What Happened to Uncle Walter? Evidence Analysis and Correlation Uncover a Man’s Dual Identities — free replay of tonight's BCG webinar by Sharon Hoyt, CG now available for limited time

2023-08-15-Hoyt-image500blog

The recording of tonight's webinar by the Board for Certification of Genealogists and Sharon Hoyt, CG, "What Happened to Uncle Walter? Evidence Analysis and Correlation Uncover a Man’s Dual Identities” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com/BCG for free for a limited time.

Webinar Description

Walter’s family lost touch with him after his 1920 arrest. Learn how collaboration, evidence correlation, and predictive research solved the mystery of Walter’s fate more than a century later.

View the Recording at FamilyTreeWebinars.com

If you could not make it to the live event or just want to watch it again, the 1 hour 29 minute recording of "What Happened to Uncle Walter? Evidence Analysis and Correlation Uncover a Man’s Dual Identities" is now available to view in our webinar library for free for a limited time.

Webinar Memberships/Subscriptions

Webinar Members get:

  • On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 2,035 classes of genealogy education)
  • On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 7,716 pages)
  • On-demand access to the live webinars' chat logs
  • 5% off all products at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com (must be logged in at checkout)
  • Access to all future recordings for the duration of their membership
  • Chance for a members-only door prize during each live webinar
  • Access to register for bonus members-only webinars
  • Ability to view which webinars you are registered for
  • Use of the playlist, resume watching, and jump-to features

Introductory pricing:

  • Annual membership: $49.95/year

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

Print the 2023 webinar brochure here.


Register for Tuesday's BCG webinar — Finding Your One Among Millions: Methods and Tips for Urban Research, a New York City Case Study by Amy Larner Giroux, PhD, CG, CGL

2023-06-20-register
 
Family history research in a large city can be richly rewarding as urban centers typically kept better records. However, when it is your ancestor who does not appear in the vital records, how do you find them? Searching among the plethora of people in a city such as New York can be challenging. This presentation will give attendees some ways to navigate research in urban areas using a case study in 19th-century New York City to illustrate the methods.
 
About the presenter

Amy Larner Giroux, PhD, CG, CGL, is co-author of the Florida edition of the NGS Research in the States series and has published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society Record, The Genealogist (American Society of Genealogists), and Florida Studies. Her research interests include New York, New England, Florida, military cemeteries, burial iconography, and ethnic studies. She has lectured nationally and has taught at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research.

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.

Add it to your Google Calendar

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, June 20, 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!


Urban Mapping Tools — free replay of today's BCG webinar by Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA now available for limited time

2023-04-18-image500blog

The recording of today's webinar by the Board for Certification of Genealogists and Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA, "Urban Mapping Tools” is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

Webinar Description

This presentation will suggest strategies to correlate large amounts of information often developed in urban research, with a significant emphasis on the use of cartographic resources. Generally, researchers of urban settings have an abundance of sources to consider. Many times, the challenge is to connect and analyze multiple, even overwhelming, amounts of information. A variety of resources will be discussed, especially, cadastral maps (land ownership), Sanborn fire insurance maps and city directories.

View the Recording at FamilyTreeWebinars.com

If you could not make it to the live event or just want to watch it again, the 1 hour 28 minute recording of "Urban Mapping Tools" is now available to view in our webinar library for free for a limited time.

Webinar Memberships/Subscriptions

Webinar Members get:

  • On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 1,966 classes of genealogy education)
  • On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 7,466 pages)
  • On-demand access to the live webinars' chat logs
  • 5% off all products at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com (must be logged in at checkout)
  • Access to all future recordings for the duration of their membership
  • Chance for a members-only door prize during each live webinar
  • Access to register for bonus members-only webinars
  • Ability to view which webinars you are registered for
  • Use of the playlist, resume watching, and jump-to features

Introductory pricing:

  • Annual membership: $49.95/year

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

Print the 2023 webinar brochure here.


