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.

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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.

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.

The recording of today's webinar by The Board for Certification of Genealogists and Denise E. Cross, MSLIS, CG, "They Had Names: Identifying Children Represented by Tick Marks in Pre-1850 Censuses" is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com/BCG for free for a limited time.

Webinar Description

If you could not make it to the live event or just want to watch it again, the 1 hour and 25 minute recording of "They Had Names: Identifying Children Represented by Tick Marks in Pre-1850 Censuses" is now available to view in our webinar library for free for a limited time. If you have a webinar membership, it is available anytime.

Webinar Memberships/Subscriptions

Webinar Members get:

• On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 1,532 classes of genealogy education)
• On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 5,831 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
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Introductory pricing:

• Annual membership: $49.95/year

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

Print the 2021 webinar brochure here.

The recording of today's webinar by Judy G. Russell, CG, "From the 18th to the 21st: The Records of Prohibition" is now available to view at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com for free for a limited time.

Webinar Description

If you could not make it to the live event or just want to watch it again, the 1 hour 19 minute recording of "From the 18th to the 21st: The Records of Prohibition" is now available to view in our webinar library for free for a limited time. If you have a webinar membership, it is available anytime.

Webinar Memberships/Subscriptions

Webinar Members get:

• On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 1,410 classes of genealogy education)
• On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 5,425 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 2020 webinar brochure here.

The recordings of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture series, a 3-class series taught by the Board for Certification of Genealogists and broadcast live on Thursday are now online at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com/BCG. Taught by genealogy's elite educators (Judy Russell, J. H. Fonkert, and Jill Morelli), the classes are free to view through Saturday, October 31 or available anytime with an annual webinar membership.

From Generation to Generation: An Updated Look at Kinship Determination byJudy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL   

Proving relationships between generations is an essential skill for genealogists, and one that has to be demonstrated for certification in the Kinship Determination Project. Get an updated review of this three-generation narrative linking family members from generation to generation. Presented as part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series, and sponsored by the Board for Certification of Genealogists.

Click here to view.

Geo-Genealogy as a Problem-Solving Tool: The Case of a 19th-Century Female Teenage Immigrant by J. H. (Jay) Fonkert, CG 

Evidence for the home-country origins of 19th-century immigrants can be hard to find. This lecture illustrates how 3-D genealogy (associations, geography, and time), including an expansive geographical search in American records can produce a tight geographical focus in home-county records, leading to the birth family of a single, teenage girl who landed at New Orleans in 1845. Enjoy a research cruise up and down the Mississippi to gather clues leading to Dena’s German birthplace. Presented as part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series, and sponsored by the Board for Certification of Genealogists.

Click here to view.

Spanning 150 Years of Record Loss: A Methodological Approach to Identifying Parents in Sweden by Jill Morelli, CG  

Swedish records are rarely lost to fire. Churches built of brick and a lack of conflict within the country have made most records available and continuous back to the late 1600s. Elna Johansdotter married Troed Pehrsson, but not in the parish where she raised her children and died. Swedish women usually marry in their home parish, but live in the parish of their husband. Where was Elna born and who were her parents? Available record sets consisted of 1 book of parish records which ended in 1716; the gap-ridden mantals tax records, an annual recording of the heads of household and their taxable obligations; and the probate documents, the latter available only if the court ordered an inventory to occur. Squeezing all information out of the limited record sets available resulted in a successful identification of the parents of Elna. The records sets available may differ but the methodologies used to identify the parents of Elna are transferable, whether in Sweden, the United States or elsewhere. Presented as part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series, and sponsored by the Board for Certification of Genealogists.

Click here to view.

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About the presenter

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.

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The webinar will be live on Tuesday, August 18, 2020 at:

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

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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.
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5. Make sure you have the latest version of Java installed on your computer. Check at www.java.com.
6. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
7. 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.
8. 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 presenters

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 Thursday, August 6, 2020 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. Make sure you have the latest version of Java installed on your computer. Check at www.java.com.
6. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
7. 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.
8. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone. 

