The 2014 Calendar of Topics
March 8, 2014, 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. "Writing for Publication" by Patti Haggerty
CNYGS member, educator, and NEHGS Council member, Patti Haggerty has recently had articles published in American Ancestors, the magazine of NEHGS. Patti will describe her research topics, writing process, and publishing efforts.
"Silences in Irish Culture and History" by Kathleen Sullivan
Associate Professor of English, Director of the Irish Literature Program, LeMoyne College. Family research often presents puzzles. This lecture will look at silences in Irish culture and its impact on immigration stories and family history.
April 12, 2014, Full Day Conference, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. "A Focus on the Civil War" by Joyce Cook, Dennis
Conners, Suzanne Greenhagen
Joyce Cook, Tree Talks editor, will present her research on Elmina Spencer, an Oswego resident, who was a valuable nurse and held a prominent position with the Sanitation Commission during the Civil War.
Dennis Conners, Curator, Onondaga Historical Association. This lecture describes extensive Civil War correspondence between a Syracuse Abolitionist and a Confederate soldier.
Suzanne Greenhagen, Historian, Town of Eaton and Village of Morrisville, Member of Civil War Roundtable, Technical
Services Librarian at SUNY Morrisville. A popular presenter, Sue will describe her search for a Civil War soldier.
May 10, 2014, 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. "History of the Catholic Church in America and Research Opportunities" by Joseph Titti
Religion has always played an important role in American history. The Catholic Church was the first church to make its presence known in the Americas. Thirty years ago Joe began to research his family and has turned his hobby into a profession that includes teaching at Broome Community College Continuing Education and Broome-Tioga BOCES. His emphasis started with families in the Southern Tier which led him to work with the Catholic Church. He is a member of the Society of Parish Historians of the Syracuse, NY Catholic Diocese.
September 13, 2014, 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. "Resources for Genealogists at Onondaga County Public Library" by Holly Sammons
As Head Librarian in the Local History/Genealogy Department at OCPL, Holly will describe the facilities and extensive resources that are available in this superb local collection.
October 11, 2014, Full Day Conference, 9:00 a.m. � 3:00 p.m. "Military History and Genealogy: The French and Indian War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War" by David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist, New England Historic Genealogical Society.
Historian, genealogist and author, David Lambert's expertise includes New England and Atlantic Canadian research, military records, Native American and African American genealogical records. New York State played an important role in the French and Indian War and the War of 1812 as well as providing vast resources in life and treasure to the Civil War. David Lambert's lectures will focus on the three wars, and provide sources for researching military records.
November 15, 2014, 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. �Genealogy of a House" by Dr. Paul Stewart, Professor at SUNY Oswego, and Steven C. Phillips, businessman, antique collector, and community volunteer.
When Steve Phillips and Paul Stewart purchased a dilapidated fraternity house they turned to the Oswego County Historical Society for information on its history. They discovered that it was part of the holdings of an important and colorful Oswego family. This fascinating story presentation may inspire you to research the history of your home. The work of the Oswego Renaissance Association will also be covered.
The 2013 Calendar of Topics
March 9, 2013 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. "Digitizing and Organizing Photographs" by Kent Stuetz, NY Archives
Photographic materials in all their diverse variety are among the most difficult to manage and make accessible. With the dawn of new digital technologies, we are now able to share our historical photographs with a wider audience and save wear and tear on the originals. Digitizing your photographic collections opens the door to creative and interesting applications never before dreamed possible. Consider the blossoming world of blogging, websites, e-publications, social media, and so forth, as the natural venue to share your visual historic treasures. And this is only the beginning my friends! (Did you ever see anyone with a paper photograph on Star Trek?)
April 13, 2013 9:00 a.m. � 3:00 p.m. Randi Koenig, Legacy Genealogy Services
Randi Koenig will speak on a number of topics for the day. She is a wealth of knowledge, specializing in Adoption, Baptists, Catholics, Hispanic, Jewish, Land Records, Heir Searcher, Naturalization, Irish American, German American, Italian American, and Court Records. Randi works with the professional genealogical services firm with over 15 years of hands-on experience. They search locally in the NY Municipal archives, Bergen and Hudson County, NJ repositories, as well as worldwide. They have completed projects that include, but are not limited to, Ireland, St. Lucia, Poland, Austria, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Mexico.
May 11, 2013 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. "How to be the Perfect Ancestor" by Laine Gilmore
This is a lecture about using methodical approaches to organizing your family research, and assuring yourself that the next generations will be left with an understandable, searchable, and sourced family history documentation that defines the research you have done on your own family histories. Laine will discuss different approaches in organizing both paper and computer research, methods for organizing documents and families, and different ways of writing and documenting your research, as well as simple �problem solving� organization methods. The second part of the lecture will talk about our homes and the historical and family heirloom contents within it. Using similar definitions that a repository or museum would use to decide the fate of a document or item, a checklist can help determine the quality of item in question, and help us decide if it is worthy of keeping it in the family, or donating to a historical society, museum, or organization; or should it be sold or simply put in the dumpster?
