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About the presenter

Dana Palmer, CG, CGL has been a genealogy instructor at Sinclair Community College since 2010. She has spoken at national, state, and local genealogy events and conferences including RootsTech, NGS, FGS, and frequently at OGS. She specializes in lineage society applications, publishing family books, Midwestern research specifically Ohio, but she also has experience in Germany, Denmark, and the U.K. She also reviews military repatriation cases and is part of the Mayflower Silver books team. She has received numerous awards for her books and volunteer efforts. She belongs to several lineage societies including ISDUP, USDAR, USD 1812, and Colonial Dames. She loves problem solving and tracking down those elusive ancestors.

With our Google Calendar button, you will never forget our upcoming webinars. Simply click the button to add it to your calendar. You can then optionally embed the webinar events (and even turn them on and off) into your own personal calendar. If you have already added the calendar, you do not have to do it again - the new webinar events will automatically appear.

Webinar time

The webinar will be live on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at:

• 8pm Eastern (U.S.)
• 7pm Central
• 6pm Mountain
• 5pm Pacific

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
3. You will receive a reminder email both 1 day and 1 hour prior to the live webinar.
4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
5. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
6. Click on the webinar link (found in confirmation and reminder emails) prior to the start of the webinar. Arrive early as the room size is limited to the first 1,000 arrivals that day.
7. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone. 

We look forward to seeing you all there!

The recording of today's webinar by Joy Oria, "Padrones of the Past: Colonial-era Censuses of Mexico” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

In 2000 the book, Hidden Sources: Family History in Unlikely Places by Laura Szucs Pfeiffer was published. The premise was simple. The book was essentially a list of sources that genealogists rarely used. Each article included information about that record, why it was helpful, where to find it, and additional readings. While this book is focused on American research, some of the record sets can be found outside of the United States and may help the reader consider what records they are missing in their research. 

When this book was published, I devoured it. I wanted to know how to do good genealogical research. That quest required me to know records that held genealogical context, including records that genealogists didn't typically use. Now, mind you, this was when many of these records had to be found by doing in-person research at a government office, library, or archive. While there were a few items online, there wasn't anywhere the number of digitized records we enjoy today.

Some of the records discussed in the book are today considered familiar online records, such as city directories, newspapers, obituaries, military records, court records, and deeds. The main reason they are familiar to today's researchers is the benefit of digitized documents. As more records are made available, we as researchers become more familiar with records that were once difficult to obtain and may have been ignored because of the difficulty. That's why even if an older relative researched your ancestors, you need to see what you can find. Access to records changes over time.

But even today, some of the records written about in Hidden Sources are still what I would consider "hidden" or unusual. They include:

• Admiralty Papers
• American State Papers
• Bankruptcies
• Fraternal Organization Records
• Homestead Records
• Necrologies
• US Government Documents and Publications
• Works Progress Administration records

As I peruse the book today, I realize I use most of the records listed and benefit from the digitization of many. But there are some I have never used and don't think about when researching.

One of the records mentioned in the book is midwife records. I have seen some of these records, but overall I haven't used them in research. And although I do know where some are located, I need to do a better job of looking at what might exist where my ancestors lived. I plan to work on this gap in my record knowledge.

So my question for you is, what are unusual or hidden record sources that you haven't used? What records do you want to know more about?

Gena Philibert-Ortega is an author, instructor, and researcher. She blogs at Gena's Genealogy and Food.Family.Ephemera. You can find her presentations on the Legacy Family Tree Webinars website.

Test Your Webinar Connection

To ensure that your webinar connection is ready to go, click here.

Can't make it to the live event?

No worries. Its recording will be available for a limited time. Webinar Subscribers have unlimited access to all webinar recordings for the duration of their membership.

About the presenter

Houston native Joy Oria has spoken nationally on Hispanic genealogical research and completed the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy course Advanced Hispanic Research in 2020. She helped customers discover their family history at the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research in Houston, Texas from 2015 to 2022. Her earlier career experiences include zookeeper and park ranger. She is currently studying for a master’s degree in Library Science with the University of North Texas.

With our Google Calendar button, you will never forget our upcoming webinars. Simply click the button to add it to your calendar. You can then optionally embed the webinar events (and even turn them on and off) into your own personal calendar. If you have already added the calendar, you do not have to do it again - the new webinar events will automatically appear.

Webinar time

The webinar will be live on Friday, March 17, 2023 at:

• 2pm Eastern (U.S.)
• 1pm Central
• 12pm Mountain
• 11am Pacific

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
3. You will receive a reminder email both 1 day and 1 hour prior to the live webinar.
4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
5. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
6. Click on the webinar link (found in confirmation and reminder emails) prior to the start of the webinar. Arrive early as the room size is limited to the first 1,000 arrivals that day.
7. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone. 

We look forward to seeing you all there!

