Thanks for the great conference, FGS

It’s been a week since I returned from the 2013 Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference at the Grand Wayne Convention Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and I’m still buoyed by the energy of the conference and trying to absorb what I learned. Although I didn’t have time to write daily capsules, I want to say thank you to the FGS planners, presenters, and exhibitors for a very successful conference. Here are some of the highlights of the week (in no particular order) for me:

Methodology lectures—the FGS schedule was loaded with lectures on intermediate and advanced genealogical methodology, and I tried to take full advantage of the offerings. I attended all of the presentations by Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA, and Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS. They were fantastic, as expected, and gave me much to think about. Now that I’m home, I want to refine my hastily-taken notes, burn the information into my brain, and apply the concepts to my own research.

Resource lectures—I learned about researching orphaned, surrendered, and adopted children from Jeanne L. Bloom, CG; finding and using records in upstate New York from Karen Mauer Green, CG, FGBS; and interpreting English parish registers from Paul Milner. These, too, were excellent, and I can see immediate applications with the families I’m working on. There were a number of other presentations I wanted to attend but couldn’t due to schedule overlaps—a quandary at any good conference. Hopefully, I’ll be receiving the recordings I ordered soon.

Exhibit Hall treasures—the spacious exhibit hall was filled with booksellers, vendors, and representatives from societies, companies, and organizations aimed at the family history market. The Bureau of Land Management printed out land patent certificates from their website on parchment paper, with official seals. I now have heirloom quality certificates for three of my ancestors who bought land from the federal government. How cool is that? I enjoyed talking with FamilyTreeMagazine, the New England Historical and GenealogicalSociety, and Gary Clark of PhotoTree.com. I scored color historic maps from Michiana History Publications, bargain used books from the Ohio Genealogical Society, and new ones from Maia’s Books and Family Roots Publishing. The tote bag FGS gave registrants came in pretty handy for getting everything out to the car at the end of the week.

Association of Professional Genealogists luncheon—my bet is that no one in the sold-out APG luncheon audience will ever forget the clever presentation by John Philip Colletta, PhD. His phantom Power Point slides will be legendary for years to come. We’re talking laugh-so-hard-you-cry, standing ovation here. Who said genealogists don’t have a sense of humor?

Late night research party at ACPL—with the help of some tasty vegan cookies and pastries, entertainment from a Civil War-era dance group, and dozens of hardy (or crazy?) researchers, the Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library rocked on Friday night. I didn’t quite make it to the midnight hour, but almost. ACPL put out the red carpet for conference attendees all week, adding a dynamic dimension to the overall experience. 

Denise Levenick (aka The Family Curator) and yours truly, late night at ACPL

Diane Loosie

FamilySearch blogger dinner—I enjoyed hearing about all the up-and-coming developments at FamilySearch, including their prototype Family Discovery Centers with oral recording studios. I met the new director of the Family History Library, Diane Loosie, who has plans for collaborative work stations and more. Paul Nauta demonstrated enhancements to their online Family Tree and told us that the 2014 Roots Tech conference will be broadcast in 600 satellite locations around the world. Wow!

Talking and visiting with friends, old and new—a genealogy conference offers a chance to “talk shop” with others who share a passion for family history. From each other, we pick up stories, ideas, and strategies. I’ve met a number of people at conferences that I now consider good friends. We talk, laugh, offer support, and have a good time. Since genealogy is usually a solitary pursuit, it’s nice to have a chance to get together.

On Saturday afternoon, D. Joshua Taylor announced that donors to the War of 1812 Preserve the Pensions fund, together with matching pledges from FGS and Ancestry.com, had raised over $92,000 at the conference. This money will go toward digitizing War of 1812 pension files at the National Archives. The images will be made available free of charge on Fold3.com indefinitely. Now that’s a win-win situation.

Congratulations to the team of hard-working volunteers who made this year’s FGS Conference such an enjoyable and productive one. Fort Wayne was a delight to visit. Well done!

--Shelley

Researching 'Til You Drop in Fort Wayne

It seems like there’s never too much of a good thing in the Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library. Even with hoards of eager genealogists descending on it all at once—like they have this week for the FGS 2013 Conference—library workers and volunteers have kept a busy but cheerful profile.

It’s not as though we haven’t put them to the test. Swarms of visitors mean answering countless questions, giving lots of impromptu tours, patiently explaining how to use the copier/scanners, finding obscure reels of microfilm, and above all, re-shelving endless piles of books. The library was so busy on Wednesday that the volunteers actually ushered people around to help them find an available seat. But in spite of the crowds, the mood inside the Genealogy Center remained upbeat and friendly, as people poured through books and periodicals in search of information that might bring them closer to understanding their ancestors.

