Genealogical problem solving, Pennsylvania land records, family history in Europe, online urban mapping tools...

September 30, 2006

Topographic maps; PA military, church and probate records; German family history research; getting more from the Internet...

Lunches & Cruise
Menus and prices...

...Conference Highlights
The keynote address will be given by nationally recognized Americana documentarist Rick Sebak. Attendees of the conference will undoubtedly recognize his voice and style from his many "scrapbook documentaries" as seen on PBS across the country. Some of these documentaries include The Hot Dog Program, Great Old Amusement Parks, Unusual Buildings & Other Roadside Stuff, Pennsylvania Diners & Other Roadside Restaurants, along with an extensive series on Pittsburgh. His most recent production on cemeteries is one that has delighted family historians everywhere. This will be a real treat to have the opportunity to see Pennsylvania through the eyes of this folksy storyteller.

Rick is a native of the Pittsburgh area and has worked for WQED in Pittsburgh, the local PBS station, for the last nineteen years. You are guaranteed to see Pittsburgh in a whole new light.
 
Founded in 1892, the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania is headquartered in Philadelphia, PA.

The Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society, based in Pittsburgh, PA, covers the twenty-six counties of western Pennsylvania.
 

8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Exhibit hall open

8:30 AM - 9:30 AM

The Taxman Cometh Year After Year
Patricia Law Hatcher, FASG
S1 - Advanced Genealogy Track
Tax records are an underutilized resource, and yet they can furnish the astute family historian with an amazing amount of information. Tax records can disclose when a young man comes of age, they can give indirect evidence of his marriage and death, and they can help solve a same-man-same-name problem.

Pennsylvania's Early Church Registers
John T. Humphrey
S2 - Pennsylvania Genealogy Track
Because Pennsylvania did not maintain early vital records, the early church records of PA are indispensable to genealogists. This lecture explores those early church records with emphasis placed on the early record-keeping traditions of the following denominations: Presbyterians, Quakers, Anglicans, Lutherans, Reformed, Amish and Mennonite.

Topographic Maps for Genealogists
Richard G. Sayre
S3 - Internet Technology Track
Find elusive cemeteries, old family farms or other ancestral locations using current and historical topographic maps. In this session, you will learn how to integrate topographic maps with other historical maps using new online tools in order to solve genealogical problems.

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

"A day in the life..."
Robert P. Minert, PhD, AG
S4 - Advanced Genealogy Track
Most family historians want to know more than simply the dates an ancestor was born, died and married. They want to know the details of his life. This presentation deals with common family activities both on the farm and in the trades found in literature available in Germany that is not easily accessed by genealogists in this country.

Pennsylvania's Probate and Orphans Court Records
Annette K. Burgert, FGSP, FASG
S5 - Pennsylvania Genealogy Track
 Probate records are one of the most important record groups genealogists use because they furnish information about relationships within families. This lecture provides details on the many records association with probate in Pennsylvania with emphasis placed on partitions of property, inventories and unrecorded wills.

"The Road Not Taken": Mega Internet Sites for Genealogists Off the Beaten Path
Curt B. Witcher, MLS, FUGA
S6 - Internet Technology Track
This presentation concentrates on lesser known sites that still have significant research value for genealogists: NUCMC, GPO Access, the ARC and ADD databases, FirstSearch/WorldCat from OCLC, and the American Memory data files of the Library of Congress.

11:45 AM - 1:00 PM

Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Luncheon

Roast Sirloin Forestiere - Oven Roasted Sirloin with a Wild Mushroom Sauce ($24 per person, pre-registration required)

1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

Look Again! What Did You Miss?
Patricia Law Hatcher, FASG
S7 - Advanced Genealogy Track
Are you waiting for the book that says "Shadrack Jones is the son of Meshach Jones" or do you search for a deed that implies the relationship between Abel Brown and Cain Brown? You may already have that information in your files!

PA Military Records: Materials at the PA State Archives & Related Resources
Jonathan R. Stayer
S8 - Pennsylvania Genealogy Track
A slide-illustrated discussion of military records from the French and Indian War through the Vietnam War held by the PA State Archives. Related databases, published works and holdings or other institutions also will be referenced.

The Newest Electronic Frontier - Searchable Scanned Newspapers
John W. Konvalinka, CG, CGL
S9 - Internet Technology Track
Newspapers can contain an incredible amount of valuable genealogical data. Many previously unindexed newspapers have been scanned and are available online. Learn how to tap into the "genealogical riches" of a source that has become "every word searchable" from the comfort of your own home.

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Avoiding "Self-Defeating Behaviors" in German Family History Research
Roger P. Minert, PhD, AG
S10 - Advanced Genealogy Track
Family historians tend to commit pattern errors that hinder or stymie progress. This presentation features examples of "self-defeating behaviors" in an attempt to assist the audience in overcoming problems.

Published Pennsylvania Archives Revealed
Janet C. McFarland
S11 - Pennsylvania Genealogy Track
Looking for Colonial, Revolutionary and early 1800s records? The published Pennsylvania Archives may just be your next step. Learn how to navigate this 138-volume collection to find military, tax, land, immigration, marriage, baptism and other valuable records.

Pain in the Access: Getting More from the Internet for Your Genealogy
Curt B. Witcher, MLS, FUGA
S12 - Internet Technology Track
Information and data gathering strategies traditionally employed before the Web are still legitimate when gathering data "virtually." This presentation explores ways to gather and exploit data found in libraries, archives and historical organizations.

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Using Little-Known and Neglected Sources: A Potpourri
Christine Rose, CG, CGL, FASG
S13 - Advanced Genealogy Track
Are you frustrated with your research because you are no longer finding information on your troublesome ancestors? A variety of records will be discussed in this presentation that will demonstrate that researchers who think they have examined everything probably have not. The discussion will include land, military and federal-court records.

Peeking into Pennsylvania's Attic: Some Holdings of the Pennsylvania State Archives
Jonathan R. Stayer
S14 - Pennsylvania Genealogy Track
An entertaining look at the varied holdings of the Pennsylvania State Archives with illustrations from the legislative, judicial and executive branches of State government as well as from manuscript collections.

Your Electronic Filing Cabinet
John W. Konvalinka, CG, CGL
S15 - Internet Technology Track
Having spent two days learning how to gather information, now you need to think about how to "file" that data. Computers and software have significantly eased that process. Learn how to determine the programs and methods that best suit your needs.

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