June Program 2019
Digging Beyond Hints & Tips
A huge shout out to Debi Hoag for her presentation "Digging Beyond Hints & Tips." Where do we go when we reach the end of the internet ... or at least the end of the shaky leaves and record hints? Debi discussed how we can make our own hints and further our research when we think we have exhausted what Ancestry & FamilySearch have to offer. "Oh the places we will go" ~ Dr Seuss
Debi Hoag is an experienced genealogical researcher of 33 years with a professional background in Internet Technology. She is also a project leader at WikiTree where she specializes in helping members find and cite their sources.
Finding Your WWI & WWII Ancestors
"Finding Your WWI & WWII Ancestors" This program discussed the wide variety of military records and resources available online: how to find them, how to use them, and how to combine them to paint a rich picture of someone's wartime service. This presentation was especially helpful for those whose ancestors' military personnel files were destroyed in the 1973 archives fire.
KB Barcomb is a professional researcher who specializes in WWI and WWII records. A retired Army officer, she uses her military background to further understanding of the many nuances and details found in military records. She has presented both locally and nationally, to include the 2018 Association of Professional Genealogists annual conference.
April Program 2019
Backing Up to the Boat
This month’s program was "Backing Up to the Boat" and focused on finding immigrant ancestors. This comprehensive presentation by Ann Mohr Osisek not only addressed passenger lists & immigration records, but important considerations such as time frames, ethnic backgrounds, ports of entry, and the naturalization process. Ann also discussed indentured servants, name changes, and using family documents and oral histories in your search. She also shared tips on timelines, census documents, and on-line databases.
Ann Mohr Osisek is a highly experienced genealogist, speaker, and educator. She has been a genealogy instructor for the Disney Institute, the Orange County FL Adult Education Program, Seminole County Community College, Elderhostel, and the John C Campbell Folk School. She is a Past President of the Florida State Genealogical Society and the Central Florida Genealogical Society. She has also been published in the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) Quarterly, the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Forum, and numerous genealogical and historical society journals.
March Program 2019Write, Edit, and Publish Your Family Stories
Our guest speaker, Susan Ennis, gave an excellent presentation. She discussed how to get started, writing methods, editing tips, and current resources that can help us create an entertaining and informative family history narrative. She also shared some helpful Ideas for self-publishing. This presentation was great for both beginners and advanced writers interested in writing and sharing family stories.
Susan Ennis is a professional genealogist, writer, editor, and researcher. She has published in multiple venues and has editorial credit for five published books. She is the newsletter editor for the North Hills (Pittsburgh) Genealogists, a society with over 250 members. Additionally, she serves as the genealogy instructor for several public libraries in Butler County, PA and is an active member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.
February Program 2019
Restoring Your Treasured Family Photos
Christine MacKenzie gave an outstanding program on "Restoring Your Treasured Family Photos." She shared tips and tricks we can use at home, while also showing what can be done using more advanced techniques. She discussed scanning quality, photo software, how to remove rips and blemishes, how to bring faded images to life, and even how we can hand-colorize pictures.
Christine MacKenzie is a digital artist and photographer who specializes in professional photo restoration. She has a special appreciation for treasured family photos and the clues they can hold to one’s family history.
January Program 2019
Advanced Problem Solving with AncestryDNA
Working with Your AncestryDNA Matches
“Advanced Problem Solving with AncestryDNA” and “Working with Your AncestryDNA Matches.” Our guest speaker, Allison Ryall, covered a wide range of information regarding AncestryDNA and how to use it in our genealogical research. She also discussed the latest initiatives by AncestryDNA and shared tips on how to determine genetic connections when our DNA matches don’t have a family tree. Her in-depth knowledge and expertise made for a great program.
Allison Ryall is an expert in genetic genealogy. She is also a professional genealogist, an instructor for the Boston University Certificate Program in Genealogical Research, and a frequent lecturer at genealogical institutes and conferences. She is the staff genealogist for the Orange County Library System in Orlando.
December Program 2019
When Was This Photo Taken and Who Are These People?
Tom Wilcox gave a fascinating and informative program titled "When Was This Photo Taken and Who Are These People?" He shared tips, techniques, and some of the latest technological tools we can use to uncover the people and the stories within our historic family photos.
Tom Wilcox is a genealogist who focuses on social history. As an adult services librarian at the Leesburg Public Library, he frequently gives talks on unique and little known U.S. historical events and traditions that may have impacted our ancestors.
We also held our Annual Meeting and Elections. Congratulations and thank you to Debi Hoag (Treasurer) and KB Barcomb (Secretary)!
November Program 2019
Finding Your African American Ancestors, Yes You Can!
KINSEEKERS was excited to co-host this special event with the Leesburg Public Library.
"Finding Your African American Ancestors, Yes You Can!"
"When it comes to African American genealogical research, myths abound: it can't be done, the records don't exist, everybody was a slave, why would I want to know about that? But the truth is, this research CAN be done, records DO exist, and every family had a multitude of experiences, whether in slavery or in freedom. This presentation will walk attendees through the basics of African American family history research, with an emphasis on not only finding not just names, dates, and location but on the stories that give this information meaning."
The guest speaker was Adrienne G. Whaley. A specialist in African American Studies and Family History, she brought a dynamic and engaging style to her presentation and the follow-on discussions. In addition to her work on the staff of the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, she frequently presents at history and genealogy events, to include the African American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS) Conference.
October Program 2019
Show and Tell
We kicked off our 2018-2019 season with a mini "Show and Tell" and social meet-up.
Attendees shared a wide variety of amazing summer genealogy adventures. Lots of inspiring stories and lots of laughter too. (Who knew we had so many great storytellers?!) Afterward, the board announced some upcoming programs and events. Then it was light refreshments and social time. Thank you to everyone who makes our group so welcoming!
