50th Annual Family History Workshop

Emigrating is Hard. Migrating is also Hard. Immigrant Settlement in the American Midwest

The push-pull factors that brought immigrants to the United States were the same factors that caused them to later migrate within America. Finding the answers to "why then" and "why there" is as important as learning their names and vital dates. With those answers we gain meaningful understanding of our ancestors' actions that shaped their past and our future.

West by Water, West by Wheel: How 19th Century Immigrants Traversed the United States

Exactly how did our ancestors travel from their homeland to where they ultimately settled? What routes were taken, what was the cost, and what restrictions were faced along the way? We’ll explore 19th century transportation options, tracing immigrants’ path from ports of departure to entry ports, and finally to their destinations across the American West.

Who Hid the Body? Finding Your Ancestor's Place of Burial 

Why is it important to find a person’s place of burial? Because it’s the end – the final event in a life and an essential ending for that person’s story. The burial place may offer insight to a person’s life or unexpected information, but it’s not always easy to find. Learn how to track down an ancestor who seems to have vanished after death.

Turn Your Family Tree into a Family Book

Maybe it has always been a secret dream of yours to create a book out of your research, but you have felt too overwhelmed to get started. I will help you break this process down into simple, manageable steps. We will talk about what to include, how to turn facts into stories, how to organize your book, how to get it printed, and finally how to share it. You will learn about several software options for this project, from the very simple MyCanvas to the very customizable Family Book Creator. Learn how achievable a family history book really is, and the important role it plays in preserving your research. What happens to your tree if your computer crashes tomorrow, or Ancestry.com goes down? Don’t leave anything to chance. You and your descendants deserve the chance to sit on the couch and page through the story of your family, for years to come.

How to Research Your Family History on FamilySearch.org

FamilySearch.org contains historical records from around the world, family trees with millions of names and helpful guides to researching your family history in many countries. That makes it a tremendous resource for genealogists and it’s all free. This course will give you a tour of FamilySearch.org, highlight key resources and provide tips on how to use them. You’ll also learn how to use Full Text Search, a revolutionary new feature that lets you search for a name anywhere in millions of previously unindexed records.

Brick Wall-Busting Strategies, with a Case Study on Researching Civil War Soldiers

Whether you’re just beginning to research a branch of your family tree or you have already done extensive research on the line, it’s worthwhile to take a methodical approach. Using this step-by-step guide, you’ll begin with broad searches of the genealogy megasites, dig deeper by checking specific online record collections and follow up by seeking out more obscure sources that aren’t yet online. Rick will then show how he followed these steps to research three Civil War soldiers in his family.

Lineage Societies and How to Join…You Need More Than a Tree

This session will cover the requirements to join various lineage societies. The documents needed to do so and tips on how to collect those documents and apply. Also, information on joining other societies once you have one done. There are connections between and among various societies. Questions and answers are welcome. If time allows, we can work on your individual application.

Descendant Research: Turn Your Tree Upside Down for More Fun!

If you’ve spent years looking for ancestors and your progress has slowed to a crawl, turn your tree upside down to supercharge it! Searching for descendants can change your research into a fast-paced, fun, and educational hobby. You’ll learn more history, find more people interested in your research, expand your family, and make new friends. My research on the extended Gaboury family has taken me on journeys across North America, covering events of the past as well as today. I’ll share my process and the results, helping bring this level of excitement to your own research.

Our Writing, Our History: A Writing Workshop

This session will cover the importance of personal writing and the role it plays in shaping history. The value and practice of writing for everyone will be discussed. Session participants will write given prompts from the instructor.

Chain Migration: Why did my Ancestors Settle There?

Chain migration was an important way our ancestors emigrated. While there was an entire system of published information, emigration agencies, and other sources of information for potential emigrants, the majority of our ancestors followed relatives or friends to America which often produced giant clumps rather than neat chains of migration. I discuss the ways our ancestors got information and then talk about some English and German chains that show how complex these chains can be.

Getting Started in Genealogy

Have you been interested in looking into your family history but didn’t know where to start or got overwhelmed by all the possibilities? In this beginner session, learn the difference between genealogy and family history; what forms to use and where to find them; where to look for information; the genealogical research process; ways to organize everything you collect; and more! Afterwards, attendees should be prepared to take the first steps into learning more about their family without frustration and overwhelm.

Find a Grave

This presentation explores Find a Grave as a valuable tool for genealogical research, highlighting both its strengths and its limitations. We will look at how genealogists and family history researchers can use memorials, tombstone photographs, burial details, family links, and contributor-added information to generate clues that support broader research. The presentation will also address important questions about accuracy, source evaluation, memorial management, and best practices for using Find a Grave. 

Using DNA Matches to Identify New Ancestors

Your DNA match list may hold the secret to breaking through a brick wall. We will look at three case studies using DNA to identify new ancestors.