Register for Tuesday's BCG webinar — Urban Mapping Tools by Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA

Register-bcg
 
This presentation will suggest strategies to correlate large amounts of information often developed in urban research, with a significant emphasis on the use of cartographic resources. Generally, researchers of urban settings have an abundance of sources to consider. Many times, the challenge is to connect and analyze multiple, even overwhelming, amounts of information. A variety of resources will be discussed, especially, cadastral maps (land ownership), Sanborn fire insurance maps and city directories.

Registerbut 

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

RickSayre-144x144Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA, a retired colonel who served 31 years in the U.S. Army, is a long-time researcher and instructor in genealogical topics. Rick is a past president and current board member of BCG. He coordinates the Advanced Land course and the Using Maps in Genealogy course offered by the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), and he instructs in several other courses at SLIG. Rick co-coordinates with Judy Russell, JD, CG, CGL, the Law School for Genealogists course at Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) and the Family History Law Library course at SLIG. He also lectures at national conferences and presents nationwide seminars. His areas of expertise encompass records of the National Archives, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Daughters of the American Revolution, including military records, land records, using maps in genealogy, urban research, and government documents. Rick specializes in the localities of western Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Add it to your Google Calendar

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, April 18, 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!


Uncovering Immigrant Origins Through Cluster Research - free replay of tonight's BCG webinar by Dana Palmer, CG, CGL now available for limited time

Uncovering Immigrant Origins Through Cluster Research - free replay of tonight's BCG webinar by Dana Palmer, CG, CGL now available for limited time

The recording of tonight's webinar by the Board for Certification of Genealogists and Dana Palmer, CG, CGL, "Uncovering Immigrant Origins Through Cluster Research" is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com/BCG for free for a limited time.

Webinar Description

Descendants of an early Ohio family had no idea of their origins. Following an associated family brought success, even after wading into foreign-language documents. This presentation shows what to do when traditional records fail to reveal an ancestor’s place of origin and how to use cluster research to break through the brick wall. Discussion will include how to determine the place of origin using records found in the United States and what to do when no records exist on your direct line.

View the Recording at FamilyTreeWebinars.com

If you could not make it to the live event or just want to watch it again, the 1 hour 25 minute recording of "Uncovering Immigrant Origins Through Cluster Research" is now available to view in our webinar library for free for a limited time.

Webinar Memberships/Subscriptions

Webinar Members get:

  • On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 1,931 classes of genealogy education)
  • On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 7,278 pages)
  • On-demand access to the live webinars' chat logs
  • 5% off all products at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com (must be logged in at checkout)
  • Access to all future recordings for the duration of their membership
  • Chance for a members-only door prize during each live webinar
  • Access to register for bonus members-only webinars
  • Ability to view which webinars you are registered for
  • Use of the playlist, resume watching, and jump-to features

Introductory pricing:

  • Annual membership: $49.95/year

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

Print the 2023 webinar brochure here.


Register for Tuesday's BCG webinar — Uncovering Immigrant Origins Through Cluster Research by Dana Palmer, CG, CGL

Register for Tuesday's BCG webinar — Uncovering Immigrant Origins Through Cluster Research by Dana Palmer, CG, CGL

Descendants of an early Ohio family had no idea of their origins. Following an associated family brought success, even after wading into foreign- language documents. This presentation shows what to do when traditional records fail to reveal an ancestor’s place of origin and how to use cluster research to break through the brick wall. Discussion will include how to determine the place of origin using records found in the United States and what to do when no records exist on your direct line.

Registerbut 

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

Dana PalmerDana 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.

Add it to your Google Calendar

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!


