FGS 2016: Behind the Scenes Look - 10,000+ Illinois Family Farms

Illinois Family Farms Table Runners (Credit: Laura Kovarik, ISGS)

10,000+ FAMILY FARMS!!

That is how many family farms are enrolled in the Illinois Department of Agriculture Centennial and Sesquicentennial Farm program (according to the website).

When planning the Farms & Families: Across the Decades reception for the FGS 2016 Conference, the original idea was to create displays on a select few participants. But which ones? That became the question. 

After wrestling with how to pick which farms to showcase, the answer arrived like the proverbial bolt from the blue – do them ALL!! 

Again, the wrestling match began on HOW to do them all. So idea of writing every name was born. Where could so many names be displayed? On the tables. The final project took form. 

Part of the table decorations will include runners with every name and the date of original purchase of a Centennial and Sesquicentennial farm in Illinois. EVERY ONE. Any family that has taken the time to fill out the paperwork and seek designation deserves to be honored for their genealogical work.

The names and dates will be handwritten on paper runners. Yes, the goal is to get all 102 counties and all 10,000 plus names on the runners before Wednesday, August 31. Will it get done? Right now, we are have over 3,000 names on runners. 

Check the ISGS Facebook page for updates. And maybe you will just have to come to the special event, "Farms and Families: Across the Decades," 7pm-9pm on Wednesday evening to see if we made our goal!

Not yet registered for the FGS 2016 National Genealogy Conference in Springfield, Illinois, August 31—Sep 3rd, 2016? Register today and add-on the special event, "Farm and Families: Across the Decades" which is sponsored by FamilySearch and co-hosted by the Illinois State Genealogical Society and the Illinois State Historical Society. Already registered? Sign-in again and add this or other events, luncheons, and workshops!

Laura Kovarik

Local Host Chair

Illinois State Genealogical Society

Share Your Favorite Illinois Farm With the FGS 2016 Conference!

Submit a photo of your favorite Illinois farm!

"Farm in Central Illinois" Credit: Photographs in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.

During the 2016 FGS Conference, co-host Illinois State Genealogical Society will showcase Farms and Families: Across the Decades. 

This event, Wednesday, 31 August 2016, 7:00 p.m. will celebrate farms in Illinois, especially Centennial and Sesquicentennial farms. 

"Old-style wooden windmill in farmyard of Martin Myre's farm near Seneca, Illinois" Credit: Library of Congress.

ISGS also wants to celebrate the farms that are important to you by displaying photos of your favorite Illinois farm. The farm could be one you drive by everyday, one your ancestors lived on when they first settled in Illinois, or one they farmed. 

Send a photo, past or present, of a farm that matters to you, and all photos received will be displayed at the Wednesday evening event!

"Toluca (vicinity), Illinois. Farm landscape along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad between Chicago and Chillicothe, Illinois" Credit: Library of Congress.

To submit a photo, email it to conferences@fgs.org. Please only send photos you hold the copyrights to and put “farm” in the subject line. Include your name, the location of the farm (county or township is fine) and any additional information you may have. 

Registration Opens for OGS' Genealogy on the Cutting Edge Conference in Toronto

If you have roots in Canada that you've been "meaning to explore" more, then this conference is going to be on your "must-do" list. This year, FGS Member Society Ontario Genealogical Society is holding their annual conference in Toronto, June 3-5, 2016, called "Genealogy on the Cutting Edge."

The conference will offer a content-rich program packed with plenary and concurrent sessions; exciting pre-Conference tours, research trips and workshops; a 10,000 square foot Expo Hall; and, of course, plenty of opportunities to mingle with other family historians.

Some of the highlights of "Genealogy on the Cutting Edge" include:

• Popular genealogy speakers including Judy Russell (a.k.a. The Legal Genealogist), CeCe Moore, (a.k.a., Your Genetic Genealogist), Lisa Louise Cooke (Genealogy Gems); and Dr. Maurice Gleeson (UK-based genetic genealogist). However, if you have Canadian roots, you'll want to check out their complete list of speakers to see the breadth of the expertise on their program. And speaking of the program, check it out as well to see the depth of knowledge being shared.
• Exciting field trips: Hands-on Excursion to the Archives of Ontario; "Downton Excursion" for escorted visits to local libraries and archives for research; behind-the-laboratory doors for an exclusive guided tour of a DNA lab at The Center for Applied Genomics; and a chance to spend the day at Spadina's Museum, a.k.a., Toronto's "Downton Abbey." 

