Episode #119 – September 2024
TxSGS Live! Speaker Preview: Navigating Your Family History at the 2024 TxSGS Annual Conference
Host: Kelvin Meyers
Guest Speakers: Katy Rowe-Schurwantz; Diane Richard; Diane Elder; Debbie Gurtler, Deborah Abbott, and Mark Lowe
In episode #119 of the Lone Star Family Trails podcast, host Kelvin Meyers sits down with a lineup of genealogy experts to preview the upcoming 2024 TxSGS Annual Conference: Navigating Your Family History. This special episode provides listeners with an exclusive look at the topics and insights these presenters will bring to the virtual event, with live sessions streamed on November 1-2, 2024. Learn more on our blog!
Episode #118 – August 2024
Fort Bend Libraries – George Memorial library: Genealogy & Local History Department
Host: Sue Kaufman
Guest Speaker: Daniel Sample, Genealogy Manager
The Genealogy and Local History Department at Fort Bend County Libraries provides a wealth of information for those researching the southeastern United States and nearby areas, including Fort Bend County. As part of the George Memorial Library and the Regional Historical Resource Depository (RHRD), the department offers numerous resources that are invaluable to genealogy researchers. Learn more on our blog!
Episode #117 – May 2024
Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC)
Host: Ron Barnett
Guest Speaker: Jelain Chubb, Texas State Archivist and Director, Archives and Information Services Division at Texas State Library and Archives Commission
The Archives and Information Services Division (ARIS) of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission preserves documents and important records of Texas. They have over 200 million pages of archival documents in their collection, but only about 10 million are available digitally. This podcast was produced in front of both a live and a Zoom audience, thanks to the help of the Waco-McLennan Library. Learn more on our blog!
Episode #116 – March 2024
National Archives at Fort Worth
Host: Tony Hanson
Guest Speaker: Jenny Sweeney, archivist
The National Archives located in Ft. Worth, Texas holds records created by Federal agencies and courts encompassing the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. Jenny Sweeney, Archivist, gives a sense of the records that could be found in Ft. Worth for genealogists and historians. Learn more on our blog!
Episode #115 – January 2024
East Texas Research Center, Stephen F. Austin State University
Host: Susan Kaufman
Guest: Linda Reynolds, Director, East Texas Research Center
East Texas, and Nacogdoches in particular, has historically served as a gateway into Texas, an important point in the migration of Texas pioneers for over 150 years. The East Texas Research Center (ETRC) preserves the history of this region through manuscript materials, photographs, books, and more. ETRC’s collections offer many opportunities for genealogists to explore their ancestor’s life in the area. Learn more on our blog!
Episode #114 – September 2023
West Waco-McLennan Genealogy Center
Host: Susan Kaufman
Guest: Bill Buckner, Genealogy Supervisor of the Genealogy Center
The West Waco-McLennan County Library Genealogy Center boasts a collection of over 34,000 items covering 34 states with a strong emphasis on Texas and the Southeastern United States. In addition, the Center’s collection includes published family histories, immigration and passenger lists, and Native American resources, to name just a few gems. They have a wonderful genealogy beginners’ video series online that is available to everyone. Learn more on our blog!
Episode #113 – August 2023
Texas Heritage Museum at Hill College, Hillsboro, Texas
Host: Ron Barnett
Guest: John R Verslius, Dean of the Texas Heritage Museum at Hill College, Hillsboro, Texas
The Texas Heritage Museum has three separate divisions: the Texas Heritage Museum Galleries & Collection, the Historical Research Center, and the Hill College Press. Dean Verslius announced that the Texas Heritage Museum just received accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest recognition afforded the nation’s museums. The museum’s Historical Research Center is the focus for this Lone Star Family Trails podcast. Considered by many to be one of the top five civil war repositories in the nation, the Historical Research Center’s resources include an extensive collection of maps, photographic collections, microfilm, and an archival repository. Learn more on our blog!
Episode #112 – July 2023
Dallas Public Library – Genealogy & History Division
Host: Tony Hanson; Guest: Ari Wilkins, Public Service Specialist
Dallas is home to one of the Top 10 Public Libraries in the United States for genealogy research, according to Family Tree Magazine. That library is the Dallas Public Library, specifically the Genealogy and History Division, the topic of this month’s podcast. Ari Wilkins, who serves as a public service specialist, discusses not only why someone should conduct research at the library but also the vast array of books that are part of the Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck Genealogy Collection. These resources encompass materials from every U.S. state and many countries worldwide. In some cases, the Dallas Public Library Genealogy and History Division houses the only copy of a book that can be found in a library in the United States. Tony Hanson, current president of the Dallas Genealogical Society, serves as host for this month’s podcast. Learn more on our blog!
Episode #111 – June 2023
Franklin County Genealogical Society
Host: Ginny Fields; Guest: Jana Capps and Don Easterling
At 110 East Main Street in Mt. Vernon, Texas, as part of the city square, the Franklin County Genealogical Society (FCGS) has two store fronts. One is devoted to a meeting space (The Crescent Building); the other becomes the treasure trove of information for any genealogist. This second storefront holds the maps, family files, books, land records, probates and many other articles that tell the story of our ancestors in Franklin County, Texas. Both Jana Capps, the current president of FCGS, and Don Easterling, one of the volunteers, talk about their holdings during the podcast this month. Learn more on our blog!
