Radio talk show features conference speakers

Jane E. Wilcox

Join Jane E. Wilcox, host of The Forget-Me-Not Hour: Your Ancestors Want Their Stories to Be Told radio show, when she welcomes the presenters of the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society's sponsored New York Track at the National Genealogical Society's 2015 Family History Conference in St. Charles, Missouri. On the show, the New York Track lecture team will talk about the exciting lineup of New York genealogy topics at this year’s conference. The radio show airs at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, 1 April at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/janeewilcox/2015/04/01/ngs-st-charles-2015-and-the-new-york-track, and can be listened to on-demand any time afterward.

The New York Track includes Karen Mauer Jones with two topics: "New York Land: Patroonships, Manors, Patents, Rent Wars & Land" and Records Created by New York’s Towns and Cities: Uncommonly Rich Resources"; Terry Koch-Bostic with "City Directories: Antiquarian People Finders"; and radio show host Jane Wilcox with two topics: "The New York Gateway: Immigration and Migration" and "New York City and State Vital Records and Their Substitutes." Terry Koch-Bostic will also give the NYG&B Luncheon talk "Intuition and Genealogy Success: A Sixth Sense, Chance, Coincidence, or Serendipity?" The New York Track and Luncheon take place on Thursday, 14 May.

Find out what each of the presentations is all about on Wednesday, 1 April on The Forget-Me-Not Hour, and then join the presenters at the St. Charles Conference Center in St. Charles, Missouri on 13-16 May 2015.

Begun in November 2010 on WHVW 950 AM radio in Poughkeepsie, the Forget-Me-Not Hour features two one-hour shows each month with one on New York-area genealogy and history topics and one on a variety of genealogy and history topics. The New York show airs on the first Wednesday of the month at 10:00 a.m. at http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/JaneEWilcox. The variety show airs on the third Wednesday of the month at 10:00 a.m. Both shows can be accessed on-demand any time after the show airs. The program schedule and archives can be found on BlogTalk.

Host Jane E. Wilcox can be reached at http://www.4getMeNotAncestry.com. Please contact her with show ideas and questions for upcoming guests.

Radio talk show features conference speakers

Last Chance for the Early Bird Discount is Today!

Today is the last day to save $35 on conference registration. As of tomorrow, 31 March, member and non-member registration fees will increase by $35, and you will no longer be able to order a print syllabus. (Everyone will receive a syllabus on flash drive.)

Last Chance for the Early Bird Discount is Today!

Exhibitor Profile-American Ancestors by New England Historic Genealogical Society

Booth #606

Trace your ancestry with the most respected name in family history.

Like yours, our roots go deep. Founded in 1845, the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) is America’s leading comprehensive resource for family history. We are where the experts go to do their research both at our Newbury Street Headquarters in Boston and online.

We recently launched an all-new version of our popular website, http://www.AmericanAncestors.org, giving our members access to more than 150 million new records and more than 250 million new names. We added many new features to help make our website mobile friendly:  It will instantly adapt to your smart phone, tablet, and other mobile devices so that you can research at any time, in any place with Internet access.

We provide expertise in nearly all aspects of family history research, from seventeenth-century colonial New England through twenty-first century immigration.

For all those who seek to discover their family history, we have experts to guide you and to help make sense of all the genealogical information you have collected. We can verify the accuracy of your research and provide context and meaning to your ancestors’ stories.

As the nation’s founding genealogical institution and a not-for-profit organization, we are dedicated to advancing the study of family history by educating, inspiring, and connecting people through our scholarship, collections, and expertise for generations to come.

Come visit us at Booth #607 for books sales, membership specials, informal consultations with our expert genealogists, free giveaways, and much more.

Exhibitor Profile-American Ancestors by New England Historic Genealogical Society

Tomorrow early bird discount ends

 Don't Miss the Early Bird Discount

The early bird registration discount ends tomorrow, Monday, 30 March. In addition to enjoying a $35 discount, only early birds have the opportunity to order a printed syllabus. (Everyone will receive a syllabus on flash drive.) NGS members get even deeper discounts, so this is a great time to join.

Space is still available for most luncheons, the NGS Banquet, and Tuesday tours.

