News

Join us on March 27, 2025 T 10:00 Via Zoom, to hear Kate Penney Howard enlighten us on “Filling in Those Pesky Blanks: Solving Maternal Surname Mysteries With DNA.”

We all have that ancestor with a first name, but no family name. When traditional genealogical techniques fail to turn up an answer, we can turn to DNA to find more opportunities to discover clues. Follow along as Kate explains how she used traditional genealogy, and DNA clustering to write her ancestors’ surnames in their family tree!

Bring your favorite note-taking tools and come away with a worksheet created to help you address your own brick walls.

Kate Penney Howard is a genetic genealogist, specializing in brick wall work, HighRoH, and endogamy. During a bout with cancer, she discovered that she loves sharing her knowledge with other genealogists. She is intentional about addressing injustice and myths in her presentations. Kate has presented at Rootstech, East Coast Genetic Genealogy Conference, the International Congress on Medieval Studies, NAAP/RTK’s Untangling Our Roots, and the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

2025 speaking engagements include Rootstech, Ohio Genealogical Society 2025, and Ontario Ancestors Webinar Series, as well as local library and genealogical society gatherings. Kate studied vocal music and earned a Master of Divinity from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis in 2011, and has been pastor of North Christian Church since her ordination in 2012.

Join us on February 27, 2025 via Zoom at 10:00 to here Mary Jamba present, “Where Are They? Strategies for Navigating Challenging Names in Databases.”

Exploring proven strategies for locating those hard-to-find relatives in genealogical databases. Don’t let elusive names hinder your research – equip yourself with the tools to triumph over these obstacles and bring your genealogical quest to new heights.

Mary Jamba is a seasoned genealogist with over 30 years of research expertise. She has actively volunteered with numerous organizations within the genealogical community, both in the past and present. Mary is a sought-after speaker, regularly delivering genealogy-focused programs to audiences at local, state, and national levels.

Join us at a special Sleeves Up session where member Bob Coltrin will help us get started using the Silver Books collection that have recently been added to the Morley Library Gen room. Bob is a member of the Cleveland Colony of the Mayflower Descendants.

The Silver Books are a collection of genealogy books that trace the descendants of the Mayflower pilgrims. The books are published by the General Society of Mayflower Descendants and are considered to be the best genealogy available for Mayflower families.

Contact Mary Huey if you have any questions — maryhueyquilts47@gmail.com

Join us on January 30, 2025 for a hybrid meeting.  We will meet at 10:00 in-person and via Zoom to hear Amber Oldenburg speak on “Fantastic and Fun-Filled World of the FamilySearch Wiki and Catalog.”

We will then enjoy our annual potluck at 12:00.  Those attending the in-person meeting at Morley Library should bring a dish to pass, tableware and a beverage.

Have you ever wondered where professional genealogists go to begin their research? Do you need help creating a research plan or just need to know when a state began keeping birth records? Or do you want to know how to access millions of records that have yet to be digitized? All these questions can be answered with the FamilySearch Wiki and catalog. In this session you will learn how to navigate both and how they can help you be a better family history researcher.

Amber Oldenburg is a genealogist, lecturer, and social media manager at Your DNA Guide, with a degree in Family History Research from Brigham Young University-Idaho. She currently serves as an online instructor in the Family History Research program at BYU-Idaho. She specializes in Midwest and Great Plains research, and she is passionate about pioneers and homesteaders and is currently pursuing accreditation in the North Central Region from the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists.

Beth Stachiw will do a presentation on your photos and stories at Sleeves Up on December 12^th at Morley Library. As a 30 year advisor with Creative Memories, a photo safe scrapbooking company from Minnesota she has information on preserving your photos and documenting those stories that go with them.

Come listen to advice she gives on getting those photos out of shoeboxes.

Contact Mary Huey if you have any questions — maryhueyquilts47@gmail.com

Join us November 21, 2024 via Zoom to hear Scott Norrick present “Ohio in 1950 – Insights and Discoveries From the 1950 Census.”

What can we learn about the lifestyle and social environment of our youth from the data generated by a census?  Sure, we know where our people lived and how old they were but there’s more to be learned.  Scott Norrick of Ancestral Past https://ancestralpast.com will present an overview of the beginning of the post-war era based on his unique analysis of the 1950 Ohio census.