Sept. 14, 2013 CANCELED due to the New York State Family History Conference
CNYGS/NYG&BS 2013 Biennial Conference
Sept. 20-21, 2013 The New York State Family History Conference
The Central New York Genealogical Society and the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society have organized and are jointly producing the first ever statewide genealogical conference in New York State, to be held at the Holiday Inn and Conference Center, Liverpool, NY.
Oct. 12, 2013 9-3 PM All Day Conference
9 - 11:30 Dennis A. Hogan to lecture on "Fulton History.com" Website. Fulton History is a �must see �for anyone interested in New York State genealogy. The life work of Thomas M. Tryniski, this unique, rare, and idiosyncratic website contains the digital images of more than 20 million newspaper articles, postcards, and obituaries. In this informative presentation, professional genealogist Dennis A. Hogan willl discuss the design and use of the site. Through real world examples, he will show you how to get the most out of the website�s online resources.
�Resources for Genealogists at the Cornell University Library�
Bob Kibbee and Virginia Cole will talk about the many resources for genealogists at the Cornell University Library, electronic, archival, published and microfilmed. Although they will take a look at some surprising resources hidden in popular databases such as Ancestry and HeritageQuest, the focus will be on those resources that are unique to Cornell or unlikely to be available anywhere but a large research library.
Nov. 16, 2013 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. "Conducting Research in Germanic Countries & Deciphering their Records" by Kent Stuetz, New York State Archives
Kent possesses a Master�s Degree from Penn State University in American Studies with an emphasis in local and family history, and has worked as a professional Archivist for the past twenty three years at the Pennsylvania State and New York State archives. "Understanding the records of German-speaking countries presents a sizable challenge when first exposed. Alphabetic nuances, specialized vocabulary, translation, and �foreign� handwriting scripts can all contribute to a very frustrating experience. For example, Germanic church records often combined an interesting blend of Latin and German languages with many individualized adaptations made by local priests. This presentation provides a broad introduction to reading and comprehending records, particularly ecclesiastical records, in German. All the tips and tricks you need to begin this wonderful journey will be explored. Additional helpful resources will be identified to assist you with further instruction in this effort. We will also explore some of the key factors to consider when planning a research trip to Europe."
The 2012 Calendar of Topics
March 10, 2012 - 1:00 - 3:00 PM
�Googling for Genealogy� with Dennis Hogan. Mr. Hogan is a professional genealogist who specializes in New York State and Ireland. Come enhance your research abilities by learning to Google your genealogy research.
April 14, 2012 - Full Day Conference, Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS
You won�t want to miss this national lecturer!
9:00 - 10:15 AM � �Finding Unfindable Ancestors�
10:30 - 11:45 AM � �Solving the Mystery of the Disappearing Ancestor�
1:30 - 2:30 PM � �Correlating Sources, Information, and Evidence to Resolve Genealogical Problems�
May 12, 2012 - 1:00 - 3:30 PM
Paul Lear, historic site manager for Fort Ontario, will talk about the History of Fort Ontario and the Battle of Oswego, May 5-7, 1814. Fort Ontario was built in 1755 and later destroyed during the War of 1812. This landmark has been rebuilt by various armies over the years. During WWI it housed the largest post hospital in the United States.
September 15, 2012 - 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Blaine Bettinger, author of the Genetic Genealogist blog, will explain DNA in laymen�s terms. He will lecture on: �Using DNA to Explore Your Genealogy� and �How Autosomal DNA is Changing Genealogy�
October 12, 2012 - 7:00 PM
Topic will be "Germany and Pennsylvania" by James M. Beidler. Friday night meeting will be at CXTEC Building on 492 East Brighton Ave Syracuse, NY, two tenths of a mile north of Ainsley Dr.
October 13, 2012 - Full Day Conference
James M. Beidler writes �Roots & Branches,� an award-winning weekly newspaper column on genealogy that is the only syndicated feature on that topic in Pennsylvania. He is a German research expert and a Pennsylvania resident, and both will be the topics of his lectures. meeting is changed to the Northminister Presbyterian Church (http://www.nmpres.org/) located at 7444 Buckley Rd, North Syracuse, NY 13212 This is located 1/2 way between Bear RD and Taft Rd. The doors open at 8:30 am meeting to start at 9 am It is an all day session with lunch served for a nominal donation.
November 17, 2012 - 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Roger B. Williams, a Syracuse attorney, will talk on "A Lawyer's Guide to Courthouse Research." part 1, part 2, part 3
Roger has been practicing law for more than 40 years, and has used his knowledge of courthouse records to support his genealogical research. With concrete examples, you will learn what records may have meaning for your research, and how to approach the well-indexed and accessible record-systems, to gain the most benefit from your on-site research. This will be an insider's tour of the County Clerk's Office, and the Surrogate's Court records, showing you how to use the indexing-systems to learn of your ancestors' real estate holdings and transactions, as well as their decedent-estate fillings, guardianships, and the like.
Roger is a former CNYGS Board Member and helped start our Website many years ago.
The 2011 Calendar of Topics
March 19, 2011 - 1:00 - 3:00 PM
�Irish Seminar� with Jack Burke; Mr. Burke will be discussing a 5-step program to locate a place of origin in Ireland using the records on this side of the ocean
April 16, 2011 � Full Day Conference
Meldon Wolfgang III, author, lecturer and founder of Jonathan Sheppard Books returns to CNYGS. He has been an active and avid genealogists and family historian since 1961. Jonathan Sheppard Books � will be available.