All full-conference registrants will be entered in a drawing to win  a free full-registration for the NGS 2016 Family History Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, courtesy of NGS; a seven-night stay at the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel at Temple Square, courtesy of the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel; and a one-year World Explorer membership to Ancestry.com, courtesy of Ancestry.com. Be sure to attend the opening session to find out if you are the winner. The winner must be present at the opening session to claim the prize.

To register online, visit the NGS website at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/ and complete the registration form.

Tomorrow early bird discount ends

NGS Announces Official Media Press for 2015 conference

NGS is pleased to announce the Official Media Press for the upcoming NGS 2015 Family History Conference in St. Charles, Missouri.

Official Social Media Press
Barbara Basden
Jen Baldwin
Jill Morelli
John Newmark
Joy Neighbors
Judy Kellar Fox
Kirk Woosley Patton
Liz Walker
Dear Myrtle
Patricia Dumond
Patricia Stanard
Shannon Combs-Bennett
St. Louis Genealogical Society
Terri O'Connell
The Ancestry Insider

Their links can also be found in the right column of this blog.

NGS Announces Official Media Press for 2015 conference

Exhibitor Profile-Newspapers.com

Booth #411

Newspapers.com is the online home of millions of pages of historical newspapers from thousands of newspapers around the United States and beyond. Each of the 50 states (and Washington DC) is represented, as are Canada, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Panama.

Newspapers.com provides a unique view of the past and can help us understand and connect with the people, events, and attitudes of an earlier time. Newspapers.com has made it easy and convenient to search or browse newspapers to find birth notices, engagement and marriage announcements, and death notices and obituaries, as well as news, sports, comics, fashion, ads, and much more.

Our high-quality digital images and powerful viewer provide the best look at these historical papers and make it easy to print, save, and share what you find. Newspapers.com is perfect for historians, genealogists, family historians, researchers, and teachers.

Special discounts on subscriptions will be available at our Booth #411.

Exhibitor Profile-Newspapers.com

Exhibitor Profile-No Waste Publishing

Booth #316

No Waste Publishing™ is a subsidiary of Creative Imaging, Inc., which is one of the largest “print-on-demand” suppliers in St. Louis since 1985.

Our mission is to provide the best value in book printing for a genealogy author.

It is our belief that great customer service begins and ends with personal attention. You will be assigned a dedicated customer service representative who will assist you throughout the entire self-publishing process. Her name is Lisa Fox. She has been working with genealogy authors for ten years.  She also works closely with the local St. Louis Genealogical Society and has created books for several of the members.

We want to make it easy for you to create your book. There are no complicated publishing “packages” or contracts. You will never pay for anything that you don’t need or want. By keeping everything simple, we keep everything affordable, but without any compromises on quality or service.

We don’t just take orders; we help shape them.

We offer a variety of bindings including true, library hard case binding, full color hard case binding, and soft cover bindings.

We’ve built our business on honesty, integrity, and customer satisfaction. Every precaution is taken to ensure that you get the best final result with no chance of any unpleasant surprises. And after more than twenty years in business, you can be sure we’ll be here tomorrow to serve your needs.

Come by Booth #316 to learn more. Check out our website at http://www.nowastepublishing.com.

Exhibitor Profile-No Waste Publishing

Speaker Profile-Steve Ehlmann

Steve Ehlmann

Friday, 9:30 a.m., F317, “Virginia Gentry Confront German Kulture: The Experiences of Three St. Charles County Families”

This lecture traces the history of three of the leading families of St. Charles County before the Civil War. By 1850, these Virginia gentry found themselves living in a county where nearly half of the inhabitants were German speaking immigrants who did not share their values on a number of issues, the most important of which was slavery. When Civil War came, some Virginia families sent their sons to fight for the Confederacy. While other Virginia families opposed secession with varying degrees of enthusiasm, almost all opposed the abolition of slavery.  Most of the German immigrants supported the Union and abolition, creating disagreements within the pro-Union forces over the use of martial law in the county and state. Hard feelings continued after the Civil War as the German-speaking population continued to grow, and those with southern roots became the minority in St. Charles County. As this group lost political influence, each family and each family member had to deal with the new reality.  Some stayed, but many left St. Charles County to seek opportunities elsewhere. Their experiences during the war and its aftermath continued to influence those who remained and those who moved on.

