New Course on Federal Land Records

I  am very excited to be teaching a course on “Digging in Federal Land Records” for the Virtual Institute of Genealogical Research. This course will be held on two consecutive Saturdays: September 19^th and 26^th. There will be four 90 minute sessions that will allow us to dig further into these records than the typical lectures on the subject. 

Millions of Americans obtained land from the federal government either by purchase, donation, military bounty, or homesteading. The records created by these land transactions can be valuable for locating an ancestor in a particular time and place, and may also contain useful family information. Some land files include a detailed description of improvements made to the land, evidence of military service, proof of naturalization, and/or testimony from neighbors. 

This course will cover the distribution of land in the thirty public land states to individuals from 1798 to 1976. The sessions will take an in-depth look at the process for obtaining land, the records created, and the genealogical value they contain. Students will learn about the surveying process and legal land descriptions, the Acts of Congress authorizing different types of transactions, the process for applying for land, and what can be found online and only onsite at NARA. 

The unique format of four 90 minute sessions will allow time to dig deeper into these records and look at not only typical files for each type of transaction, but unique circumstances as well. The “plus” version of the course will also include feedback on the homework assignments and an extra session for asking individual questions about federal land records. 

Saturday, September 19th

Session 1: Background: History, Land Descriptions, Laws and Records

Session 2: Locating Records: BLM Website, Tract Books and Finding Aids

Homework assignment given

Saturday, September 26th

Session 3: Homesteads, Land Entry Papers and Military Bounty Land

Session 4: Case Studies Using Federal Land Records

To register for the course visit http://vigrgenealogy.com/schedule/mcghie-land/

The cost is $69.99 for all four sessions, or $99.99 for all four sessions plus feedback on the homework and an additional sessions where you can ask any questions you may have on the course content or on federal land records. 

New Certificate Program Available for British Research

The following announcement was written by the Society of Genealogists:

Friday 26th June, 2015:

 

The Society of Genealogists & Pharos Teaching & Tutoring today announced a new joint programme of education, the distance learning Certificate of Family History Skills and Strategies (Advanced).

The Society of Genealogists, in conjunction with Pharos Teaching and Tutoring Ltd has been running its popular Intermediate distance learning programme since September 2010. The Advanced Certificate builds on this. It brings a two-year programme of assessed education online starting on 1 October 2015, consisting of taught modules and special stand-alone tutorial sessions. Pharos and the Society are working with the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA) to enable students to reach the standards necessary for membership application should they wish to work as professional genealogists in the future.

Taught modules are:

• Old Handwriting – An Introduction to Secretary Hand
• Manorial Records for Family and Local Historians
• Church & Community 1540 – 1800; Selected Records
• Researching Online for Advanced Genealogists
• An Introduction to Medieval Genealogy
• Researching in Archives for Advanced Genealogists
• Land and Legal Records
• Advanced Reports and Methods

Each module is monitored by the Society to ensure excellent standards of content and teaching.

The Advanced Skills and Strategies Certificate course is open to those who have successfully completed the Intermediate programme and are now looking for advanced instruction and the chance to undertake a family history project under supervision and in an early time period.

Students who have not completed the Intermediate course may, alternatively, choose not have work assessed and may take any module as a stand-alone option. Courses taken individually without assessment cost less.

To find out more or sign up for this great learning opportunity, visit http://www.pharostutors.com/fhssa.php. Information abut the course and a link for bookings can also be found on the Society of Genealogists’ website at www.sog.org.uk.

Follow Friday -- Online Learning and DNA Education

Today I want to recommend two of my favorite blogs, and recent posts that pertain to genealogy education.

You may already be familiar with The Legal Genealogist blog written by Judy Russell, JD, CG, CGL, but if you missed her post on Online Learning you may want to go back and read it. She details some of the many options for online webinars and live streaming of genealogy conferences.

The other blog I would like to highlight today is Deb's Delvings in Genealogy written by Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL. She recently wrote a post on  Prep for Genetic Genealogy Training at Institutes but her suggested readings are good for anyone interested in studying DNA genetic genealogy. She suggests books, blogs and courses on DNA and its use in genealogy. 

