NGS Conference Early-bird Deadline Approaching

I am excited to attend the NGS Family History Conference in Richmond this year. I am one of the official bloggers and will be posting my conference tips before the conference, and some of the things I learn while I am at the conference. For those of you thinking of registering for the conference, the early bird deadline is only a week away. For those of you already registered, be sure you have reservations for the luncheons and NGS banquet if you want to attend. Meal reservations have to be in by April 24th. These are a great place to network and get to know other genealogists. Here is the latest press release on the conference from NGS:

Have you registered for the NGS Family History Conference in Richmond? The deadline for the early bird discount and ordering a print syllabus is 24 March 2014. After that date, the NGS member price will increase from $195 to $230 for all four days, the non-NGS member price will increase from $230 to $265, and only the flash drive syllabus will be available. You really don’t want to miss this year’s exciting conference program from 7–10 May at the Greater Richmond Convention Center and Richmond Marriott. For conference information and to register, go to http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/.

Breakfast, Luncheons, and the NGS Banquet

Participating organizations sponsor several luncheons during the conference, and the NGS Banquet is an event not to be missed!  Registration for all meals and social events closes on 24 April 2014. Tickets for social events will not be sold on-site. Make your reservations now at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/. The NGS First-Timers Breakfast is $24; luncheons are $32; and the banquet is $51. Menus are in the registration brochure at http://goo.gl/MUoVEp.

Society Night

On Wednesday evening 7 May 2014, many Virginia genealogical and historical societies will be available in the Richmond Marriott from 5:15 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. to answer questions about local repositories and resources, discuss their group’s activities, and sell their publications.

Richmond Area Tours

There’s still time to sign up for several exciting tours through Richmond Discoveries on Monday, 5 May, and Tuesday, 6 May 2014, prior to the NGS Family History Conference. For more information, please see http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/program/local-tours/. Registration for the tours closes on 1 April 2014.

Add Items to an Existing Registration

To add meals to your current registration, log on at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org, click on My Account, select My Events, and then click to Add Sessions. To add pre-conference events, click on My Account and then select Upcoming Events.

We hope to see you in Richmond in May. Frommer’s recently placed Richmond on its list of Top Destinations for 2014, and the city is just one of three US destinations listed.

APG Hosts Discussion Groups

The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) is offering new group discussions for their members on the following topics:

• Starting A Business
• Writing and Blogging
• Publishing
• Personal Branding and Diversifying Your Income to Make a Profit
• Forensic Genealogy

These are not lectures, but online roundtable discussions where APG members can ask questions and share advice. They are hosted by experts and are a great way to learn about these topics. APG members have been sent an email with log in instructions. If you are not yet an APG member, this is one more benefit of membership. The dates, topics and discussion group leaders are listed below in the announcement from APG.

New Discussion Group Meetings - March 6 through May 20

We are pleased to announce eight new upcoming APG Discussion Group Meetings.

These meetings are open to all APG Members with no pre-registration and are a unique way to learn from and network with your colleagues. The access instructions for each discussion group can be found below, as well biographies of each Discussion Group leader.

The meeting room will open 15 minutes prior to the scheduled starting time and holds a maximum of 25 attendees. Therefore, access will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The Discussion Groups are meant to be discussions on a particular topic, not lectures or webinars. It is through the give and take of these discussions that the best learning experiences will occur. Please come prepared with your questions.

If you have any questions, please contact Melanie D. Holtz, CG at Melanie@holtzresearch.com.

We hope you enjoy the sessions!

APG Professional Development Committee



WHEN: Thursday, March 6, 2014, 9:00 p.m. EST

TOPIC:  Starting a Business

DISCUSSION GROUP LEADER: Amy Arner

Amy E. K. Arner specializes in Western Pennsylvania research and editing. She serves on the APG Board of Directors and previously was the president of the Great Lakes Chapter. In 2013, the Association of Professional Genealogists awarded her a Certificate of Appreciation for her service to the organization.


WHEN: Friday, March 21, 2014, 9:00 p.m. EST

TOPIC: Publishing

DISCUSSION GROUP LEADER: Craig Roberts Scott, MA, CG, FUGA

Craig Roberts Scott, MA, CG, FUGA is the President and CEO of Heritage Books, Inc. A professional genealogical and historical researcher for more than twenty-nine years, he specializes in the records of the National Archives, especially those that relate to the military. IGHR, SLIG and GRIP Military Course Coordinator.


