Webinars focused on genealogy skill-building and standards, presented by certified genealogists. All webinars are sponsored by the Board for Certification of Genealogists.
Sense and Sensibility: The Power of Logic, Intuition, and Critical Thinking
Is it logical that a woman born in 1752 gave birth to a son in 1848? Do I have enough evidence to conclude that Johan Kannon of Trondheim, Norway, was the same person as John Connell from Cut-and-Shoot, Texas? Why do I share 300 cM of DNA with three people I’ve never heard of? Genealogists make hundreds of decisions everyday based on thousands of pieces of information harvested from various sources. We automatically, and often unconsciously, use common sense, logic, and even intuition, to identify relevant evidence, problem-solve, and answer complex questions.
Learning to harness the power of logic, syllogism, and our own “Spidey-senses,” can help scale brick-walls, solve DNA mysteries, and organize mountains of information. This talk focuses on how to incorporate logic, common sense, and critical thinking in a more deliberate way to create hypotheses, test theories, and support conclusions. Johnson will share exercises that can bulk up logic and critical thought muscles, as well as practical tips on how to apply common sense and sensibility to your family history research and writing.
Is it logical that a woman born in 1752 gave birth to a son in 1848? Do I have enough evidence to conclude that Johan Kannon of Trondheim, Norway, was the same person as John Connell from Cut-and-Shoot, Texas? Why do I share 300 cM of DNA with three people I’ve never heard of? Genealogists make hundreds of decisions everyday based on thousands of pieces of information harvested from various sources. We automatically, and often unconsciously, use common sense, logic, and even intuition, to identify relevant evidence, problem-solve, and answer complex questions.
Learning to harness the power of logic, syllogism, and our own “Spidey-senses,” can help scale brick-walls, solve DNA mysteries, and organize mountains of information. This talk focuses on how to incorporate logic, common sense, and critical thinking in a more deliberate way to create hypotheses, test theories, and support conclusions. Johnson will share exercises that can bulk up logic and critical thought muscles, as well as practical tips on how to apply common sense and sensibility to your family history research and writing.
Applying the Genealogical Proof Standard to Researching Enslaved Families (a 2024 Reisinger Lecture)
Using several families that were enslaved on the same plantation as case studies, this presentation will demonstrate research that meets the Genealogical Proof Standard. Examples of reasonably exhaustive research, evidence analysis, correlation, and resolving conflicts will be presented.
This class is presented live at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City as part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series and is being broadcasted by Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
Using several families that were enslaved on the same plantation as case studies, this presentation will demonstrate research that meets the Genealogical Proof Standard. Examples of reasonably exhaustive research, evidence analysis, correlation, and resolving conflicts will be presented.
This class is presented live at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City as part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series and is being broadcasted by Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
Strategies for Resolving Conflicting Evidence (a 2024 Reisinger Lecture)
Genealogical research often presents conflicting information across records. This presentation will focus on four practical strategies for effectively resolving such conflicts. Using two case studies as examples, attendees will learn to identify conflicting information, search for additional records, assess the reliability of each source, and correlate information from various sources. The importance of documenting the rationale for conflict resolution will also be emphasized.
This class is presented live at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City as part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series and is being broadcasted by Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
Genealogical research often presents conflicting information across records. This presentation will focus on four practical strategies for effectively resolving such conflicts. Using two case studies as examples, attendees will learn to identify conflicting information, search for additional records, assess the reliability of each source, and correlate information from various sources. The importance of documenting the rationale for conflict resolution will also be emphasized.
This class is presented live at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City as part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series and is being broadcasted by Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
Evidence Mining & Context: Powerful Tools to Dig Deep (a 2024 Reisinger Lecture)
The standards are not just for measuring our abilities, they are working tools to help us advance our research opportunities. This lecture will use case study examples to show how Standard 40, Evidence Mining, and Standards 12, 60, 64, 73, and 74 relating to context lead to more effective research methodology and success in our research goals.
This class is presented live at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City as part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series and is being broadcasted by Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
The standards are not just for measuring our abilities, they are working tools to help us advance our research opportunities. This lecture will use case study examples to show how Standard 40, Evidence Mining, and Standards 12, 60, 64, 73, and 74 relating to context lead to more effective research methodology and success in our research goals.
