2023 TxSGS Live!

Join us on November 10-11, 2023, for TxSGS Live! features lectures from ten well-known genealogical leaders and instructors with “live” Question and Answer time after each presentation. These sessions will be recorded and accessible for replay through February 10, 2024. Combined with 36 additional pre-recorded lectures, you’ll be able to enjoy topics representing seven tracks from 29 speakers.

Learn more about the TxSGS Live! topics and speakers.

Finding Females: Still Haven’t Found that Maiden Name? by Craig R. Scott, CG®
Identifying your female ancestor’s maiden name may seem nearly impossible, but the job isn’t complete until you discover that name. Learn tips and techniques for overcoming this brick wall in your research. Maybe then, you will be able to find her parents and the path to a new branch in your family tree.
TxSGS Live! | Methodology | All levels

Using Google Earth Web to Tell Your Family History Migration Stories by Colleen Robledo Greene, MLIS
Multimedia storytelling and digital mapping platforms allow us to present and share our family history narratives in a more visual, interactive, and engaging manner than written works. Learn how to use the free Google Earth Web platform to follow the footsteps of your ancestors and tell their stories. The cloud-based version of Google Earth has a lower technology learning curve than the desktop application and requires no software installation. This presentation uses the live interface to design a multimedia ancestral migration story, demonstrates how to share it online, and explains how to record it as a video
TxSGS Live! | Technology | All Levels

Problem-Solving Strategies for US/Mexico Borderland Genealogy by Henrietta Martinez Christmas
Borderland research is fluid and tricky. Discover techniques for analyzing and solving the next step on your pedigree chart. Learn basic strategies for your border family with record groups, maps, and analysis. This program will help you define your problem and create an action plan for finding your borderland ancestor.
TxSGS Live! | Ethnic – Hispanic | All Levels

Are you a Genealogy Spelunker or Caver? Exploring the Deep Recesses of the Family Tree by Jean Wilcox Hibben, PhD
We talk a great deal about the leaves and roots of our family tree, but how many of us venture INTO the tree, digging out lesser-known stories and hidden (or hiding) facts? In recent vernacular (ca 1960), “spelunkers” were the folks who ventured into caves for casual exploration, but not serious as far as getting in deeper (figuratively or literally). “Cavers,” on the other hand, are those whose exploration is serious, entered into well-prepared, and not prone to giving up at the slightest stalactite. Which are you?
TxSGS Live! | Methodology | Intermediate

In Their Own Words: Genealogy in the Slave Narratives by Renate Yarborough Sanders
Uncovering the genealogy of the enslaved can be challenging; but sometimes, the information is left in first-hand accounts, commonly known as “Slave Narratives.” From books to projects set up to learn about life during slavery, researchers can find an abundance of genealogical and other information about enslaved families, their owners, and their communities – straight from the mouths of the Ancestors.
TxSGS Live! | Ethnic – African American | All Levels

Patching the Holes, and Bridging the Gaps by J. Mark Lowe, FUGA
We often move through our collection of research so quickly that we may leave out valuable information. It is essential that we understand what is missing and determine the best way to resolve those issues. Finding the holes in your research will allow you to discover where you need to focus and use clusters to move toward filling those gaps.
TxSGS Live! | Methodology | All Levels

Spies Among Us: Tracing WWI Era Ancestors through FBI and American Protective League Records by Debra Dudek
Learn how a mass collective of middle-class private citizens helped the FBI compile information on non-U.S. citizens during the Great War and how to track down the files these investigations left behind.
TxSGS Live! | Military | All Levels

Write As You Research! An Efficient Way to Solve Tough Problems by Jill Morelli, CG®
Do you have a genealogical brick wall? Would you like to be more confident in your genealogical work? Perhaps you have solved some sticky problems and want to illustrate their solutions to others. If so, consider “Write As You Research!” Recording all the work associated with a single problem in a single document leaves a record of your solutions for yourself and others. We will describe the foundational “Evidence Block,” illustrate multiple examples, and describe an efficient research report structure.
TxSGS Live! | Methodology | Intermediate

Financing Wars — 18th & 19th Century Federal Tax Records DO Exist! by Diane L. Richard
When researching pre-20th century ancestors, it’s easy to focus on locally created tax records–city/town, county, state, or others. These typically focused on land and/or males and enslaved. Additionally, your ancestors may have had federal tax obligations. Have you checked? We’ll discuss various federal taxes levied in the late 1700s through the early 1900s, most of which were to finance wars. Because it was not always income that was taxed (the modern approach),you can possibly learn about your family’s luxury goods and more.
TxSGS Live! | Records and Resources | Intermediate, Advanced

Boost your Genealogy with Haplogroup Insights from FTDNA’s Time Tree by Jim Brewster
FTDNA’s Time Tree provides a chart of your haplogroup stretching from ancient times to modern day, including related branches that descend from a common ancestral haplogroup. Learn how the Time Tree was developed, and discover how you can use Time Tree to boost your genealogy.
TxSGS Live! | DNA | Intermediate