The library is offering extended hours this week—until midnight, for the truly hardy—for conference attendees. Hats off to the Allen County Public Library for anticipating and accommodating the needs of their visitors!

--Shelley

Enjoying the Ride of Summer

You might have noticed things have been a little quiet here at A Sense of Family lately. That’s because in real life, things have been going full-tilt: up, down, around, sideways, you name it. And the roller coaster doesn’t look like it’s slowing down anytime soon. Here’s what I’ve done in the past three weeks:

Took part in an amazing week of learning and fun at GRIP (the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh), as a student in Joshua Taylor’s class, Bridging the 1780-1840 Gap: From New England to the Midwest. Not only did I learn a lot about this fascinating but challenging time period, I enjoyed good talks with friends and got to know new people. Between the knowledgable and approachable instructors, high quality course content, great company, and the relaxed summer camp atmosphere, GRIP is a winner all around.

Classmates Harold Henderson and Kimberly Powell puzzle things out at GRIP

Got lost trying to find an old cemetery in Bainbridge, Ohio where my husband’s 4th-great-grandparents are buried. If anyone needs to know how not to get to McFarland Cemetery, just give me a shout. (I did eventually find it and got some nice pictures—it’s a pastoral spot.)

Spent a week at my husband’s family’s lake house in northeastern Ohio with my kids, father- and mother-in-law, sisters- and brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews. Every year, we rent trailers, walk to a roadside diner for breakfast, hang out in the boats, read novels, and take turns fixing happy hour and dinner. Despite the cloudy and cool weather, we had a good time (as the bottles in the recycling bin can attest) and are ready to do it again next year.

Visited the Portage County Historical Society to do some research in their files, shelves, and scrapbooks full of mostly original materials on the people and history of the area. They have the county’s old probate packets, and while I didn’t find the one I was hoping for, I looked through Fitch Bishop's again, just because it’s so cool. Even though I came away with only small nuggets of information—no big breakthroughs—it was an afternoon well spent.

Attended the 85th annual Roush (Rausch) & Allied Families Association Reunion with my mom and aunt. I met a new-to-me cousin with a neat family heirloom (more on that in a later post), posed in the annual family picture, and learned to sing “Homelands of the Roushes” (well, don’t hold me to that last bit).

Volunteered in the Genealogy Tent at the Dublin Irish Festival, answering people’s questions about how to find their family history. I love doing this. You never know what the next person in line might ask. Of course, I had to stay after my shifts and listen to some soul-stirring and rabble-rousing Irish music, too. Over three days, my son and I made the rounds between The High Kings, Red Hot Chili Pipers, FullSet, Carlos Nunez, and We Banjo 3, watched the dancers from the Richens/Timms Academy, and joined the late night fun fest outside the Gaelic Storm tent. Awesome.

We Banjo 3 at the 2013 Dublin Irish Festival

Responded to a new cousin and fellow researcher who spotted a connection with my 3rd-great-grandmother on one of my Ancestry.com family trees. Seriously, you’ve got to love those shaking leaves.

Ok, I’m just going to stop there. You get the picture. Now I’m helping two kids get ready to go back to college, going to Athens for a wedding on Saturday, and trying to make a research plan for the Allen County Public Library in Ft. Wayne. Because the next big thing on the agenda is the 2013 FGS Conference, which starts in just one week. At the rate I’m going, it will be here in the blink of an eye. If you haven’t signed up yet, you still have one more day, through Wednesday, August 14, to register and get access to the syllabus in advance. Or just show up at the door of the Ft. Wayne Conference Center and join in. I’d post a list about what I’m packing, except I haven’t even started yet (what, that doesn’t surprise you?). If you’d like to see what other, more organized people are packing, here’s a post from the FGS Conference Blog that might help.

It’s a wild ride, this thing called Summer. I’m hanging on tight and loving every minute of it. Hope you’re having a good one, too.

--Shelley

What I hope to learn at the FGS 2013 Conference

In a little over two months, I’ll be packing my bags and heading to Ft. Wayne, Indiana, for the FGS 2013 Conference. The Federation of Genealogical Societies has assembled an impressive line-up of speakers and events for this year’s conference, and I’m really looking forward to it. A few weeks ago, in “Why Attend a Genealogy Conference?,” I talked about my reasons for going to conferences, particularly FGS 2013. As the August 21 start date is getting closer, I’m thinking more and more about how I’ll use my time in Ft. Wayne to help my genealogical research. 

