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.

Family historians researching in Poland and Ukraine have to deal with gaps in records that could make progress next to impossible. Thanks to genetic genealogy, we can bridge those gaps. Geographic clues from your matches might get you looking in the right direction. This session includes some DNA success stories, based on geography and backed by documented research. It also offers pointers on how to get more value from your tests.

Explore your New Zealand family history a little further and add to your family story.

Housed in an old prison, the Archivo General de la Nación (or AGN, General Archive of the Nation), is home for the historical memory of Mexico. Its origins date back to the late eighteenth century when a royal decree ordered the creation of an archive to preserve documentation from the Viceroyalty. Today, the documents at AGN are a genealogical treasure waiting to be discovered by a wider audience of researchers. In this presentation you will learn about how to navigate the archive, and some of the information you could find there.

Even now, genealogy for underrepresented populations can be considered “impossible.” In this talk you’ll learn which populations are considered so, why that is, and techniques for expanding your genealogical skills. I use Chinese genealogy but the lessons are applicable for all underrepresented genealogical groups.

Kent, known as the Garden of England, has a wealth of genealogical records but locating those records can take some investigation, with records divided between at least three archives. Then, some parishes that were formally in Kent were absorbed into Greater London, adding another four archives into the mix. Genealogical research can be done knowing when and where the records can be accessed.