9:00 - 10:15 AM � �If You Think You�ve Looked Everywhere, It�s Time to Think Again: Uncommon Research Tools That Can Lead to Uncommonly Good Results�
10:30 - 11:45 AM � �To The Honorable Board of Supervisors�� Identifying and Using the Obscure and Uncommon Records of Local (City, Town, and County) Governments
1:00 - 2:30 PM � �So You Think You Know All About City Directories? A Guide to Deconstructing A City Directory & Extracting Every Bit of Information From It�s Pages�
May 14, 2011 - 1:00 - 3:30 PM
�Meet Me At The Mausoleum � Conversations in Oakwood Cemetery� presentation by Darothy DeAngelo and Sue Greenhagen. They will portray various residents of the cemetery � not everyone is famous but they will have a story.
C.R. Jones, a member of the Association for Gravestone Studies and conservator emeritus of the NYS Historical Association, will be �Setting Things Right: the Conservation of Gravestones.�
Sept 10, 2011 - 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Stephen Clarke, member of NEHGS and Rochester Genealogy Society will lecture on: �Black Sheep in the Family Barnyard� and �The Three Uncles: Biographical; Sketches of Fred Grieb, Mike O�Brien and Paul Grieb�
Oct 14-15, 2011
CNYGS� 50th Anniversary Banquet and Conference
Program Speakers and Biographies
�Ah Ha! I�m a Genealogist and Lovin� it� Barry J. Ewell*
�Top 20 Lessons Genealogists Need to Know - Lessons 1-5.� Barry J. Ewell*
�Researching Rural Communities: Local Government Records and Other Sources.� Suzanne Etherington, Ph.D.
�Top 20 Lessons Genealogists Need to Know - Lessons 6-10.� Barry J. Ewell*
�Often Overlooked: Genealogical Records in Colleges and Universities.� Edward L. Galvin
�Top 20 Lessons Genealogists Need to Know - Lessons 11-15.� Barry J. Ewell*
�Onondaga County Public Library: One of the Best Kept Genealogical Secrets.� Holly Sammons - Onondaga County Public Library
�Top 20 Lessons Genealogists Need to Know - Lessons 16-20.� Barry J. Ewell*
- �Gadgets for the Traveling Genealogist.� Roger B. William
- Outline
- Gadgets for the Traveling Genealogist
- Gadgets for the Traveling Genealogist � Resources
- Setting up a Free Genealogy Tool Box, Introduction
- Placing your Genealogy �Books� on a Kindle
- NEHGS Suggestion - Scanner
* Copies of Barry Ewell's presentations are no longer available. Link to Barry�s Blog on Genealogy http://barrysblog.mygenshare.com/
Nov 12, 2011 - 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Patricia E. Evans, Chenango County Historian: �Research Sources available in Chenango County, NY�
The 2010 Calendar of Topics
March 20, 2010 - 1:00 - 3:00 PM
�The Fox Sisters: 19th Century Spiritualists� skit by Darothy DeAngelo and Sue Greenhagen
�What Can Town Historians Tell Us?� expert panel of town historians will discuss what information is available followed by questions and answers
�Two Irish Case Studies with Two Different Immigration Patterns� by Shawn Doyle
April 10, 2010 � Full Day Program
Jean F. Nudd, Archivist at National Archives and Records Administration Northeast Region - Pittsfield
9:00 - 10:15 AM � �Military Records at the National Archives�
10:30 - 11:45 AM � �Navigating the Bureaucracy � Using Federal Websites�
1:00 - 2:30 PM � �Using Pre-1850 Census to Find Family Relationships�
May 8, 2010 - 1:00 - 3:30 PM
�Brief Talk on Revolutionary War� by Bob Gang in full uniform
�Crossing the Ocean�; �Reading Foreign Civil Records When You�re Not Fluent in the Language� and �Research in Broome County, N.Y.� by Joseph Titti. Mr. Titti excels in Italian genealogy; the first two lectures will have an Italian emphasis
Sept 11, 2010 - 1:00 - 3:00 PM � Lisa Alzo, author and lecturer
�365 Ways to Discover Your Family History�
�20th Century Desperate Housewives�
Oct 16, 2010 - Full Day Conference Program � Scott Andrew Bartley, genealogical researcher with over 20 years of experience specializing in Colonial US, New England and Eastern Canada
9:00 - 10:15 AM � �Even the Best Indexes Have Flaws but Watch Out for the Worst�
10:30 - 12:00 PM � �American Probate System�
1:00 - 2:15 PM � �The Family Search Program; Its Uses and Meaning � Unedited Version�
2:30 � 3:45 PM � �How to Organize & Preserve Your Genealogical Papers�
Nov 13, 2010 - 1:00 - 3:00 PM
�What�s New in the Genealogy Technology World� by Al Fasoldt, Post Standard columnist (Handout: Internet Genealogy - What's Good! What's Not! . . . and What Are We Going To Do About It? by Bettie Cummings Cook, CG)
The 2009 Calendar of Topics
March 21 - 1:00 PM - 3:15 PM
�How to Prepare for your NEHGS Trip� by Harlow Dunton
�Finding My Roots in the Mohawk Valley� by Mack Duett, author of The Mohawk Valley Ehles and Allied Families�. Mack will talk about writing the genealogy.