The early-bird discount deadline is March 15, but registering as soon as possible to ensure a spot in limited enrolment activities is strongly recommended. For full details about the program, speakers and schedule, as well as online registration, please visit the Conference website.

Who Do You Think You Are? Events for Genealogy Societies

Who Do You Think You Are? Events for Genealogy Societies

Well, season 5 of TLC's Who Do You Think You Are? is over. Before your society members start experiencing withdrawals, check out this archived broadcast of the FGS Radio - My Society!

Rebecca Hill, head librarian for the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center in Fremont, Ohio, shares how to put on a (modified) local version of the show for some folks in the community ... on a small society budget.

Several positive results from the programs include increased attendance at their monthly meetings and an increase in membership! (The fact that, as program chair, Becky didn't have to find a program for those three months didn't hurt either).

You will also learn how they were subsequently able to turn the modified program into a fantastic fundraiser for the society.

Listen to the archived broadcast of "Who Do You Think You Are? Events for Genealogy Societies" on the blogtalkradio My Society channel by FGS, or you can listen below:

 Current History Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with mysociety on BlogTalkRadio

FGS Radio - A Society on the Grow

Click here to create a reminder to listen to FGS Radio:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/06/04/a-society-on-the-grow

Saturday, June 4, 2011
2-3pm Eastern US
1-2pm Central US
12-1pm Mountain US
11am-12pm Pacific US

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/06/04/a-society-on-the-grow

Join us for the next episode of My Society, a new Internet radio show on Blog talk Radio presented by the Federation of Genealogical Societies on Saturday, June 4, 2011 starting at 2pm Eastern, 1pm Central, 12pm Mountain and 11am Pacific when this week we'll be discussing: A Society on the Grow.

Guests

Janet Hovorka

Janet Hovorka received a B.A. in Ancient Near Eastern History and a Master's degree in Library and Information Science from BYU. She accepted teaching and library positions at BYU and Salt Lake Community College before having her three wonderful children. She and her husband Kim Hovorka own Generation Maps (http://www.generationmaps.com), an online genealogy chart printing service. Janet writes The Chart Chick blog (http://www.thechartchick.com), she is currently serving as President of the Utah Genealogical Association and has presented 100s of lectures all over the country to help people find out more about their family’s history.

Christy Fillerup

Christy Fillerup is the director of the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and a member of the board of directors for the Utah Genealogical Association. She developed a passion for history in high school and it wasn't long before a passion for history became a passion for family history. Christy founded the Transitional Genealogists group in 2007 to help genealogists aspiring to become professionals. The group has benefited greatly from the mentorship of many established professionals. Christy is a graduate of the English track at the National Institute for Genealogical Studies as well as the ProGen study group. She edited Crossroads magazine from June 2010 to June 2011 and will remain a feature columnist.

Links

• Utah Genealogical Association
  http://www.ugagenealogy.org

• Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy
  http://ugagenealogy.org/cpage.php?pt=41

• UGA Blog
  http://ugagenealogy.blogspot.com

• UGA Facebook Page
  http://www.facebook.com/ugagenealogy

• UGA Twitter Page
  http://www.twitter.com/ugagenealogy

Society Spotlight


My Society will also feature a member society of FGS during the broadcast.

Please join us for great conversation and an exchange of ideas concerning genealogy societies every Saturday afternoon!

FGS Radio - Managing a Large National Genealogy Conference

Click here to create a reminder to listen to FGS Radio:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/05/14/managing-a-large-national-genealogy-conference


Saturday, May 14, 2011
2-3pm Eastern US
1-2pm Central US
12-1pm Mountain US
11am-12pm Pacific US

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/05/14/managing-a-large-national-genealogy-conference

Join us for the next episode of My Society, a new Internet radio show on Blog talk Radio presented by the Federation of Genealogical Societies on Saturday, May 14, 2011 starting at 2pm Eastern, 1pm Central, 12pm Mountain and 11am Pacific when this week we'll be discussing: Managing a Large Genealogy Conference.