We look forward to seeing you all there!

Or register for multiple webinars at once by clicking here.

Not sure if you already registered?

Login to view your registration status for this webinar (available for annual or monthly webinar subscribers).

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

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, October 15, 2019 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. Make sure you have the latest version of Java installed on your computer. Check at www.java.com.
6. Check your GoToWebinar connection here.
7. 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.
8. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone. 

We look forward to seeing you all there!

The Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) will host six free webinars live from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 6 September 2019. Six leading genealogists will speak on topics related to the Genealogical Proof Standard, DNA, ethics, immigration, and documenting our ancestors lives. The hour-long webinars begin at 11 a.m. U.S. Eastern time (9 a.m. Mountain time, 15:00 GMT) and continue throughout the day. The webinars are part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series, and are presented in conjunction with Legacy Family Tree.

The lecture series is in memory of BCG’s former trustee and vice president of the Board, Joy Reisinger, Certified Genealogist Emeritus. Joy began this lecture series for Family History Library staff during BCG’s fall board meetings. She was an advocate for open records access, a lecturer on research methods, and an expert on Canadian resources, especially Quebec.

The schedule for the lectures and broadcasts is

11 a.m Eastern time. Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG^®, CGL℠, “Reasonably Exhaustive Research: The First Criteria for Genealogical Proof.”

12:15 p.m. Eastern time. Martha Garrett, PhD, CG^®, “Finding Immigrants Who ‘Disappeared’: A Research Approach Based on Recognizing and Challenging Assumptions.”

1:30 p.m. Eastern time. Judy G. Russell, JD, CG^®, CGL℠, “Share and Share Alike: The Rules of Genealogical Privacy.”

3:30 p.m. Eastern time. Karen Stanbary, CG^®, “Details of New and Modified DNA-Related Standards.”

4:45 p.m. Eastern time. Melinda Henningfield, CG^®, “How to Write a Case Study that Meets the New Standards for DNA: As Codified by the Board for Certification of Genealogists.”

6:00 p.m. Eastern time. Rick Sayre, CG^®, CGL℠, “Reconstructing an Entrepreneurial Woman’s Life: From Family Intrigue to Water Rents.”

Lectures at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City are free and open to the public. Live webinar broadcasts are free to the public, but require registration. Registration for the webinars, as well as additional information on speakers and lecture topics, can be found at https://familytreewebinars.com/BCG19. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. In order to accommodate those who might have schedule conflicts, each webinar can be accessed at no charge for a week after the broadcast.

The words Certified Genealogist and letters CG are registered certification marks, and the designations CGL and Certified Genealogical Lecturer are service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists^®, used under license by board certificants after periodic evaluation.

One of our favorite webinar speakers, Mary Roddy, has some new letters after her name - CG. She has just been awarded the prestigious Certified Genealogist credential by the Board for Certification of Genealogists. According to BCG, "those who hold this credential have demonstrated their competence in research, analysis, kinship determination, and reporting skills." Congratulations Mary Roddy, CG!

Mary joined FamilyTreeWebinars.com as a speaker in 2014 and immediately was a hit with our viewers. She is most known for her series of webinars on using Excel for genealogy. View her classes at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com/MaryRoddy or click the image below.

We are also honored to be the host of the webinar series of the Board for Certification of Genealogists. Each month, a credentialed member of the organization presents a free, live webinar on a variety of topics. Register for future live webinars at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com/BCG. Recordings of the presentations are also found here. The top 5 most-viewed BCG webinars include:

1. Transcribing Documents: There is More Than Meets the Eye! by LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JD, CG, CGL
2. Thinking About Becoming a Board-certified Genealogist? by Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL
3. FAN + GPS + DNA: The Problem-Solver's Great Trifecta by Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL
4. Valid and Unsound Assumptions: What Was She Thinking? by Jeanne Bloom, CG
5. Writing Up Your Research by Michael J. Leclerc, CG