Learn how to use Transkribus, ChatGPT and other AI tools to translate German church records, and other records, into English. Learn about cautions and practical uses.

The Oregon Trail extended approximately 2,000 miles from Independence, Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon from 1840 to 1869. More than 50,000 people traveled to Oregon and a great number died on the journey. This talk will cover resources for conducting research on the people and their lives along the trail.

Familiarity with church and civil jurisdictions helps us make better sense of records we find for our Mexican ancestors, helps us know where to look for records that pertain to a particular place and time, and helps us trace evolving jurisdictional borders through time. Knowing where and how to find historical and background information about different Mexican localities helps you dig deeper into the lives of your ancestors. Learn about essential reference tools and strategies that will help you identify and learn more about the localities in which your ancestors lived and worked.

Discover the key resources available for researching Cornish ancestry. Learn about the different archives in Cornwall, what they hold and how to access their collections. Find out which Cornish records are available online and where to find them. Hear about the finding aids and local groups that can help with your research, and get a better understanding of how key features of Cornish history like Methodism, mining and migration shaped Cornish family histories. Whether you are researching from afar or planning to visit Cornwall, this talk will help you with starting to research your Cornish ancestors. Please note that the talk assumes you have already watched ‘Introduction to County Research in England’.

A little-known part of American history is the Asian immigrants who settled in the South in the 1800s and 1900s. Some were brought to work in agriculture, others established groceries and other businesses. Under Jim Crow segregation, they had different statuses as “Colored” or “White” depending on where they lived and the time.

Kentucky and Virginia have some of the most complete tax lists in the United States. Their value in research often goes unrecognized by even the experienced researcher. Tax lists can be a primary tool for solving difficult research problems and are invaluable when used with other records. Learn how to access original records, to best organize them for study, and to interpret their meaning. The lecture will use case studies to show their use in tracking individuals across time, estimating birth dates and death dates, separating individuals of the same name, determining the identity of other family members, and using them as substitutes for deeds, court records, and estate records in burned counties.

This session will show how MyHeritage can help you find your Canadian ancestors through filters while searching through the records. A list of which Canadian records are available will be provided.

This lecture details the true story of how freedom finally came to Texas more than 2 years after the effective date of the Emancipation Proclamation. Common myths will be replaced with the truth of the events that occurred and the atmosphere of the surrounding Galveston community, including the presence of United States Colored Troops among the Union soldiers who arrived to enforce emancipation for over 300,000 enslaved people of Texas. Finally, it follows the evolution of celebrations of emancipation beginning with spontaneous celebrations that occurred in 1865 on the docks of the Galveston Wharf, to the first documented citywide celebration in Galveston, to today’s recognition of Juneteenth as an important historical event celebrated throughout the nation and even the world.

Researching Puerto Rican ancestors is a unique experience, requiring a knowledge of both Latin American and North American record types and strategies. We’ll talk basics about finding your hometown and what records can help you trace your ancestry on both sides of the sea.