New Genetic Genealogy Course at SLIG

The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy is excited to announce the inclusion of a new course:

"Getting More Out of Genetic Genealogy Research: Intermediate to Advanced DNA Analysis Techniques"

Due to the high demand for genetic genealogy education, SLIG has added an advanced Genetic Genealogy course coordinated by CeCe Moore and Angie Bush.This advanced analysis course is intended for the genealogist who has a thorough understanding of genetic genealogy basics and has experience applying DNA testing to family history research. This is the next step in genetic genealogy education, with a focus on preparing professionals and others to work on genetic genealogy cases and strengthen the skills of those who are already doing so.

This course will examine the methods used by expert genetic genealogists to thoroughly and accurately analyze DNA testing results to advance knowledge of an individual’s genealogy. Instruction will include complex case studies that incorporate multiple types of DNA testing results, analyzed in conjunction with documentary evidence, as well as cases where DNA test results are the primary resource, such as in unknown parentage cases. Coursework will include analyzing and comparing DNA testing data from all of the companies offering products to the genealogy community with explanations and demonstrations of the most valuable features and tools for the genetic genealogist working with large amounts of data. Through active participation in and completion of this course, the genealogist will gain essential skills for integrating DNA testing with traditional genealogy research on an advanced level.

This course will pick up where other genetic genealogy courses have left off and take attendees to the next level in using DNA as a research tool. The course will feature top of the line instructors and topics. There are several prerequisites to the course. Please visit www.slig.ugagenealogy.org for more information.

GRIP 2015 -- Two Weeks of Genealogy Education

The Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) has expanded their program for 2015 to TWO weeks and ELEVEN courses. This is great news for the dozens of people who are on the waiting list for 2014, as some of the GRIP courses sold out in a matter of minutes. The new courses include topics such as Genealogy and the Law, Problem Solving with Church Records, Pennsylvania, and more. Here is the official press release and all the details:

GRIP ANNOUNCES 2015 PLANS FOR TWO INSTITUTE WEEKS

April 25, 2014 - Pittsburgh, PA – The Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) announces their summer 2015 plans. In order to accommodate many different interests and a high demand for popular courses, two weeks of six courses each will be offered next summer, both at La Roche College, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The first week will be June 28 to July 3, 2015 and the second week will be July 19 to 24, 2015. According to Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL, and Deborah Lichtner Deal, co-directors of GRIP, “the demand for in-depth genealogical education is so high that week-long courses sell out shortly after registration opens, disappointing many potential students. At the same time genealogists who have taken many courses want new content.” GRIP seeks to satisfy this growing need for high quality genealogy education through its week-long courses with internationally recognized instructors.

June 28 to July 3, 2015, courses include course coordinators and topics: John P. Colletta, Ph.D. (Writing the Immigrant Story), Karen Mauer Green, CG (New York State), Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL (Genealogical Proof Standard), Rev. Dr. David McDonald, CG (Problem Solving with Church Records), Richard G. Sayre, CG, CGL and Pam Boyer Sayre, CG, CGL (Advanced Land), Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL (Genetics).

July 19 to 24, 2015, courses include Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL (Advanced Methodology), Sharon Cook MacInnes, Ph.D. (Pennsylvania), Judy G. Russell, J.D., CG, CGL and Richard G. Sayre, CG, CGL (Law), Paula Stuart-Warren, CG (Intermediate topics), D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS (Professional topics), Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL (Genetics).

Nestled in the Pittsburgh suburbs, La Roche’s campus includes economical air-conditioned “en suite” dorm accommodations steps from the classrooms, a buffet-style cafeteria, and free parking. The instructors are all experienced researchers, lecturers, and writers who bring their expertise into the classroom with case studies and problem solving exercises. Registration will begin in February 2015 but there are still seats left in summer 2014 courses in Pittsburgh and the Detroit suburb of Orchard Lake, Michigan.

Unique opportunities for this year are “Finding African-American Families” coordinated by J. Mark Lowe, CG and Dr. Deborah Abbott offered in Pittsburgh July 20 to 25 and “Becoming an Online Expert: Mastering Search Engines and Digital Archives” with D. Joshua Taylor. In Orchard Lake August 3 to 8 is “Advancing Your Polish Research: 300 Years of Records including Prussian, Russian, and Austrian Poland” coordinated by Ceil Wendt Jensen, CG, “Determining Kinship Reliably with the GPS” with Thomas W. Jones, “Bridging the 1780-1840 Gap: New England to the Midwest” with D. Joshua Taylor, and “Intermediate Genealogy: Tools for Digging Deeper” with Paula Stuart-Warren, the latter of which is also offered in Pittsburgh.

