How To Get Started
In Genealogy & Family History
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Description: Everything you need to launch your own quest of personal discovery in the world’s most popular hobby. See the Family History Research for Dummies in the Syllabus. This will be a two-hour class with a break at 10:50am.
Instructor: RALPH TOBIAS is a Pennsylvania native whose roots run 10 generations deep in the Keystone State and before that to Germany. For the past 16 years, Ralph has taught classes on various Genealogy-related topics at conferences in PA, MD and VA. He is employed as manager of programming, promotions and production by WVIR-TV in Charlottesville resides with his wife and two of their three daughters in Scottsville.
Leaving A Legacy -
Writing Your Life Stories
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Description: Writing our stories gives us perspective and can be deeply satisfying. When we allow our own narratives to take us where we need to go, surprising insights come. The purpose of this course is to explore through writing that which has formed you and your own particular life journey. Or, perhaps, the special history of one ofhe your ancestors. Through exercises, tips, memory triggers and examples, you will be encouraged to create your own unique chronicle to treasure and pass down to the generations that follow.
Instructor: FAITH ANDREWS BEDFORD is a sought-after speaker on a variety of art and life-history subjects as well as an essayist whose short stories and memoirs have appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers. Mrs. Andrews Bedford’s skill in making her personal memories come alive makes her an ideal keynote speaker for this year’s conference, whose theme is “Your Life Story Is Your Legacy.” Conference attendees will be encouraged to create their legacies both for their own posterity and also for friends, family, and future generations.
Mrs. Andrews Bedford is a resident of Albemarle County. For years, the readers of Country Living have treasured her beloved bi-monthly column, “Kids in the Country.” Her two most recent books, Barefoot Summers and Little Girls in Matching Dresses, are collections of her stories. She also teaches a class on writing memoirs for the University of Virginia’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute entitled from “Memories to Memoirs.”
Mrs. Andrews Bedford is also a noted authority on the American painter, Frank W. Benson. She has written and lectured extensively on the artist and has contributed the lead essays for a number of catalogues including: the Benson retrospective at the Berry-Hill Gallery in New York City in l989, the exhibition of Benson’s sporting art at the Ward Museum in Salisbury, MD in 1996, and the Peabody Essex Museum’s show “Frank W. Benson: American Impressionist” in 2000 for which she was the guest curator.
She has written Frank W. Benson American Impressionist (Rizzoli) and The Sporting Art of Frank W. Benson (David R. Godine) as well as many articles on the artist. She supplies appraisals, essay entries and authentications to the major the auction houses as well as for many private galleries and is the advisor to the Benson catalogue raisonné. Frank W. Benson was her great grandfather.
Sharing Your Story Online – For Free!
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Description: Share your family history work online in ways that were once only accessible to web professionals with deep pockets and years of training. An explosion of free tools across the Internet has made setting up your own website and adding photos, charts, videos and maps accessible to just about anyone. In this class, we’ll talk about technologies like Flickr, YouTube, Google Maps, and WordPress and how you can use them to share family history work with family and friends.
Instructor: ROB ROBERTS has been developing content for the Web since 1996 when he worked on a fledging Atlanta Olympics site for Agence France Presse. Since then, he has received a master’s degree from UNC-Chapel Hill in Multimedia Journalism and has worked in video and multimedia for the Raleigh News & Observer and USA Today. He currently works a Content Writer and Editor for government clients.
Grave Yards & Genealogy:
What You Can Learn From Local Cemeteries
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Description: Learn how historic cemeteries can be used to glean information about ancestors and local history. We will cover gravestone inscriptions, motifs, placement, cemetery landscapes and how to locate old burial grounds (including slave cemeteries).
Instructor: LYNN RAINVILLE, PhD is a Research Professor in the Humanities Department of Sweet Briar College,where sheis also thefounding director of the Tusculum Institute (dedicated to sustainable historic preservation and community outreach). She has studied African American cemeteries and antebellum communities in Virginia since 2002. Dr. Rainville received her BA from Dartmouth College and her PhD in Anthropology form the University of Michigan.
