sound at the end of the ‘Mc’ prefix distorts the first letter of the root word (e.g. McCue/McKew/McHugh, McLachlan/McGloughlan). Transcription errors can also produce a non-‘Mc’ surname (e.g. Mackever/Markever) which can prove a trap for the unwary. This seminar will help you keep you sane when you encounter the complexities of these mad Scottish-origin surnames.

Are you trying to figure out ways to discover your family history in simple and short ways? Many people believe that family history has to take hours and only those who are retired can do it. Wrong! This class will show simple ways to discover surnames, to learn about yourself, and to create simple family activities in your home.

Do you have a picture in your mind of your grandmother’s kitchen? What did she have? Do you remember her aprons, dishes, or that meat grinder that was mounted to the counter? Did you inherit something and wish you knew more about it? In this presentation we will take a look at the material culture of the kitchen and where you can find information about those items you remember and inherited.

Take the opportunity to ask professional genealogist and publisher, Craig Scott, a question. See if his genealogical and historical knowledge can help you solve that brick wall problem. Submit your questions in advance to geoff at legacyfamilytree dot com.

A heroic rescue, a love story and a 30-foot wall of water. That’s just part of my ancestors’ experience in the Great Johnstown Flood of 1889. Come learn how to reconstruct fascinating experiences from your own family history by combining clues from your family’s knowledge, documents from genealogy websites, good historical research and Googling to fill in the gaps. All while learning the riveting story of one of the worst disasters in U.S. history.

Cousin Bait helps connect with others who may have information about your family. Learn the best ways to share so others can find you.

Learn from an archivist the best practices to preserving your ancestor’s textiles and handmade items. Everything from Grandma’s quilt, that old Christening gown, your Dad’s letterman jacket and military uniforms. These textiles and handmade items need special care and consideration when it comes to preservation and storage.