Steve is the author of a comprehensive history of St. Charles County, where he has served as county executive the last eight years. He is a director of the Missouri Historical Society and the State Historical Society of Missouri.

Speaker Profile-Steve Ehlmann

Exhibitor Profile-Missouri State Genealogical Association

Booth #212

The Missouri State Genealogical Association (MoSGA) is excited to have the NGS 2015 Annual Conference in the Show Me State at the Crossroads of America.

MoSGA is proud to celebrate 35 years of providing resources, education, and published materials to those researching Missouri ancestors. Please visit us at Booth #212 to join in our celebration and help spread the MoSGA love with a small token of our appreciation. We also ask that you participate in our “Pin Your Missouri Ancestor” life-size pin board.

Our sponsored speaker is Kathleen Brandt of a3Genealogy, http://www.a3Genealogy.com. A dynamic and engaging speaker, Brandt will explore slave and slaveholder records of Little Dixie - Missouri and share seven resources to research−from Missouri migration to Post Civil War Missouri records. Kathleen is speaking Friday, 8 a.m., session F307, "7 Tips to Researching Slaves and Slaveholders in Little Dixie−Missouri."

Stop by Booth #212 and let us show you how you can honor your Missouri ancestor, stay informed about Missouri genealogy research opportunities, and participate in Missouri genealogical and historical events with MoSGA. Find out more at http://www.mosga.org.

Exhibitor Profile-Missouri State Genealogical Association

Speaker Profile-Mary Stansfield

Friday, 2:30 p.m., F347, “Grandpa “Stole Chickens in the Nighttime:” What Penitentiary Records Can Tell About Your Family”

Did you ever wonder why no one talked about what Uncle Albert was doing during the Great Depression? Have you heard the phrase “pretty wild when he was younger, but a good guy” used to describe someone in your family? If so, you might want to take a look in penitentiary records. 

This session will focus on the Missouri State Penitentiary, but will give researchers an idea of common types of penitentiary records. Penitentiary records can offer a wealth of information on hard to find family members. You can discover big things like a date of death or parents’ names, or smaller details like what kind of tattoos great-great grandpa had.

A brief history of the Missouri State Penitentiary will be included, descriptions of what types of records have survived, the information you can learn about inmates, and practical tips for doing research. There will also be riots, gangsters, daring escapes, and stories about grandpa stealing chickens and grandma running a bawdy house.    

Mary Stansfield, MA, CA
Missouri State Archives
600 W. Main St.
Jefferson City, MO 65102

Speaker Profile-Mary Stansfield

Special Thursday Evening Lecture

Bryan McGraw

Thursday, 5:30 p.m., T261, "Personnel Records of the National Archives at St. Louis"

Did you know that the National Archives at St. Louis is the nation's central depository of genealogically-rich personal data series records of the late 19th and 20th Century? The National Archives at St. Louis is home to hundreds of millions of personal data series records including the official military and civilian personnel folders, many of which are open to the public for research. These are the most requested records in the National Archives system.

Attendees to this session will be given insight into not only the records available for genealogical research, but will also have a chance to learn how one of the largest and most modern archives in our nation was constructed and what is being done to preserve these records for future generations.They will also be provided a virtual tour of the facility and be given insight into what they need to do to perform on-site research and how to obtain copies of records if they are off-site. A question and answer session will follow the presentation.

The session will be presented by Bryan McGRaw, acting Access Coordinator - St. Louis & Midwest.

National Archives and Records Administration
1 Archives Drive, Room 340F
St. Louis, MO 63138

Special Thursday Evening Lecture

Exhibitor Profile-JustaJoy

Booth #511

2015 has brought many exciting changes to JustaJoy.com Family Heirloom Exchange and many more are underway, awaiting revelation as the year proceeds. We are four years old now and can truthfully bill ourselves as the “World’s Largest Source of Indexed Family Heirlooms.” But there is still a lot to do.

In January we initiated our monthly newsletter, The Heritage Room which has proved to be an efficient way to communicate with the JustaJoy community.

We are thankful that Missouri member and genealogist, Kathy Wieland, has chosen JustaJoy to feature her gigantic collection of identified and researched photos. Exciting matches have already occurred and will continue as the year progresses.

