Bonus sessions are included with the purchase of both the TxSGS Live! and TxSGS ALL ACCESS packages. Learn more about the speakers and topics.
Jim Brewster
Not-So-Identical Twins: the Art of DNA Testing
This presentation will take you behind the scenes of the FamilyTreeDNA lab to describe the step-by-step process from extracting a DNA sample to producing raw data, and the result analysis algorithms that go into providing results. Learn how different steps in the process provide your unique results, and how proprietary analysis software produces unique results for each individual, even between two identical twins in a fascinating case study!
About the speaker: Jim Brewster has been working in the field of genetic genealogy since 2014 with FamilyTreeDNA. He creates educational material such as blogs, articles, videos, and presentations on a variety of DNA topics. Having lectured at regional, national, and international genealogical conferences, Jim has a passion for helping others to unlock the secrets in their DNA. He is currently the Education Coordinator for FamilyTreeDNA.
Michele Doyle, Dorothy Tucker
Organize, Preserve, and Share Your Family Photos: Best Practices for Scanning, Storage, and Backup
Learn how to manage your family photo collection efficiently in this comprehensive presentation. We’ll cover the best methods for scanning and digitizing photos, explore various cloud storage options, and explain the 3-2-1 backup strategy to protect your memories. By the end of this class, you’ll be equipped with practical skills to organize, preserve, and share your family photos.
About the speakers: Michele Doyle is an avid genealogist with a Master of Science in Library Science (MSLS). She is also Home Movie Certified and a Certified Professional Photo Manager, expertly blending her love for family history with her skills in photo management and preservation. Dorothy Tucker worked as a photographer for several years before becoming a Certified Professional Photo Manager. As a certified Forever Lead Ambassador, she combines her photography expertise with her skills in organizing and preserving media. Since 2013, Preserving Your Heritage has proudly served countless families, helping them organize, digitize, curate, and preserve their cherished photo and memorabilia collections. Our greatest accomplishments are reflected in the trust and satisfaction of the families we’ve had the privilege to assist.
Daniel Horowitz
What’s New at MyHeritage
MyHeritage is at the forefront of innovation in genealogy and is constantly introducing new and exciting features to help users take their research to the next level. In this session, Daniel will give a detailed walkthrough of the latest and greatest from MyHeritage and show you how to make the most of these features. On the way, he’ll give you a peek behind the scenes at how they were developed.
When Old News Become Good News
The information in historical newspapers can teach you fascinating details about your relatives’ lives that you won’t find anywhere else. In this session, Daniel will show you techniques that can help you find your ancestors’ stories in historical newspaper collections — even if previous attempts you’ve made came up dry.
About the speaker: Genealogy Expert at MyHeritage, providing key contributions liaising with genealogy societies, bloggers and media, as well as lecturing, and attending conferences around the world. Dedicated to Genealogy since 1986, he was the teacher and the study guide editor of the family history project “Searching for My Roots” in Venezuela for 15 years. Daniel is involved in several crowdsource digitization and transcription projects and holds a board level position at the Israel Genealogy Research Association (IGRA).
Kevin Klaus
German-Texan Research at the GLO: An Overview of the History of the Adelsverein and German-Texan Research from the 1840s
Learn techniques for tracing your ancestor using GLO land grant files, as well as methods for researching German records overseas.
About the speaker: Kevin Klaus has a background in anthropology, archaeology, and public history from the University of New Mexico and currently is working towards becoming a certified genealogist. For the last 17 years, he has served as one of the lead researchers in the Texas General Land Office Archives and Records Program Area. During his time at the Land Office, he has searched the early Court of Claims files, German Collection, and archival collection to learn more about the history of Texas and discover the amazing personal letters of early soldiers and pioneers who helped settle our great state. Over the last few years, he has focused his attention and research on the German Collection and the early German settlers that came to Texas under the Adelsverein in the 1840s. In the process, he has honed his research skills by tracing his own family line that came to America in the late 1800s.