WHEN: Saturday, March 22, 2014, 10:00 a.m. EST

TOPIC:  Publishing

DISCUSSION GROUP LEADER: Craig Roberts Scott, MA, CG, FUGA

Craig Roberts Scott, MA, CG, FUGA is the President and CEO of Heritage Books, Inc. A professional genealogical and historical researcher for more than twenty-nine years, he specializes in the records of the National Archives, especially those that relate to the military. IGHR, SLIG and GRIP Military Course Coordinator.


WHEN: Friday, April 4, 2014, 11:00 a.m. EST

TOPIC: Personal Branding and Diversifying Your Income to Make a Profit

DISCUSSION GROUP LEADER: Michael Hait, CG

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


WHEN: Wednesday, April 9, 2014, 1:00 p.m. EST

TOPIC: Starting a Business

DISCUSSION GROUP LEADER: Amy Arner

Amy E. K. Arner specializes in Western Pennsylvania research and editing. She serves on the APG Board of Directors and previously was the president of the Great Lakes Chapter. In 2013, the Association of Professional Genealogists awarded her a Certificate of Appreciation for her service to the organization.


WHEN: Wednesday, April 16, 2014, 12:00 p.m. EST

TOPIC: Writing and Blogging

SESSION LEADER: Harold Henderson, CG

Harold Henderson, CG has been a professional writer since 1979, a professional genealogist since 2009, and a board-certified genealogist since 2012. He has published over 1300 blog posts and more than 50 articles, including several in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and American Ancestors Journal (annual supplement to the New England Historical and Genealogical Register).


WHEN: Wednesday, April 30, 2014, 9:00 p.m. EST

TOPIC:  Forensic Genealogy

DISCUSSION GROUP LEADERS:

Kelvin L. Meyers
A professional genealogist for the last twenty-five years, Kelvin contracts with law firms, banks, and energy companies as a forensic genealogist. He also searches for missing or unknown heirs to estates and to oil and gas leases.
As a board member of the Council for the Advancement for Forensic Genealogy (CAFG), Kelvin lectures at the Forensic Genealogy Institute held by CAFG. He has been a guest lecturer at the Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research at Samford University and will return this summer lecturing in the Trans-Mississippi tract.

Cathi Becker Wiest Desmarais, CG
Cathi is a full-time professional genealogist and the current APG Vice-President. She also serves on the board of the Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy and coordinates its mentor program. Cathi locates missing or unknown heirs and works on U.S. Army military repatriation cases, finding next-of-kin and family DNA donors for MIA soldiers from past wars. She is an instructor at the Forensic Genealogy Institute and the Genealogical Institute of Pittsburgh.

Melanie D. Holtz, CG
Melanie is a full-time professional genealogist who specializes in Italian and Forensic Genealogy. She has worked on over 200 dual citizenship cases and researched U.S. Army military repatriation cases. Melanie is a member of the APG Board of Directors, the Vice President of the North Carolina Chapter, and serves as Chair of APG’s Professional Development Committee.


WHEN: Tuesday, May 20, 2014, 9:00 p.m. EST 
TOPIC: Personal Branding and Diversifying Your Income to Make a Profit
DISCUSSION GROUP LEADER: Michael Hait, CG

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

NGS Announces Live Streaming Sessions for 2014 Conference

I am excited about this announcement from the National Genealogical Society! I knew they were planning to offer live streaming of two conference tracks, as the time of the lecture I am giving at NGS was changed to accommodate the scheduling, but I could not say anything until the announcement was made public. If you are unable to travel to Richmond for the NGS conference this  May, you can now participate in a portion from home.

March 5, 2014

NGS announces the live streaming of ten lectures from the NGS 2014 Family History Conference, which will be held 7‒10 May 2014, in Richmond, Virginia.  The upcoming conference will be the first time NGS has provided a portion of the conference to NGS members and others across the United States and overseas who are unable to attend the conference in person.

Details of the live streaming program can be found at on the NGS Conference website at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/live-streaming-at-ngs2014gen/.  NGS has selected some of the most popular topics and nationally known speakers for the two featured tracks. Registrants for live streaming can select either track or the bundled package that includes both tracks. 