Guests

Our special guests leading this discussion will be Jan Alpert, NGS 2011 Family History Conference Chair and past president of the National Genealogical Society, joining us from the National Genealogical Society 2011 Family History Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. Also joining us will be Julie Miller, CG, who is the Conference Chair for NGS 2012 which will take place in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jan and Julie will help us discuss genealogy conferences especially how a large national conference is managed by a genealogy society.

Janet A. (Jan) Alpert is the NGS 2011 Family History Conference Chair and served as president of NGS from 2006-2010. Prior to becoming active in NGS, she had a thirty-five-year career in the title insurance industry, retiring in 2004. She served as president of the Genealogical Research Institute of Virginia (GRIVA) for five years in the 1980s. She has done personal family history research for more than twenty-five years, mostly in New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the Midwest. In 1997, she published a family genealogy, Hatevil Nutter of Cover, New Hampshire, and His Descendants with Fred Boyle, cg. In addition to NGS, Jan is a member of many genealogy associations including New England Historic Genealogical Society, New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the New York History Association, as well as local genealogical organizations such a GRIVA, Tazewell County (Illinois) Genealogical Society, Hunterdon County Historical Society (New Jersey), New Hampshire Society of Genealogists, and Descendants of Ancient Windsor (Connecticut). A native of Illinois, Alpert received her BA degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara and earned an MBA degree from the University of Connecticut. She resides seasonally in Holland, Michigan, and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Links

• National Genealogical Society
  http://www.ngsgenealogy.org

• NGS 2011 Family History Conference
  http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/conference_info

• Getting Started (video featuring Jan Alpert)
  http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/videos_online/janet_a_alpert/getting_started

Julie Miller, CGsm

Julie Miller, CGsm is a Certified Genealogist from Broomfield, Colorado with more than 35 years of experience in the genealogy field as a writer, lecturer and researcher. She is an award-winning newspaper columnist for Broomfield Enterprise and has served as National Genealogical Society Vice President, 2010 and is currently serving as the NGS 2012 Conference Chair. Her other affiliations include the Association of Professional Genealogists Board of Directors 2005-2008, the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors Board of Directors, Past President, Colorado Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), Past President, Colorado Genealogical Society, and NARA-Rocky Mountain Region volunteer for over 14 years.


Links

• JPM Genealogy Research
  http://www.jpmresearch.com/index.html

My Society will also feature a member society of FGS during the broadcast. Please join us for great conversation and an exchange of ideas concerning genealogy societies every Saturday afternoon!

FGS Radio - Planning Your Genealogy Society Event

Click here to create a reminder to listen to FGS Radio:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/05/07/planning-your-genealogy-society-event


Saturday, May 7, 2011
2-3pm Eastern US
1-2pm Central US
12-1pm Mountain US
11am-12pm Pacific US

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2011/05/07/planning-your-genealogy-society-event

Join us for the next episode of My Society, a new Internet radio show on Blog talk Radio presented by the Federation of Genealogical Societies on Saturday, May 7, 2011 starting at 2pm Eastern, 1pm Central, 12pm Mountain and 11am Pacific when this week we'll be discussing: Planning Your Genealogy Society Event.

Hosting this week’s show live from Austin, Texas will be Randy Whited, FGS board member and an avid genealogist for over 25 years. Randy is a member of the Austin Genealogical Society since 2005, and has been involved with the Society by teaching beginner’s classes, leading monthly and special programs and is currently serving a second term on its Board of Directors. Randy is in his fourth year as Editor of the AGS Quarterly, for which he has twice been honored by the Texas State Genealogical Society. Randy is also serving as 2nd Vice President of the Williamson County Genealogical Society and is frequently a speaker there.

Our special guest will be Paula Stuart-Warren, CG from St. Paul, Minnesota who will help discuss genealogy event planning from the hired speaker’s point of view.

