Conference: Home • Registration • Exhibits and Sponsors
Program: Topics & Speakers • TxSGS Live! • Speaker Bios
Register Now for TxSGS 2020 Virtual Conference!
Morning Plenary Session
8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Welcome and Announcements
Randy Whited, President of TxSGS
Morning Concurrent Sessions
Included with conference registration.
10:30 a.m.
Who Is the Slave Bacchus? A Life Revealed in Manuscripts
Sharon Gillins
African American, All Levels
Private and hidden manuscript collections are of immense value of to slave-era African American family history research. This presentation prepares researchers to undertake the difficult task of seeking out private manuscripts as demonstrated in the case study of Bacchus, a native of Essex County, Virginia. Born into slavery in 1796, Bacchus lived a long life under unique, perplexing, and sometimes difficult circumstances.
Bridging the Generations
Lisa Reed
Records and Repositories: B, I
Civilian Conservation Corps member F. L. Younger left behind a bridge—and genealogically useful records. Decades later, his grandson was part of a crew who built a new bridge at the same spot. Learn about using occupational, federal, and home records to bridge those generations.
The Great War, Researching Your WWI Ancestors
Michael Strauss
Military; A
Fought between 1914-1918, the “Great War” began with the U.S. officially neutral. As U.S. citizens got caught up with events on the world stage, thousands of Americans crossed the border to fight for Canada. Concern by citizens and uneasy tensions with Mexico led the U.S. to declare war on Germany on April 6, 2017. Discover your ancestor’s connection to WWI through genealogical sources that share the feelings and attitudes of this time.
Finding the Right DNA Test for You
Jim Brewster
DNA; B
How can DNA help your genealogy? We will discuss the three basic types of DNA for genetic genealogy and how they can aid your genealogical research.
12:00 p.m.
Segregated in Death: Black Cemeteries in the South
Janice Lovelace
African American, I
Segregation extended into death for African Americans. What led to the development of separate funeral homes and burial grounds, especially in the southern U.S.? This presentation also looks at examples of different death practices into the twentieth century.
Synergizing Seven reSources to Solve Family Mysteries
Devon Noel Lee
Methodology: I
Having trouble solving your family mysteries? When you combine five record sets and two research skills, you can crack the case on your challenging research questions.
After the DNA Test: What Next?
Sara Gredler
DNA; B, I
Through beginning guidance of the how and why of DNA testing, learn ways to utilize all types of DNA results in our genealogy. Focusing primarily on autosomal DNA, this presentation utilizes multiple case studies to show the ins-and-outs of using DNA for genealogical research.
Land, Lots of Land: Using Land Records to Find an Ancestor
Kelvin Meyers
Records and Repositories; I
Because Americans were so “land minded,” well into the 19th century over 3/4 of all males who lived to maturity owned land. Consequently, land records exist from the beginning of the first permanent settlements in America. Frequently one of the few identifying records from this early period, the older these records are, the more genealogical data there may be to obtain.
12:30
Special Session: TIGR Preview
Kelvin Meyers
Details available soon.
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Lunch
As the conference hotel is conveniently situated among a large variety of restaurants that meet a range of dietary needs, TxSGS opted to forgo lunches and provide an extended lunch break. Attendees can step away from intensive learning, stretch their legs, chat with other genealogists, and form new friendships. Click Here for a map of some of the restaurants within a mile or so of the conference hotel.
Workshops
$30.00 add-on to conference registration. Limited seats available.
3:30 p.m.
atDNA Analysis Workshop
Debbie Parker Wayne
Intermediate Level
Researchers with a basic knowledge of DNA data, terminology, and tools to access match lists and DNA data at testing companies will learn analysis techniques beyond scanning surname lists and pedigree charts of matches. This workshop covers step-by-step analysis of autosomal DNA matches using company and third-party tools. Multiple tools illustrate analysis of a match list, matches in common, shared atDNA segments, and correlation of evidence to answer genealogical questions.
6:00 p.m.
Researching Your World War II Ancestors
Michael L. Strauss
All Levels
The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, plunged the United States into its second global conflict of the twentieth century. On both the home front and battlefield our country started to mobilize to defeat the Axis Powers. Researching your ancestors who served during World War II can be rewarding, but not without some obstacles. With the Fire of 1973 in St. Louis, MO, that destroyed tens of thousands of personnel files genealogists need to focus their research on reconstructing lost or destroyed records. Some other primary sources of research include Draft Registrations and Classifications, Morning Reports, Submarine War Patrol Reports, and Missing Air Crew Reports. This workshop uses these records along with others presented as practical exercises to find your ancestors during World War II.
