Track: Publishing, Storytelling, Preservation

Tracks at the TxSGS 2019 Family History Conference are designed to help you concentrate on a specific area of research or skill development. Use this information as you plan your schedule.

All lectures included in your registration if you sign up for the full conference. If your register for a single day, all lectures on that are included. Workshops are optional and have limited seating. You must register in advance. Lunches with speakers are also optional and must be purchased in advance. These may be selected during registration or added before September 30.

Publishing, Storytelling, Preservation

Bring your family history alive by transforming facts into stories and incorporating newly identified images. Now that you’ve learned about the lives of your ancestors, examine ways to share their stories for future generations through preservation of your research and ways to share your stories.

Friday, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm – Incorporating Oral History Into Your Research, Ari Wilkins
Oral histories can sometimes offer more information than traditional records. They can reveal motives for migration, explanations of marriages, or descriptions of an ancestor’s personality. (Intermediate)

Saturday, 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm – Identifying and Dating Old Photographs, Betsy Mills
Learn how to identify old photographs by analyzing the type of photograph, the people in the photograph, the styles in the photograph, and other often-missed clues. Preserve those photographs by scanning and sharing them! Several fun ideas are presented that will get the listener excited. This interactive presentation engages the audience and inspires them to go home and work on their own unidentified photographs. (All levels)

For a look at the intersection of technology and storytelling, see:

Saturday, 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm – Get Started Blogging Your Family History, Elizabeth O’Neal
Have you thought about starting your own genealogy blog, but weren’t quite sure how to do it? More than 3,300 genealogists are already blogging their family history, and it has never been easier for you to get started! Blogging not only lets you share your research with other family members, but it also helps potential cousins to find you – and who knows what information they may have to share! (All levels)

Storytelling Workshop, Saturday, 9:00 am to 11:00 am (Seating limited, $30, must be registered in advance)

Gone But Not Forgotten – How to Quickly Write a Narrative About an Ancestor Using the Records You Have Gathered, Devon Noel Lee

In this hands-on workshop, you will take the records you have currently and start building the story of your ancestors. Using a simple step-by-step approach, you can pull details from records and visualize how someone’s story is put together. You can see how easy it is to turn your research into stories others will want to read. (Intermediate)