Land Records & Their Role In Genealogy
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Description: Families often looked to the land as their second most prized possession. Their very livelihood depended on the land. Learn how to understand surveys, deeds, and other related records you will find in courthouses and old drawers.
Instructor: JENNY GREENWOOD has lived in Charlottesville since 1969 and has been a member of the Central Virginia Genealogy Association since 1990 serving as Recording Secretary and Vice President for several years. She has been a presenter at several CVGA Genealogy seminars in the area and has participated in the Charlottesville FHConference for three years.
An Introduction To FamilySearch Indexing
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Description: Learn about this new program with the goal to create a vast Genealogical and history database equal to 132 times the contents of the Library of Congress. Then join and become one of over 100,000 volunteers around the world that are participating and have already indexed more than 300 million records.
Instructor: ERIN REED is completing her graduate degree in Areospace Engineering at the University of Virginia. Just a few months after being introduced to the FamilySearch Indexing project, she has already indexed over 3000 names. Erin feels indexing is a meaningful contribution to Family History work and enjoys the glimpse into the lives of people in the past.
Getting Word! What We Did And Did Not Learn
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Description: The Getting Word Oral History Project historian will give an overview of how the project was developed, and implemented 15 years ago. She will discuss preliminary findings and detail how the project has been beneficial to Monticello and the people who were interviewed. The strengths and weakness of oral history and genealogy will be also be discussed.
Instructor:Dr. DIANNE SWANN-WRIGHT is a historian who studies African American history and culture. A graduate of the University of Virginia, she has taught and curated exhibits in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. She is currently the Dr. Elmer P. Martin Curator for Historical Interpretation at the National Great Blacks In Wax Museum in Baltimore, MD. She worked for many years at Monticello as the director of African American and Special Programs. She has also directed the Stratford Hall-Monticello Teacher’s Seminar on Leadership in Revolutionary America and the Gilder Lehrman Seminar for Teachers on Slavery at the University of Virginia and Monticello.
Genealogy, Technology and Gadgetry
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Almost everyday, there is something new in technology or genealogy that catches your interest. Sometimes you ask ‘Do I need this?’ and you answer ‘yes’! Six months later it is still in the box and on the shelf. We will discuss these advances and what really will give you a boost in your productivity and capability. Ask yourself ‘Do I really want Windows 7 or should I wait? What is the best way to record oral history on my laptop?’ These are just a few of many questions we will discuss.
Instructor: BOB ROBERTS has presented and directed Family History Conferences for almost 20 years. He is the retired founder of an information technology company. He was a computer programmer and systems designer working on microprocessor-based computers that pre-date the PC. Today, he is a Family History Consultant, CVGA member, and is working on his own life story and genealogy for his 5 sons and 3+ grandsons.
Cheat Sheets!!
for Albemarle Co. Court House
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Description: In this class, we will go over “Cheat Sheets” that will show what is available and exactly where it is in the Albemarle County Courthouse. Every county has a courthouse so while you might not have “family” in Albemarle, you will learn about the types of records that can be found in your jurisdictions of interest.
Instructor: SAM TOWLER is a James Madison University Graduate and has been a Legal Assistant in Charlottesville for 15+ years. He is the author/researcher of two abstract books, most recently is 1800-1900 Albemarle Order Book Abstracts – “The Court Doth Order”. A member of the CVGA, he is also the editor of “Heritage”, CVGA quarterly publication.
Hitting The Brick Walls and Dealing With The Challenges
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Are you hitting brick walls in your research? Are you faced with challenges and don’t know what to do with them? This is the class for you. An interactive session where everyone participates in helping to combat the typical brick walls and challeges faced when researching your family tree.
