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Several free webinars to cover timelines, artificial intelligence

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Several free webinars will be offered this week covering artificial intelligence, Irish research and DNA.

The Boulder Genealogical Society will present “Using Timelines, Comparison Charts and FAN Charts to Identify Your Ancestors,” on Tuesday, Jan. 2 at 9 p.m. Eastern time. Organizing and analyzing the piles of data you have collected can be intimidating. But there are simple tools you can use to get the job done. Timelines that include the dates of events and the age of the person can help you avoid 9-year-old fathers. Identity charts help to highlight differences between people of the same name who live in the same place. FAN Club charts help you identify the friends, associates and neighbors (FANs) of your ancestor.

To register, go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAld-itpzksH9euFYWAwetX0WASJF2wspFt#/registration

Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “Artificial Intelligence and Genealogy” on Wednesday, Jan. 3 at 2 p.m. This presentation provides a comprehensive overview of how AI tools, like chatbots, are changing genealogical research. Learn about the history, current limits and capabilities, and future potential of AI in family history. Key topics also include the ethical and privacy implications in this emerging field. A must-attend for those curious about the cutting-edge intersections of technology and ancestry.

To register, go to: https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/artificial-intelligence-and-genealogy-new-beginnings-in-2024/

The Pinellas Genealogy Society will present “DNA Basics” on Thursday, Jan. 4 at 7 p.m. This class defines DNA, gives examples of DNA inheritance patterns and discusses the different types of DNA tests and the companies that provide them. It gives ideas for the best ways to make the most of your DNA dollars and how you might want to “target test” some of your relatives. In addition, the class provides information on the ethnicity estimates provided by each company and how you might use them in your research.

To register, go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpc-qorTooE9JW5OMnaJJkM9Fh1VeHegJM#/registration

American Ancestors will present “Using AI in Family History Research” on Thursday, Jan. 4 at 3 p.m. We’ve all seen the headlines about Artificial Intelligence – this new technology seems to be able to do everything from producing complex digital images to creating songs! But have you wondered how it might be able to help your family history research? In this lecture, learn about the exciting possibilities for using AI to support your research—including assistance with report writing, digitally restoring family photos, and more. Also learn about aspects of AI that genealogists should be cautious of, such as accuracy and copyright concerns.

To register, go to: https://www.americanancestors.org/events/using-ai-family-history-research

Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “Irish Ancestors – 5 Top Websites” on Friday, Jan. 5 at 2 p.m. This webinar is a romp through the top 5 websites where you will find information on your Irish ancestors. Best of all, most of them are free! This is ideal if you are at the start of your Irish ancestral research and will give you a good grounding before delving into the more obscure record sets.

To register, go to: https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/irish-ancestors-top-5-websites-you-need-to-know-about/

 

 

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LI genealogy groups to meet in January

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Organizations of the Genealogy Federation of Long Island will be offering free genealogy programs in January.

Wednesday, Jan. 3 – “Genealogy Research Discussion Group” – Patchogue-Medford Public Library – 10 a.m.  – Virtual

Wednesday, Jan. 3 – “Getting the Most Out of Your Ukrainian Genealogy” – Jewish Genealogy Society of Long Island – 7-9 p.m. – Virtual

Thursday, Jan. 4  – “Finding My German Second Great-Grandfather – Part II” – German Genealogy Group – 7:30-8:30 p.m. – Virtual – Members Only

Saturday,  Jan. 13  – “FamilySearch.org Italian Records Project Update” –  Italian Genealogical Group – 10 a.m. – noon – Hybrid

Bethpage Public Library

Wednesday, Jan. 17 – “Genealogy Research Discussion Group” – Patchogue-Medford Public Library – 10 a.m.  – Virtual

Saturday, Jan. 20  – “Looking for the New York City Irish” – 10 a.m. – noon – Irish Family History Forum – Hybrid

Bethpage Public Library

Sunday, Jan. 21 – “The Meaning Behind Common Jewish Names” – 2-4 p.m. – Jewish Genealogy Society of Long Island – Virtual

Sunday, Jan. 24 – “Finding Your Italian Family” 7 – 8:30 p.m. – Connetquot Public Library – Virtual

Friday, Jan. 26 – “Using FamilySearch.org” – 3-4 p.m. – Brentwood Public Library – In person

For more information on the Genealogy Federation of Long Island, go to: gfli.net

Check out links to other New York genealogy societies at: https://www.newyorkgenlinks.com/genealogysocieties/

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Genealogy New Year’s Resolutions for 2024

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Since it’s that time of year, here are some ideas for New Year’s resolutions for your genealogy research.