First off, I want to learn more about my ancestors. I have to admit that the Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library (ACPL) is a huge draw for me. I’ve only been there once, and didn't come close to getting through everything I wanted to do. If you haven’t researched there before, you’re in for a treat. Their collection is amazing—resource books from every state in the U.S. and around the world, a ton of family histories, loads of microfilm, and all the periodicals that make up the PERSI index. It’s all easily accessible and laid out quite logically, so you can quickly get down to work after a short introductory tour. If you have any questions as you go along, the friendly Genealogy Center librarians are right there to help you out.

Getting a tour of the Genealogy Center

Harold Henderson has written a helpful guide to ACPL, Finding Ancestors in Ft. Wayne, that you can download for free on his website, Midwest Roots. Over the next few weeks I plan to scour the ACPL catalogs and databases he describes and come up with a research battle plan. I especially want to spend some time on PERSI (Periodical Source Index) and make a list of articles in genealogical journals, newsletters, and magazines to look at. I’m driving to Ft. Wayne on Monday morning, even though the conference doesn’t start until Wednesday, so I can have extra time in the library to research. The Genealogy Center is staying open until midnight for three nights of the conference, so I’ll probably hang out there some evenings, too.

Of course, once the conference starts, I’ll be spending most of my time in the class sessions. I’ve been pouring over the program schedule and trying to make up my mind about which sessions I want to attend—not an easy task, given that each time period has eight choices! So I’m trying to think about what I’d like to learn. FGS has conveniently broken things into tracks, which helps a lot in this process. Here’s some of the things I hope to learn about, and a small sampling of presentations I’m torn between:

• How to find information (Records, Online Resources, Midwest, and Midwest Repositories tracks)—"Loc.gov: Using Our Nation's Library Online" by Laura Prescott, and “Who, What, Why, When, Where, and How of American Divorce” by Judy Russell
• How to analyze and correlate evidence (Methodology track)— “Trousers, Beds, Tacks & Housekeeping Bills: Problem-Solving with Trivial Details” by Elizabeth Shown Mills, “Tips and Tools for Planning and Tracking Research” by Debbie Parker Wayne, “A Wife, or Rather a Woman: Identifying the Wife of Edward Worthington, Kentucky Pioneer” by Karen Mauer Green (I do love a good case study), and “Organizing Evidence to Overcome Record Shortages” by Thomas W. Jones
• How to track ancestors from one place to another (Immigration/Migration, Transportation, German, European, and British Isles tracks)—“Passenger Arrival Records, Colonial Times to Mid-20^th Century” by John Colletta, “English Parish Registers: How to Access, Use, and Interpret” by Paul Milner, “Methods for Identifying the German Origins of American Immigrants” by Michael Lacopo, and “Whiskey, Brandy, and Family Migration” by J. Mark Lowe (doesn’t that sound like fun?)
• How to use some new tools (Technology and Genetics tracks)—“Going Nuclear: DNA Discoveries to Trace All Lines of Descent” by Debbie Wayne Parker, and "Evernote for Every Genealogist" by Cyndi Ingle Howells 
• How to write more effectively (Writing, Speaking, and Publishing track)—“Creating Family Histories for Future Generations” by Tom Jones, and "Family History Writing Made Easier: Cloud-based Tools Every Genealogist Can Use" by Lisa Alzo

Whew--and I’ve just scratched the surface! I haven’t even mentioned the Military, African American, Ethnic Origins, NARA/Federal, and Religious Communities tracks, or any of the society-oriented tracks. I can see I’ve got my work cut out for me trying to reach some decisions between now and the third week of August. Take a look at the daily program schedule for yourself, and you’ll see what I mean.

The FGS 2013 Conference will be held at the Grand Wayne Convention Center from Wednesday-Saturday, August 21-24. If you haven’t registered yet, now is the perfect time. Special early bird discounts are in effect until July 1st. You’ll save $50 on the full conference and $20 on a single day if you sign up by then. Visit the conference website at https://www.fgsconference.org to register.

Oh, and be sure to subscribe to the FGS Conference Blog for helpful tips and recommendations. It’s the best way to stay up to date and find out about things, like Paula Stuart-Warren’s recent post, “The syllabus is the key to the presentation.” Scroll through the index to find lots of good stuff.

But enough about me. What do you hope to learn at FGS 2013?

--Shelley

Related Posts:

Why Attend a Genealogy Conference?