Instructor: SHELLEY MURPHY is a native of Michigan residing in Fluvanna County, daughter to Calvin and Verna (Worden) Murphy, proud mother of two adult children and sister to four brothers. Shelley has been an avid genealogist for nearly 25 years specializing in African-American research. She is a member of the numerous genealogy and historical societies.
FamilySearch Indexing Live Demonstration
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Description: An ongoing demonstration of FamilySearchIndexing with “live” digital images will be indexed while you watch. This state of the art system greatly reduces errors and creates the most accurate images that exist. Today, more than 100,000 volunteers around the world are working on this project and have already indexed more than 500 million name and information.
Instructor: JACQUELYN DAVIDSON has been interested in Family History and Genealogy all her life. She and her husband, Tom, spent one year as Family History Missionaries at the LDS Church Headquarters working with rare documents and transcription. She has been “indexing” for over a year and has completed more than 100,000 records!
Across The Pond : Immigration Research
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Description: Immigration, passport, and naturalization records are being digitized and indexed in ever increasing numbers. With the internet, these new databases bring information never before available to your fingertips. We will explore some of the common knowledge sites to discover new ways they can be used. We will also look beyond Ellis Island and the normal ports of entry to find that elusive ancestor who took to the seas to discover “your” new home.
Instructor: BOB ROBERTS has presented and directed Family History Conferences for almost 20 years. He is the retired founder of an information technology company. He was a computer programmer and systems designer working on microprocessor-based computers that pre-date the PC. Today, he is a Family History Consultant, CVGA member, and is working on his own life story and genealogy for his 5 sons and 3+ grandsons.
Telling The Story & Getting It Out
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Description: Overview of my experience writing a memoir; pitfalls to avoid, printing and self publication.
Instructor: EARL DUDLEY was born in Manila P.I; injured in bombing 12/8/41; spend 3 years in Japanese internment camp; worked as newsman early 60s; practiced law in Washington DC late 60s to 1989, served as Professor of Law, UVA 1989-2008, Author, “An Interested LIfe,” 2009.
What’s In Your DNA?
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Description: This class will answer basic questions about DNA and its current and possible contributions to genealogical work. Question we will answer include: What is DNA? How is it used to identify individuals? How can it be used to find my ancestors? What options are currently available to use DNA in Genealogy?
Instructor: SERGIO SANCHEZ is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Disease at the University of Virginia. As a cellular and molecular biologist, his research focuses on dissecting the mechanisms of cancer onset. Prior to coming to Charlottesville, he completed a degree in Microbiology with a minor in Molecular Biology from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
Genealogical Research
In Our Nation’s Capital
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Description: From the Archives, and Library of Congress, to a myriad other resources, our capital is a treasure trove for researching your ancestry.
Instructor: MIKE STRAUSS is a Professional Genealogist, author & lecturer. He is an Accredited Genealogist for the Eastern States Region. A native of Pennsylvania and a resident of Virginia Beach and has been an avid genealogist for nearly 30 years. He holds a BA in History with a Civil War concentration and is a US Coast Guard veteran. Strauss is a scholarly research grant recipient from the Foundation for Coast Guard History and the General George C. Marshall Foundation in Lexington, VA. He works as a research archivist with the Coast Guard Station Museum in Virginia Beach, VA and has spoken at several national and regional genealogical conferences over the last decade.
Whispering Walls:
A Case Study Tracing A Historic Home And Its Inhabitants
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Description: Katie takes you on a journey through time to find the stories that once filled a single house. She starts with nothing more than a modern day address and shows you the reasoning and sources that led to discovering a touching picture of history inside these four walls. She will challenge you to “think outside of the census” and uses an interactive style to teach the analytical and critical thinking that is the difference between a researcher and a Genealogist.
Instructor: KATIE DERBY holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Family History/Genealogy from BYU. She interned at the Library of Congress in the Local History/Genealogy Reading Room. She has been a presenter at this and other regional conferences and society meetings.
