An Introduction to Gravestone Conservation will be presented August 27, 2022 at 1 pm in a virtual format

Genealogist and Gravestone Conservator, Christopher White, will take us on a journey into old and neglected local cemeteries where time has taken its toll on nineteenth century gravestones. Gravestones can be the last and only vestige of a person’s life. Conservation of the artifacts can be extremely rewarding to all involved. Through a series of photographs White will present the process of gravestone conservation, maintenance, and restoration on both small and large gravestones.

Christopher White, the Albany Grave Digger, is a genealogist, historian, lecturer, and gravestone conservator based in the Capital District of New York. In 2021 Chris earned a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University. He is enrolled in the ProGen Study group and working towards becoming a certified genealogist (CG).

Note: Non-members of CDGS are welcome to register after the 15th of each month.  Sign up for a free account to register. Most programs are available to members  following the presentation on the members-only section of our website.

Learn about the history of the Freedmen's Bureau and its organizational structure as well as an approach to researching records within The Bureau record set, demonstrating how to access these records for free online. The presenter will focus on offering specific instructions for accessing the Bureau records found at these websites: National Archives Records Admin (NARA); Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives (SOVA); FamilySearch.org; Ancestry.com; Mapping the Freedmen’s Bureau, including website links.

8 PM - Free and Open to the Public (GSNJ Members have access to the recording for a limited time).

Dates are important to genealogists but how well do you understand the relationship between the dates recorded and the calendar in use? The switch from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar started in 1582; lasted into the 20th century. Understanding the adoption process impacts your 18th to 20th-century research.

Join GSNOCC on Sat., July 30, 2022, from 9:00 am – 3:30 pm (PDT) for our annual  VIRTUAL (on Zoom) seminar! Featured speaker, Rhonda R. McClure (Senior Genealogist, New England Historic Genealogical Society), will present four fascinating topics throughout the day-long event:

·         Using Major Genealogical Websites in Your Family History Research

·         Using Your Computer for Genealogical Analysis

·         Using Google in Family History Research

·         Mining the Treasures in Newspapers

Plus, chances to win prizes, play genealogical games, and more! The first 25 people to register will be entered into an additional drawing for a gift worth $25!

To register, please visit https://www.gsnocc.org/seminar.html
($20 members/$30 non-members. Deadline to register is July 27, 2022.)

Come and learn about Slavic, Germanic, and other aspects of East European Genealogy! The program will feature tracks in research in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire (including Czech, Slovak, etc.), German Empire, Poland, and the Russian Empire (including Ukraine, Belarus, and Baltic Countries) as well as classes on DNA Research, Jewish, Germans from Eastern Europe, and more. 

The main conference will be Wednesday-Friday, July 27-29, consisting of three days of live instruction online. The classes will also be recorded and available for on-demand viewing through the remainder of 2022. There will be opportunities for connecting with speakers and other attendees through virtual consultations and a virtual lobby/lounge. Registration is $200 for the full three days and on-demand recordings.

Preconference workshops will be offered Monday and Tuesday, July 25-26 for an additional $70. You will need to register for the full conference before adding workshops. Workshops will be presented live and recordings will be available to those who register for the workshops. There will be individual workshops on reading documents including two German workshops, one Hebrew, one Latin, and one Russian.

You can see the list of conference topics and speakers on FEEFHS.org. A more complete program with specific times is coming soon.

The Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) provides an educational forum for the discovery, critical evaluation, and use of genealogical sources and methodology through a week of intensive study led by nationally prominent genealogical educators. Students choose one course that lasts throughout the week. Topics range from a course for beginners to a variety of courses on specialized topics.

Visit our website for more information: https://www.ighr.gagensociety.org

Registration for IGHR 2022 begins on 19 March 2022 at 9:30 a.m. ET.

8 PM - Free and Open to the Public (GSNJ Members have access to the recording for a limited time).

Bounty land was offered for soldiers of the Revolution, War of 1812, and Mexican War, but veterans didn’t simply take up residence on their land grants. Some did, but many other people ended up with these lands. Learn about laws, people who got involved, and where to find the records.

The Ventura County Genealogical Society presents

Free Family History Presentations

Online with Zoom

Saturday, July 16, 2022, 1:00-4:00 pm PDT

https://venturacogensoc.org/this-month/

1:00 pm                    Presenter: Andrew Fairweather

 “Tenement Housing in the Mid-19^th Century”

Do you ever wonder who your ancestors’ neighbors were? Are you writing a historical novel and need some inspiration? Join Andrew Fairweather, Librarian at the New York Public Library’s Seward Park branch on the Lower East Side. We’ll be talking about the history of the neighborhood during its decades of peak immigration, as well as looking at a few tips and tricks on how to perform demographic and genealogical research in this area, and elsewhere. Using Land and Buildings records and photographs, we’ll see the streets where your ancestor lived and maybe even a photo of their building. We’ll learn about living conditions in tenements and how to find your family in census records.

Andrew Fairweather is a Librarian who works for the Seward Park branch of the New York Public Library on New York City’s Lower East Side. His professional focus has included spreading knowledge about tools that help researchers conduct genealogical and local history research, as well as giving lectures that give people entry points into classic works of literature.

                Second presentation:

Presenter: Paul Milner

“Irish Immigrants to North America” (Irish SIG)

Before, During and After the Famine:  Learn about the routes taken and the reasons for the emigration from Ireland to the U.S. and Canada before, during, and after the famine. Learn how this mass movement of people can affect your research, plus what tools and records are available to trace your Irish ancestor.

Paul is a professional genealogist and lecturer, with over 30 years of experience. Born and raised in northern England, settling in the U.S. in 1975. An internationally recognized speaker for British Isles research and migration. Author of Discover English Parish Records; Discover English Census Records; Buried Treasures – What’s in the English Parish Chest; Genealogy at a Glance: English Research and Co-author of A Genealogists Guide to Discovering Your English Ancestors and A Genealogists Guide to Discovering Your Scottish Ancestors. Coordinator for English and Scottish research tracks at Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research, and coordinator of English Research tracks at Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and British Institute.

All our monthly lectures and workshops are free to our members and the public. Non-members should request a Zoom invitation here https://venturacogensoc.org/request-invitation-to-lecture/

Land Companies: Post Revolutionary War Land Development - Skip Duett, 1 pm via Zoom

After the Revolutionary War, there was a shift away from the earlier land transfer approaches.  The Holland Land Company, Oliver Phelps, Nathaniel Gorham, Sir William Pulteney, William Constable, and many others operated land companies in the post-war period.  Understanding how and where these companies functioned opens a treasure trove of records the prudent New York researcher will not want to miss.

Skip Duett is a professional genealogist, speaker and author specializing in upstate New York research.  He is conducting cutting-edge research in the application of advanced Y-DNA analysis for genealogy.  He is also actively researching post-Revolutionary War New York land settlement and records outside county deeds.  He serves on the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society (NYG&B) Family History Advisory Committee.

(Non-members of CDGS may register for this free program starting on the 16th of June)