Paula is a Certified Genealogist working full-time in genealogical and historical research, lecturing, consulting, and writing. Since 1997 she has been a Course Coordinator for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, lectured at National Genealogical Society and Federation of Genealogical Societies conferences since 1993, and in 29 states and Canada for many types of groups.

A former officer of the Association of Professional Genealogists and former board member of the Minnesota Genealogical Society, she is a member and volunteer in historical and genealogical organizations. Currently she is President of the Northland Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists, a member of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Genealogical Societies, and co-chair of the 2011 FGS Conference being held in Springfield, Illinois.

Links

• Paula’s Genealogical Eclectica
  http://www.paulastuartwarren.blogspot.com

• Austin Genealogical Society Mini-Series, May 7, 2011
  http://www.austintxgensoc.org/activities/miniseminar.php

• Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy 2012
  http://ugagenealogy.blogspot.com/p/salt-lake-institute-of-genealogy-2012.html

My Society will also feature a member society of FGS during the broadcast. Please join us for great conversation and an exchange of ideas concerning genealogy societies every Saturday afternoon!

Tri-City Genealogical Society (Richland, Washington) Hosts September 16-17, 2011 Event

Join the Tri-City Genealogical Society (TCGS) for "Building Ancestral Bridges" with featured speaker, Patricia Walls Stamm, CG, CGL at the Washington State Genealogical Society’s 2011 Annual Conference, hosted by TCGS. Patricia Walls Stamm will present 1 topic Friday night with Dinner, and 3 more topics Saturday w/lunch. 15 Breakout session choices will be available for 3 more classes. Leland Meitzler and approximately 10 other vendors are planned. Latest details at www.tricitygenealogicalsociety.org.

Southern California Genealogical Society's Jamboree - Events for Societies

SCGS has sent out the following notice:

Dear Fellow Society Leaders:

We are fast approaching another successful Genealogy Jamboree, and we are looking forward to working with you to make it the best event ever. This email contains several ways for your genealogical, historical or family heritage society to participate in Jamboree at little or no cost.

Before we get into the meat of the email, we're asking you to help us spread the news. Please forward this to your society's members and others who may be interested. Thank you in advance for your help.

FREE Society Workshop Friday morning. Thanks to sponsorships provided by the Federation of Genealogical Societies and the California State Genealogical Alliance, we are pleased to offer the first-ever Society workshop during JamboFREE Friday morning. Three highly respected speakers will deliver these outstanding presentations:

George G. Morgan: "The Shape of the 21st Genealogical Society." Genealogical societies must adopt new strategies and modern technologies and adapt to today's trends, to attract new members, and to grow and expand. This session will describe and illustrate how modern societies have evolved and implemented new ideas to grow and succeed.

Cath Madden Trindle, CG: "But It's My Family! Copyright Issues for Genealogists." Whether writing or collecting a family history, editing a family or society newsletter, this session offers a discussion of current US copyright law, International copyright, pending legislation, fair use, court actions and ethical issues of copying and sharing genealogical information electronically or in print.

Jana Sloan Broglin, CG: "Program Program, Git Yer Program." Is your society striking out for ideas for meetings? Is attendance down in your "ballpark?" Are your lectures hitting home runs? Find out how to hit a home run at each meeting or seminar. Included are discussions are the details: contracts, advertising, equipment, room set-up, and "housing" of the speaker. A sample society-speaker contract will be included in the handout. Bring your ideas on finding great speakers who'll stay within your education budget.

The Society Workshop runs from 8:30am to 12noon and is limited to 200 attendees. Preregistration is requested.