Track One: Records and Research Techniques can be viewed on Thursday afternoon, 8 May 2014, and Friday morning, 9 May 2014. Join the conference from home and learn about best practices and research sources.

Track Two: Virginia Resources and Migration Patterns can be viewed on Friday afternoon, 9 May 2014, and Saturday morning, 10 May 2014. Learn about Virginia’s records and her people who moved south and west to new lands pushing the frontier ever forward.

Registration for live streaming will close at midnight 30 April 2014. All registrants will receive an electronic version of the NGS 2014 Family History Conference Syllabus. Registration is discounted for NGS Members.  

Track Selection	Included Formats	Member Price	Non-Member Price	Track Descriptions
Track One or Track Two	Live Streaming and three months access to  Track One or Two	$65.00	$80.00	Records and Research Techniques. Five lectures on Thursday afternoon, 8 May 2014, and Friday morning, 9 May 2014, or Virginia Resources and Migration Patterns. Five lectures on Friday afternoon, 9 May 2014, and Saturday morning, 10 May 2014.
Bundled Package Track One and Track Two	Live Streaming and three months access to both Tracks	$115.00	$145.00	Records and Research Techniques. Five lectures on Thursday afternoon, 8 May 2014, and Friday morning, 9 May 2014, and Virginia Resources and Migration Patterns. Five lectures on Friday afternoon, 9 May 2014, and Saturday morning, 10 May 2014.

Once registered, you can watch the event live, or if you have other commitments on those dates, you can view the sessions as many times as you want for ninety days following the conference (through 10 August 2014). NGS has selected PlayBackNow to broadcast the live sessions and to provide the recorded sessions for later viewing. Instructions for viewing the live streaming will be sent to registrants before 6 May 2014.

For those fortunate enough to be able to attend the conference in person and chose from ten tracks and more than 175 lectures over four days, a reminder that the discounted Early Bird registration will close on 24 March 2014. Conference attendees may also benefit from NGS live streaming by registering to the view either track or the bundled package, which they will be able to view after they return home. By selecting different lecture presentations to hear live at the conference, they can expand their overall conference experience.

Forensic Genealogy Institute Guest Presenter

I was excited to hear that the Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy has added a special guest presenter at the 2014 Forensic Genealogy Institute. Here is their announcement:

Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy is pleased to announce a special guest presenter at the 2014 Forensic Genealogy Institute. James J. Canik, Deputy Director, Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL), Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, will present two sessions during the Advanced Track, immediately following Forensic Techniques for Genetic Genealogy by Debbie Parker Wayne, CG (sm).

1. The Central Identification Laboratory-JPAC: The Recovery and Identification Process
This session will provide an overview of the forensic processes used by the Department of Defense from archival research and field operations to the scientific methodologies employed by the Central Identification Laboratory in establishing the identifications of missing service members from Vietnam, Korea, and World War II.

2. The Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory: DNA In the Identification Process
This session will provide an overview of the use of Deoxyribonucleic Acid in the identification of human remains. This will include discussions on current death case identifications to the identification of missing personnel from prior conflicts. It will present information on typing methods, current capabilities as well as the relevance of family reference specimens in the identification process.

Mr. Canik's sessions offer an extremely rare opportunity for genealogists to see detailed operations of our country's military repatriation program. These presentations are generally reserved for the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) Family Updates. The Family Updates are only open to family members of unaccounted-for service personnel and invited guests. The general public is unable to attend. This presentation may well be a once in a life time opportunity for most professional genealogists. These presentations are not offered at other forensic genealogy educational events.

James J. Canik, Deputy Director, Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL), Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, Dover AFB, DE. Since 1990, Mr. Canik has served as AFDIL’s Deputy Director for Administration and Support Services. Previously, he was a career Army Medical Service Corps officer responsible for a wide variety of command and staff assignments. A Master Aviator in both fixed and rotary wing aircraft, he has logged more than 500 combat hours as a medical evacuation pilot in Vietnam. For the past 23 years, he has overseen the development of the AFDIL and its 140+ scientific and support staff responsible for conducting DNA testing of not only current death cases under the jurisdiction of the AFME but also in the identification of remains returned from the battlefields of Southeast Asia, Korea, and World War II. In addition to coordinating with the Service Casualty Offices for Family Reference Specimen collections from past conflict missing personnel, he was instrumental in the establishment of the Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains mandated by the Department of Defense for developing the largest DNA Repository in the world, currently storing over 6.8 million DNA specimens of United States Active and Reserve component military service members.