We are also proud of the increased activity by Society members such as Clan MacBean who are using JustaJoy to match the dozens of items donated to their Society by well-meaning individuals. One of their first listings, an 1860’s photo album, was happily reunited with a Colorado JustaJoy member who, in turn, began listing, which in turn, created another exciting match!

We are also in the process of developing a larger international presence to procure more dealers like Martyn Downer (MyFamilySilver.com) and David Madelena (Madelena Antiques), both of whom are from London, England and who have brought class to JustaJoy with their offers of heraldic silver and 18th century needlework samplers.

Every JustaJoy member is important. The more members–the more surnames–the more items–the more matches! Come see us in Booth #511 in the Exhibit Hall.

Exhibitor Profile-JustaJoy

Speaker Profile-Carol Whitton

Carol Whitton, CG*

Being able to read both U.S. and German records is one of the essential first skills of any genealogist. You can’t understand or interpret the content, if you can’t read it! Have you encountered difficulties reading records?

To obtain pointers and improve your skills, plan to attend Carol Whitton’s handwriting lectures:
Thursday, 4:00 p.m., T253, “Reading Handwritten German Church Records,”
Friday, 9:30 a.m., F312, “You Can Read Early American Handwriting”

Come prepared to be an elementary student again and learn to read and write. When all the records you need are handwritten by someone else, learning to write enhances your reading skill. You too can read any record if you learn what to look for, how it is typically organized, and how to work around the problems!

Certified since 2008, Carol has spent more than thirty years gathering expertise on German and American ancestors.


 *CG or Certified Genealogist is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license by Board-certified genealogists after periodic competency evaluation, and the board name is registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office.

Speaker Profile-Carol Whitton

Societies-Kirkwood Historical Society

The Kirkwood Historical Society was founded in 1962 to discover, collect, study, and preserve the history of Kirkwood and surrounding areas. This house and library are staffed entirely by volunteers.

Holdings
The collection includes microfilm of local Kirkwood newspapers ranging from 1900 to 1971, letters, clippings, and other items that provide information about the details of the daily lives of local families. Some of these local documents could be a source for original research. Sign on to the Kirkwood Historical Society website at http://www.kirkwoodhistoricalsociety.com/, then choose library items for a growing listing of our holdings. We have a microfilm reader but no way to print or download articles.

Rules
Our small facility welcomes all researchers without a charge but happily accepts donations. Our elderly photocopier is black and white only. We do charge for copies at 10 cents each. Please feel free to bring your lap top, scanner, camera, or other equipment. No items may leave the library. We expect researchers to site Kirkwood Historical Society as the origins of information obtained here whenever appropriate.

Amenities
We offer free on street parking and a small parking lot. Restaurants are within walking distance. Our 3 hour window for research limits amenities offered. Volunteers are available to assist you. It should be noted there is no handicap access to the second floor library, however we can bring research items to the first floor which is accessible at rear of building.

Hours
Thursday and Sunday from 1–4 pm

Contact Information
Susan Burkett, 302 W. Argonne, PO Box 220602, Kirkwood, MO 63122, 314-965-5151 
E-mail is best at sueburkett40@yahoo.com.

Societies-Kirkwood Historical Society

Speaker Profile-Amy Wachs, JD

Amy Wachs, JD

Let’s go to Eastern Europe! On Thursday, 14 May, Amy Wachs, JD, will present three programs about genealogy research in Eastern Europe.

Thursday, 9:30 a.m., T217, “Back to the USSR: Tracing Your Russian Roots”
Amy will discuss genealogy research in the former Soviet Union countries of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova. Distinctive features of each country will be discussed, and samples of available records will be shown.  

Thursday, 2:30 p.m., T247, “Introduction to Tracing Your Czech Roots”
The focus of this lecture will be on Czech records and will  offer research tips and include examples of helpful records. 

Thursday, 4:00 p.m., T257, “Guidelines to Finding Polish Records”
For help in researching your Polish roots, this session will take you inside the Polish state archives. Amy will also explain the impact of changing borders and discuss neighboring countries where Polish records can be found.

Amy has traveled extensively throughout Eastern Europe, and has been to every country that will be discussed in her presentations. As a Fulbright Scholar, Amy taught law in Riga, Latvia. She also taught law in Chisinau, Moldova, as a two-time Fulbright Senior Specialist. Amy also has extensive experience working with Eastern European state archives. She has done research in state archives in Poland and Lithuania, and visited state archives in Ukraine, Moldova, and other countries. 

Genealogy research in Eastern Europe can be challenging, but records are becoming increasingly accessible. Come meet with Amy for guidelines and tips on tracing your Eastern European roots!

Speaker Profile-Amy Wachs, JD

Exhibitor Profile-HistoryGeo

Booth #420

HistoryGeo is a service of Arphax Publishing Co. with a focus on past locations of people and important events within the Continental United States. HistoryGeo.com delivers maps and data via two projects presented in two different map viewers: 1.The First Landowners Project, and
2. The Antique Maps Project.

The First Landowners Project currently maps approximately 8.8 million original landowners among 21 different states (Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin). We will continue to add more of the Western states soon; information on eastern states can be found on our frequently asked questions blog entry.

The Antique Maps Project is an ever-growing collection of historical maps. At present, we are adding primarily maps that contain names of landowners. Many of these maps are indexed and searchable, and the ones that are not will be (thanks to our volunteer labeling program).

You can learn more about our service, by reading our blog, blog.historygeo.com, with posts that highlight the usage of both projects. But the quickest way to learn more is to check out the following:

•     The First Landowners Project–VIDEO

•     The First Landowners Project–WHITE PAPER (which describes in detail the counties and
      states mapped in the FLO project)

•     The Antique Maps Project–VIDEO

Come by and visit us in Booth #420. See our service in person and check out our NGS conference  special!

Exhibitor Profile-HistoryGeo

Records Preservation and Access Committee Panel Presentation

                                             Records Preservation & Access Committee
                                                                            

Friday, 11:00 a.m., F328–"Vital Records are Public Records: Help Keep Vital Records Accessible"

Panel presentation by Jan Alpert, FNGS, Chair, RPAC, Jan Meisels Allen, (IAJGS), and Fred Moss, JD, (FGS). Check the Registration Brochure or Conference Program for more biographical information.

Vital records are being threatened at both the state and federal level. Learn about the 2011 Revision of the Model State Vital Statistics Act which if passed in your state will close access to birth records for 125 years and death records for 75 years.

Also learn about how the 2013 Bipartisan Budget Act signed at the end of 2013 has limited access to the Social Security Death Index for three years after someone’s death. Although the Interim Rule allowed forensic genealogists to become certified for access to the Limited Death Master File during the embargo period, the proposed final rule increases the costs and security requirements making access prohibitive for a small business users including forensic and professional genealogists.

Hear how the genealogical community has responded to these initiatives and how you can help.

RPAC has initiated a “Genealogists’ Declaration of Rights” advocating open access to federal, state, and local public records. More than 5,000 genealogists have signed online at http://bit.ly/gen-declaration or at conferences or other gatherings of genealogists. Stop by the RPAC Table on Tuesday near Attendee Check-in and the NGS Booth in the Exhibit Hall.

What is RPAC?
The genealogical community works together through The Records Preservation and Access Committee (RPAC), a joint committee which includes The National Genealogical Society (NGS), the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS), and the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) as voting members. The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG), the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen), and the American Society of Genealogists (ASG) also serve as participating members. RPAC also includes participation from a few of the commercial providers of genealogical information including FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, and ProQuest. RPAC meets monthly or more often if required by current events, to advise the genealogical community on ensuring proper access to vital records, and on supporting strong records preservation policies and practices. 

Records Preservation and Access Committee Panel Presentation

Only two weeks until early bird discount deadline

 EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION ENDS 30 MARCH

Have you registered for the conference yet?  The deadline for the early bird discount and ordering a print syllabus is Monday, 30 March. After that date, the NGS member price will increase from $195 to $230 for all four days; the non-NGS member price will increase from $230 to $265, and only the flash drive syllabus will be available.

For conference information and to register, go to http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/.
If you’re not a member, consider paying $65 to join NGS. This will save $35 on the registration cost, and you will receive all the benefits of NGS membership including the renowned National Genealogical Society Quarterly and the informative NGS Magazine.

Reservations for meals must be made by 29 April. To add meal events to your existing registration, log on to the NGS website at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org, click on "My Account," and then "My Events." You may print your agenda or add the events to your calendar.

Don't delay, register today at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/.

Only two weeks until early bird discount deadline