John Colletta to Present Seminar April 6

Back in January, I announced that John Colletta would be coming to Columbus, Ohio for a special one-day seminar. Well, time has flown by, and John’s seminar is now only two weeks away. He’ll be presenting “Getting to Know Your Ancestor: Sources and Methods for Biography” on Saturday, April 6, 2013. The seminar is sponsored by the Ohio Chapter Palatines to America, which is dedicated to helping those researching their German-speaking ancestors, both in the United States and Europe. It will be held at the Columbus Metropolitan Library, 96 S. Grant Ave.

John Colletta is a popular genealogy speaker, respected for his knowledge and experience and known for his entertaining and engaging style. He is a faculty member of the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research at Samford University, the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, and Boston University’s Certificate in Family History program. He has written three books: Finding Italian Roots: The Complete Guide for Americans, They Came in Ships: A Guide to Finding Your Immigrant Ancestor’s Arrival Record, and Only a Few Bones: A True Account of the Rolling Fork Tragedy and Its Aftermath.

For the April 6 seminar, doors will open at 9 am, and John Colletta’s presentation will begin at 9:30 with the following topics:

• Lesser Used Federal Records: Sources of Rich Details about Ancestors’ Lives—explains how to use the more easily accessible records from the National Archives to find unique information about your ancestors
• The Germanic French: Researching Families from Alsace and Lorraine—discusses the German-speaking population in this region, their migration to America, and websites and resources for research
• Discovering the REAL Stories of Your Immigrant Ancestors—uses three 19th century case studies to show how original records and published materials can be assembled into a story conveying the drama of your ancestor’s immigration experience
• Erie Canal Genealogy: The Peopling of Upstate New York and the Old Northwest—describes the building of the “Big Ditch” and the ways it affected the lives of millions of workers and travelers from Maine to Minnesota 

A hot buffet lunch catered by the famous Schmidt’s Sausage Haus is included in the price of registration (their cream puffs are to die for!).

If you’re within driving distance of Central Ohio, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to hear John speak. Sign up by March 30 to get the early bird registration price of $35 for members, $45 for non-members, or $20 for students. You can register online at www.oh-palam.org. Walk-in registration will also be available at the door.

As a bonus, you might plan to spend some research time in the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s genealogy department on the third floor. CML houses the national collection of Palatines to America resources on German-speaking genealogy, as well as the State Library of Ohio’s former genealogy collection. For a few tips, see Researching at Columbus Metropolitan Library. An on-site garage offers convenient parking at 50 cents an hour.

If you have any questions about the program or facility, feel free to ask in a comment below. Or let me know you’re coming so I know to look for you. I’d love to see you there!

--Shelley