For more information and an update on course seats, visit our website at http://www.GRIPitt.org or email info@GRIPitt.org.

CG, Certified Genealogist, CGL, and Certified Genealogical Lecturer are Service Marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license by board certificants after periodic evaluations by the Board.

SLIG Announces 2015 Offerings

I am excited about these new institute courses! At the banquet for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) the director Christy Fillerup revealed the course lineup for 2015. There are so many new options that I think it will be hard to choose from among them. There are courses on family history and the law, DNA, writing proof arguments, and finding immigrant origins.

The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy has some of the best genealogy instructors willing to share their expertise with you. Mark your calendars for January 12-16, 2015 and also for June 7th of this year for registration. Many course sell out quickly, so you will want to be ready to log in promptly. For now, evaluate you own educational needs and choose the class that is right for you.

 

2015 SLIG course lineup:

 

1. The Family History Law Library (Judy Russell, JD, CG, CGL and Rick Sayre, CG, CGL)

2. Researching in Original Resource Repositories (John Colletta, Ph.D., FUGA)

3. Advanced Genealogical Methods (Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS)

4. Finding Immigrant Origins (David Ouimette, CG)

5. Advanced German Research (F. Warren Bittner, CG)

6.  Advanced Research Tools: Post-War Military Records (Craig R. Scott, CG, FUGA)

7.  Resources & Strategies for United States Research, Part I (Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FUGA, FMGS)

8.  From Confusion to Conclusion: Writing Proof Arguments (Kimberly Powell & Harold Henderson, CG)

9. Getting Started with Genetic Genealogy (Debbie Wayne, CG, CGL)

10. Diving Deeper into New England (Advanced) (D. Joshua Taylor, MA)

11. Advanced Evidence Analysis Practicum (Angela McGhie and Kimberly Powell)

12. Problem Solving (Judi Hansen, MLIS, AG)

Online Genealogy Course Fall Registration Deadline

There is still time to register for the online Genealogy Program through the Salt Lake Community College. My friend Janet Hovorka is an instructor in the program and she sent me the following information to share with my readers. 

 

Salt Lake Community College GENEALOGY Program Registration Closes on August 16th

 

Fall registration deadline for new students is August 16 and August 21 for returning students. Registration details can be found at www.slcccontinuinged.com/genealogy 

Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) has offered Genealogy courses in the Division of Continuing Education since 2007. The program was developed in response to a growing community need for proper use of genealogical records and sources as well as expertise in research methodology and family history documentation. Revamped in 2012, the program is now under the Information Studies umbrella, with premier instructors who are highly respected in the field of genealogy and family research. 

Current Genealogy Instructors: 

• Lorraine Bourne, Accredited Genealogist 
• Sharon Carmack, Certified Genealogist 
• Karen Clifford, Accredited Genealogist, UGA Fellow 
• Janet Hovorka, Masters in Library & Information Science 
• Kelly Summers, Accredited Genealogist 

SLCC is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), a regional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education. 

Fall 2013 semester credit & noncredit courses include: 

• Genealogy Computer & Internet Tools** 
• Intro to Genealogical Research 
• U.S. Record Groups 
• International Record Groups 
• Tracing Immigrant Origins 
• Genealogy Writing & Publishing 
• Preparing for U.S. Credentials 

**First class in series 

Offered as credit or non-credit – depending on the student’s goal – a focus on International or U.S. genealogical research is available. To earn a certificate, students must complete six classes. Courses are offered online and prepare students to become accredited or certified in genealogical research. 

Credit courses (GEN): Tuition is $454 for a 3 credit hour class. Out-of-state tuition for a 3 credit hour class is $1,362. All of the Genealogy program courses are offered online. For financial aid determination go to: http://www.slcccontinuinged.com/genealogy_financialaid

Non-credit courses (CEGN) can also be taken to earn a certificate. Tuition for a non-credit course is $350 online course fee. To register for non-credit course call 801-957-5200. An application for acceptance to the college is not required for non-credit courses. To register for non-credit options call: 801-957-5200. 

