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Lake County Research

Welcome to KINSEEKERS Genealogical Society

Family History connects us.

To our ancestors. To who we are. To each other.

All experience levels welcome.

Theme for 2024-2025 Season: A Focus on Records

Scroll below to see details about current and upcoming programs.

		Member: Florida State Genealogical Society
		Proud to partner with the Leesburg Public Library in offering genealogy and family history programs. LPL is a FamilySearch Affiliate Library. This means enhanced access to FamilySearch records!

Pastfinders is our sister society, located in Clermont.

Visit their website for their full schedule of events: pastfindersslc.org.

MEMBERS:

April Update was emailed 3 April.

(Please check your spam file if you didn't receive it.)

Also posted under Handouts and Updates in the Members Area.

NARA SIG

3rd Mondays, 1:30 - 3:00 (Eastern Time) via Zoom

Led by KB Barcomb. Open to all.

This is an informal and collaborative discussion group focusing on the US National Archvies (NARA). Open to all.

Have questions about its catalog? Finding aids? Searching collections? Exploring the website's nooks and crannies? This group is here to help.

Next session: Monday 21 April. Register here.

Primary topic: NARA's History Hub

Have other NARA-related questions or suggested topics? Put them in the comment box when registering.

APRIL PROGRAM

Using Employment & Labor Records for Family History Research

Saturday, 12 April via Zoom.

10:30am - 12:00pm Eastern Time. (This is a 90 minute program, incl Q&A)

Program recording & handout is available in the members area through 31 Aug.

Researching our ancestors' employment isn't just about finding facts, it's about gaining new insights and perspectives into a key aspect of their daily life. This program not only discusses the context and impact of various industries, it provides guidance on using an amazing array of records and sources.

Topics include:

- general sources for occupations

- a wide variety of industries (incl. railroads, mining, automotive, assembly line work, trucking, garment factories, photography, funeral homes, civil service, farming)

- union sources and repositories

- New Deal programs (WPA & CCC)

Madeline Yanov has over 30 years experience in family history research. She has a professional background as a paralegal who specialized in legal discovery and has degrees in both history and political science. This combination makes her exceptionally skilled at locating information while also analyzing its context. We have seen this presentation and are excited to share it with you. It is informative, detailed, and will leave you eager to explore this critical part of your ancestors' lives.

MARCH PROGRAM

Using Social Security Records for Family History Research

Saturday, 8 March via Zoom.

Program recording & handout is available in the members area through 9 May.

Social Security records can provide clues to an ancestors' name, origin, and social history. Learn what records are available and how to find and interpret them. This program will discuss:

- the history of Social Security Benefits

- the anatomy of the Social Security Number

- Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests

- the Death Master File (DMF) & Social Security Death Index (SSDI)

- how to interpret Social Security records found on Ancestry & FamilySearch

Roslyn Torella is a professional genealogist specializing in Italian and immigrant family history research. Having spent 30 years working for the Social Security Administration, she brings unique insights and valuable into getting the most out of these records.

Family Tree Maker SIG

Led by Roger Goddard. Open to all.

DAYTIME SESSION

2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 11:00am - 12:00pm (Eastern Time) via Zoom

EVENING SESSION
2nd & 4th Thursdays, 7:00 - 8:00pm (Eastern Time) via Zoom

This informal discussion & help session fis or those using FTM genealogy software or thinking about using it. All are welcome!

Non-Members: Register by emailing FTM@Kinseekers.org.

Members: Access via the link in the Members Area (under "Zoom Links").

(Society membership includes a significant discount on the FTM software. Details are under Member Perks in the Members Area.)

Military Records & Research SIG (WWI/WW2)

2nd Mondays, 1:30 - 3:00 (Eastern Time) via Zoom

Led by KB Barcomb. Open to all.

This is an informal and collaborative discussion group focusing on WWI and WW2 military records and research methodology.

Next session: 14 April. Register here.

Topic: "Military Research Resources." We'll discuss how to use the wide variety of resources created by military historians. Share your favorites!

Questions on other WWI & WW2 related topics are also welcome! Ask in the comment box when registering.

Black Family History SIG (1900-1950)

3rd Saturdays, 10:30 - 11:30 (Eastern Time) via Zoom
Led by Charles Wilson. Open to all.

This informal, diverse, and collaborative discussion group focuses on American History through the lens of Black family history during the pivotal decades from 1900 to 1950.

Next Session: 19 April. Register here.

Topic: Researching Black Workers. (Our 12 April program is on Employment & Labor Records.)

For additional WW2 context, we suggest also viewing this recent symposium hosted by the National WWII Museum. (Questions on other topics are also welcome.)

Reminder: Recordings & handouts from the Black Family History Seminar held in September are available in the Members Area of our website through 31 Aug 2025.

- Researching Black Youth, 1900-1950 (Adrienne Whaley)

- Black War Workers of World War II (KB Barcomb)

- Legacy of Black Women in World War II (E W Cummings) [View here]

Family Tree Maker Course (via Zoom)

This FREE course started in mid-October (Join anytime)

EVENING Course

1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 7:00 - 8:30pm (ET)

Session 11 recording now posted in the members area.

DAYTIME Course

1st & 3rd Fridays, 11:00am - 12:30pm (ET)

Session 11 recording now posted in the members area.

This free 21-session course runs from mid-October through August 2025. Attend all or some classes.

The course provides a deep dive into Family Tree Maker, the world’s most popular genealogy software. Classes include live demos. Class pace is dependent on the input and feedback of participants. Led by Roger Goddard.

Non-Members: Register by emailing FTM@Kinseekers.org.

Members: Access via the link in the Members Area (under "Zoom Links").

(Society membership includes a significant discount on the FTM software. Details are under Member Perks in the Members Area.)

This course is separate from the FTM Special Interest Group (SIG).

Genealogy Help

Wednesdays

10:00 am - 1:00 pm (Eastern Time)

In-person, Leesburg Public Library

Society volunteers, in partnership with the Leesburg Public Library, are offering free genealogy assistance every week in the library's genealogy area.

No registration or appointment needed. Simply walk-in.