A limited number of seats remain for the Advanced Track. Attendees of the Advanced Track must have completed at least one of the Foundations in Forensic Genealogy tracks. Special week-long packages are available for this year's Foundations and Advanced. Registration is available at http://www.forensicgenealogists.org/forensic-genealogy-institute.html.

International Genetic Genealogy Conference Announced

I was excited to hear today about a new option for those interested in the growing field of DNA and genetic genealogy. Dr. Tim Janzen and CeCe Moore have formed an Institute for Genetic Genealogy which will be sponsoring an International Genetic Genealogy Conference. The conference will be held August 16 and 17, 2014 at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Washington, D. C. 

Many of the most knowledgeable genetic genealogists from around the world will be presenting sessions at this conference. The speakers and their topics include:

• Larry Vick – Interpreting Y chromosome data and managing a Y chromosome project
• Debbie Parker Wayne – Mitochondrial DNA
• CeCe Moore – Autosomal DNA
• Terry Barton – Managing a Y chromosome project
• Joanna Mountain Ph.D. – 23andMe
• Shannon Christmas – African American DNA research
• Ancestry.com representative – AncestryDNA product
• Kenneth Nordtvedt Ph.D. – Y chromosome haplogroup I
• Family Tree DNA representative – FTDNA products
• Bill Hurst – Mitochondrial DNA haplogroup K
• Jim Wilson Ph.D. – Chromo 2 test and Y chromosome research
• Kathy Johnston Ph.D. – X chromosome research
• Blaine Bettinger J.D. – Third party tools for DNA analysis
• Bonnie Schrack – Y chromosome haplogroups A and B
• Rebekah Canada – Mitochondrial DNA
• Rob Warthen, Karin Corbeil, and Diane Harman-Hoog – Adoption DNA
• Tim Janzen M.D. – Chromosome mapping
• Katherine Hope-Borges – ISOGG
• Thomas Krahn B.S. – Y chromosome research
• Maurice Gleeson M.D. – Irish DNA and autosomal DNA
• David Pike – Phasing utilities
• Ugo Perego Ph.D. – Native American DNA
• Jim Bartlett – Autosomal DNA matches and triangulation
• Doug McDonald Ph.D. – Admixture analysis
• Angie Bush M.S. – DNA case studies

You can find all the details on the conference, the speakers and the schedule on the website http://i4gg.org/

You will not want to miss this opportunity to learn more about genetic genealogy.

Genealogy Research Institute of Pittsburgh - Registration Opens Wednesday

Get ready to watch the clock for Noon on Wednesday as registration for the Genealogy Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) will begin. There are courses that will be very popular, so you may have to be fast to get a seat. GRIP registration will open on Wednesday, February 12th at Noon Eastern for the six courses in Pittsburgh from Sunday July 20 – Friday July 25. There will be a second registration on Tuesday, February 25th at Noon Eastern for the four August courses in Orchard Lake, Michigan.

You may want to look at the Tips for Quickly Getting Through Registration prepared by Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL and Deborah Litchner Deal, the directors of GRIP. With the lineup of new course and excellent instructors, the institute is sure to sell out.

Here are the courses you have to choose from:

Intermediate Genealogy: Tools for Digging Deeper
Coordinator: Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA

Instructors Debbie Mieszala, CG, and D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS

Are you beyond the beginning stages of researching your family history? You probably have checked the basic records and done online searches but still have blanks to fill in. Maybe you need to gain more leads and judge the records but need some analytical skills for that. We will delve deeper into a variety of records, some that you may have never heard about, and where they may be accessed. During the week there will be some hands-on projects, small group discussions, and full class interaction as we develop research plans, delve into the records, and learn what may get those blanks filled in. The camaraderie of solving problems as a group leads us to great insight and also some fun.

The class covers 19th through 21st century U.S. records and includes online resources. Prior to the course students will be able to send the coordinator a brief research issue of their own along with a listing of the U.S. places where their ancestors resided and what has already been researched. The course includes some “homework” that is optional but highly suggested. Students often find they like those learning exercises. An extensive syllabus including online resources is provided.