Saturday Society Breakfast. Thomas MacEntee, publicity chair for the FGS Conference and Illinois Genealogical Society, will share his vast experience with social media tools such as blogs, Twitter and Facebook. New marketing techniques have taken on new power in the 21st century. Learn how to harness the power of these methods to market your genealogical society. In-person attendance is limited to 100, but we will also be offering the session as a FREE webinar. You'll miss the calories from the yummy breakfast, but that's all you'll miss. Reserve your webinar seat now at

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/653515569

Saturday Night Banquet. You may have heard about the fiery presentation that Curt Witcher gave at the recent RootsTech Conference in Salt Lake. That presentation made him one of the hottest speakers going, and we have him! Saturday night's banquet will feature Curt B. Witcher, MLS, FUGA, FIGS - "The High Tech and High Touch of 21st Century Genealogy" -- A look at how technology has changed the face of genealogy, and how we can use to do better research and make our societies more successful. Learn how these changes will affect the way that we will be researching in the future. This is one presentation that every genealogist and every society leader should see. The banquet is open to attendees as well as those who are not attending Jamboree. Preregistration is required.

Have an in-person presence at Jamboree for FREE. Issue: We know that no matter how much your society wants to have a table at Jamboree, it is sometimes difficult to pay the table fee and get volunteers to commit to staff the exhibit booth throughout the long Jamboree weekend. Solution: At Jamboree's new feature, Society Row, your society can have a 6' table in the Convention Center main foyer for one day at no cost. You can distribute literature, sign up new members, and, as long as you have a California sales tax permit, can even sell publications.

Details:
Jamboree will have four tables available June 10th, 11th, and 12th. A society can have one free table on their choice of days (Thurs., Fri. or Sat.) Electricity and internet costs are set by the Marriott and are not covered by this offer. Tables must be staffed throughout the day, according to these hours:

Friday: 12noon to 6pm (set up at 11am)
Saturday: 8am to 6pm (set up at 7am)
Sunday: 8am to 3pm (set up at 7am)

Society Row volunteers will not be required to purchase a registration to Jamboree unless they wish to attend class sessions. Societies must contact Leo Myers at leo.myers44@gmail.com to reserve a table. Tables will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

Make Jamboree a Group Event for Your Society

Have you thought about putting together a bus trip or group activity for your organization's members? We'll work with you to help organize the trip. If your society is at least 100 miles from Burbank, we'll give you one basic registration for free for every 10 people in your group. The San Diego Genealogical Society has organized such an event for the past few years. They take the Coastliner train to and from San Diego and they have a great time. If you're interested in putting together a group, contact us at SCGSJamboree@gmail.com and we'll help. Put "Group Tour" in the subject line.

Syllabus Advertising, Freebie Table and Door Prize Donation

We still have room for ads in our syllabus. Ads will appear in the printed copy in black and white; ads in the syllabus will appear in either color or black and white. Camera- ready art must be submitted to by April 20, 2011. Details on ad costs can be found here.

Our freebie table is a popular resource for our attendees as well as societies. Please send your brochures, membership materials and other information. We'll put it on our freebie table. Send materials to Jamboree Freebie Table, SCGS, 417 Irving Drive, Burbank, CA 91504. Material should arrive by June 1, 2011.

To receive mention in our syllabus and announcements during Jamboree, think about donating a membership for our door prize drawings.

Revised Schedule Available

The updated schedule is available online at our new Jamboree website, www.genealogyjamboree.com. The summary of the schedule is posted on the web page, and you can click to download* each day's schedule, complete with session descriptions, geographic areas and records included in the presentation, and the experience level best suited for each class.

We are looking forward to welcoming your society to Jamboree. Let's succeed together!

RootsTech 2011 Announces Lineup of Keynote Speakers

Note: RootsTech is hosted by FGS member FamilySearch, and among its sponsors are FGS itself and FGS members NGS and NEHGS.

SALT LAKE CITY—The RootsTech 2011 Conference announced its keynote speakers today. The national speakers reflect the conference’s focus on creating a forum where genealogy technology users can discover exciting new research tools and technology creators can learn the latest development techniques from industry leaders and pioneers. The conference will be held February 10–12, 2011, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Shane Robison, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Technology Officer for Hewlett-Packard Company. Mr. Robison is responsible for shaping HP’s corporate strategy and technology agenda and oversees the company’s corporate marketing function. He is instrumental in steering the company’s multibillion dollar research and development investment and leads the company’s merger and acquisition activities. He also has responsibility for worldwide corporate marketing activities, including brand strategy, internal and external communications, digital strategy and hp.com, environmental sustainability, social innovation, and customer intelligence.