  • Join a local genealogy group.
  • Interview your oldest relative.
  • Scan photos and documents and store them in the cloud and/or on storage media devices such as an external hard drive, flash drive, etc.
  • Join an indexing project with a genealogy society or on FamilySearch.org
  • Listen to a genealogy podcast.
  • Attend RootsTech 2024 either in person or virtually (which is free).
  • Attend the National Genealogical Society conference which is virtual in 2024.
  • Share your family history research with family members.
  • Take a DNA test.
  • Watch some of the free webinars posted on this blog.
  • Take advantage of your home library’s free databases such as Ancestry Library Edition, HeritageQuest, Historical New York Times, etc. Many databases can be accessed at home by using your library barcode.
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Several free genealogy programs set for this week

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Several free genealogy programs will be offered this week covering Irish research and land records.

Allen County Public Library will present “An Irish Genealogy Secret” on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 2:30 p.m. An introduction to an under-used source for Irish genealogy: the Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead in Ireland (also known as the Journal of the Irish Memorials Association). These Journals contain a wealth of information that can be useful to genealogists doing Irish research and they are accessible online for free.  In spite of this, many researchers are not aware of them or do not make best use of them.  In this presentation you will discover the potential value of the Journals, learn how to access and navigate them, and pick up tips for getting the most out of them.

To register, go to: https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9615336

Wisconsin Genealogical Society will present “Making Google Earth Tours” on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Google Earth tours can be a fun way to share your genealogical research with relatives. This class will show you the basics of how to create, save, and share a tour that can visually illustrate the life and travels of your ancestors using the web-based Google Earth projects feature.  To register, go to: https://wsgs.org/

The Mid Continent Public Library will present “Tracing Immigrant Origins” on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 3 p.m. Eastern time. n order to find 19th- and 20th-century genealogical records in a foreign country, you often need to know your ancestor’s hometown. Learn what records exist in the United States to help you find where your immigrant ancestor was born. To register, go to: https://www.mymcpl.org/events/90937/tracing-immigrant-origins-hybrid

Florida State Genealogical Society will present “Researching in Federal Land Records” on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 8 p.m. Federal public land came into private ownership in a variety of ways, from cash sales to preemption to homesteading. Federal land was also granted to railroads and states, who then sold it to private individuals. We will look at how our ancestors acquired federal land and how to find the records of these transfers.  To register, go to: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_R-VQTouZTjaPRCrYSpeMuQ#/registration

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Several free webinars to cover church records, military research

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Several free genealogy webinar will take place this week covering: Mexican research, military research and religious records.

American Ancestors will present “Getting Your Family Involved in Your Research” on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 3 p.m.  Unfortunately, for most of us, finding ways to get our relatives interested in family history is almost as much of a challenge as the research itself! Join us for this engaging panel discussion with our genealogists as they discuss their tips for getting family involved in your research – including strategies for sharing research findings, interviewing family members, asking relatives to take DNA tests, and more.

To register, go to:  https://www.americanancestors.org/events/family-history-roundtable-getting-family-involved-your-research

Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “Where Did Your Ancestors Go to Church?” on Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. Finding a U.S. ancestor’s church affiliation is the first key step to discovering their stories in related records, but it isn’t usually easy. Learn 5 essential strategies, illustrated by inspiring examples. Viewers will come away with sensible, actionable steps they can apply to their own research.

To register, go to: https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/where-did-your-u-s-ancestors-go-to-church-5-ways-to-find-out/

Allen County Public Library will present “Immigration Records for Researching Your Mexican Ancestors” on Thursday, Dec. 14 at 6:30 p.m. Did your Mexican ancestors immigrate to the United States in the late 19th or 20th centuries? This period of history witnessed significant waves of Mexican immigration to the U.S., both permanent and temporary. The types of immigration records introduced or refined during this era provide a wealth of biographical and kinship information for tracing individuals and families on both sides of the border.

