Access Past Events
(Members can access recordings and handouts by clicking on the Members tab in the left-hand column. Sessions marked with * have been recorded.)
Who Do I Think I Am? (November 2022) Dr. William E. J. Doane began researching his genealogy at the start of the pandemic due in part to newly available pre-adoption records and an unexpected DNA connection. He describes his process, t he sources he used, the discoveries he made.
Using the National Archives Websites* (October 2022) Claire Kluskens, NARA’s genealogy/census records subject matter expert, describes how to navigate the archives’ multiple websites and databases.
Research at the Jane Sween Library and Special Collections* (September 2022) Librarian Sarah Hedlund reviews the resources available at the Jane Sween Library in Montgomery County, Maryland, with tips for using online search engines and digital collections material.
Beyond Names and Dates – Writing a Family History* (May 2022) Christina Lyons, a personal historian and journalist, talks about her recent client project, a 330-page, illustrated book describing 400 years of a family’s history. Christina touches on historical research techniques, narrative non-fiction writing, manuscript development and elements for book design (photos, maps, letters, etc.).
DAR Applications* (April 2022) Pamela Loos-Noji, a staff genealogist for the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, describes how to find and use records that pre-date the 1850 census and provide solid proof of dates, places and generational links necessary for DAR applications.
Film: Burren Girl (March 2022) Rita Davern (originally Davoren) shares stories of her research and travels to find out why her Irish grandmother left Ireland.
Between Freedom and Equality* (February 2022) Barbara Boyle Torrey and Clara Myrick Green, authors of Between Freedom and Equality: The History of an African American Family in Washington, D.C., talk about how they reconstructed the genealogy of the family of Captain George Pointer, an eighteenth-century slave who worked as a supervisory engineer for George Washington’s Potomac Canal in Montgomery Country. They are joined by James Fisher, an eighth-generation descendant of Pointer, and researcher Tanya Gaskins Hardy.
Maryland State Archives (November 2021) David A Powell, a genealogy instructor at the Community College of Baltimore County and other venues, provides tips for navigating the extensive Maryland State Archives website and talks about how to access the archives in person.
Putting It All Together – Making Sense of Your Research (October 2021) Robyn Smith shares some tips and tools for organizing, analyzing and properly citing historical records.
Using DNA to Solve Adoption and Unknown Parentage Mysteries (May 2021) Michelle Leonard explains how to use DNA results to solve previously unsolvable mysteries.
Road to Publication* (April 2021) Nancy Waters discusses how to preserve your genealogy research for family, friends, and future generations.
Finding Your Ancestors in Unindexed Records in FamilySearch (March 2021) Carol Kostakos and Gary Petranek provide specific instructions for accessing records “hidden” in the Catalog and “Unindexed Historical Records” sections of the FamilySearch website.