Misled by Records: Identifying Adam Cosner’s Parentage - replay of tonight's BCG webinar now online and free for limited time

Misled by Records: Identifying Adam Cosner’s Parentage - replay of tonight's BCG webinar now online and free for limited time

The recording of tonight's webinar by the Board for Certification of Genealogists and Pam Stone Eagleson, CG, "Misled by Records: Identifying Adam Cosner’s Parentage" is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

Webinar Description

Pennsylvania and Ohio records, correlated with those of a German immigrant who died in Virginia revealed Adam Cosner’s parents.

View the Recording at FamilyTreeWebinars.com

If you could not make it to the live event or just want to watch it again, the 56 minute recording of "Misled by Records: Identifying Adam Cosner’s Parentage" is now available to view in our webinar library for free for a limited time.

Webinar Memberships/Subscriptions

Webinar Members get:

  • On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 1,873 classes of genealogy education)
  • On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 7,014 pages)
  • On-demand access to the live webinars' chat logs
  • 5% off all products at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com (must be logged in at checkout)
  • Access to all future recordings for the duration of their membership
  • Chance for a members-only door prize during each live webinar
  • Access to register for bonus members-only webinars
  • Ability to view which webinars you are registered for
  • Use of the playlist, resume watching, and jump-to features

Introductory pricing:

  • Annual membership: $49.95/year

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

Print the 2022 webinar brochure here.


Replays of BCG's Reisinger Lecture Series now online for limited time

BCG's Reisinger Lecture Series now online for limited time

The recordings of the 2022 Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture series, a 6-class series taught by the Board for Certification of Genealogists and broadcast live on Friday are now online at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com/Reisinger. Taught by genealogy's elite educators (Meryl Schumacker, Gary Ball-Kilbourne, Mary Kircher Roddy, Jan Joyce, Nicole Gilkison LaRue, and Jennifer Zinck), the classes are free to view through Sunday, October 31 or available anytime with an annual webinar membership.

When Wrong is Actually Right: Constructing Proof Arguments for Counterintuitive Conflicts by Meryl Schumacker, CG  

Name changes, enumerator errors, and terrible informants can combine to create major inconsistencies in documentation. Records that, at first glance, appear to be major mismatches can later turn out to be correct. Researching non-English-speaking immigrant families requires a comfort level with these layered conflicts-upon-conflicts. This session demonstrates how to use logic to confirm that a wrong-name, wrong-age, wrong-everything record can actually be right, with an emphasis on immigrant families. Participants will learn how to transfer that logic to a written proof argument.

Click here to view.

Peeling the Onion: Getting to the Original Sources by Gary Ball-Kilbourne, PhD, CG

Genealogy Standards 38 and 58 strongly express a preference for using original sources. Diligent researching and a few tricks of the trade enable genealogists to find original sources that underlie authored narratives and derivative sources.

Click here to view.

The Hub of the Wheel: How Tracing a Brother with no Children Connected Ten Siblings by Mary Kircher Roddy, CG

A family from Ireland emigrated in a chain migration scheme to western Pennsylvania between 1825 and 1845. See how using the standards for researching connected the siblings and their descendants and led to their origins in County Tyrone.

Click here to view.

Consult via…Explore with…Discover through…Literature Reviews by Jan Joyce, CG, CGL

What if you could consult with genealogical experts each time your work slows? Together you could explore options for new paths of discovery. The right approach to a literature review allows you to do that. Other experts have encountered the same challenges that you do, and they have written about them even if not overtly. These challenges could range from beginning work in a new geography to parrying with a difficult brick wall. Learn how to conduct a targeted literature review, cull the information you need, and advance your research. A case study on the use of the FAN Club will highlight the methodology.

Click here to view.

Finding Henrietta: Reconciling Conflicting Evidence to Reveal a Woman’s Identity by Nicole Gilkison LaRue, CG

Henrietta Dixon was never enumerated with individuals identified as her parents in a federal census. Records revealing her family members, including her father, are often conflicting and open up new questions. Additionally, multiple marriages further obscure her identity. This case study uncovers Henrietta’s maiden name and emphasizes the importance of a focused research question when attempting to meet the Genealogical Proof Standard..