April 18 - Dr. Marian Henry, Historian/Genealogist, Rochester
Genealogical Society
10:00 -11:15 AM - �Helpful Finding Aids for Genealogy in NY State�
11:30 - Noon - �Hannah, Wife of Edward Gove � Evaluating Conflicting Sources�
1:00 - 3:00 PM - �Plat Mapping Workshop� Participants will take the description of a deed and make a plot on a piece of graph paper. Contact Roberta Kincaid March 18 to April 4 if you wish to participate - a $7.00 fee will be required for supplies. As table space will be limited you may also wish to bring along a hard surface such as a clipboard to use as a base for the mapping.
May 9 - 1:00 - 3:00 PM - Kent Stuetz, NYS Region 5 Advisor Officer - �Update on Ancestry.com�s Partnership with the NYS Archives and New LDS Resources�. Handout: Requesting NYSL Materials Electronically through Excelsior
Blaine Bettinger Ph.D., The Genetic Genealogist - �Using DNA to Explore your Ancestry�
Sept 12 - 1:00 - 3:00 PM - Peter Evans. Wayne County Historian
�Research in Wayne County, NY�
Oct 17 - Full Day Conference Program - �Outside the Box� by Meldon Wolfgang III, founder of Jonathan Sheppard Books, genealogist for 40 years, specializing in immigrant and ethnic group research in the urban Northeast.
9:00 - 10:15 AM - �Birds of a Feather: Cluster Studies and Record Linkage for Genealogists�
10:30 - 11:45 AM - �Uncommon Research Tools Equal Uncommonly Good Results�
1:00 - 2:30 PM - �Beyond the Basics - Techniques for Newspaper Research�
Jonathan Sheppard Book Exhibit - books and maps available for sale.
Nov 14 - 1:00 - 3:00 PM - Julie Dowd, Northern NY American Canadian Genealogical Society
�French Canadian Research�
The 2008 Calendar of Topics
March 8 - 1:00 PM - 3:15 PM
�The Joys, Surprises, and Cautions in Telling Your Life Story� by Eileen Kent of Utica, a member of the Association of Personal Historians. She has a business called STORIES of a LIFETIME and she will lecture on preserving family stories. As a prelude to her talk, an expert panel will be discussing Irish research.
April 12 �
10:00 AM - Noon - �Genealogical Resources at Rundel Library� and �German Research� by Larry Naukam, head of the Local History and Genealogy Division of the Rochester Public Library.
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM - �Genealogical Resources at Cornell University� and �Using Maps in Genealogy� by Bob Kibbee, Map and Geospatial Information Librarian, and Virginia Cole, PhD, Olin Library reference librarian. Cornell has numerous genealogical materials and a large collection of 280,000 paper maps, several thousand atlases and many files of digital maps. Cornell Library Resources for Genealogical Research
May 10 - 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
�Brick Wall Battering Rams� by Dick Hillenbrand, a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists. Dick will speak about some new ideas and resources to solve genealogical problems. Members will be encouraged to submit their brick wall problems.
Sept 13 - 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
�Genealogical Resources at the JCHS� and �Battleship in the Wilderness� by Tim Abel, PhD, the Director of the Jefferson County Historical Society and an archaeologist who has conducted dozens of excavation projects in northern New York. �Plate Glass Negatives� by a representative of the Lyme Heritage Center, will lecture on a treasure trove of civil war era negatives from a photographer�s shop in Clayton.
- Oct 11 - Full Day Conference Program
- Stephen Morse, PhD - guest speaker
- Guests are welcome for a $20 donation.
8:30 a.m. Registration
- 9:00 � 9:45 a.m.
- "One-Step Webpages: A Potpourri of Genealogical Search Tools"
- The One-Step website started out as an aid for finding passengers in the Ellis Island database. Shortly afterwards it was expanded to help with searching in the 1930 census. Over the years it has continued to evolve and today includes over 100 web-based tools divided into 13 separate categories ranging from genealogical searches to astronomical calculations to last-minute bidding on e-bay. This presentation will describe the range of tools available and give the highlights of each one.
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- 10:00 � 11:00 a.m.
- "One-Step Webpages: A Potpourri of Genealogical Search Tools" (continued)
- 11:15 � 12:15 p.m.
- "What Color Ellis Island Search Form should I use?"
- In April 2001 the Ellis Island ship manifests and passenger records went on-line. A few weeks later the One-Step Ellis Island website was created to make this resource easier to use. Since that time the One-Step site has been greatly expanded to include new search capabilities and an array of color-coded search forms.
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- This talk will describe the evolution of the website from both a historical and a practical perspective, and provide a beacon for navigating through this color maze.
Lunch Bring your own lunch or eat out. A map of local restaurants will be provided at registration.
- 1:30 � 2:30 p.m.
- "Playing Hide and Seek in the US Census"
- Even before the 1930 Census was unlocked on April Fool's Day 2002, researchers began wondering how they were going to locate people's records. The lack of indexes presented a real challenge. Several solutions to this problem have since evolved. The One-Step Census website presents a street aid for finding records. A similar aid exists on the NARA website. Commercial websites have developed extensive indexes which are available for a fee. The One-Step website has since been expanded to include 1910, 1920, and 1940 as well. This presentation describes and contrasts these various solutions of searching in these census years.
