The recording of today's webinar, "African Americans Heading West" by Janice Lovelace, PhD is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

Where do you spend the majority of your time researching your genealogy? Most likely you are home alone searching on your computer for names.

Genealogy is often a solitary activity but it doesn’t have to be. To do your best research you should surround yourself with a virtual neighborhood. What does a genealogy neighborhood consist of? It might differ according to the location you research, the research questions you have, or the help you need to be successful.

Think of the neighborhood you live in. Your physical neighborhood has not only your neighbors but also businesses, services, and helping professions. In my personal neighborhood are my neighbors and a few blocks from my home are my eye doctor, grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, and the public library. I don’t need all of these services every day but I know where to go when I do need them. Your genealogy neighborhood should be very similar.

What do you need for your genealogy neighborhood? Consider:

Support

We all need a support system that will listen to our successes, help us brainstorm, and be there when things don’t go as expected. In our genealogy neighborhood, this might be family, friends, or other genealogists.

Experts

What questions do you have? What is your brick wall? Genealogy societies near you and in the location where your ancestor’s lived, professional genealogists, researchers, and librarians are some examples of experts you may want to seek out.

Fellow Researchers

There’s a real benefit to joining a community of genealogists whether it’s a society, an online group, or even networking at a conference. Hearing about other people's experiences can benefit your own research. When I started I began by researching with a cousin, then I joined a few societies, from there I became a regular at my local Family History Center where I began volunteering. Little by little I gathered a group of genealogical friends who shared their experiences and benefitted my research.

Tech Help

I remember when it was unique for a society to have a “computer users” group. But today, all genealogists are computer users and most likely spend the majority of their time on the computer. Technology is great until it doesn’t work or you aren’t sure how to use it. Tech help may encompass everything from fixing a computer to better understanding how to use your Legacy software. 

Aside from identifying people or businesses that can help, make sure to take advantage of Legacy webinars that explain how to use technology, websites, and software. Take a look at the Webinar Library for webinars that might help you with your tech questions.

Genealogy is a Neighborhood

Your genealogy can benefit from a virtual neighborhood of people, repositories, webinars, and businesses that can help you do better research. Think about what you could use and start looking for “neighbors” who can help. 

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

Janice Lovelace is a genealogical researcher, educator, author, and lecturer, with over thirty years of experience. She completed the Genealogy and Family History certificate at the University of Washington in 2012, the certificate program in genealogy at Boston University in 2013, and ProGen in 2014. Dr. Lovelace is a frequent speaker at international, national, and regional genealogy conferences as well as local societies on health and genetics, ethnic minority genealogy, and research methodology. She is an instructor at the Midwest African American Genealogical Institute (MAAGI). A retired college faculty member, Dr. Lovelace authored the National Genealogical Society’s online continuing education course African American Roots: A Historical Perspective. A freelance writer and photographer, she has a number of genealogy articles among her publications. A member of the Seattle Genealogical Society for many years, she has served in several board positions. She is also a member of Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), the Ohio Genealogical Society, Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS), and the National Genealogical Society (NGS).

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, August 5, 2022 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, "The Staff of the U.S. Census" by Seema Kenney is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

The recording of today's webinar, "Finding Mob: Researching Indigenous Australian Family History" by Benjamin Hollister 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

A wife, mother of 3, and entrepreneur, Seema is an active member of several societies and part of the NERGC planning committee. Based on over 20 years of research, her known roots are deep in New England as well as England, Germany, and Sweden. DNA research has now added The Netherlands to that list.

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, August 3, 2022 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!

 

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

Ben Hollister has been a professional genealogist since 2007, and a historical researcher since 1997. He currently owns and operates History Helper, a historical research business focussing on German-Australian and Australian indigenous research, and as well as offering a variety of support services to historical researchers.

Ben was the co-convenor of the Germanic & Continental European SIG of Genealogy SA from 2014 – 2019, founded the German-Australian Genealogy and History Alliance, a network of societies, archives and researchers, and served as Executive Officer, and was a director of the Association of Professional Genealogists from 2016-2020.

Ben is a Certified Professional with the Australian Library and Information Association and holds tertiary qualifications in information management, educational management, and applied history and speaks and teaches regularly about history and genealogy at a state, national and international level.

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, August 2, 2022 at:

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

Which, in Sydney is Wednesday, August 3, 2022 at:

• 12pm

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!

We've tallied the numbers and made a list of the Top 10 FamilyTreeWebinars.com classes for July 2022! 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-1,810 genealogy classes in the members-only library, these were the most frequently played during the month of July 2022.  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 July 2022

1. What's New at DNA Painter by Jonny Perl

2. Irish Emigration to North America: Before during and after Famine by Paul Milner FUGA, MDiv

3. Documents + DNA + Method + a little bit of Luck: Combining Tools to Find Biological Family by Elizabeth Williams Gomoll, CG

4. The Madness of 'Mc' Surnames by Carol Baxter

5. U.S. Revolutionary War: A Case Study Approach by Craig R. Scott, MA, CG, FUGA

6. Negative Evidence: Making Something Out of Nothing by Denise E. Cross, MSLIS, CG

7. Using DNA To Solve Interlinked Mysteries by Michelle Leonard

8. The Draft and the Selective Service System by Michael L. Strauss, AG

9. Ancestor's Religions in the U.S. by Carolyn L. Whitton, CG

10. Top 10 Secrets to Using MyHeritage by Daniel Horowitz

The Runner-Ups

11. One hour to master your camera settings by Jared Hodges

12. Exploring Your Ethnicities and Genetic Groups on MyHeritage by Gal Zrihen

13. Ole Master Record All Us In The Good Book – Using the Slave Owner's Bible Records by Char McCargo Bah

14. Civil War Series: Pension Files and Beyond by Michael L. Strauss, AG

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

16. Using DNA Test Results to Confirm a Pedigree by Angela Packer McGhie, CG

17. Identifying Common Ancestors with DNA by Shahar Tenenbaum

18. Five Wives & A Feather Bed: Using Indirect and Negative Evidence to Resolve Conflicting Claims by Mark A. Wentling, MLS, CG

19. Photography for Genealogy by Nicka Smith

20. Bridging the Gap: Finding Ancestors in the United States between 1780 and 1840 by D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS

The 2nd Runner-Ups

21. The Voyages of Our German Immigrants by Teresa Steinkamp McMillin, CG

22. Born to be Filed: Delayed Birth Records in the U.S. by Sunny Morton

23. How a City Directory worked for me again by Geoff Rasmussen

24. Montana Genealogy Treasures by Janet Thomson, Ed.D.

25. Researching a Loyalist Soldier by Craig R. Scott, MA, CG, FUGA

26. A 19th Century Ontario Enigma – A Case Study by Janice Nickerson

27. Proving Parentage Two Centuries Later Using DNA Evidence by David S. Ouimette, CG, CGL

28. An Introduction to DNA Painter by Jonny Perl

29. Emigration via Hamburg by Andrea Bentschneider

30. Supercharge your Research Spreadsheets with Airtable by Francine Crowley Griffis, CG

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.