This class is presented live at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City as part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series and is being broadcasted by Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
Probate Power: Parents for Charles, a Father for Phoebe (a 2024 Reisinger Lecture)
This case study demonstrates reasonably exhaustive and whole-family research linking three generations of the Burkhart family. Successive generations lived in Maryland, Ohio, and Missouri. Missing or unavailable church, vital, and census records veil relationships. This story begins in eighteenth century Maryland and ends in the late nineteenth century in Missouri. Through the years, probate, court, and land records connect people to their families of origin.
This class is presented live at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City as part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series and is being broadcasted by Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
This case study demonstrates reasonably exhaustive and whole-family research linking three generations of the Burkhart family. Successive generations lived in Maryland, Ohio, and Missouri. Missing or unavailable church, vital, and census records veil relationships. This story begins in eighteenth century Maryland and ends in the late nineteenth century in Missouri. Through the years, probate, court, and land records connect people to their families of origin.
This class is presented live at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City as part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series and is being broadcasted by Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
Rubik’s Cube Genealogy: A New Twist on Your Old Data (a 2024 Reisinger Lecture)
We all accumulate family data and perhaps organize it into pedigree charts and family group sheets. By looking at the data differently and giving it a new “twist,” we can see patterns and holes emerge. Lineage applications may point out weaknesses in our proof of descent from a certain ancestor. By writing the family narrative, whether for a book or a short article for a newsletter, new questions requiring further research are made evident. Even formulating a query for an Internet list will cause us to take a new look at our data. By sifting through old data collected years ago with our more mature genealogical eyes we can see things and relationships we would not have recognized earlier. Placing our ancestors in history through timelines can point out reasons why the records are in the jurisdictions they are found and give suggestions on where to look further. Using land platting techniques will point out relationships previously hidden from the casual observer. Many ideas are presented to help the attendee think about how the data they have already accumulated may give the next clue to continued successful results.
This class is presented live at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City as part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series and is being broadcasted by Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
We all accumulate family data and perhaps organize it into pedigree charts and family group sheets. By looking at the data differently and giving it a new “twist,” we can see patterns and holes emerge. Lineage applications may point out weaknesses in our proof of descent from a certain ancestor. By writing the family narrative, whether for a book or a short article for a newsletter, new questions requiring further research are made evident. Even formulating a query for an Internet list will cause us to take a new look at our data. By sifting through old data collected years ago with our more mature genealogical eyes we can see things and relationships we would not have recognized earlier. Placing our ancestors in history through timelines can point out reasons why the records are in the jurisdictions they are found and give suggestions on where to look further. Using land platting techniques will point out relationships previously hidden from the casual observer. Many ideas are presented to help the attendee think about how the data they have already accumulated may give the next clue to continued successful results.
This class is presented live at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City as part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series and is being broadcasted by Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
In the summer of 2023 American Ancestors/New England Historic Genealogical Society announced the collaborative 10 Million Names project, an undertaking to recover the names of people of African descent who were enslaved in the area of the United States. This monumental task of centralizing datasets about African Americans is likely to take years to accomplish; in the interim, this webinar provides a useful survey of the many existing databases that serve a similar purpose though limited in scope.
In the summer of 2023 American Ancestors/New England Historic Genealogical Society announced the collaborative 10 Million Names project, an undertaking to recover the names of people of African descent who were enslaved in the area of the United States. This monumental task of centralizing datasets about African Americans is likely to take years to accomplish; in the interim, this webinar provides a useful survey of the many existing databases that serve a similar purpose though limited in scope.
He Had a Brother Who Disappeared: Finding John H. Hickey, Formerly of Rockton, Winnebago County, Illinois
Family tradition holds that John H. Hickey of Rockton, Winnebago County, Illinois, disappeared. This case study proves John “disappeared” and establishes the missing man’s fate. A patchwork of records allowed a glimpse into the life of a person thought dead.
Family tradition holds that John H. Hickey of Rockton, Winnebago County, Illinois, disappeared. This case study proves John “disappeared” and establishes the missing man’s fate. A patchwork of records allowed a glimpse into the life of a person thought dead.