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- 2:45 � 3:45 p.m.
- "Deep Linking and Deeper Linking: How I get the most out of existing Search Applications"
- Deep linking provides a means of optimizing the information extracted from existing third-party websites in general, and from search applications in particular. Various means of deep linking are introduced such as URL editing, using search forms, and placing a man in the middle. These are the very techniques that are used by many of the tools on the One-Step website. Then the tables are turned and methods of blocking others from deep linking to your website are described. The legalities of deep linking are also discussed. The purpose is not to make you an expert at improving other people's websites. Rather it is to expose you to the techniques that were used on the One-Step website and give you a better appreciation for what is there and how to use it. As such, no knowledge of webpage programming is required. However, if you have such knowledge you will be able to apply the ideas presented here yourself.
- Biographical Data
- Stephen Morse is an amateur genealogist who has been researching his Russian-Jewish origins. Several years ago he developed some web-based searching aids which, much to his surprise, have attracted attention worldwide. He has received both the Outstanding Contribution Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies, the Award of Merit from the National Genealogical Society, and the first ever Excellence Award from the Association of Professional Genealogists.
- In his other life Morse is a computer professional with a doctorate degree in electrical engineering from New York University. He has held research positions at Bell Labs, IBM Watson Research, GE Corporate R&D, and Compagnie Internationale pour l'Informatique in France. He has been involved in development at Intel Corp, Alsys Inc, and Netscape. He has taught at CCNY, Pratt Institute, UC Berkeley, SUNY Albany, Stanford University, and San Francisco State. He has authored numerous technical papers, written four textbooks, and holds four patents. He is best known as the architect of the Intel 8086 (the granddaddy of today's pentium processor), which sparked the PC revolution 25 years ago.
Nov 8 - 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
�Discovering Your House History� by Rick Porter of Finger Lakes House Histories. He will speak on researching house histories. As a preliminary offering there will be an expert panel discussion on heritage societies and how to join them.
The 2007 Calendar of Topics
- March 10 1:00 PM - 3:30
- (To view PowerPoint slides please click on the highlighted program title)
- Local Government Sources and How to Prepare for a European Research Trip: Ken Stuetz, Regional Advisory Officer with the New York State Archives, will discuss oft-forgotten sources that can be found in local municipalities. His second talk should be very helpful to those planning research trips.
- April 14
- (To view PowerPoint slides please click on the highlighted program title)
10:00 AM - Reading Old Handwriting and Early vital Records in New York State: Presented by Dr. Marian Henry, Historian/Genealogist for the Rochester Genealogical Society, the audience will be treated to lessons in 18th and 19th century handwriting analysis as well as to the vital records found in the Vosburgh and Barber and Bowman collections.
1:00 PM - Holland Land Company Records and Finding the Ladies: Dr. Henry details the early 19th century Holland Land Company records that are so helpful to those doing western New York research and lastly she gives numerous aids to help us trace our female ancestors.
- May 12
Crossing the Pond: Techniques for Finding Your Elusive Eastern European Ancestors and Identifying Immigrant Cluster Communities: Lisa Alzo, M.F.A., author of Three Slovak Women and Finding Your Slovak Ancestors and numerous magazine articles, will share her experience in genealogical research in Austria, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
- Sept. 8
Cryptic Clues in the Boneyard Video by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack offers tips on cemetery research, grave photography, and tombstone rubbings.
Using Military Records at the National Archives (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4) and Using Pre-1850 Census to Locate Familial Relationships (part 1, part 2): Archivist Jean Nudd from the NARA Office in Pittsfield, MA, will share her knowledge of the holdings in NARA.
- Oct. 20 Day Long Conference
- (To view PowerPoint slides please click on the highlighted program title)
Dick Eastman, who is well known online for his website "Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter", will be presenting four lectures.
8:30 am Registration
9:00 � 10:15 am
The Latest Technology for Genealogists
This presentation will feature a look at today�s technology. The topic is subject to change as new products and services are announced. Mr. Eastman will discuss devices and software to make genealogy easier: handheld computers, GPS receivers, shirt-pocket sized scanners and more. Listing of products mentioned in presentation
10:30 � 11:45 am
Extracting the most genealogy information possible from everyone�s favorite search engine. This presentation will cover two primary topics: (1) how to search for genealogy information on Google in ways that most people never thought of and (2) how to view thousands of full-length genealogy books at no charge.
Lunch Bring your own lunch or eat out. A map of local restaurants will be provided at registration.
1:00 � 2:15 pm
Where is Genealogy Software Headed?
This is a bit of a crystal ball exercise. Dick Eastman claims that most of our latest genealogy programs are very old-fashioned. Many have not changed significantly in 20 years and yet there is hope on the horizon. Mr. Eastman will show demos of the latest trends in web-based genealogy software.
2:30 � 3:45 pm
Photographing Old or Delicate Documents and Photographs
Use your computer BEFORE you snap the picture! This presentation will discuss lighting, photo stands, macro lenses and even software to be used before the shutter is pressed. There will also be a brief discussion of software used to enhance photographs after the picture is taken. The presentation will focus on digital cameras and �digital darkroom� techniques.
