Do you know how and when the material was collected for the “annual” city directories? The

differences in the early ones? How to use them for the history of businesses, owners, and other

entities? Most are thick books listing the heads of household with address and occupation; later

the spouse and adult children appear. Add business listings and ads plus government agencies,

relief agencies, civic and religious organizations, and other listings and you have a goldmine of

information. What about the unique directories that serve as a census, tell of military service,

where someone moved to, include fake names, and provide clues to vital records? The

problems with some digitized directories, issues with the canvassing for listings, and the sales

pushes that occurred will be covered. I’ll share the rewards of in-depth sleuthing in the

directories, their compilation, some surprises, and obvious and hidden places to find them

today.

 

Join us via Zoom!

Documents – old and new – are a requisite resource for genealogy research. Learn the latest tools and programs available to translate foreign language documents as well as transcribe documents in order to extract needed information. Having trouble translating foreign language documents? Do you find transcribing genealogy documents tedious and frustrating? Learn the best tools and programs to help you extract the information you need from documents in order to find success with your genealogy research.

 Landing the Ancestors: Federal and State Land Records ---- Land records are among the earliest, most complete and most valuable genealogical records- and often among the most puzzling.   Understanding how land was acquired, measured and recorded under the law is essential to using the records effectively.

 

Copyright Mythconceptions-----What we don't know about copyright law can hurt us-right in the pocketbook!   Here's a guide to the most common mistakes and misunderstandings about copyright and what we can and can't do with materials created by others in our family research.

 

 The First Trip to the Courthouse-----If there is one home truth in genealogy research, it's this: not everything is available online.   Sooner or later, every genealogist has got to make that first trip to the courthouse to check out the original records available there.   How to prepare for that trip, the rules of the road, what to expect, what to ask for, and how to be sure you'll be welcomed back the next time are explored in this lecture

 

Polls, Personality and Property---Making Sense of Tax Lists-----Somebody had to pay government’s bills and they did it through the law by imposing taxes on polls, personal property and real property.   The records of those taxes offer some of the best clues available to our ancestors their families and their neighborhoods.

 

Are you aware that certain documents and photos that are part of your family history research may be restricted by copyright? Don’t panic – you can still use them in your genealogy! But understand how to determine if an item is copyrighted and how it can and can’t be used. Learn the basics of US copyright law and how you can still use copyrighted items such as document, articles and photographs as part of your genealogy research.