To register, go to:  https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9615205

Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “Jewish Genealogy in Canada” on Friday, Dec. 15 at 2 p.m. In this presentation we’ll take a look at accessing some of the most common Canadian genealogy documents available online including census, immigration, military, and vital records. We’ll also explore the abundant number of Canadian Jewish specific resources including archives and heritage organizations, newspapers, and digitized books. To register, go to: https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/landscape-of-dreams-jewish-genealogy-in-canada/

Mid Continent Library will present “ Researching Your WWII Soldier” on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 3 p.m. Eastern time. Piece together your WWII veteran’s military experience using web resources, Library resources, and outside sources. Learn what records still exist and how to locate them.

To register, go to: https://www.mymcpl.org/events/90933/researching-your-world-war-ii-soldier-hybrid

Sacramento Public Library will present “Researching Religious Records” on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 4 p.m. Eastern time. Church records can provide names, dates, and relationships about your ancestors. Many of the records from churches and religious organizations predate civil records which make these records a rich source of information about our families.

To register, go to: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIlcuygrDwqE91I59ldhrhx7ngtvIDmo36W#/registration

Genealogy Forum of Oregon will present “How to Write a Family History Book” on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time. Family history books take many forms ranging from some stapled photocopied pages to thick hardcover volumes. Some histories trace only one family surname while others trace all ancestral lines. Some stop at listing the “begats” while others go deeper to tell stories of ancestors’ lives. There is not only one “correct” way to write a family history. Each is a unique product of its author’s creativity. This class will present numerous options open to prospective writers.

To register, go to: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZctcOisrzsoGNPE-B-1WC6cYs21Nrgn11iG#/registration

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Several free genealogy programs to cover goal setting, DAR lineage

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Several free genealogy programs will be offering this week including: Jewish research, DNA research and how to set goals.

Villages Genealogical Society will present “Finding Image Records in FamilySearch” on Monday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. FamilySearch has been aggressively digitizing and posting online their holdings; but indexing is lagging behind. What you may not know is that for the past couple of years, FamilySearch has been placing these freshly digitized records first, not in the catalog, but filed under Images. We will explore the records and how they are filed and categorized so you can be a super genealogical sleuth.

To register, go to: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMsf-iurDkqEtQEA2GQ0HhE2OLT1uDfxuBy#/registration

New York Public Library will present “Getting Started in Jewish Genealogy” on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 1 p.m. Join librarians from the Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History, and Genealogy and the Dorot Jewish Division as they walk you through the initial steps of Jewish genealogical research. This session will focus on genealogy basics, resources in the Local History and Genealogy collection, and utilizing online databases.

To register, go to: https://nypl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WU7sj9UmRPiI3Dg4Lf9dqA#/registration

Allen County Public Library will present “Demystifying DAR Applications” on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 2:30 p.m. Interested in connecting with your Revolutionary War ancestors? We will discuss specifics of connecting to existing patriots, establishing new ones, and strategies for overcoming the dreaded “red-lined” lineages. Whether you’re submitting a first-time application, or a “supplemental,” join us to take notes on best practices and give your application its best shot. To register, go to: https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9349466

Utah Genealogical Association will present “Setting Goals to Focus Your Genealogy” on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Everyone has ideas for their genealogy projects: write a family history; join a lineage society; or scan boxes of family photos. How do you decide which to do? How do know how much time each project takes? Goal setting, time estimation, and backwards planning can help you regain control of your time and help you complete your genealogy projects. To register, go to: https://ugagenealogy.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_x1UjotvnR4Go6r-7f9XabQ#/registration

New York Public Library will present “Next Steps in Jewish Genealogy Research” on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. This program will be lead by librarians from the Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History, and Genealogy and the Dorot Jewish Division. The focus of this session will be on resources located within the Dorot Jewish Division, as well as materials specific to Jewish subjects that could assist in providing context to your discoveries. To register, go to:  https://nypl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DnN7f2G-SCiA8FyLXLOKMg#/registration