Biographical Data
Dick Eastman kept his first genealogy database on 80-column punch cards.
For some 30+ years, Dick Eastman has been honing his vision of the future to improve our picture of the past. A high school writing assignment started him asking questions about family, and tuned his ear to the stories of Eastman, Dow, Deabay and Theriault elders at family reunions.
Along with this growing curiosity about his roots, an early interest in ham radio awakened his penchant for all things electronic, and he was ready for computers almost before they were ready for him. This odd combination of interests came together, and by the early 1970�s, Dick was already using a mainframe computer to enter his family data on punch cards.
It was only natural for him to play with PCs and Macintosh computers when the information age invaded households across the continent. He immediately saw new and better and faster ways of researching his family. This was too good to keep to himself, so it�s no surprise that the internet became his playground, where he would exhort others to bring their ancestors into this digitized world.
In the mid-1980�s, Dick actually went knocking on the door of a rising online star called CompuServe to propose a genealogy forum: a move by which he built a community of family historians over the next 14 years. He preached the benefits of technology to an even wider audience of genealogists, including national and international genealogical organizations, and of course, GENTECH, an organization that helped him to spread his message.
For the past 11-plus years, Dick has pursued his mission through an online periodical he writes every day, simply called �Eastman�s Online Genealogy Newsletter.� He loves to share technology �finds� that can help both new and seasoned genealogists.
Nov. 10 1:00-3:00 PM
Jim Meyer of Meyer Bookbinding Co. in Auburn will be giving a presentation on Rebinding and Restoring Old Family Bibles and Historical Books. He will also be on hand to offer free estimates of how much it would cost to restore your family bible so be sure to bring yours to the meeting!
Members will discuss favorite publications. A Librarian from OCPL will discuss recent acquisitions in the Local History Department.
The 2006 Calendar of Topics
March 11 Irish Genealogy
1:00 PM will help you find your Irish ancestors.Anne Ruggeri, genealogy chairperson of the Irish American Cultural Institute,
April 8 Who�s Your Most Interesting Ancestor?
10:00 AM guests should be prepared to make a short (3 minute limit, please) presentation about their favorite/most interesting or most illustrious ancestor. Why is he/she interesting and how did you find out? 1:00 PM Writing About Your AncestorsDuring this sharing session CNYGS members and
will be easier after you view the NEHGS video Genealogical Writing Style Guidelines and Practical Advice by Henry Hoff. You�ll be ready to turn your 3 minute presentation into a full page in your family history!
May 13 Oneida County Resources:
Mary Anne Buteux, a volunteer at the Oneida County Historical 1:00 PM Society who also does private family research, will tell us what�s available on line and where to go to find vital records, naturalization papers, land records, probate records, and historical information.
Sept. 9 Using Census Records
The first Federal census was taken in 1790 and many have been taken 1:00-4:00 PM since then. Today these records have the potential to reveal much about your family's history. During this workshop you will learn how to search them and use the indexes to them. You will also learn how to use the New York State Census. Presentation by Wayne Wright, NYSHA
Oct. 14 Day-long conference:
Curt B Witcher, Manager, Historical Genealogy Dept, Allen County 8:30 AM- Public Library Program to be held at Jamesville DeWitt Middle School.
3:45 PM Mining the Mother Lode: Using Periodical Literature for Genealogical Purposes
Effective Use of the ACPL Historical Genealogy Dept.
Using Military Records for Genealogical Research
Using Church Records in Your Genealogical Research
Nov. 4 What�s New in the Genealogy Department of the OCPL
Librarian Holly Sammons will bring us 1:00 PM up to date on the genealogical resources available at and through the Onondaga County Public Library, including HeritageQuest and the Syracuse Newspapers Archives. Program to take place in the Curtin Auditorium at the OCPL Central Library.
The 2005 Calendar of Topics
March 12 - 10AM
- Board Meeting
- 1 PM - Genealogical
Research in Madison County
Sue Greenhagen, Town of Eaton Historian
and
Technical Services
Librarian at SUNY Morrisville; Roberta
Kincaid, Certified Genealogical Record Specialist (CGRS);
and Harold Witter, Family Genealogist
and author of
Witter Genealogy,
will present research resources and
ideas. Please join
us as we kick off our new season at
the new site!
April
9 - 10
AM - Tips and Tricks for Finding Your Female Ancestors
Patti
Haggerty,
CNYGS Board Member, using
David Dearborn's video, Finding
A Wife's Maiden
Name
(NEHGS - New England Historic and Genealogical
Society).
The discussion includes her personal
experiences in
breaking down brickwalls of five
different Abigails.
- 1 PM -
Researching the
'Net -- My Favorite
Website.
Open Forum -- Each of us has a favorite family-
history research Website. Bring yours along with
its web-
address (URL), and share how it is useful,
and any of its
drawbacks. A list will be collected
and distributed to the
membership (and posted
here, of course).
May 14 - 10AM
- Board Meeting
- 1 PM - Using
Digital
Cameras to Film Historical
Documents
Kent
Stuetz,
Regional Advisory Officer with the
New York State Archives, will discuss and show how to
film historical documents using a
digital camera,
including different types of cameras,
settings, filming
techniques, and secret tips.