The recording of today's webinar by F. Warren Bittner, MS, "Exhausting Research to Find an Impossible Immigrant!” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

Test Your Webinar Connection

To ensure that your webinar connection is ready to go, click here.

Can't make it to the live event?

No worries. Its recording will be available for a limited time. Webinar Subscribers have unlimited access to all webinar recordings for the duration of their membership.

About the presenter

F. Warren Bittner, MS (History), is a genealogical researcher, educator, and author. He is a professional researcher accepting private clients and specializes in German and German Immigrant research. He is former owner of an independent research firm, and previously worked for the Family History Library as the German Collection Manager, Extraction Specialist, and Research Consultant.

Warren has coordinated German research courses for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR), and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). He is coordinating a course this summer (2023) titled “Intermediate German Research” at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh.

He has lectured widely at national conferences and society events, and is published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. His article, “Without Land, Occupation, Rights, or Marriage Privilege: The Büttner Family from Bavaria to New York” received the National Genealogical Society Award for Excellence.

Warren is known for his extensive research in German and US archives and repositories, Swiss records, and his expertise in late nineteenth-century New York City research. He is a former trustee for the Board for Certification of Genealogists, served on the board of directors for the Utah Genealogical Association.

With our Google Calendar button, you will never forget our upcoming webinars. Simply click the button to add it to your calendar. You can then optionally embed the webinar events (and even turn them on and off) into your own personal calendar. If you have already added the calendar, you do not have to do it again - the new webinar events will automatically appear.

Webinar time

The webinar will be live on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at:

• 2pm Eastern (U.S.)
• 1pm Central
• 12pm Mountain
• 11am Pacific

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
3. You will receive a reminder email both 1 day and 1 hour prior to the live webinar.
4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
5. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
6. Click on the webinar link (found in confirmation and reminder emails) prior to the start of the webinar. Arrive early as the room size is limited to the first 1,000 arrivals that day.
7. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone. 

We look forward to seeing you all there!

The recording of today's webinar by Daniel Horowitz, "RootsTech Recap” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free.

Test Your Webinar Connection

To ensure that your webinar connection is ready to go, click here.

Can't make it to the live event?

No worries. Its recording will be available for a limited time. Webinar Subscribers have unlimited access to all webinar recordings for the duration of their membership.

About the presenter

Genealogy Expert at MyHeritage, providing key contributions liaising with genealogy societies, bloggers and media, as well as lecturing, and attending conferences around the world. Dedicated to Genealogy since 1986, he was the teacher and the study guide editor of the family history project “Searching for My Roots” in Venezuela for 15 years. Daniel is involved in several crowdsource digitization and transcription projects and holds a board level position at the Israel Genealogy Research Association (IGRA).

With our Google Calendar button, you will never forget our upcoming webinars. Simply click the button to add it to your calendar. You can then optionally embed the webinar events (and even turn them on and off) into your own personal calendar. If you have already added the calendar, you do not have to do it again - the new webinar events will automatically appear.

Webinar time

The webinar will be live on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 at:

• 2pm Eastern (U.S.)
• 1pm Central
• 12pm Mountain
• 11am Pacific

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
3. You will receive a reminder email both 1 day and 1 hour prior to the live webinar.
4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
5. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
6. Click on the webinar link (found in confirmation and reminder emails) prior to the start of the webinar. Arrive early as the room size is limited to the first 1,000 arrivals that day.
7. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone. 

We look forward to seeing you all there!

The recording of today's webinar by Elizabeth Swanay O'Neal, "An Introduction to Using WordPress to Build a Blog or Website” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

We're excited to announce The 4th Annual 24-Hour Genealogy Webinar Marathon hosted by FamilyTreeWebinars.com and MyHeritage. The marathon will begin on Thursday, April 13 at 5pm eastern U.S. time (Friday, April 14 at 7am Sydney time) and end on Friday, April 14 at 6pm eastern U.S. time (Saturday, April 9 at 8am Sydney time).

Visit www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com/24 to register (free!)

You will learn how to trace your ancestors from the world's top genealogists and educators. From planning your research to DNA, from eBooks, German calendars and the FAN club, to Australia, Poland and Ireland, to the First Kansas/US Colored Troops 79th Regiment, there's something for everyone... in every time zone. And thanks to FamilyTreeWebinars.com and MyHeritage, the entire event is free! Pop in for a session or two, or stick around for the full 24 hours — it's completely up to you. There will even be time for Q&A and door prizes.

Actually, it's 25 hours

Stick around for an extra hour at the very end as we feature Elizabeth Shown Mills and her class, "Elusive Ancestors: Never Too Poor To Trace". This is part of this year's members-only webinar series, "The Best of Elizabeth Shown Mills: Genealogy Problem Solving". All classes in this series require a webinar membership to attend EXCEPT for this one. If you've been thinking about becoming a webinar member to have access to the entire series, come see what it's all about.

