Track: Records, Resources, and Repositories

Beyond the census enumerations and vital records are a host of resources that can shed light on your ancestor’s life and perhaps lead to overcoming that obstinate brick wall. Discover gems hidden in city directories, obituaries, death records, Catholic records, guardianship records, and more. Understand newspaper research and indexes. Learn about records created by depression era projects such as the Works Project Administration (the W.P.A.) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (C.C.C). These resources are the greatest source for information about your ancestors! So many records, so little time . . .

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.

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Records, Resources & Repositories

Friday, 9:00 am to 10:00 am – Research Treasures in the W.P.A. – You Won’t Believe What You’ll Find, Sharon Gillins
Whether researching an ancestor or looking for historical context in the 30s to 40s, there’s something of interest in the W.P.A. records. This lecture introduces the structure and major projects of the W.P.A. including how to use finding aids to locate information to support research goals. (Intermediate)

Friday, 10:30 am to 11:30 am – Read ‘Em or Weep: Promise and Pitfalls in Newspaper OCR, Mary Roddy
Learn where to find free and pay newspaper sites online. Understand how to put OCR mistakes to work for you to increase search results. Discover a method to make sure you do thorough searching in every newspaper every time. (Beginner, Intermediate)

Friday, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm – Roman Catholics, Records & Rites of Passage, Lisa Toth-Salinas
Each life has rites of passage, ceremonies through which an individual passes before moving on to the next stage in life. Important events within the lives of Catholic ancestors are recorded within sacramental records, and clues to their important milestones and to their life stories can be found within these and other key records of the Church. (Beginner, Intermediate)

Friday, 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm – Using City Directories: An Overlooked Source, Deborah Abbott
No matter where your ancestor lived, city directories should be included in your research. These directories help fill the ten-year gap between the census records and assist in following an ancestor’s migration, occupation, and employment as well as confirming residency and/or address changes, and providing community insights. (All levels)

Saturday, 9:00 am to 10:00 am – More than just Obituaries: Genealogy Newspaper Research, Michael Strauss
Thomas Jefferson summed up his feelings about the press when he wrote, “Where the Press is Free and Every man able to Read, all is Safe.” Historically published daily, weekly, and monthly, newspapers contain information about our ancestors that might not be found elsewhere. From obituaries, legal notices, and business information, these records are the fabric of our national identity. (Beginner, Intermediate)

Saturday, 10:30 am to 11:30 am – Discovering Your Ancestor’s Life in Records of Death, Pam Vestal
Sometimes the best way to learn about an ancestor’s life is to dig into the mountain of paperwork created by his death. We’ll explore the surprisingly abundant information that is collected when a death occurs and glimpse just how much these records can reveal, not only about our ancestors’ deaths, but also about their lives. (All levels)

Saturday, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm – Ins and Outs of Indexes – Unlock County and State Records, Mary Roddy
Indexes for county records can be the key to finding deeds, probates, vital records, naturalizations, and more. Whether you’re researching in county archives or in unindexed records on FamilySearch, it’s crucial to be familiar with the different indexing systems and how to use them. This presentation will give you the skills to decipher these important tools and strategies to tackle unfamiliar indexes. (Intermediate, Advanced)

Saturday, 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm – Orphans, Infants, and Minors: Clues in Guardianship Records, Melissa Finlay
What happened when an ancestor died and his heirs could not legally manage their inheritance? A guardian was appointed. But, don’t be confused or led astray by the terms used in these records such as orphan, infant, and minor! Learn more about guardianship records, the legal terms used, and the genealogy nuggets that can be found in this unique group of records. (Intermediate, Advanced)

Saturday, 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm – Boomer Sooner! The Run for Land in Oklahoma, Dannell Altman-Newell
Depicted in popular cultural mediums, the Oklahoma Land Run of 1889 heralded the opening of the Unassigned Lands for settlement. There were a total of four additional runs held, each dissecting a different piece of the Unassigned Lands and creating records that provide helpful information. Learn about the land runs, each land event, and the records available. (Beginner, Intermediate)

Sunday, 9:00 am to 10:00 am – What Else the CCC Built, Lisa Reed
The Civilian Conservation Corps is well-known for reforestation and building parks and bridges. Less known is that the CCC was involved in building up its Corps members through a formal educational program and informal literacy aids, such as camp newspapers. Learn about the history and records of your CCC teacher. (All levels)

Sunday, 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm – Texas Commissioners of Deeds: How Texas Land was Bought and Sold, Mic Barnette y McCown
There are no Texas Commissioners of Land/Deeds today. This presentation will explain how people living outside the Republic of Texas and the State of Texas in the 19th and early 20th centuries utilized the services of the Commissioners of Land/Deeds to buy and sell Texas land. (All levels)