Sept. 10 - 10AM
- Board Meeting
- 1 PM - Plant
Your Tree On
The Web
Mary
D. Taffet will
discuss the steps involved
in publishing your genealogical data on the Web,
including choices of website hosts, consideration of
privacy
issues, and use of various programs to prepare
and upload your data.
Mary received a 2001 GENTECH
Scholarship for
her project, Automatic Tagging of Genealogical
Data
to
Enhance Web-based Retrieval.
Oct.
1 - (9 AM -- 3
PM) - Conference: Finding and
Using New York
City
Records, at the Jamesville-DeWitt Middle School's
Large Group Instruction Room, located at 6280 Randall
Road, in DeWitt.
Leslie Corn, MA, FGBS, and
Roger Joslyn,
CG, FASG,
nationally-known
genealogists will be our presenters.
Click Here for
more
details about this exciting Conference.
Nov. 12 - 10AM
- Board Meeting
- 1PM -
Genealogical Research
Using Invention Patent
Records
Pamela Lipe Revercomb will discuss the
government documents and original patent record books,
not available electronically, that she used to learn about
patents that her ancestors had invented.
Mary
D. Taffet
will discuss how more recent patent
records can be searched using the Internet.
The 2004 Calendar of Topics
- March 13 - 10AM
- Board Meeting
- 1 PM - Making the Best Use of the Onondaga
Historical Association Research Center and
Archives - Michael Martin, Associate Archivist and -
History
of Syracuse Cemeteries
- Dennis Connors, Curator of History, Onondaga Historical
Association
April
3 - 10
AM - Genealogical Research
using Rhode Island
Records
-
1 PM - Genealogical Research
using Massachusetts
Records
- Ruth
Quigley Weller, Research Director of the New
England Historical and Genealogical Society
(NEHGS)
May 1 - 10AM
- Board Meeting (in the Church Gymnasium)
- 1
PM - Share Your Family Trees
and Treasures
(Click
on this Link, to see PHOTOS)
- CNYGS
Members - This program is to be presented
by all members of our society in the Gymnasium. Bring
something to share, such as a genealogy
or family
history, or family artifacts
(i.e., tools, quilts, clothing
and Family Bibles. Come and see
how others have
organized and preserved family
histories and heirlooms.
To reserve space, please
contact Donna Johnson Brown,
by email to: [email protected],
or by mail to:
137 Crooked Land
Road, Tully, NY 13159.
Sept. 11 - 10AM
- Board Meeting
- 1 PM - Using
Death Records in Your Research
Barbara
will include many records surrounding a death
to help with your family research: civil, newspaper,
cemetery, sextant, funeral home, stones, internet, and
taking pictures of an preserving
the stones.
Barbara
Dix, retired Oswego County Historian
- Oct.
2
- 10AM - Tracing your Civil War Ancestors,
On and
Off the Internet
- Darothy DeAngelo, authority on the Civil War, and
Sue Greenhagen, Reference Librarian, Morrisville College,
will show us how to find our Civil War ancestors using
traditional methods and Internet resources.
- 1 PM - Lineage Organizations and How to Join Them
A panel of lineage society members will discuss the - societies and how to join them.
DAR - Leola Crane Sutton
SAR - John Downing
Civil War Organizations - Darothy DeAngelo
Mayflower Society - Marion Chester and
Sharon Matyas.
Nov. 6 - 10AM
- Board Meeting
- 1PM
- Why Did They Come Here? How Our Ancestors
May Have Ended Up In New York
This
talk will examine some of the political, economic,
and social contexts in which our ancestors lived, and
thus compelled them from their
ancestral homelands
to New York State, thereby
helping us to develop a
fuller sense of our
family history.
Robert
Arnold III, Record Services, New York State
Archives.
The 2003 Calendar of Topics
- March 15 - 10AM
- Board Meeting
- 1 PM - Preservation of Photographs - An introduction to - photographic history, proper storage and care, indirect
- information about dating old photos, with time for
-
questions.
Gary Albright, Conservator - George Eastman
House Museum, Rochester NY
April
12 - 10
AM - Pennsylvania Migration
Trails
Considering
the trails and reasons why your migrating
ancestors left Pennsylvania will give
you some clues
as to where to search for their origins
there.
-
1 PM - When
there is no Will there still is a Way
Probate
records and the analysis of what one might
find in them. We will explore the Russell
Index System
that is prevalent in Pennsylvania.
Elissa
Scalise Powell, CGRS, has been doing
genealogical research since 1985, and
helps others
find their ancestral roots through
community college
classes
in beginning genealogy
and computers.
May 10 - 10AM
- Board Meeting
- 1
PM - Genealogy Databases for the PC
Norm
Young has instructed several
beginning genealogy courses, has demonstrated-
genealogy databases and is president of the
St. Lawrence Valley Genealogy Society.
Sept. 13 - 10AM
- Board Meeting
- 1 PM - Digging
Up the Dead with a GPS
Learning
to use a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS)
receiver and mapping software for your genealogy
research. A GPS receiver can help you find your way
to a cemetery, mark the exact
location of an
abandoned cemetery or even a specific grave site.