How to Listen In

Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com/24. Live attendance for each session is limited to the first 3,000 attendees. If you can't join us in real time, we've got you covered: all recordings will be available afterwards absolutely free for a week. Beyond that, you can watch them anytime with a webinar membership to FamilyTreeWebinars.com.

The Lectures

Viewers will enjoy a wide variety of lectures of genealogy and DNA. Each class will be 45 minutes long including time for questions at the end. The full schedule is shown below.

Looking forward to "seeing" you there!

Test Your Webinar Connection

To ensure that your webinar connection is ready to go, click here.

Can't make it to the live event?

No worries. Its recording will be available for a limited time. Webinar Subscribers have unlimited access to all webinar recordings for the duration of their membership.

About the presenter

Elizabeth Swanay O’Neal is a professional genealogist, writer, educator, and national genealogical speaker. Her specialties include methodology, technology, and online research resources. Since 1987, Elizabeth has made it her goal to research, share, and preserve her family stories. She is the author of the family history lifestyle website, Heart of the Family™ where her mission is to help others make the past part of their present.

With our Google Calendar button, you will never forget our upcoming webinars. Simply click the button to add it to your calendar. You can then optionally embed the webinar events (and even turn them on and off) into your own personal calendar. If you have already added the calendar, you do not have to do it again - the new webinar events will automatically appear.

Webinar time

The webinar will be live on Friday, March 10, 2023 at:

• 2pm Eastern (U.S.)
• 1pm Central
• 12pm Mountain
• 11am Pacific

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
3. You will receive a reminder email both 1 day and 1 hour prior to the live webinar.
4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
5. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
6. Click on the webinar link (found in confirmation and reminder emails) prior to the start of the webinar. Arrive early as the room size is limited to the first 1,000 arrivals that day.
7. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone. 

We look forward to seeing you all there!

The recording of today's webinar by Gena Philibert-Ortega, "Written in Stone: In-Depth Study of a Gravestone” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

Test Your Webinar Connection

To ensure that your webinar connection is ready to go, click here.

Can't make it to the live event?

No worries. Its recording will be available for a limited time. Webinar Subscribers have unlimited access to all webinar recordings for the duration of their membership.

About the presenter

Gena Philibert-Ortega is an author, researcher, and instructor whose focus is genealogy, social and women’s history. She holds a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Psychology and Women’s Studies) and a Master’s degree in Religion. Her published works include two books, numerous articles published in magazines and online, as well as five editions of the Tracing Your Ancestors series from Morsehead Publishing. Her writings can be found on her blogs, Gena’s Genealogy and Food.Family.Ephemera as well as the GenealogyBank blog. She has presented to diverse groups worldwide including the Legacy Family Tree Webinar series. Her current research includes women’s repatriation and citizenship in the 20th century, foodways and community in fundraising cookbooks, and women’s material culture.

With our Google Calendar button, you will never forget our upcoming webinars. Simply click the button to add it to your calendar. You can then optionally embed the webinar events (and even turn them on and off) into your own personal calendar. If you have already added the calendar, you do not have to do it again - the new webinar events will automatically appear.

Webinar time

The webinar will be live on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at:

• 8pm Eastern (U.S.)
• 7pm Central
• 6pm Mountain
• 5pm Pacific

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
3. You will receive a reminder email both 1 day and 1 hour prior to the live webinar.
4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
5. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
6. Click on the webinar link (found in confirmation and reminder emails) prior to the start of the webinar. Arrive early as the room size is limited to the first 1,000 arrivals that day.
7. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone. 

We look forward to seeing you all there!

Remember when you were young and needed to know more about a subject? You might go to the library (or your front room if you were lucky) and consult an encyclopedia. The encyclopedia had articles on just about everything. 

Today, encyclopedias exist online, but they are not the only works to consult. Wikis are like crowdsourced encyclopedias that can help you with answers to your questions. They introduce a subject, define key terms, and help you learn about a subject. All kinds of wikis exist, with the most familiar being Wikipedia. For genealogists, there are some genealogy-specific wikis that can help us learn more and conduct better research. The following are three examples.

FamilySearch Research Wiki 

Any discussion of wikis has to begin with the wiki that is synonymous with the phrase "genealogy wiki." The FamilySearch Research Wiki has over 105,000 articles (and growing) about everything from locations to methodology to individual records. Use it to better understand the location you're researching and what records exist. Also, check the wiki for record sets found on FamilySearch.

Remember that this is not a place to search for your ancestor. The FamilySearch Research Wiki is a place to learn about genealogy, record types, methodology, and research in your ancestor's location.