With an undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and a masters degree from Northwestern University, lead genealogist, Scott Norrick combines over 30 years of family history research with the necessary skills and passion to provide meaningful and proven results. He has been published in the Indiana Genealogical Society’s Indiana Genealogist, has presented at The Association of Professional Genealogists annual conference, and has been a featured guest on the radio show/podcast Extreme Genes. Having traced and documented thousands of ancestors and relatives in both the United States and Northern Europe, he is experienced with all of the latest and time-tested genealogical tools and resources.

Join us to on October 31, 2024 at 10:00 Via Zoom to participate in “Sharing Our Family History – An Idea Swap”

The winter holidays and celebrations present opportunities for us to share our family history finds. The
challenge is to engage family members and get them excited! Listening to and sharing ideas can be a
real boost to your creative approach to sharing your research! Mary Huey, First Vice President will
moderate this share and tell session. Tell us what worked and maybe even what didn’t work. Do you
have a new idea that you want to try? Let us be your sounding board. All ideas welcome and
appreciated.

Mary Huey turned a mild curiosity in her husband’s family history into a fulfilling hobby during
the Covid shutdown in 2020 and continues to enjoy finding the answers to the puzzles of family history.
The exchange of ideas and research technique as a participant in the Lake County Genealogical Society
stimulates her quest and keeps “the little gray cells” happy.

Join us on September 26, 2024 at 10:00 via Zoom to hear Lisa A. Alzo present “Ten Things Every Eastern European Genealogist Should Know.”

Learn how to maximize your Eastern European genealogy research with the ten key things to know before you even begin. Topics to be addressed: Tips for planting your family tree online, determining names and places, pinpointing places, the best online databases for getting what you need and practices for citing sources and recording information, and what to expect when you cross the pond.

Lisa A. Alzo, M.F.A., is a freelance writer, instructor, and internationally recognized
lecturer, specializing in Eastern European genealogical research and creative nonfiction
writing. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Nonfiction Writing from the
University of Pittsburgh in 1997. Lisa is the author of eleven books, including The
Family Tree Polish, Czech and Slovak Genealogy Guide, and the award-winning Three
Slovak Women, and hundreds of magazine articles.  Lisa is a contributing editor for
Family Tree Magazine and was a frequent contributor for Internet Genealogy. She also
developed the Eastern European Research Certificate Program for the International
Institute of Genealogical Studies and works as an online educator and writing coach.
Lisa is a frequently invited speaker for national conferences, genealogical and historical
societies, and webinars. An avid genealogist for more than 30 years, Lisa also
chronicles her family history adventures on her blog, The Accidental Genealogist
https://www.theaccidentalgenealogist.  Visit https://www.lisaalzo.com for more information.

Join us on June 27, 2024 to hear Bernard N. Meisner, Ph.D., CCM present “Pushes, Pulls, and Records: The Waves of German Immigrants to the United States.”

Pushes, Pulls, and Records; The Waves of German Immigrants to the United States: German immigration to the United States can be grouped into four waves, based on time period. The waves can be differentiated by the pushes and pulls that drove the immigrations, and the types of records produced during each wave. Learn the factors that may have drawn your German speaking ancestors to the United States, and the most likely records where they can be found.

Join us on Thursday, May 30, 2024 as Steve Szabados helps us find our roots in naturalization records.

Steve Szabados grew up in Central Illinois and is a retired project manager living in the Chicago Suburbs. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, and a Master’s in Business Administration from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois.

Steve Szabados is a genealogy lecturer and author. He has been researching his ancestors since 2000 and has traced ancestors back to the 1600s in New England, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and the 1730s in Poland, Germany, Bohemia, Hungary, Slovakia, and Slovenia. He has given numerous presentations to genealogical groups and libraries in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. He has also published aver fifteen genealogy books. His mission is to share his passion for Family History with as many people as he can. He is a former board member of the Polish Genealogical Society of America, and he is a genealogy volunteer at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library. Steve also is the genealogy columnist for the Polish American Journal.