Finding and Documenting African-American Families
Coordinators: J. Mark Lowe, CG, FUGA and Debbie A. Abbott, Ph.D.

Discovering evidence of African American families can be difficult and sometimes impossible. Learn to follow proven strategies to gather and analyze a variety of record types while building upon strong foundations. We will use a framework of five cases to illustrate how to apply the evidence in each particular case. Records will require hands-on project discovery time.

Determining Kinship Reliably with the Genealogical Proof Standard
Coordinator: Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS

Instructor Karen Mauer Green, CG

Through lecture, discussions, and many hands-on activities, students will learn how to achieve genealogical proof by planning and executing focused research, citing the resulting sources, testing the evidence they contain, assembling that evidence into a conclusion, and explaining it clearly. This course is based on the content of Mastering Genealogical Proof (Arlington, Va.: National Genealogical Society, 2013) and uses exercises from that textbook. Family historians of various skill levels may find this course helpful.

Becoming an Online Expert: Mastering Search Engines and Digital Archives
Coordinator: D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS

Instructors Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA and Debra Mieszala, CG

Explore the online world of records and repositories by efficiently being able to search for them. Learn the methods and tools to overcome database index challenges and find information on your family that is hidden in layers of webpages. Mornings feature “Expert Insider Tricks,” featuring a professional genealogist’s personal tricks for making the most from a subscription website, while afternoons include in-depth discussions and hands-on learning.

Practical Genetic Genealogy
Coordinator: Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL

Instructors CeCe Moore and Blaine Bettinger, Ph.D., J.D.

From the basics of genetic genealogy to advanced autosomal analysis to the integration of DNA into projects meeting the Genealogical Proof Standard, this course covers all aspects of DNA testing and the use of DNA in genealogical research.

 

Law School for Genealogists
Coordinators: Judy G. Russell, J.D., CG, CGL and Richard “Rick” G. Sayre, CG, CGL Instructor Marian L. Smith

From Freshman Orientation to Graduation, Law School for Genealogists covers the waterfront as to the elements of the law that directly impact genealogical research: the legal systems underlying the records; the court systems; record series resulting from the legislative and judicial process; and topical treatments of the law of wills and estates, property, marriage, divorce, military service, immigration and naturalization and more.

NGS Announces New Course: Guide to Documentation and Source Citation

There is a new course announced by the National Genealogical Society on documentation and source citation. It is reasonably priced at $30 for three modules. Here are the details from the NGS press release:

ARLINGTON, VA, 5 FEBRUARY 2014: The National Genealogical Society proudly announces the release of its newest American Genealogical Studies course, Guide to Documentation and Source Citation.

This course joins The Basics in the series of online courses developed by NGS to help those interested in finding their family. In this three-module self-paced course, Michael Grant Hait Jr., CG, helps genealogists with one of the most confusing areas of genealogy research, “how do I cite my family information?” Knowing where we located our family information and keeping accurate notes, or citations, is the backbone of reliable genealogy. The course modules consist of lessons, examples, citations, and graded quizzes and cover topics on “Introduction to Documentation,” “Basic Citation Principles,” and “Applying Citation Principles.”

This NGS American Genealogical Studies course, Guide to Documentation and Source Citation, is available for $30.00 for members and $45.00 for non-members. For further information, to view the syllabus, or to purchase the course, visit the NGS website at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/guide_documentation_sourcecitation.

Guide to Documentation and Source Citation joins The Basics in the NGS’s online cloud-based learning management system. To take advantage of this system, you will need either a computer or tablet with an Internet connection.

NGS also offers several courses available in downloadable PDF files compatible for a PC or MAC. The courses are designed for both the beginner and the established genealogist to help busy individuals learn about a specific topic and to put the ensuing knowledge to work quickly. These courses include:

• Using Federal Population Census Schedules in Genealogical Research
• Introduction to Civil War Research
• Genetic Genealogy, The Basics
• Introduction to Religious Records
• Working with Deeds

Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogy education, high research standards, and the preservation of genealogical records. The Arlington, Virginia, based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian, seeking excellence in publications, educational offerings, research guidance, and opportunities to interact with other genealogists. Please visit the NGS Pressroom for further information.