ISOGG Wiki 

The ISOGG Wiki (International Society of Genetic Genealogy Wiki) is the place to learn about genetic genealogy. According to the homepage, "The International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) was founded in 2005 by DNA project administrators who shared a common vision: the promotion and education of genetic genealogy. Our mission is to advocate for and educate about genetics as a genealogical research tool and promote a supportive network for genetic genealogists. This wiki was established for the benefit and education of the genetic genealogy community."

With 734 articles currently, you can learn more about DNA tests, DNA testing companies, methodology, and topics of interest to those searching for birth parents. Take some time to scroll down the homepage to learn more about how to search the wiki.

GenWiki 

A German wiki, this website explains: "The aim of the GenWiki is to collect information from all areas that are important for genealogical research and to make it freely accessible. Above all, GenWiki wants to help people to help themselves. The aim is not to present finished research results or theories, but to provide instruments and show ways and means that every genealogist needs or must know to achieve their research results." Use the menu on the left or the center to find pages of interest.

What Wiki Are You Reading?

Wiki's can be helpful to refer to when you are researching. They can enhance what you know about research, a location, or a methodology. If you're not using a wiki already, try some searches today and see how you can enhance your research. 

Gena Philibert-Ortega is an author, instructor, and researcher. She blogs at Gena's Genealogy and Food.Family.Ephemera. You can find her presentations on the Legacy Family Tree Webinars website.

We've tallied the numbers and made a list of the Top 10 most-watched FamilyTreeWebinars.com classes for February 2023! Are your favorite topics or instructors among the list? Need something new to learn? Use the list to get inspired!

Each month thousands of Legacy Family Tree Webinar subscribers head for the library to learn new skills and techniques to help improve their genealogy research. Among the now-1,925 genealogy classes in the members-only library, these were the most watched during the month of February 2023.  They aren't necessarily the newest classes but rather the topics that were sought out by our members.

Have you seen any of these classes? Are these among your favorites too? Some of these classes (and topics) might be new to you! Get inspired to learn more and make your genealogy journey more fun!

The Top 10 for February 2023

1. Trousers Black Domestic Tacks & Housekeeping Bills: Problem-Solving with 'Trivial Details' by Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL

2. Smiths & Joneses: Success with Families of Common Name by Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL

3. Using Mitochondrial DNA Testing for Genealogical Problem Solving by Michael D. Lacopo, DVM

4. Hints & Tips for Solving Irish Cases of Unknown Parentage Using DNA by Maurice Gleeson

5. The 5 steps to organizing your DNA in 2023 by Diahan Southard

6. Proving Identity: Not Matching Names by Robyn Smith

7. Flying Under the Radar – Discovering Charles Olin’s Alias by Mary Kircher Roddy, CG

8. Document Analysis: Digging into Details by Angela Packer McGhie, CG, FUGA

9. When a Place is New by Michelle Patient

10. Gradual Emancipation and Enslavement in the North by Ari Wilkins

The Runner-Ups

11. Family History on the Canadian Prairies by Dave Obee

12. Creating a DNA plan for Geoff’s brick wall by Diahan Southard

13. Tips & Tricks for Researching in Australian Archives by Shauna Hicks

14. Elizabeth Shown Mills reveals her secret to success in genealogy by Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL

15. Trail of Tears to Indian Territory by Billie Stone Fogarty, M.Ed.

16. Context: A Powerful Tool for Problem Solving by Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL

17. Family Statistics on MyHeritage by Uri Gonen

18. MyHeritage: Your Personal Genealogy Archive by Melissa Barker

19. Settlers, Squatters and Selectors: Land ownership in Australia, 1788-1900 by Cathie Sherwood

20. Trendy Tech Tools for Your Research: Yay or Nay? by Cyndi Ingle

The 2nd Runner-Ups

21. What’s That Name? Tips for Finding Nicknames, Spelling Variants and Mangled Surnames by Janice Nickerson

22. Seven Steps to Manage Digital Files by Denise May Levenick

23. Smarter Search Strategies for Genealogy by Thomas MacEntee

24. Reasonably Exhaustive Research: The First Criteria for Genealogical Proof by Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL

25. FAN + GPS + DNA: The Problem-Solver's Great Trifecta by Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL

26. Mastering Digital Filing for Genealogists by Cyndi Ingle

27. Designing with Canva for Your Genealogy, Society, or Business by Colleen Robledo Greene, MLIS

28. Exploring the Records in a Slave Owning Community by Bernice Bennett

29. One Man, Multiple Names: A DNA-Based Case Study by Dana Leeds

30. Quickly Organize Your DNA Matches with the Leeds Method by Dana Leeds

Access to classes in the Legacy Family Tree Webinar library are available with an webinar membership. Not a member? Become one! Or watch one of our free classes here.

The #1 rated webinar in February 2023

After each live webinar, viewers rate the webinar on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the highest). This month's #1 rated webinar is:

Smiths & Joneses: Success with Families of Common Name by Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL

Congrats to Elizabeth!