Contact and Questions: GenealogyProgram@slcc.edu; 801.957.5383 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/slccconted 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/slccconted 
Website: www.slcccontinuinged.com/InfoStudies

Utilizing Social History in Your Research

I was excited to hear that the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy has decided to add a new course to the 2014 lineup: "Utilizing Social History in Your Research." This course will be coordinated by Gena Philibert-Ortega and will feature Beverly Rice, Jean Wilcox Hibben, Luana Darby, and Pamela Boyer Sayre as instructors. 
 
Course description:
Genealogy is so much more than names and dates on a chart.  By adding information about our ancestor's everyday lives we can learn more about what their lives were like and even interest the non-genealogists in our families. When we learn more about their everyday lives we can  uncover rich resources that are unique to genealogical research. This course will look beyond the typical genealogy sources and concentrate on ways that genealogists can bring their ancestor's story to life.

Detailed classes: * Introduction to Social History  (Gena Philibert-Ortega) * Finding Images to Tell Your Ancestor's Story (Gena Philibert-Ortega) * Newspaper Research for the 21st Century (Gena Philibert-Ortega) * Finding Social History in Digitized Books (Gena Philibert-Ortega) * Social History Through the Ages: Sources for Social History from the Colonial Period to World War II (Gena Philibert-Ortega) * Almanacs, Cookbooks, and Quilts: Unusual Sources for Your Genealogy (Gena Philibert-Ortega) * They Ate What?: Peacocks, Oysters and Green Jello, What Your Ancestor Ate for Dinner (Gena Philibert-Ortega) * Telling Your Ancestor's Civil War Story (Gena Philibert-Ortega) * The Secret Lives of Women: Researching Women’s Lives Using the Sources They Left Behind (Gena Philibert-Ortega) * The Games People Played: Leisure Activities of Our Ancestors (Jean Wilcox Hibben) * How the Music and Instruments of Your Ancestors are Relevant to Family History Research (Jean Wilcox Hibben) * Shaking the Myth: Proving/Disproving Family Legends (Jean Wilcox Hibben) * Turning Genealogy into Family History: Creating Stories from Stats (Jean Wilcox Hibben) * Arriving in the New World: How Our Immigrant Ancestors Coped in their New Home (Jean Wilcox Hibben) * Treasures of the Family History Library - How to Find Hidden Gems to Connect Your Family Dots (Luana Darby) * Archives and Their Collections - Adding Community History to Your Family (Luana Darby) * The Experiences of Migration: The Adventures, the Troubles and the New Beginnings (Beverly Rice) * Women’s Lives: Constrained by Society and Laws (Beverly Rice) * Exploring the Library of Congress Online or Onsite (Pamela Boyer Sayre) To register for this course, or any other course at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy click here.

Instructors Selected for 2014 Advanced Evidence Analysis Practicum

I am very excited to announce the 2014 instructors for the Advanced Evidence Analysis Practicum course at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG). They are top quality instructors (see bios below) and have each prepared an interesting case for the students to work through. These cases will provide experience working with different geographic locations and methodologies as participants research and then analyze and correlate evidence to solve the cases.  

If you would like to participate in this challenging course registration opens on June 1st.  The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy will be held January 13-17, 2014 at the Radission Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah just two blocks from the Family History Library.

The instructors for the 2014 Advanced Evidence Analysis Practicum:

J. Mark Lowe CG, FUGA, is a full-time professional genealogist,
author, and lecturer and researches primarily in original records and
manuscripts throughout the South. He also serves as a Course
Coordinator for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) and
Samford University’s Institute for Genealogical and Historical
Research (Research in the South) and Director of the Regional In-depth
Genealogical Studies Alliance (RIGS Alliance), learning sessions and
hands-on research focusing on original documents and manuscripts at
regional archives. Mark has worked on several genealogical television
series including African American Lives 2, Who Do You Think You Are?

He is a Past-President of APG, Past-President of FGS, and Past-President of the Southern Kentucky Genealogical Society. Mark is a Certified Genealogist and a Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association, and was awarded the Graham T. Smallwood award by the Association of Professional Genealogists.