Brewster Kahle, Founder, The Internet Archive. A passionate advocate for public Internet access and a successful entrepreneur, Brewster Kahle has spent his career intent on a singular focus: making information free and accessible through digital means. Mr. Kahle created the Internet’s first publishing system and has helped revolutionize the electronic publishing market. Through the Internet Archive, Mr. Kahle is working to create an online catalog of every book ever created. At the same time, Mr. Kahle cofounded Alexa Internet, a service that collects data on web browsing behavior for future analysis. The services provided by Alexa Internet are used in more than 80 percent of web browsers today.

Curt Witcher, Historical Genealogy Department Manager, Allen County Public Library. Mr. Witcher’s success in community involvement, integration of technology in library science, and collaboration with various organizations has made him a highly visible individual in the genealogical community. His dynamic presentation style has made him a highly favored presenter among a wide variety of audiences. He is a member of the Genealogy Committee of the American Library Association and past president of the National Genealogical Society and of the Federation of Genealogical Societies. He is coeditor of the 1987 through 2000 editions of the Periodical Source Index and was a research consultant for both PBS Ancestors series.

Jay L. Verkler, CEO, FamilySearch International. Mr. Verkler currently serves as president and CEO of FamilySearch, sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. FamilySearch has gathered the largest collection of genealogical records in the world. Operations include worldwide image and information collection, product and tools delivery, and patron services in over 4,600 family history centers around the world. Mr. Verkler previously served in various executive positions within innovative Silicon Valley companies such as Oracle Corporation, inCommon Inc., TIBCO Software, Vitria Technology, and Sales.com. Mr. Verkler studied electrical engineering, computer science, and chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as well as Japanese and Asian studies at Harvard University.

About RootsTech

RootsTech is a new conference designed to bring technologists together with genealogists so they can learn from each other and find solutions to the challenges faced in family history research today. The conference’s activities and offerings are focused on content that will help genealogists and family historians discover exciting new research tools while enabling technology creators to learn the latest development techniques from industry leaders and pioneers.

Media Contact Only
Paul Nauta
RootsTech 2011 Media Relations Chair
801-240-6498
nautapg@familysearch.org

Tri-City (Richland, Washington) Genealogical Society Presents Pat Stamm in September 2011

Join us in "Building Ancestral Bridges" with Patricia Walls Stamm, CG, CGL at the Washington State Genealogical Society’s 2011 Annual Conference, hosted by Tri-City Genealogical Society. Details are being planned and session topics have not been finalized. Patricia Walls Stamm will be providing a Friday night event topic and three additional topics on Saturday. Other speakers will present at breakout sessions on Saturday. For more information in early 2011 and registration before the conference, visit www.tricitygenealogicalsociety.org

Fairfax Genealogical Society 2011-2012 Calls for Papers

The Fairfax Genealogical Society is accepting proposals for its General Meetings, Education Classes, Fall Fair, and Spring Conference for 2011-2012. All events are held in Fairfax County, which is in northern Virginia, just west of Washington, D.C. Please see the complete Calls for Papers at www.fxgs.org/callforpapers.htm for the exact details and dates. All submissions must be received between 01 October 2010 and 01 February 2011.

Topics may include any genealogical subject such as court records, ethnic research, military records, methodology, migration, writing, colonial research, or beginning, intermediate, or advanced research. No preference is given to topics related to Virginia since many attendees are non-natives; however, Virginia topics are certainly welcome. We will consider proposals from a single speaker for both the Thursday night General Meeting and the following Saturday Education Class/Fall Fair/or Conference; topics do not have to be related. Proposals for remotely presented lectures (General Meetings and Education Classes, only) will be considered, but presenter is responsible for providing any services or software needed other than an Internet connection (i.e. GoToMeeting or similar services).

Speakers will receive an honorarium. Travel, per diem, board, and other expenses can NOT be provided and are the responsibility of the speaker.