Oral Genealogy in Asia-Pacific: The Essence of Personal Identity and Tribal Connections
Oral genealogies celebrate ancestral connections in indigenous cultures across Asia-Pacific. As one paramount chief in Samoa declared, “The most important thing for children to understand is their family connections. The knowledge of history is their treasure—not gold and silver, but genealogy.” Learn about the significance and richness of oral genealogies and current efforts to preserve them in Asia and the Pacific.
Oral genealogies celebrate ancestral connections in indigenous cultures across Asia-Pacific. As one paramount chief in Samoa declared, “The most important thing for children to understand is their family connections. The knowledge of history is their treasure—not gold and silver, but genealogy.” Learn about the significance and richness of oral genealogies and current efforts to preserve them in Asia and the Pacific.
Genealogists write. Their written narratives include stories of ancestral families, biographies of individual ancestors, and explanations supporting genealogical proofs. For their writing to succeed, genealogists—like all effective writers—repeatedly self-edit everything they write. The process results in polished products that the genealogist’s readers will understand, enjoy, and cherish.
Emphasizing genealogical narrative, these two webinars will address the self-editing process. Part 1 will focus on “big-picture” editing, including stages of self-editing; focus; keeping the writer out of the narrative; editing the writing’s overall structure, organization, and flow; and improving major and minor subdivisions of written genealogical narratives, including paragraphing. Part 2 will focus on “nitty-gritty” editing, including capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, word choice, and reducing word count.
Genealogists write. Their written narratives include stories of ancestral families, biographies of individual ancestors, and explanations supporting genealogical proofs. For their writing to succeed, genealogists—like all effective writers—repeatedly self-edit everything they write. The process results in polished products that the genealogist’s readers will understand, enjoy, and cherish.
Emphasizing genealogical narrative, these two webinars will address the self-editing process. Part 1 will focus on “big-picture” editing, including stages of self-editing; focus; keeping the writer out of the narrative; editing the writing’s overall structure, organization, and flow; and improving major and minor subdivisions of written genealogical narratives, including paragraphing. Part 2 will focus on “nitty-gritty” editing, including capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, word choice, and reducing word count.
Genealogists write. Their written narratives include stories of ancestral families, biographies of individual ancestors, and explanations supporting genealogical proofs. For their writing to succeed, genealogists—like all effective writers—repeatedly self-edit everything they write. The process results in polished products that the genealogist’s readers will understand, enjoy, and cherish.
Emphasizing genealogical narrative, these two webinars will addresses the self-editing process. Part 1 will focus on “big-picture” editing, including stages of self-editing; focus; keeping the writer out of the narrative; editing the writing’s overall structure, organization, and flow; and improving major and minor subdivisions of written genealogical narratives, including paragraphing. Part 2 will focus on “nitty-gritty” editing, including capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, word choice, and reducing word count.
Genealogists write. Their written narratives include stories of ancestral families, biographies of individual ancestors, and explanations supporting genealogical proofs. For their writing to succeed, genealogists—like all effective writers—repeatedly self-edit everything they write. The process results in polished products that the genealogist’s readers will understand, enjoy, and cherish.
Emphasizing genealogical narrative, these two webinars will addresses the self-editing process. Part 1 will focus on “big-picture” editing, including stages of self-editing; focus; keeping the writer out of the narrative; editing the writing’s overall structure, organization, and flow; and improving major and minor subdivisions of written genealogical narratives, including paragraphing. Part 2 will focus on “nitty-gritty” editing, including capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, word choice, and reducing word count.
French Emigrants: They Were Not All Huguenots, or Nobles, or from Alsace-Lorraine
One of the great difficulties for people researching their French immigrant ancestors’ roots is that so little is known outside of France about when and why the French left their country. This dearth of knowledge has led many family historians of the 19th century to presume Huguenot, noble émigré or Alsace-Lorraine ancestry for any ancestor with a French name. The supposition became a family legend that then became a research frustration as more recent family historians attempt to prove what was never more than a misguided supposition.
This webinar looks at the many waves of French migration, as well as the three mentioned in the title, from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The historical reasons for when, why and to where they emigrated will provide the key points to bear in mind when conducting research. The bibliography, in English and French, contains not only books and articles concerning French emigration but a list of websites to aid the researcher.