J. H. (“Jay”) Fonkert, CG, is a genealogical researcher, writer and lecturer specializing in 19th-Century Midwest, English and Dutch genealogy. He has published more than 30 research, teaching and review articles in National Genealogical Society Quarterly, NGS Magazine, Minnesota Genealogist, The Septs, and Family Chronicle. He has lectured at conferences of NGS and the Federation of Genealogical Societies, as well as at workshops from Florida to Washington to Ontario. A past president of the Minnesota Genealogical Society, he is in his second term as a Director of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

Dr. William M. Litchman is the author of genealogical articles for such periodicals as The National Genealogical Society Quarterly, The Newfoundland Ancestor, and The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, including “Teaching Analysis, Logic, and the Research Process: A Seminar Approach,” NGS Newsmagazine, Nov/Dec 2000, pp 340-343. He has produced an 11-volume index, AnEvery-Name Index of the 1865 New York State Census for Jefferson County, and An Every-Name Index for the 1921 Census of Newfoundland: Burgeo-La Poile District. He teaches genealogy classes for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and in Albuquerque, and speaks about specific research topics for genealogical groups, including the NM Genealogical Society and the Albuquerque Genealogical Society.

David Ouimette, CG, manages Content Strategy at FamilySearch, prioritizing the acquisition and online publication of records worldwide for family history research. He has conducted research and analyzed archival materials in dozens of countries in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. David regularly lectures at national genealogical conferences and institutes. He has contributed articles to many magazines and journals and authored Finding Your Irish Ancestors: A Beginner’s Guide.

 

Harold Henderson, CG, has been a professional writer since 1979, a professional genealogist since 2009, and a board-certified genealogist since June 2012. He lives and works in northwest Indiana and at midwestroots.net. He serves on the board of the Association of Professional Genealogists. He is the author of Finding Ancestors in Fort Wayne and an every-name index to the earliest court records of La Porte County, Indiana. He has published in American Ancestors Journal (annual supplement to the New England Historical and Genealogical Register), the NGS Magazine, six state quarterlies, and Archives.com. He speaks nationally and blogs at midwesternmicrohistory.blogspot.com. At any given time he would probably rather be reading a grantor index. 

 

 Michael Hait, CG, is a full-time professional genealogist, with over fifteen years of research experience across the United States, from Connecticut to Louisiana, Tennessee to South Dakota. His specialties include Maryland research, African American genealogy, and records of the Civil War and Reconstruction era. Michael is a frequent contributor to genealogy magazines and journals, and a popular lecturer in the Mid-Atlantic area. For more information on Michael's available services, visit http://www.haitfamilyresearch.com. 

The course coordinators: 

Angela Packer McGhie is a genealogical researcher, lecturer, and instructor. She is the administrator of the ProGen StudyProgram (studying Professional Genealogy) and the new Gen Proof groups (studying Mastering Genealogical Proof). Angela is an instructor at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR), the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), and the National Institute on Genealogical Research (NIGR). She is a past president of the National Capital Area Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists and is a contributing author to the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly. 

Kimberly Powell is a professional genealogist, author, and blogger. She has been writing/blogging about genealogy for About.com (http://genealogy.about.com) since 2000. She is the author of several
books including The Everything Guide to Online Genealogy, 2nd edition (Adams Media, 2011), as well as articles for popular genealogy magazines such as BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? magazine. Kimberly is the Vice President of the Association of Professional Genealogists, where she also serves as chair of the Professional Development Committee, and Assistant Director for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. She volunteers with FamilySearch Indexing, as coordinator for ProGen 12, and as webmaster for the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society.

Registration Opens June 1st for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy

The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) is opening registration for the 2014 program on June 1, 2013 at 9:00a.m. Mountain Time. The Institute will be held at the Radisson Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah on January 13-17, 2014. Some tracks will fill quickly so plan to register early if you know which one you want. Registration details can be found here. Detailed descriptions of each track can be found here.

 

There are many great tracks this year!
 
Course 1
American Research and Records: Focus on Families
Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FUGA

Course 2
New York Research
Karen Mauer Green, CG

Course 3
Research in the South
J. Mark Lowe, CG

Course 5
Advanced Research Tools: Land Records
Richard G. Sayre, CG and Pamela Boyer Sayre, CG, CGL

Course 6
Credentialing: Accreditation, Certification, or Both?
Apryl Cox, AG and Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL

Course 7
Producing a Quality Family Narrative
John Philip Colletta Ph.D., FUGA

Course 8
Researching in Eastern Europe
Kory Meyerink, AG

Course 9
Advanced Genealogical Methods
Thomas Jones Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS

Course 10
Advanced Evidence Analysis Practicum
Angela McGhie and Kimberly Powell

Course 11
Problem Solving
Judith Hansen, AG, MLS

Please visit the website for more information: www.slig.ugagenealogy.org
Email sligdirector@ugagenealogy.org with questions.