Afternoon Concurrent Sessions
Included with conference registration.
3:00 p.m.
An Overview of Researching Hispanic Ancestry
Colleen Greene
Hispanic; I, A
This overview explains Hispanic genealogy concepts, immigration to and migration within the U.S., researching the homeland, and key reference tools for anyone doing Hispanic research.
Mysterious Relatives
Ari Wilkins
Methodology; B
Learn how to analyze and connect mysterious relatives to one’s family history.
5 Steps for Successfully Starting in Genealogy
Devon Noel Lee
Methodology;
Want to climb your family tree further, faster, and with more fun? Then don’t start in the wrong place in genealogy. Come learn the best place to find your family history and then how to build your family tree.
Sorting Through Sordid Southern Divorce Records
Debra Dudek
Records and Repositories; All
The practice of divorce in the southern United States can vary by location and time period. Get an overview of divorce laws and practices from 1780s-1860s.
4:30 p.m.
Researching a Texas Confederate Unit
Mic Barnette
Military; All
Follow the sources as they reveal the narrative of Company D, 3rd Tennessee Cavalry of Red River County, Texas, from organization of the unit to 1862 when many of its men experienced the horrors of Northern prisons, and on through their reorganization in Texas as 23rd Texas Cavalry.
Using Your Smartphone to Digitize Documents
Tony Hanson
Technology, B
Learn simple but effective techniques to maximize the quality of images when using a smartphone to digitize images in situations where a flatbed scanner is not available or appropriate.
Baptism to Burial: In Search of Catholic Ancestors
Lisa Toth Salinas
Records and Repositories; B, I
Exploring the lives of our Catholic ancestors involves researching sacramental records, additional Church records, and other Catholic sources that can provide the key to uncovering otherwise impenetrable family mysteries. An understanding of both traditional and sometimes overlooked documents plus the formation of a research strategy can illuminate the lives of Catholic ancestors.
I Remember Mama – But Not Her Maiden Name
Mary Kircher Roddy
Methodology; B, I
Women can be hard to identify. If they married, they probably changed their names. See more than 20 great strategies for finding the maiden name of “troublesome” women in your family’s past – and a few more strategies for discovering married names for those sisters, daughters, and aunts who have “disappeared.”
6:00 p.m.
Mapping Your Ancestors – Using GLO Maps and GIS Viewer for Genealogical Research
Laurel Neuman
Land; B, I
Learn how to research your early Texas ancestors in the records of the Texas General Land Office, beyond the land grant records themselves. This presentation will include a brief overview of the records housed in the GLO Archives, as well as the exploration of how to use the 45,000 historic maps and sketches at the GLO, along with the GLO GIS Mapping System, to find your ancestors.
Mexican Civil Registration: Reading Between the Lines
Evan Christensen, AG(R)
Hispanic; B, I
A review of traditions and relevant historical events that shaped the Mexican civil registry into what it is today and how you can leverage that knowledge to research more effectively.
Forgotten Treasures in the Texas Courthouse: Discovering the Miscellaneous Books
Patti Gillespie
Records and Repositories; All
Are you looking for context and documentation? Do you have an ancestor that seems to have slipped between the cracks? These Texas gems hidden away in our county courthouses may hold an answer for you. Along with abundant examples of assorted documents, three fun Texas stories come to life with information found in a “Miscellaneous Book.”
Kin Killers: Epidemics & Diseases in Your Family Tree
Carl Smith
Methodology; B, I
In the era before vaccines and modern medicine, disease was a grim and ever-present reality for individuals and societies. This lecture covers some of the major epidemics in U.S. and world history, the common diseases that touched the lives of your ancestors, and how a knowledge of disease and epidemics can provide additional context and insight into the stories of your ancestors.
TxSGS Reception
Included with conference registration.
7:00 p.m. –
9:00 p.m.
Mix and mingle with your fellow genealogists and do some browsing and shopping in the Exhibit Hall. Tickets for complimentary drinks and appetizers will be issued at the door.