Click here to view.

Hidden Stories: Using Analysis to Explore the Unexpected in Family History by Jennifer Zinck, CG

Tales of illegitimacy, divorce, and desertion aren’t limited to soap operas and modern reality television. Discovering trails that lead to unanticipated events can be shocking, confusing, and exciting all at the same time. This session will explore how genealogists can utilize the law, conflict resolution, and tools like date calculators and timelines to help build a clearer understanding of some potentially challenging historical situations.

Click here to view.

 


BCG to Host Joy Reisinger Lecture Series: Six Free Lectures on Friday, 7 October 2022

Joy
Joy D. Reisinger (1934-2013)

We are pleased to once again host the Joy Reisinger Lecture Series for the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) on Friday, October 7, 2022. The six classes will be taught live at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and will be simultaneously broadcast via our webinar platform. See the full announcement and registration link below.

=====

The Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) will host six live webinars, free and available to the public, as this year’s Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series on 7 October 2022. The hour-long webinars begin at 9:00 a.m. MDT (11:00 a.m. EDT and 4:00 p.m. GMT) and continue throughout the day. Six leading genealogists will speak on topics related to the Genealogical Proof Standard, solving genealogical problems by discovering and using a wide variety of appropriate sources, and immigration. The webinars are part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series and are presented in conjunction with Legacy Family Tree Webinars. To register for the Reisinger Memorial Lecture series, use this link: https://familytreewebinars.com/reisinger/.
 
The lecture series is presented annually in memory of BCG’s former trustee and vice president, Joy Reisinger, who began this lecture series for Family History Library staff during BCG’s fall board meetings. Joy was an advocate for open records access, a lecturer on research methods, and an expert on Canadian resources, especially those of Quebec.
 
The schedule for the lectures is:
 

  • 9 a.m. MDT. "When Wrong is Actually Right: Constructing Proof Arguments for Counterintuitive Conflicts," Meryl Schumacker, CG
    Name changes, enumerator errors, and terrible informants can combine to create major inconsistencies in documentation. Records that, at first glance, appear to be major mismatches can later turn out to be correct. Researching non-English-speaking immigrant families requires a comfort level with these layered conflicts-upon-conflicts. This session demonstrates how to use logic to confirm that a wrong-name, wrong-age, wrong-everything record can actually be right, with an emphasis on immigrant families. Participants will learn how to transfer that logic to a written proof argument.
  • 10:15 a.m. MDT. "Peeling the Onion: Getting to the Original Sources," Gary Ball-Kilbourne, PhD, CG
    Genealogy Standards 38 and 58 strongly express a preference for using original sources. Diligent researching and a few tricks of the trade enable genealogists to find original sources that underlie authored narratives and derivative sources.
  • 11:30 a.m. MDT. "The Hub of the Wheel: How Tracing a Brother with no Children Connected Ten Siblings," Mary Kircher Roddy, CG
    A family from Ireland emigrated in a chain migration scheme to western Pennsylvania between 1825 and 1845.  See how using the standards for researching connected the siblings and their descendants and led to their origins in County Tyrone. 
  • 1:30 p.m. MDT. "Consult via…Explore with…Discover through…Literature Reviews," Jan Joyce, CG, CGL
    What if you could consult with genealogical experts each time your work slows? Together you could explore options for new paths of discovery. The right approach to a literature review allows you to do that. Other experts have encountered the same challenges that you do, and they have written about them even if not overtly. These challenges could range from beginning work in a new geography to parrying with a difficult brick wall. Learn how to conduct a targeted literature review, cull the information you need, and advance your research. A case study on use of negative evidence will highlight the methodology.
  • 2:45 p.m. MDT. "Finding Henrietta: Reconciling Conflicting Evidence to Reveal a Woman’s Identity," Nicole Gilkison LaRue, CG
    Henrietta Dixon was never enumerated with individuals identified as her parents in a federal census. Records revealing her family members, including her father, are often conflicting and open up new questions. Additionally, multiple marriages further obscure her identity. This case study uncovers Henrietta's maiden name and emphasizes the importance of a focused research question when attempting to meet the Genealogical Proof Standard.
  • 4:00 p.m. MDT. "Hidden Stories: Using Analysis to Explore the Unexpected in Family History Research" Jennifer Zinck, CG                Tales of illegitimacy, divorce, and desertion aren't limited to soap operas and modern reality television. Discovering trails that lead to unanticipated events can be shocking, confusing, and exciting all at the same time. This session will explore how genealogists can utilize the law, conflict resolution, and tools like date calculators and timelines to help build a clearer understanding of some potentially challenging historical situations.