One of the great difficulties for people researching their French immigrant ancestors’ roots is that so little is known outside of France about when and why the French left their country. This dearth of knowledge has led many family historians of the 19th century to presume Huguenot, noble émigré or Alsace-Lorraine ancestry for any ancestor with a French name. The supposition became a family legend that then became a research frustration as more recent family historians attempt to prove what was never more than a misguided supposition.
This webinar looks at the many waves of French migration, as well as the three mentioned in the title, from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The historical reasons for when, why and to where they emigrated will provide the key points to bear in mind when conducting research. The bibliography, in English and French, contains not only books and articles concerning French emigration but a list of websites to aid the researcher.
Research reports are not just for professionals, but are a great tool for anyone who wants to answer their research questions. Write a research report to yourself to organize your thoughts, analyze the evidence, document your findings, and solve your puzzles. Using an example from the Netherlands, this presentation demonstrates how you can organize a research report to spot more clues in records, discover and resolve discrepancies, and build reliable conclusions.
Research reports are not just for professionals, but are a great tool for anyone who wants to answer their research questions. Write a research report to yourself to organize your thoughts, analyze the evidence, document your findings, and solve your puzzles. Using an example from the Netherlands, this presentation demonstrates how you can organize a research report to spot more clues in records, discover and resolve discrepancies, and build reliable conclusions.
Lost and Found: Locating Ancestral Origins with FAN Club and DNA
Wed, December 18 2024: 1:00 UTC
It’s hard to do genealogy well without studying your ancestors’ Friends & Family, Associates, and Neighbors – their FAN club. If your ancestors are Irish, you might have no luck at all without those FAN principles. But if you combine FAN club research with DNA, you might have just the winning ticket to get you back to your Irish ancestor’s origins. In this case study presentation, learn how focused research pointed the way from Ohio to townlands in County Mayo for an 1850s-era Irish immigrant.
It’s hard to do genealogy well without studying your ancestors’ Friends & Family, Associates, and Neighbors – their FAN club. If your ancestors are Irish, you might have no luck at all without those FAN principles. But if you combine FAN club research with DNA, you might have just the winning ticket to get you back to your Irish ancestor’s origins. In this case study presentation, learn how focused research pointed the way from Ohio to townlands in County Mayo for an 1850s-era Irish immigrant.
“Her Sixth Matrimonial Venture:” A Case Study on Tracing a Woman’s Multiple Marriages
Thu, November 14 2024: 1:00 UTC
Learn how research overcame the misleading records, surname changes, and frequent moves that concealed the identity of a woman whose beauty mesmerized seven men. This talk is based on the winning article of the 2017 National Genealogical Society’s Family History Writing Contest.
Learn how research overcame the misleading records, surname changes, and frequent moves that concealed the identity of a woman whose beauty mesmerized seven men. This talk is based on the winning article of the 2017 National Genealogical Society’s Family History Writing Contest.
Laws of the Indies: Spanish Colonial laws and the records they produced
Fri, November 15 2024: 19:00 UTC
From town planning to native relations, “Las Leyes de Las Indias” (Laws of the Indies) governed Spanish colonies of North America and beyond, and created unique records for research for anyone with ancestral ties to Spanish America.
From town planning to native relations, “Las Leyes de Las Indias” (Laws of the Indies) governed Spanish colonies of North America and beyond, and created unique records for research for anyone with ancestral ties to Spanish America.
This engaging webinar presents a countdown of the top ten breakthroughs in AI-assisted genealogy from 2024. We’ll highlight the most impressive and impactful instances where AI technology has significantly advanced genealogical research. From uncovering long-lost ancestral connections to solving complex genealogy puzzles, each item in our top ten list will showcase a unique success story. These examples not only celebrate the remarkable achievements of the past year but also offer insights and inspiration for applying AI in your own genealogical endeavors. Join us for a journey through 2024’s most notable AI milestones in genealogy.