Salt Lake Insitute of Genealogy Courses for 2014

The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) sponsored by the Utah Genealogical Association has announced their courses for 2014. It looks like a great line-up! There are some favorite courses returning, and some new ones that look very interesting. This institute will be held at the Radisson Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah on January 13-17, 2014. Registration for these courses will open on June 2, 2013.

Which course would you like to take if you could make it to SLIG in January of 2014?

 
2014 Courses and Coordinators:

American Research and Records: Focus on Families

Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FUGA 

New York Research

Karen Mauer Green, CG

Research in the South

J. Mark Lowe, CG

Scottish Research

Carolyn Barkley, MLS

Advanced Research Tools: Land Records

Richard G. Sayre, CG and Pamela Boyer Sayre, CG, CGL

Comprehensive Photo Detecting

Maureen Taylor, MA

Producing a Quality Family Narrative

John Philip Colletta Ph.D., FUGA

Researching in Eastern Europe

Kory Meyerink, AG

Advanced Genealogical Methods

Thomas Jones Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS

Advanced Evidence Analysis Practicum

Angela McGhie and Kimberly Powell

Credentialing: Accreditation, Certification, or Both?

Apryl Cox, AG and Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL

Problem Solving

Judith Hansen, AG, MLS

New Genetic Genealogy Course from NGS

The National Genealogical Society has a new course in their American Genealogy Studies series titled "Genetic Genealogy, the Basics." This course was developed by Dr. Thomas H. Shawker, and I share details about it here with the permission of NGS.

Thomas H. Shawer, MD, a physician with the National Institutes of Health, is a nationally recognized lecturer on Genetics. He serves as chairman of the NGS Genetic Genealogy Committee. In 2004, he authorized the NGS book, Unlocking Your Genetic History. 


Now Shawker shares his medical expertise in the six-lesson self-paced course “Genetic Genealogy, the Basics.” Topics covered in the course include:
• the structure of the DNA molecule, how it is organized, how it replicates, and how it functions;
• human chromosomes and how the Y chromosome is inherited;
• the two types of DNA markers used in genetic genealogy;
• haplotypes and haplogroups;
• evaluation of a Y chromosome surname project and a discussion on how to evaluate the test results of the participants; and
• the structure of the mitochondrial DNA molecule, how it is inherited, and how it can be used in genealogy.

The course is designed for independent study. Students check their work with an answer key that immediately follows each self-test.

“Genetic Genealogy, The Basics” is available on a PC- or MAC-compatible CD in a PDF format. The tuition is $45 for members and $70 for nonmembers. For further information, or to purchase the course, visit the NGS website and click on the Educational Courses tab. Please visit the course web page at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/genetic_genealogy for more information.

New IGHR Course on the Five Civilized Tribes

I am excited to feature a guest post by Linda Woodward Geiger, CG, CGL on her new course at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) at Samford University. This course will be held June 9 - 14, 2013 and registration opens on January 22, 3013.

IGHR Course 9, “The Five Civilized Tribes: The Records and Where to Find Them”

Linda Woodward Geiger, cg, cgl
Coordinator of IGHR 2013 Course 9

Many family historians and genealogists are not aware of the methodology used to document Indian heritage or the steps needed for individuals to apply for citizenship (tribal registration) in a federally recognized tribe. Even when researchers know some of the records, they frequently do not understand the historical background that is needed to interpret the records. This course will introduce individuals to the records, what they mean, and where to find them. 

Few people are eligible for enrollment in a federally recognized tribe, but that does not mean that they do not have Indian Heritage. This course will help genealogists document their heritage in relationship to any of the Five Civilized Tribes—Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole.

As the title indicates the course will focus on pre-removal records available for the Five Tribes but will also discuss some of those created following removal. The week promises to be full of valuable information.

The team of faculty consists of individuals with extensive knowledge of and experience with records the Five Tribes: Rachal Mills, Lennon, cg; Debra Osborn Spindle, cg, Angela Walton-Raji, Craig Scott, cg, and Linda Woodward Geiger, cg, cgl.

For a detailed list of classes in this course click here.