Yearly Archives: 2023

Please join us on November 30, 2023 to hear Jane Neff Rollins give guidance on “Sensitive Subjects in Genealogy: How Much to Reveal; How Much to Conceal.”

A genealogically sensitive subject is anything about an individual or family that might have been kept secret, or if mentioned, hushed up. How do you walk the fine line between accuracy and sensitivity when writing or talking about sensitive subjects like divorce, out-of-wedlock births, spousal abuse, or suicide? Learn how documents may reveal unexpected secrets to you and questions to ask yourself when deciding whether to reveal or maintain the secret. Ms. Rollins will discuss how she has handled each with examples from her own family research.  David Laskin, best-selling author of the book, The Family, called this presentation “spellbinding,” in this article in The Forward: http://forward.com/articles/204417/a-report-from-the-jewish-genealogists-summer-ca/?p=all.

Jane Neff Rollins is a professional genealogist at Sherlock Combs Genealogy,^® who works primarily with clients whose roots were in the former Russian Empire. Jane has lectured at conferences sponsored by the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies, National Genealogical Society, and Federation of Genealogical Societies, among others. Her genealogical writing has appeared in Avotaynu, FGS Forum, NGS Magazine, Pennsylvania Legacies, and Crossroads.

Please join us on October 26, 2023 to hear Linda Alford Worsham help us Learn how to use cluster genealogy in searching for maiden names.

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Please join us on September 28, 2023 to hear John M. Barr help us to a better understanding of Lineage Societies. With hundreds of existing Lineage Societies and more on the horizon, how do we choose the one best suited for our genealogy needs. What are the major differences between all of these? How do we ensure our application will be accepted? What records are acceptable and how do I cite and number those source documents? These questions and more will be answered in this one hour presentation.

John Barr has over 25 years of experience in 18th and 19th century research with an emphasize on Land, and Probate records. His area of research concentrates on the Midwest States of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, and Minnesota however he does have experience in numerous other states as his research has often led to the far reaches of the United States. He is an active member of The Association of Professional Genealogist and has served as President of the Indiana Chapter of the APG. John is the owner of Old Northwest Genealogy and the author of Zane’ Trace A New Road in a New Country.

Please join us on June 29, 2023 at 10:00 to hear Sandra J. Crowley present “Using Timelines to Express Holes in Your Tree.”

Sandra has a B.B.A. degree in management with more than 25 years experience working with technology companies, including as a consultant for Hewlett-Packard. Sandra has taught PowerPoint, Online Genealogy and Family Tree Maker at Tarrant County Community College combining her 20 years of family research with knowledge of technology. She was named Volunteer of the Year by the Dallas Genealogical Society in 2011.

Please join us on May 25, 2023 at 10:00 via Zoom to hear Janice present “Get Me to the Church on Time:  Finding Religious Records.” I’m sure it will be helpful to all of us.

Janice M. Sellers is a professional genealogist specializing in black, Jewish, dual citizenship, forensic, and newspaper research. She is the editor of ZichronNote, the quarterly journal of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society (SFBAJGS), and has previously edited four other genealogy publications. She is the publicity director, programming director, and a board member of SFBAJGS and a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy, Genealogical Speakers Guild, and Genealogical Forum of Oregon. She has volunteered at Family History Centers since 2000 and gives presentations on many genealogical topics at the local, regional, state, and national/international levels. She has researched her own family history for more than 40 years. Before becoming a professional genealogist, she worked in publishing for many years as an editor, indexer, translator, and compositor.

Our speaker for April 27, 2023 will be Thomas MacEntee.  His topic is “Did I Get Everything? – Creating a Checklist for Genealogy Research”

Are you really done with researching that ancestor? Many genealogists think they have a brick wall when, in fact, they just haven’t done a “reasonably exhaustive search.” Learn how to assemble a genealogy research checklist to take your genealogy to the next level.

Participants will learn how to identify gaps in their genealogy research and then move to the next level of research. These levels include using genealogy networks, going beyond online research with the help of Family Search Centers and other “offline” resources, and crafting a genealogy research checklist.

Thomas MacEntee is a professional genealogist specializing in the use of technology and social media to improve genealogical research and as a means of interacting with others in the family history community.

“The Results are In! Using Your DNA To Find Answers” The excitement of receiving your DNA results can quickly turn to confusion. Understanding how to use this information can further your genealogical research. This presentation will help you learn how to interpret your DNA results to make them more useful.

Mary Jamba has been doing genealogy research for 30 years. With a special interest in genetic genealogy, she has resolved more than 100 unknown parent cases. She has completed numerous courses at SLIG and GRIP. She frequently gives presentations to local and national audiences. Mary serves on the board of many Ohio genealogy groups in various capacities including DNA User Group Leader of the Computer Assisted Genealogy Group

Please join us on February 23, 2023 at 10:00 via Zoom to hear Dr. Deborah Abbott, PhD present “You Only Have a Death Announcement — Now What?”

This lecture will ask attendees to put on their “CSI” hat and utilize their “detective” skills to solve a genealogical research project when little information is known. Starting with a death announcement, we will look at the methodology of creating a series of questions that need answers in order to bring our subject to life. Using the clues found in the death announcement, together we will identify and determine what records are needed to help solve the unknown. The importance of carefully analyzing documents, determining where to find them, and understanding how one record can lead to another will be emphasized.

Deborah A. Abbott, PhD, is a professional genealogist specializing in genealogical methodology, manuscript collections, and African American family research. She is a member of the Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Archives Commission, the Lakeview Cemetery Community Outreach Committee, an affiliate with the Kentucky-Tennessee Associates, past president of the African American Genealogical Society, Cleveland, Ohio, and a retired professor of Counseling from Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland. She holds an AA degree from Cuyahoga Community College, both the BS and MEd degrees from Tuskegee University in Alabama and the PhD degree from Kent State University in Ohio.

Dr. Abbott is coordinator of the African American Track at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) in Athens, Georgia, and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). She teaches at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) and the Texas Institute of Genealogical Research (TIGR) in Dallas. Dr. Abbott presents lectures and workshops for national, state, and local genealogy conferences, colleges, and libraries.

She has articles published in the Ohio Genealogy News and FamilyTree magazines. Dr. Abbott can be found teaching African American genealogy in a segment entitled “Needles & Threads” on Ancestry Academy, an educational video course for Ancestry.com. She teaches monthly classes entitled “Using Ancestry.com in Genealogy Research” at the Lakewood (Ohio) Public Library and coordinates the “Genealogy and Family History Clinic” for the Cleveland Public Library.

Dr. Abbott is a member of the National Genealogical Society (NGS), the Association of Professional Genealogist (APG) and the Genealogical Speakers Guild (GSG).

A Cleveland, Ohio native, she is a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Tuskegee University National Alumni Association, and Antioch Baptist Church in Cleveland.