Track: Methodology & Problem Solving

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.

Methodology & Problem Solving

Genealogy research involves locating disparate records and elements; learn how to locate and assemble these “pieces of the puzzle” into a coherent picture through these Methodology and Problem Solving lectures.

Friday, 9:00 am to 10:00 am – Applying Family Naming Traditions to Your Genealogical Research, Bernard Meisner
Can’t find your ancestors? Found two couples with the same names? Who were your ancestor’s parents? Knowledge of traditional naming practices may answer those questions. (All levels)

Friday, 10:30 am to 11:30 am – Who Are Charles L. B. McCrory’s Parents? A Case Study Using Indirect Evidence, David Passman
Indirect evidence provides the only clues to an ancestor’s parents. A comprehensive records search as well as studying onomastic evidence and family tradition for the McCrorys of Middle Tennessee solved the research question. Evidence connecting Charles L. McCrory to his siblings, Rachel and Joseph, established a credible lineage. (Intermediate)

Friday, 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm – Brand New State: Researching Oklahoma, Nancy Calhoun
Texans were a huge percentage of the thousands who swarmed into Oklahoma and Indian Territories. But what resources are available for tracing those ancestors and family members who came for a new beginning? Knowing the history, timeline, and geography can make your research a “successful run” to stake a genealogy homestead. Follow the speaker’s own Texas-born grandparents as they settle in the brand new state! (Beginner, Intermediate)

Saturday, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm – You Only Have A Death Announcement: Now What? Deborah Abbott
Starting with a death announcement, we will look at the methodology of creating a series of questions that need answers in order to bring our subject to life. Using the clues found in the death announcement, we will identify what records are needed to help solve the unknown. The importance of carefully analyzing documents and understanding how one record leads to another will be emphasized. (All levels)

Saturday, 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm – William Eckler & Charles Arthur: One Man, Two Lives, Patti Gillespie
William Eckler came to Texas to fight in the Indian Wars after the Civil War. Charles Arthur met and married his wife, started a family, and held his own as a free-born African American man in Decatur, Texas. Not until Charles Arthur applied for his federal military pension did the truth come out. Follow the facts, the documents, and the family truths of William Eckler and Charles Arthur in this presentation. (Intermediate)

Saturday, 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm – How’d You Find That?!? Tips for Locating Hidden Records, Cari Taplin
Obscure and hidden records are “out there” that can solve tough problems. How do you find them? Hear tips and methods for performing better searches and using copy services. Time will be spent on identifying appropriate repositories such as manuscript collections and archives. Finding these records will enhance your research and give color to your ancestors’ stories. Let’s learn how to be more successful! (Intermediate)

Sunday, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm – When Proof Isn’t Really Proof After All, Patti Gillespie
This presentation is very helpful for beginning researchers. Several individuals whose life information is culled from newspapers, census records, and family trees are examined closely. Logical flaws are noted, further research is introduced, and entirely different conclusions are discovered. (All levels)