St. Louis County Library will present “Exploring Ancestry Library Edition” on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. Eastern time. The Ancestry Library Edition database is a powerful tool for genealogical research. Find out how to search it and take advantage of its many records.  Participants will receive Zoom information via email immediately after registering. To register, go to: https://slcl.evanced.info/signup/EventDetails?EventId=356552&df=list&backTo=List&startDate=2023/11/28&endDate=2023/12/28

Legacy Family Tree Webinars will present “5 Tips for Deciphering Handwritten Documents” on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. Reading handwritten documents can be one of the most challenging aspects of genealogical research. This webinar will offer five tips from a genealogical translator to help you make those hard to read words understandable. To register, go to: https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/5-tips-for-deciphering-handwritten-documents/

The Minnesota Genealogical Society will present “Your DNA Results by the Numbers” on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Your DNA results are all a series of numbers. Learn what they mean and how to successfully compare your DNA results with your DNA matches. The same skills will be applied to yDNA, mitochondrial DNA, and autosomal DNA results from the 4 largest DNA companies – AncestryDNA, 23andMe, FTDNA, and MyHeritage. Once you learn to identify the patterns, you will be more confident in working with your DNA results and identifying your best DNA matches. To register, go to: https://mngs.org/event-5480279

Mid Continent Library will present “Tips and Tricks for Deciphering Foreign Language Records” on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. Learn the must-know tips and tricks that will make reading those foreign-language genealogical records much easier. From Microsoft Word hacks to invaluable online resources, discover the tools you need to make translating those foreign records much simpler – and much more fun. To register, go to: https://www.mymcpl.org/events/91188/help-i-dont-speak-language-tips-and-tricks-deciphering-foreign-language-records-zoom

New York Public Library will present “Getting Started in Genealogy Research” on Thursday, Dec. 7 at 1 p.m. Experienced librarians demonstrate the steps involved in starting your family history research.  Discover essential research methods and strategies, identify relevant records and how to locate them, and organize your family research information. To register, go to: https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2023/12/07/getting-started-genealogy-research

Allen County Public Library will present “What DNA Test Should I Order” on Thursday,  Dec. 7 at 6:30 p.m. Are you planning to buy DNA kits for yourself or others during this holiday season?  How can you decide among all the different options?  Join us for this informative program where we will discuss the 3 different types of DNA testing for genealogy, and the 4 major companies that offer tests for the consumer. Pros and cons will be presented to help you make your decision. To register, go to: https://acpl.libnet.info/event/9615173

 

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Long Island genealogy groups offer free programs in December

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Organizations of the Genealogy Federation of Long Island will be offering free genealogy programs in December.

Wednesday, Dec. 6 – “What Will Happen to My Genealogical Research After I’m Gone” – Jewish Genealogy Society of Long Island – 7-9 p.m. – Virtual

Thursday, Dec. 7  – “Traditional German Christmas Stories” – German Genealogy Group – 7:30-8:30 p.m. – Hybrid

Bethpage Public Library

Saturday,  Dec. 9  – “Annual Holiday Meeting” –  Italian Genealogical Group – 10 a.m. – noon – Hybrid

Bethpage Public Library

Wednesday, Dec. 13 – “Genealogy Research Discussion Group” – Patchogue-Medford Public Library – 10 a.m.  – Virtual

Saturday, Dec. 16  – “Annual Holiday Luncheon” – 10 a.m. – noon – Irish Family History Forum – In Person

Irish Coffee Pub, East Islip

For more information on the Genealogy Federation of Long Island, go to: gfli.net

Check out our links to other New York genealogy societies at: https://www.newyorkgenlinks.com/genealogysocieties/

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New York Public Library to offer Jewish genealogy series

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The New York Public Library will offer a two-part series on Jewish Genealogy in December.

“Getting Started with Jewish Genealogy” will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 1 p.m. Learn the initial steps of Jewish genealogical research. This session will focus on genealogy basics, resources in the Local History and Genealogy collection, and utilizing online databases. To register, go to: https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2023/12/05/getting-started-jewish-genealogy-local-history-and-genealogy-collections

“Next Steps in Jewish Genealogy” on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. The focus of this session will be on resources located within the Dorot Jewish Division at the New York Public Library, as well as materials specific to Jewish subjects that could assist in providing context to your discoveries. To register, go to: https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2023/12/06/next-steps-jewish-genealogy-exploring-jewish-resources

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