BCG's Reisinger Lecture Series now online for limited time

BCG's Reisinger Lecture Series now online for limited time

The recordings of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture series, a 6-class series taught by the Board for Certification of Genealogists and broadcast live on Friday are now online at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com/BCG21. Taught by genealogy's elite educators (Elizabeth Shown Mills, David Ouimette, Melinda Henningfield, Patti Lee Hobs, Amy Larner Giroux and Rick Sayre), the classes are free to view through Sunday, October 31 or available anytime with an annual webinar membership.

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

Raw facts do not tell a story. They may not even tell the truth about what they do relate. As researchers, we seek original documents that offer us “the facts.” But facts are impish devils, and historical records do not speak for themselves. They cannot explain themselves. They are inert objects created by individuals of a different time, a different culture, and who-knows-what mindset. If taken at face value, records and their “facts” can deceive, mislead, or confuse us. The only voice that documents have is the voice we give them. With every document we find, and every story we tell, we have a choice:

  • We can take what we see at face value, report it devoid of context, and run the risk of misrepresenting the circumstances. Or …
  • We can seek the context we need to understand the record, the event, and the person.

Click here to view.

Seven Immigration Methodologies, with Case Studies Across the Centuries by David S. Ouimette, CG, CGL

Family historians face significant challenges tracing immigrant ancestors. Changes in language, culture, family composition, given name, surname, country of residence, and occupation tend to obscure the origins of many immigrants. This presentation introduces seven methodologies to effectively trace immigrant origins, illustrated with examples from the early 1600s to the early 1900s.

Click here to view.

Investigate the Neighborhood to Advance Your Research by Melinda Henningfield, CG, CGL

This lecture reveals the most powerful methodology available to genealogists. Family historians often begin their genealogical quest by researching only their direct ancestors. For many reasons the direct ancestor they search for may have left few records. The records that survive may not shed light on where the ancestor came from or who his parents were—or any other question about an ancestor. The records that answer questions about an ancestor are sometimes only found by researching his relatives, friends, neighbors, associates, or enemies.

Click here to view.

What am I missing? Recognizing Research Holes in Available Sources by Patti Lee Hobbs, CG

Performing reasonably exhaustive research assumes researchers recognize the resources available to solve a research question. Genealogists must recognize pertinent resources available to solve a research question and understand the limits of each of those resources. This lecture helps to navigate the pitfalls.

Click here to view.

Using Mind Mapping as a Visual Research Plan by Amy Larner Giroux, PhD, CG, CGL

Thorough analysis of each source document is how genealogists plan their next research steps. Including mind mapping as a visual method of analysis can help focus further research questions, point to missing sources, and support indirect evidence analysis.

Click here to view.

Private Land Claims—Complicated? Yes, but worth it! by Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA

When the United States acquired land that had been under the governance of foreign nations (Great Britain, France, Spain, and Mexico), the U.S. government agreed to grant title to landowners who could prove prior legal land rights from those foreign governments. This webinar shows how to access and use records resulting from the adjudication of these “private land claims,” which may provide significant family information.

Click here to view.