The Fairfax Genealogical Society has over 500 members. General Meetings usually have over 100 people in attendance while Saturday Education Classes have 50-60. The Fall Fair normally has an attendance of 100-150 people. It also includes one or two book vendors and several informational booths from other societies or groups. For the last several years, attendance at the Spring Conference has been about 260. Also, there are usually 15-20 vendors selling books, software, and other items of interest to genealogists.

Exact dates, requirements, and submission guidelines are posted at www.fxgs.org/callforpapers.htm. Questions should be e-mailed to CallForPapers@fxgs.org.

Chuck Mason

San Fernando Valley Genealogical Society Presents Gena Ortega

"Catholic Church Records" will be the topic of speaker, Gena Philibert Ortega at the San Fernando Valley Genealogical Society, at the October 15, 2010 meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the Meeting Room at the Chatsworth Train Station, 10038 Old Depot Road, Chatsworth, CA. Catholic Church records can provide a wealth of information as you trace an ancestor through time. Diocesan resources, online sites, and microfilmed resources, religious newspapers, Catholic fraternal organizations, and Catholic cemeteries will be covered.

Gena Philibert Ortega is the Genealogy Community Communications Director for FamilyLink. In this position she works as the newsletter editor for WorldVitalRecords and manages GenealogyWise. Gena serves as Vice-President for the Southern California Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists. She is also a Regional Director for the California State Genealogical Alliance.

Join us for this interesting and informative presentation. Visitors are welcome. Our programs are free, but donations are appreciated. Door prize drawing. You can also find us at the following web site: www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~casfvgs/. For information call John Lindsay at (818) 349-0878.

NYGBS Presents Dr. John Colletta at Nov. 6 Program

On Saturday, November 6th, the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society will present internationally known genealogist and author John Colletta, Ph.D. in a full-day program at the New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street, New York, NY. Entertaining, knowledgeable and experienced, Dr. Colletta is based in Washington, D.C., where for 20 years he conducted workshops for the National Archives and taught courses for the Smithsonian Institution. Today he lectures nationally and is a faculty member of the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research at Samford University and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. His publications include the books They Came in Ships: A Guide to Finding Your Immigrant Ancestor's Arrival Records and Finding Italian Roots: The Complete Guide for Americans, as well as numerous how-to articles.

Dr. Colletta will give four lectures on the following topics: (1) Passenger Arrival Records (1820-1950s) – Advanced Problem Solving; (2) Naturalization Records (1790-1920s) – Advanced Problem Solving; (3) Turning Biographical Facts into Real Life Events: How to Build Historical Context, and (4) Breaking Through Brick Walls: Use Your HEAD. This is a wonderful opportunity for researchers of all levels to strengthen their skills and knowledge and to learn from one of the country’s most respected genealogists. Dr. Colletta describes his goal as “to help family historians optimize their efforts to uncover and write the stories of their forebears, and to enjoy all along the way the pleasure and humor of the journey.“

The program begins at 10:00 a.m. at the NYPL’s South Court Auditorium and will end by 4:30 p.m with a break for lunch on-your-own. Registration for NYG&B members is $60, non-members is $90. Register online at www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org. For additional information, contact Lauren Maehrlein, Director of Education, at 212-755-8532, ext. 211, or by e-mailing education@nygbs.org.

Celebrating October as Family History Month in Virginia

Both Robert F. McDonnell, Governor of Virginia, and Sharon Bulova, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Fairfax County, Virginia, have proclaimed October as Family History Month. Many thanks are due to Harold McClendon and the Mount Vernon Genealogical Society in Fairfax County for their extraordinary efforts to issue the proclamations and publicize October as Family History Month. Both Proclamations may be seen on the MVGS website, www.mvgenealogy.org. The Governor’s Proclamation is also posted at the Governor’s official website, www.governor.virginia.gov/OurCommonwealth/Proclamations/2010/FamilyHistory.cfm . The proclamations are also on the Fairfax Genealogical Society’s website at www.fxgs.org/Virginia_Certificate.pdf and www.fxgs.org/Family_History_Proc.pdf. Both the Mount Vernon and Fairfax Societies are members of FGS.

Has your society done something special to celebrate October as Family History Month? Do you know the history or background for designating October as Family History Month? Let the FGS Voice know!