This engaging webinar presents a countdown of the top ten breakthroughs in AI-assisted genealogy from 2024. We’ll highlight the most impressive and impactful instances where AI technology has significantly advanced genealogical research. From uncovering long-lost ancestral connections to solving complex genealogy puzzles, each item in our top ten list will showcase a unique success story. These examples not only celebrate the remarkable achievements of the past year but also offer insights and inspiration for applying AI in your own genealogical endeavors. Join us for a journey through 2024’s most notable AI milestones in genealogy.
Information Overload? Effective Project Planning, Research, Data Management & Analysis
Fri, November 22 2024: 19:00 UTC
Data management is not just an organizing system. Data management is a critical analytical tool. Research standards tell us that conclusions must be supported by “proof.” Standards insist that “proof” is more than “a document”—rather, it’s a conclusion based on a body of evidence created by reasonably exhaustive research. Meeting this standard creates a paradox: The more data we gather, the more confused we get!—unless we maintain that body of evidence in a way that enables us to digest it, analyze it, and correlate it with everything else we’ve found. This session presents a framework for projects of all types and sizes, building on sound research practices that carry us smoothly from problem analysis to problem resolution.
Data management is not just an organizing system. Data management is a critical analytical tool. Research standards tell us that conclusions must be supported by “proof.” Standards insist that “proof” is more than “a document”—rather, it’s a conclusion based on a body of evidence created by reasonably exhaustive research. Meeting this standard creates a paradox: The more data we gather, the more confused we get!—unless we maintain that body of evidence in a way that enables us to digest it, analyze it, and correlate it with everything else we’ve found. This session presents a framework for projects of all types and sizes, building on sound research practices that carry us smoothly from problem analysis to problem resolution.
Cet espace est réservé pour un webinaire MyHeritage qui sera présenté par Elisabeth Zetland, membre de l’équipe de Recherche MyHeritage. Vous découvrirez ici les dernières fonctionnalités et données développées par l’équipe MyHeritage pour vous aider dans vos recherches généalogique. Le thème de cette session sera bientôt annoncé.
Cet espace est réservé pour un webinaire MyHeritage qui sera présenté par Elisabeth Zetland, membre de l’équipe de Recherche MyHeritage. Vous découvrirez ici les dernières fonctionnalités et données développées par l’équipe MyHeritage pour vous aider dans vos recherches généalogique. Le thème de cette session sera bientôt annoncé.
New record images create the most complete set of records to identify the over 5.5 million soldiers served in the British Army during World War I. This is a large topic, but research has gotten easier during the last couple of years as original resources and indexes have become available online, and new finding aids have been created. This lecture examines what records were destroyed during WWII, what records survived along with how to use the new indexes, online originals and how to interpret them. Plus put the soldier’s actions into battle context.
New record images create the most complete set of records to identify the over 5.5 million soldiers served in the British Army during World War I. This is a large topic, but research has gotten easier during the last couple of years as original resources and indexes have become available online, and new finding aids have been created. This lecture examines what records were destroyed during WWII, what records survived along with how to use the new indexes, online originals and how to interpret them. Plus put the soldier’s actions into battle context.
DNA Case Study: Reconstructing A Family Tree Using DNA
Wed, December 4 2024: 19:00 UTC
This special case study will walk you through how to solve multiple unknown father mysteries within the same family tree. Where can you turn when both of your maternal and paternal grandfathers are unknown and both of your grandmothers’ fathers are also unknown? It may seem far-fetched but this was the genuine situation my client was faced with – two mystery grandfathers and two mystery great grandfathers on the same tree! There were mysteries on top of mysteries in this amazing case with six out of eight great grandparents unknown and at least four mystery fathers to identify. This webinar will tell the story of how this tiny tree was reconstructed using a combination of DNA results analysis and traditional research methods.
This special case study will walk you through how to solve multiple unknown father mysteries within the same family tree. Where can you turn when both of your maternal and paternal grandfathers are unknown and both of your grandmothers’ fathers are also unknown? It may seem far-fetched but this was the genuine situation my client was faced with – two mystery grandfathers and two mystery great grandfathers on the same tree! There were mysteries on top of mysteries in this amazing case with six out of eight great grandparents unknown and at least four mystery fathers to identify. This webinar will tell the story of how this tiny tree was reconstructed using a combination of DNA results analysis and traditional research methods.
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You should receive a confirmation email with a link to the webinar soon.
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