Lectures Currently Offered

Currently, we offer the following genealogical lectures. If you are interested in a topic that is not listed, do not hesitate to contact us. We will try our best to accomodate you.

Oh Where, Oh Where are My Ancestors From?

Finding your immigrant ancestor's town of origin is often considered the holy grail of genealogical research. What if you've spent years trying to find this piece of information and have not been successful? This talk suggests many strategies that just might help you break down that brick wall. Hightlights include:

  • Basic information you should have for your ancestor
  • More obscure information that might be available
  • Branching out beyond your ancestor
  • Organizing and documenting your research

So, You've Found Your German Town of Origin, Now What? Available Online

Finding your ancestor's town of origin can be exciting, indeed. Once this piece of information is found, you might be left wondering how to get records from the other side of the ocean. This lecture focuses on how to get records for German towns. Highlights include:

  • Verifying the location of the town
  • Strategies for identifying misspelled town names
  • Finding historical jurisdictions for that town
  • Finding records for that town
  • Useful aids for reading those records
  • Tips for hiring a professional genealogist in Germany, when necessary

He Took Her Name: Understanding German Farm Names

In certain geographic areas of Germany, the custom of German farm names has been in existence since about 1000 A.D. In this custom, a farm carried the surname and anyone who inherited that farm assumed that name as his surname. Usually this was a son of the farmer, but if it was a daughter, her husband would have to change his surname to hers. This lecture explains some of the common pitfalls a researcher may encounter when researching in one of these areas and how to overcome them. Highlights include:

  • The history, origins and geography of this custom
  • Various terms associated with this custom
  • The social structure in these areas
  • How this custom affected naming patterns
  • Techniques to successfully research your ancestor

Letters & Umlauts & U-Bogen, Oh My!

Reading old records written in German script can seem like an overwhelming task. Most modern-day Germans cannot read this script, yet it is an essential technique if you plan to research in older German records. This lecture provides strategies for reading the old handwriting; ways to maximize your chances for success and suggests sources to use when you are having problems.

Hunting For Henry: A Case Study Using Collaterals

Henry Steren was a German immigrant who lived in Quincy, Illinois. The United States records that were created about him indicate only that he was from the Province of Hanover in Germany. This lecture will detail how his town of origin and parents were identified, in spite of the lack of records naming him. Carefully researching each of his associates and correlating all available evidence reveals the origins of Henry. Use of the Genealogical Proof Standard is demonstrated. Complicating factors in this case are:

  • Very few records available for the person in question
  • Multiple people with the same given and last names
  • Steren is often confused with the common surname Stern

Holy Cow! Where Are My Chicago Catholics Now?

The first Chicago Catholic church opened in 1833 and by 1900 there were about 140 Catholic churches in the city. Finding your Catholic ancestor's church records (baptism, confirmation, marriage and funeral) can be a daunting task without a few key pieces of information. This lecture will explain how to find the data necessary to tap into these valuable resources. Once potential churches are identified, the process of finding the records for that church and timeframe will be explained.

Reading Between the Lines of the City Directory

This lecture encourages one to go beyond the obvious use of a city directory-locating an ancestor. The directory provides an opportunity to understand our ancestor's historical context. Pictures, advertisements, maps of the city and many more items are often included. The audience will be encouraged to understand each directory's unique qualities. Examples will be used to illustrate various points