Sporting My New FGS Conference Ambassador Badge

Why Attend a Genealogy Conference?

What is it about a genealogy conference that generates such excitement? Why do people invest the time and money to attend one? What benefits might a genealogy conference hold for you? These are all great questions. If you haven’t been to a large national conference before, you naturally might wonder what the experience is like.

There are many reasons why I like genealogy conferences, and why I’m particularly excited about the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) 2013 Conference, which is coming up August 21-24 in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. I truly expect it to be one of the highlights of the year. Here are some of the reasons people go to family history conferences, and how you might benefit from attending FGS 2013:

The chance to learn more about records, resources, and skills that can help with your family history research: Many of the presentations at a conference show where and how to find the information you seek on your family. Others focus on developing the skills needed to interpret, analyze, and use information successfully. This can help you make new breakthroughs, reach conclusions, and become a better researcher. You can also learn how to share and publish your family history.

The chance to hear some of the biggest and brightest genealogical speakers: Conferences like FGS 2013 feature nationally-recognized authors and speakers, which means you’ll hear dynamic lectures that will educate and entertain you at the same time—often with a good dose of humor.

The chance to see the latest products, books, and technological innovations: The Exhibit Hall at FGS will be packed with exhibitors showcasing their items, including software, maps, reference guides, books on localities and ethnic research, publishing companies, and online database leaders like Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and FindMyPast.com. You can see demonstrations, talk to representatives, and ask all the questions you like.

The chance to meet and socialize with others who share your interest in family history: A conference is the perfect place to make new friends. It’s as easy as talking to the person sitting next to you, sharing a table at lunch, or striking up a conversation in the hallway. Luncheons and casual evening social events make it even easier to get to know people who share your passion.

The chance to gather ideas to strengthen your local society: A unique feature of FGS is that it offers a full day of programming (on Wednesday, August 21) geared toward genealogical and historical societies. You can get ideas on websites, projects, social media, publishing, funding, and more to take home to your society. Even if you don't belong to a society (and you certainly don't have to to attend FGS), you can pick up tips for some of your own projects.

The chance to research in a world-class library: Ft. Wayne, Indiana is the home of the Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library, one of the nation’s top genealogical libraries. Extended hours (until midnight on three nights!) and close proximity to the conference hall means you can hop over and research to your heart’s content. It’s sure to be a happening place.

The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library is a magnet for researchers

The bottom line is that a genealogy conference is fun. Yes, you learn a lot from the presentations, and that’s good. But it’s just the beginning of what you get out of the conference experience. My first FGS Conference was the 2011 event in Springfield, Illinois. I was hesitant to sign up, because I didn't really know anyone. Yet I came home energized and ready to dive into my research, armed with new tools and techniques. And I had made a bunch of new friends, just from saying hi and introducing myself—because it turns out that people who like genealogy, by and large, are really friendly! Even though we live in different states, we’ve kept in touch, and several of us are looking forward to meeting again at the 2013 FGS Conference. All that came from taking a little leap of faith and registering for that first conference.

So will I see you in Ft. Wayne in August?

--Shelley

Related Posts:

Sporting My New FGS Conference Ambassador Badge

OGS 2013 Conference: Day Two

Learning a Lot at FGS 2011

Sporting My New FGS Conference Ambassador Badge

I recently received—and accepted—an invitation to become a Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) 2013 Conference Ambassador. Even though the FGS Conference isn’t until August 21-24, I’m already starting to get excited about it. For one thing, I can’t wait to get back to Ft. Wayne and do some more research at the Allen County Public Library. The last time I was there, I found some really good stuff just as I was leaving (isn’t that always the way?), and I want to follow up with it. For another, the line-up of speakers and activities at the conference looks fantastic.

But one of the biggest elements that makes a genealogy conference fun is the people there. So I want all my friends and readers to come (well, it makes sense to me!). If you haven’t taken a look at the schedule yet, why not head over to the FGS Conference website and browse around?

As my first semi-official act as an Ambassador, I’d like to make a recommendation: sign up to get posts from the FGS Conference News Blog. You can subscribe to it either through email or an RSS reader (if you’re not familiar with RSS, just choose the email option). The blog provides a wealth of information on conference speakers, programs, and events, and gives tips for researching in Ft. Wayne and other nearby areas. It gives practical advice for visiting Ft. Wayne and getting the most out of your conference experience. And it shows the level of excitement that’s already building for the event. After you’ve read a few posts, I think you’ll see why I think the FGS Conference is going to be the place for genealogists to be in August. Will I see you there?

--Shelley