Since the early days of British settlement in Australia, land has been considered to be one of its greatest assets. Until 1831, some settlers received large grants of land while others were entitled to only 30 acres, plus an additional 20 acres if married and 10 acres for each child. Over the next seventy years, the colonies developed their own land allocation schemes, each devised for a specific purpose. This presentation will highlight the records which relate to Crown Land, pastoral runs, land selection, occupation records, land orders and land ownership.

Slavery existed in some northern states well into the 19th century. Learn about the motives for gradual emancipation, how it affected enslaved African Americans and enslavers at this time, the state laws surrounding slavery, and the records that it created.

There are many examples of Unknown Parentage cases in Ireland – illegal adoptees, a foundling grandparent, or simply an Irish Brick Wall. This talk explores the approach to solving these cases, the challenges faced with Irish records, and some hints & tips to overcome them.

Most Canadians have connections to the three Prairie provinces, through cousins if not through ancestors. Researching those Prairie families can be rewarding, although it is important to note which sources are common to all three provinces, and which ones are unique to each province. Using examples from Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta, this session looks at a variety of resources, and offers tips to help you learn more about your families on the Prairies.

The probate system in England and Wales changed significantly in 1858. Learn how the English probate system worked before and after that change, see what records are available and why they are of value. Learn tips and tools for procedures which will simplify the search process, whether the ancestor’s location in England is known or unknown.

Discover online records for German-speaking ancestors from Brandenburg, East Prussia, Pomerania, Posen, Silesia, and West Prussia. Despite some record loss for these geographic areas, hundreds of years of church and civil records can be found in archives in Poland, Germany, and the US, using the search strategies in this presentation.

Thousands of localized censuses, or padrones, were taken all over Mexico during the Colonial era. Mostly created during the 17th to 19th centuries, these censuses provide a snapshot in time of our ancestral families. Learn to find these censuses for your research locations and discover the content they may hold.

Following the founding of the colony of Australia, individuals born in the British Empire were considered British subjects, irrespective of the nationality of their parents. Residents of Australia whose native place was outside of the British Empire were not afforded the same rights and privileges as British subjects. These rights, in particular the right to buy land and vote, could be conferred to an individual by a process known as naturalisation. This bureaucratic process generated multiple sets of records that contain a wealth of genealogical information. This talk will outline the complex history of naturalisation in Australia, the changing terminology used, how, when and why naturalisation records were created, and discuss the likely availability of records and for whom they may have been created.

What exactly are the 1850 and 1860 United States Slave Schedules and what is their value to researchers? A closer look at this enumeration of “slave inhabitants” will streamline interpretation of these records and will help define the do’s and don’ts of working with them.