Lectures Offered

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General info

Most lectures are 45 minutes in length which allows time for questions.  Lectures can be modified based on your needs.
Lectures may be given in person, or via a platform such as zoom, gotowebinar, etc.

Basic Genealogy

Genealogy 101

This lecture is geared to the beginning genealogist or a non-genealogical community group.  Information on how to get started tracing your ancestors is provided.
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Record Types

 Clues in the Cemetery: Digging Deeper for Buried Treasure - NEW lecture! 

Have you thought about digging deeper in the cemetery? Find the information about your ancestors that lies buried in the records. There is more to learn about the deceased if we look beyond the dates on the tombstone.
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Death Records: Moving from When and Where to How and Why

Many people use death records to learn about the date and place of their ancestor's demise. There is much more information to be found about the person's life. This lecture explores different types of death records such as: death certificates, tombstones, and obituaries. ​
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Following Your Family in the Federal Census - NEW lecture!

​Using the census is a basic skill that every genealogist should know. We can learn many details about our families by tracking them every decade.
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Local Histories Add Clues and Color to your Genealogy

Local histories are often maligned as inaccurate sources. However, used correctly, these local histories can be very helpful, by providing clues for further research.
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Untying the Knot: Divorce Records

Divorce Records can offer details about the marriage as well as provide insight into our ancestor's personalities. 
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Lineage Societies

Lineage Societies: The What, Why, and How 

Everything you ever wanted to know about lineage societies but were afraid to ask - the who, what, when, where and how of joining groups like the Daughters of the American Revolution, Colonial Dames and Mayflower Society are discussed.
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Specialized Lineage Societies: More than the DAR, Dames and Mayflower 

There are over 200 lineage societies that exist today - more than the commonly known societies. Perhaps you have an ancestor that was accused of witchcraft? A founder of a town? A colonial tradesman? British royalty? There is a society for all of these and many more.
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Successful Lineage Society Applications - NEW lecture!

There is more to a successful application than just filling in names, dates, and places.  A successful application requires knowledge of the specific and their requirements.
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Medical Genealogy

Dropsy, Quinsy, or Consumption: Just exactly what did my ancestor have?

Have you ever wondered what some of the medical terms found on old documents really mean? What is the modern term for those diseases? Was it treatable? Was it contagious? Was this an epidemic? This lectures discusses several commonly used terms for medical ailments.
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Migrations

The National Road - America's First Highway - NEW lecture!

​​The National Road extended from Cumberland, Maryland to Vandalia, Illinois.  It was built in the early 19th century to aid settlers in their westward migration.  Many of our midwestern ancestors traveled on, and settled near, the national road.  
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Organizing Your Genealogy

Using Microsoft One Note to Organize Your Genealogy - NEW lecture!

Microsoft One Note is a powerful tool to help you organize your genealogy, plan research trips, and store photos and documents. Best of all, it can be accessed anywhere.
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Techniques

Moving Forward by Looking Back

We often feel that we are facing a brick wall, when in fact, we already have the information needed to burst through it. This lectures discusses techniques to revisit that information in order to move forward with our research.
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Ethnic Groups

Russian? I thought my ancestors were German! - NEW lecture

​The Germans from Russia form a unique ethnic group in the Midwest and Great Plains states.  Despite these families having lived in Russia for over a century, they maintained many of their German language and customs.