Tina LaFreniere
Utilizing Facial Recognition to Identify Unknown People in Photos and Expand Your Genealogical Searches
Our family photos are a unique type of original source document, but, if the subjects are not identified, we are left with mysteries. This class discusses the basics of applying facial recognition to photos and the importance of properly digitized photos, shows techniques for making positive identification, and covers real-world examples. The results can identify unknown people, enrich your family tree, and open new avenues for your genealogical searches.
How to Use Related Faces
How to Use Related Faces is a deep dive into the workings of the application. This presentation is technical in nature and focuses on aspects such as: loading photos and data, organizing photos with boxes and albums, handling parings, fixing mistakes, assigning matches to someone other than who was originally paired and more. This class spends more time on the how to rather than the results and stories.
About the speaker: Tina LaFreniere is the founder and CEO of Related Faces Technologies. She a graduate of The University of Houston where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance. She is a former Assistant Vice President and Production Manager for a mortgage brokerage firm in Dallas, Texas. Tina began her genealogical journey over 15 years ago and along the way has inherited thousands of photos from her family, hundreds with no identification. These photos were the inspiration for Related Faces back in 2018 when she conceived the idea for Related Faces, and the site was launched in February of 2022. Tina is a member of the Genealogical Society of Collier County, Florida, the National Genealogical Society and The Photo Managers Group.
Peter McCracken
Introducing ShipIndex.org
Dive into the world of maritime history with renowned expert Peter McCracken, co-founder of ShipIndex.org, in an exciting, informative session, tailored to both amateur and seasoned researchers alike, that will navigate you through the vast ocean of maritime historical research. Peter will guide you through the process of uncovering historical ship records, maritime voyages, and personal narratives, and how these can add depth and richness to your genealogical studies. He will demonstrate how to leverage the unique citation database to locate and learn about specific vessels, their voyages, and the people they carried. Don’t miss this chance to deepen your understanding of maritime history research, uncover new resources, and add a new dimension to your genealogical investigations. Sail into the past and explore your history like never before.
About the speaker: Peter McCracken is co-founder and publisher of ShipIndex.org. He holds a Masters in Library Science and a Masters in Maritime History and has worked as a reference librarian at East Carolina University and the University of Washington. In 2000, he co-founded Serials Solutions with his brothers and a high school friend; the company was acquired by ProQuest in 2004. Since 2016 he has been Electronic Resources Librarian at Cornell University. McCracken has written a quarterly column on “Maritime History on the Internet” in Sea History magazine since 2004; in 2014 he received a Sea History Award of Appreciation for this work. In 2012 he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of North Carolina School of Information & Library Science, and in 2011 he received the ALCTS Ulrich’s Serials Librarianship Award.
Robert Raymond
FamilySearch Full-Text Search
Often described as “game changing,” FamilySearch’s new Full-Text Search experiment allows searching of every name and every word in supported collections, including a large number of U.S. land and probate records. Many users report finding records they never felt like they could find. This presentation explains how to utilize the full power of Full-Text Search using real-life examples which are easily adapted to your search for your ancestors.
About the speaker: Robert is a FamilySearch deputy chief genealogical officer, helping David Rencher guide genealogical soundness. He is a frequent presenter at national, regional, and local conferences. Robert earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Brigham Young University where he was honored as a Kimball Scholar. He is a genealogical technologist with a dozen patents and over 40 years of experience in technology and genealogy.
Note: This session will be available for replay through December 3, 2024, only.
Gay Solomon
Daughters of the American Revolution Records – Not Just for Members!
Learn how to efficiently navigate the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution’s website! Discover how to explore your patriot ancestry through Revolutionary War Resources including Patriot Records Project Index, Revolutionary War Pension Index, Forgotten Patriots Genealogical Records Committee Index (GRC), and more. This free resource is open to the public and is not just colonial and revolutionary records.
About the speaker: Gay Solomon, CG, combines her background as a college lecturer, corporate trainer, and secondary educator with her economics, history, and genealogical training to help others put together the pieces of their family stories. Specializing in 18th and 19th century southern records, she has published several articles and has spoken at multiple societies and civic organizations. An Alumnus of Pro-Gen 48, she has attended multiple genealogical institutes including TIGR, Gen-Fed, DAR GRI, MAAGI, IGHR, GRIP.
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