Gordon L. Erickson
Director, FGS

Alabama Genealogical Society, Montgomery, October 2

The Alabama Genealogical Society's Fall Seminar, "Soldiers, Settlers and Brick Walls," presented by Robert Scott Davis, professional genealogist, author, and lecturer, will be held on Saturday, 2 October 2010, at the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery, Alabama. The four lectures will cover: (1) The Strange World of Revolutionary War Records for the Old South, (2) Creditors, Soldiers, Homesteaders, Federal Lands in the Old Southwest, (3) Gone for a Soldier: Military Records of Georgia and the Old Southwest, (4) What You Might Do When You Hit a Brick Wall. For more information see: www.algensoc.org/main/seminars.html or e-mail ycrump@bellsouth.net.

Ozarks Genealogical Society, Springfield, Missouri, September 10-11

The Ozarks Genealogical Society will have its 30th annual conference, “Researching with a Southern Accent,” on Sept. 10-11 at the Clarion Hotel in Springfield, Mo. J. Mark Lowe, nationally known genealogical researcher and educator, will be the featured speaker. His lectures will focus on Southern research in the areas of Kentucky and Northern Carolina. He will also provide guidance for online research. The conference begins the evening of Sept. 10 and continues Sept. 11. In addition to sessions presented by J. Mark Lowe, there will be mini-sessions on a variety of genealogical topics for guiding beginners and seasoned researchers on their quest for knowledge. Registration also includes lunch and a vendor showcase. The conference is open to the public. Registration is $45 until August 27. Visit www.ozarksgs.org for additional information.

TN, Johnson City, May 15, Watauga Association of Genealogists

The Watauga Association of Genealogists of NE TN and the Johnson City Public Library will host a workshop, "Beginning Genealogy for Ages 14 to 94." The classes will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 15, 2010 at the Johnson City Public Library Conference Room. Lunch is on your own and the classes will end at 4:00 p.m. There is no charge to attend the workshop, but pre-registration will aid in planning for the number of handouts. Call 283-0318 or email WAGSGenealogy@gmail.com with your name and contact information (phone number &/or email address).

MO, St. Louis, May 15, St. Louis Genealogical Society

The St. Louis Genealogical Society presents its 40th Annual Family History Conference, "Gems of Genealogical Wisdom", on Saturday, May 15 at the Maryland Heights Centre, 2344 McKelvey Road, St. Louis, MO, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Featured speaker Mark Lowe will focus on Southern research in North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee, which were migration paths for Missouri and Illinois settlers. John Dougan and Patsy Luebbert from the Missouri State Archives will cover some interesting Missouri facts. For those interested in technology, Bruce Buzbee founder and president of RootsMagic, Inc., along with Russ Wilding, CEO, and his colleague, Eric Keith, from Footnote.com, will share new innovations. Interested in ethnic research? Professor Steven Rowan will discuss Why Send Germans to Missouri, plus there will be sessions on Irish, Czech, and German Bohemian research.

Need some help jump-starting your research? A beginning lecture is available, along with a session on using various types of directories. A lecture on exploring church records should also be of interest. Too many choices! JAMB will record many lectures, so just place your order and walk out the door with your audio CDs that same day.

What is any conference without vendors? There will be books, supplies, and informational booths from across the Midwest. Shopping begins when the doors open at 7:30 a.m. and concludes at 3:00 p.m.

For more information, visit www.stlgs.org.

MN, St. Paul, May 14-15, Germanic Genealogy Society

The Germanic Genealogy Society's Spring Conference will be held May 14-15, 2010, at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. The featured speaker is Stephen Barthel, well-known author and professional researcher. Sessions include Where Are We Headed? (Family History Library News) Plus: Bizarre Stories in Genealogy on Friday evening, and Breaking the 'Sound' Barrier: Working with Phonetics, Passenger Lists, Police Records, and Unreadable Localities, The Gazetteer Goldmine: Finding Localities in Germany, Publishing Your Family History? Yes, You Can! on Saturday. For information, see the GGS website, www.ggsmn.org.