Beginning Southern Research:
Virginia & West Virginia
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Description: A “how to get started” class designed for the person who is new to genealogy researching the southern U.S. Class will cover the basics of conducting research in the southern states highlighting Virginia and West Virginia. Get tips on where to obtain birth, death, will information, land records, etc. Learn about popular online data bases and specific research tips for African & Native American research.
Instructor: SHELLEY MURPHY is a native of Michigan residing in Fluvanna County, daughter to Calvin and Verna (Worden) Murphy, proud mother of two adult children and sister to four brothers. Shelley has been an avid genealogist for nearly 25 years specializing in African-American research. She is a member of the numerous genealogy and historical societies.
Family Associations & Family History Reunions
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Description:From a start-up reunion to a full blown family association, this class will help you see the potential legacy that you can build for your progeny when they get to know the “extended family”.
Instructor: Bob Roberts has presented and directed Family History Conferences for almost 20 years. He is the retired founder of an information technology company. He was a computer programmer and systems designer working on microprocessor-based computers that pre-date the PC. Today, he is a Family History Consultant, CVGA member, and is working on his own life story and genealogy for his 5 sons and 3+ grandsons.
Instructor: Bob Brady is the Founder and President of the Brady Family Association and former treasurer of the Brady Family Heritage Association. Originally from Burley, iD, Bob worked for the GAO and various department within the US Treasury. He retired in 1996 and presently resides in Harrisonburg. He has taught Personal Ancestry File classes for LDS Church Family History Conferences.
The Price Is Right!!
Free On-line Internet Resources
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Description: First as a poor college student and now as a busy mother of five, Katie has become an expert in what is available online for free to the Genealogy researcher. She will give demonstrations of some of the most useful sites online and discuss techniques for evaluating the accuracy of information found on the internet.
Instructor: KATIE DERBY holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Family History/Genealogy from BYU. She interned at the Library of Congress in the Local History/Genealogy Reading Room. She has been a presenter at this and other regional conferences and society meetings.
Using & Researching Government Military Records
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Description:In the class, we will address the variety of Government military records that are available, where to find them and how to conduct research with them.
Instructor: DALE FLOYD – taught Junior & Senior High School American History for 3 years. He then became an archivist in 19th Century Military Records at the National Archives in Washington, DC, 1969-80. He next was a historian for the US Army Corps of Engineers, 1980-91; then for the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission, 1991-93; and then the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program, 1993-95. Floyd retired from the Government in 1995 and since then has done contract research and writing and is a licensed tour guide in Washington, DC and does history, mostly Civil War, tours on the road. He has published 9 books, numerous articles & book reviews, and has spoken to a variety of audiences.
A Land Records Case Study
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Description: Dusty, dry, dull, defeating deeds! Who in the world would want to spend a lot of time looking through them? You would if you knew how to reconstruct the drama that unfolded in those old records. We will explore the wide range of information that is available through land records and the methods for extracting it.
Instructor: LORRAINE QUILLON – After four decades of following her ancestors’ trail, Lorraine knows some of the best tools to use to trap that elusive progenitor. The one she really wants (a fourth great-grandfather) continues to evade her (she is getting closer), but you should see some of the other interesting characters she has collected along the way. Lorraine is a volunteer librarian at the Charlottesville LDS Family History Center and also operates a home business which focuses on assisting family historians in their documentation and publication efforts. She has lived in Charlottesville for more than 30 years.
Grandma Was Born When?!?
Using the Census In Genealogy
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Description: The U.S. Census is an invaluable source of information for genealogists; in fact, it is the first place one should start when looking for information about her family. This class will talk about the history of the census; how to access the actual census records; how the annual censuses differ; what sorts of information will appear in the census; and how to interpret what you find in the census.
Instructor: Having worked for 26 years in a variety of positions at the University Library, JEAN COOPER currently serves as Library Grants Officer and University Library Genealogical Resources Specialist. She is the author of “Virginia Genealogy; a guide to genealogical resources at the University of Virginia” and “A Guide to Historic Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia.”