Episode #110 – April 2023
Houston Public Library, African American History Research Center, At the Gregory School
Host: Sue Kaufman; Guest: Miguell Ceasar, Manager
The African American History Research Center is dedicated to preserving and promoting the history and culture of African Americans. It sits in the former elementary school, the Gregory School, in the 4th Ward of Houston. The school includes a restored classroom, as well as several gallery exhibits that show the history of the African American community. Learn more on our blog!
Episode #109 – March 2023
Texas Institute of Genealogical Research (TIGR)
Host: Emily Richardson; Guest: Kelvin L. Meyers, TIGR Director
This episode introduces the listeners to the seven (7) courses that are being offered during the TIGR 2023 slated June 12 – 16, 2023, via Zoom. Kelvin L. Meyers discusses the courses and instructors and provides information on registration which is currently open. Learn more on our blog!
Episode #108 – January 2023
Texas General Land Office
Host: Sue Kaufman; Guest: James Harkins, Director of Public Services for the Texas General Land Office Archives and Records Program.
This episode highlights the wonderful history that is held by the Texas General Land Office, containing 45,000 maps and 35 million documents. The maps become the finding aids for many of the land documents. The office has been open since 1836, when the Republic of Texas formed the office to manage the public domain. Many of the items have been digitized and placed online, but a visit to the office will allow you to hold the original documents in your hands! Learn more on our blog.
Episode #107 – October 2022
Houston Public Library – Family History Research Center at the Clayton Library Campus
Host: Randy Whited; Guest: Sue Kaufman, Senior Manager, Clayton Library Campus
This episode highlights the collection at the Family History Research Center at the Clayton Library Campus, part of the Houston Public Library system. Clayton holds an international collection of family history research including books, microfilm, and online sources. Their typical patron is the genealogist or family historian who is looking for help in finding their relatives. As a bonus, Sue Kaufman, Senior Manager, provides a quick introduction to the Texas State Genealogical Society Family History Conference beginning on November 4, 2022. Learn more on our blog.
Episode #106 – October 2022
Texas Archives of the Moving Image (TAMI)
Host: Susan Kaufman; Guest: Elizabeth Hansen, Managing Director of the Texas Archive of the Moving Image
Founded in 2004, the Texas Archive of the Moving Image (TAMI) is working to discover, preserve, and provide access to the community about the history of Texas’s film. The collection includes home movies, amateur films, advertisements local television and corporate productions to name just a few. Elizabeth Hansen, their managing director was interviewed and talked about the wide variety of films that have been curated for their website. Social history of Texas dating back to the 1900’s is displayed in these films. Learn more on our blog.
Episode #105 – September 2022
Texas Baptist Collection
Host: Ron Barnett; Guest: Alan LeFever, Director of the Texas Baptist Historical Collection in Waco, Texas
The Texas Baptist Historical Collection located in Waco, Texas, is featured in this episode. Their goal is “collecting, preserving and communicating the history of Baptists in Texas.” Alan LeFever, the director of the collection, discusses how their collection includes correspondence, minutes and membership lists from Baptist churches throughout Texas starting just prior to statehood, in some instances. His small staff may be able to provide the research for the genealogist, for a small fee, in some cases. Learn more on our blog.
Episode #104 – August 2022
The Portal to Texas History
Host: Randy Whited; Guest: Jake Magnum, UNT Program Development Librarian at University of North Texas in Denton
This episode features The Portal to Texas History at the University of North Texas (UNT) in Denton. Jake Magnum is the Program Development Librarian and works directly with The Portal To Texas History and he was interviewed by Randy Whited. The Portal to Texas History includes not just newspapers, but 732 unique collection that have been digitized and can be searched on their website. Learn more on our blog.
Episode #103 – July 2022
The Southwest Collection at Texas Tech University
Host: Ron Barnett; Guest: Dr. Monte L. Monroe, archivist for the Southwest Collection at Texas Tech University in Lubbock and State Historian for Texas
This episode features the Southwest Collection at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. Ron Barnett, our host for the month, interviewed Dr. Monte L. Monroe, the archivist for the Collection. As an archivist, Dr. Monroe works to extend their collection to include manuscripts of family history that provide “unique, tangible evidence of a person’s existence; how they lived, how they thought, and how we all remember them. Learn more on our blog.
Episode #102 – May 2022
The San Antonio Genealogical and Historical Society Library.
Host: Sue Kaufman; Guest: Barbara Froebel, President and Historian of the San Antonio Genealogical and Historical Society
This episode features the library of the San Antonio Genealogical and Historical Society (SAGHS). Containing more than 15,000 books and 700 maps, the library is an important destination for Texas researchers. In addition to Texana, U.S. and international holdings, maps, and more, researchers have access to a multitude of online resources when visiting the library. Learn more on our blog.
Episode #101 – April 2022
The Texas Collection and Archives at Baylor University
Host: Ron Barnett; Guest: Amie Oliver, Interim Director of the Texas Collection and an assistant librarian
This episode features the Texas Collection and University Archives at Baylor University in Waco. Ron Barnett, our host for the month, interviewed Amie Oliver, the interim director of the Texas Collection. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2023, this large privately held collection is used by historians, filmmakers, journalists, students, and genealogists from across the world. Learn more on our blog.