Archives for September 2023

Several free genealogy webinars will be offered this week covering: city directories, Polish research and parish records.

The Villages Genealogical Society will present “Alien Registrations in America” on Monday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. Learn about various alien registrations instituted in the USA, the records they created, and where to find immigrant ancestors within. Alien registration in the USA was not confined to the 1940 Alien Registration Act and the Form AR-2 that is well known to 20th-century immigrant researchers. This lecture will cover alien registrations as early as 1798, during the Civil War, and in the eras of WWI and WWII. It will also discuss state registrations inter-war, and other times when aliens were registered. The records created due to these registrations might be the only place an immigrant’s place of origin is found, and can provide vital context to a family’s immigration story.

To register, go to:  https://vgsfl.org/eventListings.php?nm=117

Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “Setting Sail with Your Seafaring Ancestors” on Wednesday, Sept.13 at 8 p.m. This lecture explores a variety of tools and resources for tracking sea faring ancestors along with examples from research, including: maritime primary sources and collections, vessel types, tracing captains and crews through newspaper reports, following their journeys by plotting ships logs’ latitude and longitude records, and adding context to their lives through historic events affecting mariners. The focus is on nineteenth century records and events.

To register, go to: https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/setting-sail-with-your-sea-faring-ancestors/

The New York Public Library will present “Newspapers in Genealogical Research” on Thursday, Sept 14 at 1 p.m.  Discover the  abundant uses of historical newspapers for genealogical and local history information in the numerous digital, print, and microfilm collections available at NYPL.

To register, go to: https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2023/09/14/newspapers-genealogy-research

American Ancestors will present “An Introduction to Heraldry for Genealogists” on Thursday, September 14 at 3 p.m. Heraldry is an ancient and compelling visual expression of personal and family identity. Heraldry can also be a useful lens through which to research family history. In this online lecture, learn the fundamental visual building blocks of a coat of arms, and how coats of arms can signify genealogical relationships including marriage and descent. Also there will be a discussion about the right questions to ask and the first resources for using heraldry in the context of family history.

To register, go to: https://www.americanancestors.org/events/introduction-heraldry-genealogists-0

Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “So You Think You Know All About City Directories?” on Friday, Sept. 15 at 11:30 a.m. Most are thick books listing the heads of household with address and occupation; later the spouse and adult children appear. Add business listings and ads plus government agencies, relief agencies, civic and religious organizations, and other listings and you have a goldmine of information. Do you know how and when the material was collected? How to use them for the history of businesses, owners, and other entities? What about the unique directories that serve as a census, tell of military service, where someone moved to, include fake names, and provide clues to vital records. Learn about the rewards of in-depth sleuthing about the directories, their compilation, some surprises, and obvious and hidden places to find them today.

To register, go to: https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/so-you-think-you-know-all-about-city-directories/

Genealogy Forum of Oregon will present “Adoption and Genealogy” on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time. Unsure how to handle adopted persons in your tree? How does DNA come into play in this situation? There are several methods you might consider, and Deb will provide some useful tips as well as providing several interesting case studies.

To register, go to: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEqcuGspjkiGdOQC9qd9D3iui5BI63nf9EA#/registration

Mid-Continent Library will present “Polish Genealogy Research” on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 3 p.m. Eastern time. Did your ancestor come from Russian Poland, Galicia-Austria, or East or West Prussia? These regions may be now within the present boundaries of Poland. Learn basic techniques, resources available, how to deal with foreign records, and more.

To register, go to: https://www.mymcpl.org/events/87648/polish-genealogy-research-hybrid

Colorado Genealogical Society will present “Get the Most Out of Parish Records with Special Tips for Foreign Language Records,” on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 11 a.m. Eastern time. After you’ve identified your ancestor’s homeland, you may discover that there are local church records available possibly documenting your ancestor’s baptism and marriage. But then reality sets in. The handwritten records are hard to read and the ink has faded. Worse yet, the records are in a foreign language and you don’t speak a word.  The presenter has overcome many of these stumbling blocks to successfully add nine generations to her paternal tree. Learn about over 40 tips, research techniques and resources that you can apply to increase your odds of success in your own research into church records.

To register, go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkduyrqzssE90Sfis3GkcIjW59iY4IZeR5#/registration