Gary
Jones and Anton Ninno -- Gary is a
librarian
with the Local History / Genealogy Dept of the
OCPL. Anton is a staff trainer at OCM- BOCES,
helping
teachers integrate technology into
their classrooms
and student projects.
Oct.
11 - 10AM
- Board Meeting
- 1
PM - New York State Historical
Library at
Cooperstown,
NY -- Resources
Wayne
Wright,
Associate Director
Discover
the many genealogical resources in this regional
library.
Nov. 8 - 10AM
- Packrat or Genealogist?
Effective Methods
for
Organizing your History Research
Explore
both traditional methods and computer technology
to organize family history documents, photographs, and
other important papers and data
for quick retrieval, as
well as tips for distributing- and
sharing this information
with others.
- 1
PM - Beyond the Family Tree: How to Write A
Compelling
Family History
It is
easy to overlook the stories of how our ancestors
lives were influenced by local and world
events and
conditions. This workshop will show
how to liven up your
family history by placing your
ancestors in the larger
context and will demonstrate
how to produce interesting
copy using
such items as vital records, documents,
photographs
and more.
Lisa
A. Alzo, Ithaca, NY
Lisa
has taught genealogy courses at BOCES and given
talks at area historical societies.
The 2002 Calendar of Topics
March 16 - Technology
and Genealogy: Selecting and using
Digital Cameras, Scanners & CD-Recorders
("burners").
Family historians will want
to attend, to gain valuable
information for
use in their own family history
documentation.
Al
Fasoldt, Technology Writer Syracuse
Post
Standard and Newhouse News Service,
Point &
Click host, and "Random
Access" radio show host.
April
13 - 1
PM - Preparing for
A
Successful Research Trip
Panelists:
Harlow Dunton, Roberta Kincaid
CGRS, Roger Williams
May 11 - 10AM
- The Ease of Doing French-Canadian Genealolgy,
and
Some of its Problems
- 1
PM - Name Changes and Variations in French-Canadian
Names
Roger
Lawrence, American-Canadian Genealogical
Society - Manchester, NH
Sept. 14 - 1
PM - Reading Early American
Handwriting
Videotape,
produced by 123-Genealogy
Location-change:
to be held at the Jamesville-DeWitt
Middle School, off Randall
Road in DeWitt.
Oct.
12 - 10AM
- Board Meeting
- 1
PM - Post-Revolution
Settlement of Central NY: Military
Tracts
and Other Land Tracts
that Attracted
People
-- How Central New Yorkers Got
Here
James
Darlington, Adjunct Professor of Geography
and History at SUNY-Cortland
Broad
patters that brought people from certain regions
to settle in central NY, and the makeup of our local
countryside.
**
CLICK HERE for Mr.
Darlington's SLIDES **
Nov. 9
- 10AM - Board Meeting
- 1
PM - A Lawyer's Guide to
Finding
Genealogical Records
-- Courthouse Resources
Roger
B. Williams, Esq. - Syracuse
Roger
has been practicing law for over 30 years and exploring genealogy
for the the past 10 years or so. In this presentation, he will share
the ways in which his legal experience has helped him find family
records and supported his research. You will have an insider's tour
of the typical county courthouse, and know where to look and what to
ask for when you visit your ancestor's locations. Finally, you will
understand the record-keeping and indexing systems in use locally,
which apply with minor variations across the U.S.
The 2001 Calendar of Topics
- March 17
- "Church Archives - A Resource for Genealogists"
Peter Christoph, Archivist for Lutheran Church Upstate N.Y. -
Synod
Rev. Charles Marks, United Methodist Church Commission for -
History and Archives
Joan Green, Asst. Archivist, Episcopal Diocese of Central - New York
April 21 - "Lighting
Your Fire,
and Getting Started in Genealogy"
Clancy
Hopkins, Editor of the Informer (Newsletter of
the Jefferson
County Genealogical Society
May 12 - "Flatlands
and Rock Farmers: Research in
Vermont and
Pathways
to New
York"
Alice
Eicholtz, PhD, CG, Director of Lifelong Learning,
Norwich University
September 15 -
"Show and Tell" -- CNYGS Members share their
genealogical discoveries and surprises
of the past year.
One of the best ways to learn research
methods is from
other genealogists and family
historians who have had
successes in breaking
down a research-barrier, creatively.
October 19
& 20 -- CNYGS
40th Anniversary Celebration
"Mining
for Genealogical Gems"
Speakers
include Diane Snyder Ptak, Christine Crawford-
Oppenheimer,
Judge John Austin and others.
November 10 -
"Using Genealogical Journals to
Research Your
Family
Tree"
Joyce
Cook, Librarian -- Fulton Public Library
March 18,
2000 Henry Z.
Jones, Jr., FASG:
(10
AM) "When
the Sources Are Wrong!"
(How
to spot and overcome the obstacle of errors in
primary and secondary sources.)
(1
PM) "Tracing
Origins of Your Early 18th Century
Palatine
Emigrants," and "What's
New In Palatine
Genealogy"
(A
step-by-step plan for pinpointing and fully tracing
your ancestors' European roots.)
Hank Jones graciously provided us with a copy of his notes. The handouts from his talk may be printed from these links: