Organize Your Family History

Stay focused and happy while exploring your roots

Looking for a genealogy event to attend?

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One of the things I love about doing genealogy research is the rich availability of classes to further my education. Thanks to the internet, I’m not limited to classes near me, so the opportunities are abundant. They’re so abundant, in fact, it can be hard to be aware of them and keep track of them.

Enter Conference Keeper. It’s a website whose purpose is to keep you informed of upcoming genealogy events.

I took a look today and was amazed at all the offerings. The events are organized in a variety of ways: by date, by location, virtual events, DNA events, etc. There’s a section for calls for presentations and papers, so if you’re a genealogy speaker, it’s a great place to look for speaking opportunities. And that just skims the surface of what’s available on the website.

If you’re itching to sign up for a genealogy conference,  workshop, or class just peruse Conference Keeper to see your many choices!

Early Bird registration for RootsTech 2024 is open!

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Next year’s RootsTech will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 29 to March 2, 2024. As in the past few years, the conference is also being offered virtually.

That’s five months away, but registration has just opened for both versions of the conference.

As in the past, the virtual conference is free, but you do have to register. Why not register now? Then it will be on your calendar and you can plan around it.

If you’re up for traveling to Salt Lake City, registration is also open for the in-person conference. And right now it’s at an early-bird rate: $99 for a three-day pass and $69 for a one day pass. (I’m not sure what the rate will be going up to.) I’m always amazed and impressed at how inexpensive genealogy conferences tend to be. My professional organization charges $750 to register for its three-day conference!

Why pay $99 plus travel when you can watch from the comfort of your home? I can think of a half dozen reasons off the top of my head:

  • 250+ sessions are offered only in Salt Lake City (though there are 200+ new online sessions).
  • The Expo Hall allows you to learn about genealogy products and services and meet those offering them.
  • You get to really focus on genealogy, rather than trying to wedge it into your day (watching at home is very distracting).
  • You have the opportunity to make friends with other genealogists.
  • You can go to the Family History Library and do your own research!

If you have the budget for it, I encourage you to give attending in person some serious consideration. I attended in 2014, 2016, 2017 (I was a speaker!), 2018, and 2020. (I was a speaker again in 2020…about two weeks later the world shut down). I obviously love this conference, since I keep going back. I’m not planning to go next year, because my priorities have shifted. But I’m sure it will be a terrific conference.

Got a brick wall?

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If you’re like every genealogist I know, you have at least one brick wall, a pesky ancestor for whom you haven’t been able to find more information. Actually, you probably have more than one. I know I do!

I’ve got good news for you! Genealogist extraordinaire Amy Johnson Crow is debuting a new eight-week individualized program called Beyond the Brick Wall. According to Amy’s website, “The Beyond the Brick Wall program is a combination of individualized coaching and genealogy education, based on Amy Johnson Crow’s proven WANDER research method. You will be putting into practice what you are learning, while having access to a professional genealogist to guide you through your research.” I think it sounds amazing. It’s limited to 20 participants, so you can get individual attention from Amy, who is so knowledgeable (and so nice)!

Registration opens today for the program, which starts September 20 and runs weekly through November 14. The program consists of a combination of pre-recorded presentations and interactive live sessions. The live sessions will begin at 7:00pm Eastern and last 60-90 minutes. The various components of the program are valued together at over $1500 and Amy is offering it all for $349.

Just go to her website to find loads of information and register for the program. If you sign up, please tell Amy I sent you!

Kentucky Genealogical Society offering month-long seminar series next month

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In honor of its 50th anniversary, the Kentucky Genealogical Society is offering ten live webinars in August for only $30 for members and $100 for members. (Or you can become a member for $20 and save $50.) I’m particularly excited by this because my family lived in Kentucky. But as you can see from the list of seminar topics below, Kentucky touches so much, so there may be something here for you even you don’t hail from that state.

The theme is “Kentucky: Daughter of the East and Mother of the West.” Here are the scheduled presentations:

  • Pennsylvania: Unveiling the Keystone State’s Hidden Treasures
  • North Carolina: Tracing Roots in the Old North State
  • Virginia (Germanna): Unearthing Forgotten Stories of Early Settlers to Kentucky
  • Immigration to Kentucky: Piecing Together Ancestral Journeys
  • Unraveling African Americans in Kentucky Records: Seeking the Last Slave Holder
  • California: Tracing the Westward Path of Pioneer Ancestors
  • Texas: Exploring the Lone Star State’s Impact on Kentucky Settlers
  • Illinois: Navigating the Prairie State for Clues on Your Ancestors
  • Michigan: Tracing the Footsteps of Ancestors in the Great Lakes State
  • Wisconsin: Unveiling the Secrets of Your Ancestors in the Badger State

The webinars kick off on August 1 and finish up on August 30. The live events begin at 7 pm EDT and recordings are available to registrants for 30 days after the seminar ends. For more information, including speaker names and seminar dates, go to the seminar registration page.