Talkin’ Story –
It’s All About Family!
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Description: A local poet, genealogist, and author of “The Tablet of My Heart: Reflections on Family, Place, and Self”, Shirley will talk about her paternal grandparents who lived (Hydraulic area and Stony Point), in Albemarle County. Hear tips and lessons learned on how she got started in genealogy, steps and processes, local and oral history, what resources were used, hear the stories and clues that aided in her research, the challenges, the importance of being involved with local history and genealogy groups, and tips on self-publishing.
Instructor:
SHIRLEY SOLOMON PARRISH is a native of Albemarle County and Charlottesville,Virginia.. She attended local schools and also Hampton Institute, now Hampton University. She is a Vietnam era veteran of the United States Air Force. Shirley has had an interest in writing most of her life. For several years she wrote theme poems for the annual Juneteenth celebration at Piedmont Virginia Community College. In 2001 her essay, “Oak Tree Field”, appeared in the Albemarle magazine. Soon after, she was invited to Piedmont Viirginia Community College by their Black Student Alliance to present this work. Shirley is a past President and current Vice President of the Charlottesville-Albemarle chapter (AAGG) of the National Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society of Washington, D.C. and a member of the Central Virginia History Researchers (CVHR).
SHELLY MURPHY is a native of Michigan residing in Fluvanna County, daughter to Calvin and Verna (Worden) Murphy, proud mother of two adult children and sister to four brothers. Shelley has been an avid genealogist for nearly 25 years specializing in African-American research. She is a member of the numerous genealogy and historical societies. She holds a Masters in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix, PhD candidate in the field of Organizational Leadership, teaches Genealogy 101 at PVCC and is an Adjunct Instructor for Averett University.
FamilySearch:
Past, Present & Future
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Description: Some of the most exciting changes to online research are happening within the world’s largest 100% free Genealogy site; FamilySearch.org. Katie will help you navigate the old, uncover the new, and anticipate the
future. Together we will learn the origins of the data available, tips on accurate searches within the databases, use the research guidance tools, find free forms and downloads, and that’s just the old stuff! We will look at the latest digitized records from around the world that are a product of the massive FamilySearch indexing project which you can volunteer for. We will also demonstrate the new feedback and testing features of the site. And finally we will talk about what’s on the horizon and how it is going to change Family History research forever!
Instructor: KATIE DERBY holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Family History/Genealogy from BYU. She interned at the Library of Congress in the Local History/Genealogy Reading Room. She has been a presenter at this and other regional conferences and society meetings.
Genealogy Resources In Our Area
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Description: A look at the resources available to the genealogist and family history buff within the state and the nation’s capital. Especially appropriate for those with family roots in the state of Virginia.
Instructor: MARGARET M. O’BRYANT, Librarian/Head of Reference Resources, Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society since 1988 is a native Virginian having grown up in Franklin County. She holds an AB degree in classical languages from the College of William & Mary and a graduate library degree from University of North Carolina. She has 12 years previous experience in academic & public libraries and 10 years at UVa’s.
Case Studies In Descendency Research
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Description: The goal of doing descendants research is to find all the persons descentant of a particular ancestral couple. Normally, doing genealogical research entails goiong backward in time, this travels the opposite derections and searching forward to the present. Learn how to begin and use this research method.
Instructor: MIKE STRAUSS is a Professional Genealogist, author & lecturer. He is an Accredited Genealogist for the Eastern States Region. A native of Pennsylvania and a resident of Virginia Beach and has been an avid genealogist for nearly 30 years. He holds a BA in History with a Civil War concentration and is a US Coast Guard veteran. Strauss is a scholarly research grant recipient from the Foundation for Coast Guard History and the General George C. Marshall Foundation in Lexington, VA. He works as a research archivist with the Coast Guard Station Museum in Virginia Beach, VA and has spoken at several national and regional genealogical conferences over the last decade.
