Welcome to the Washington DC Family History Center
4th Annual Conference

Class Descriptions

SESSION 1
1-1	The Pros and Cons of Genealogy Technology DearMYRTLE This class offers real-life examples of how to work around challenges posed by compiled genealogy databases, websites, and indices, including a problem associated with the very useful Google Earth. Sometimes there is no substitute for boots on the ground experience.
1-2	Brick Walls: They Can Come Down! Cheryl Singhal and Vern Skinner This Brick Wall Session will offer strategies for getting over, under, around, or through your Brick Walls. A brick wall is defined as a problem that is long-standing (5 years minimum) and resistant to intermediate–level research. Attendees are invited to email their brick wall questions to Kensingtonbrickwalls@gmail.com . The panelists will review these prior to the conference and address the questions during this session.
1-3	Research at the DAR Library: There and From Home Julia Coldren-Walker An overview resources at the DAR Library and Seimes Microfilm Center and what is available on-line from home. Library organization including book call system, catalog, and Genealogical Records Committee Index and available on-line databases. Seimes collection of microfilm and access to DAR applications and proof documents.
SESSION 2
2-1	Miles Lassiter (circa 1777-1850), an Early African American Quaker from Lassiter Mill, Randolph County, North Carolina: My Re Margo Williams Ms. Williams will be discussing her some of the research process that led to her recently published book, Miles Lassiter (circa 1777-1850), an Early African American Quaker from Lassiter Mill, Randolph County, North Carolina: My Research Journey to Home. Starting with only a handful of stories and a few names, her research helped make contact with long lost relatives and a pilgrimage "home" with her mother in 1982. Continued research uncovered information that her fourth great grandfather was the only African American Quaker in the state of North Carolina when he died in 1850.
2-2	Producing a Reliable Family History Adrian Gravelle This class includes a discussion of guidelines for evaluating genealogical evidence, and suggests methods of resolving conflicts in evidence. Topics will include how legal standards of proof can be applied to genealogy research, the importance of including sources for all facts, the current proof standards used by genealogists, and how to think and write like a judge in producing a reliable and accurate family history.
2-3	Read All About Your Ancestors by Locating Historic Newspapers Angela McGhie Learn how to find which newspapers were printed in the time and location your ancestors lived and how to access them now. We will look at newspaper databases online and discuss how to find newspapers that are not available online.
2-4	Beginning Research at the National Archives Constance Potter and Diane Petro The National Archives is the nations's recordkeeper, preserving and making available the permanently valuable records of the Federal government. Learn what records of genealogical interest are available at the Federal level and how you locate them.
2-5	Personal Property Tax Lists: A Good Tool for Genealogists Jim Bartlett This presentation will cover what is in the PPTL, how often it was taken, where to easily view these lists and how they can be used as a tool to learn more about your family lines. Example images are provided, so you know what to expect.
SESSION 3
3-1	Homestead Records Bernice Alexander Bennett 2012 represents a pivotal year of celebrations for the American Civil War as well as the Homestead Land Act of 1862. This presentation will explore the significance of the Act and also provide a case study to demonstrate the value of reviewing the land entry case files as well as tracking the entire process required to obtain land.
3-2	Beginning Genealogy Research, Part 1 Lorraine Minor Learn the genealogical research process, how to record and evaluate information, cite sources used, maintain a research calendar and develop a research plan.
3-3	The International Tracing Service - The Closed Archive That Is Open After More Than 60 Years Tom Sadauskas The International Tracing Service (ITS) was created in the closing days of WW II. It collected more than 50 million German and Allied records containing information on over 17.5 million persons, including both Holocaust victims and survivors, forced laborers, and more than 8 million displaced persons (DPs). For more than 60 years, the ITS archives were closed to outside researchers and only accessible to ITS staff. These records were opened to researchers in 200, due to outside pressure by numerous groups. The presenter was part of the first organized group of outside researchers to access these records in May 2008.
3-4	The 1940 Census Constance Potter and Diane Petro The 1940 census has been eagerly awaited for years. Are you ready for its release on April 2? Ms. Potter and Ms. Petro will explain the new questions on the census, including the supplemental schedules, and give a brief overview of how to prepare for the census.
3-5	DNA – The Newest Tool for Genealogists: Y-DNA, mtDNA, and Family Finder Tests Jim Bartlett This presentation will cover simple explanations of how DNA works and how it is used to learn more about your surname ancestry, finding biological fathers, linking surname trees, your all-female ancestry, and/or all of your ancestors. We will cover all three types of tests: Y-DNA tracing surnames; mtDNA tracing female lines; and atDNA which matches your DNA with cousins from any of your ancestors. Also discover your ancestry before records, including Deep Ancestry.
SESSION 4
4-1	Jumping or Leaping: What to Do When the Answer Isn't Obvious DearMYRTLE When a single record doesn't provide the family relationship information we desire, genealogists must review a variety of extant records to infer family relationships. This class discusses how to document conclusions when our research may have taken a few seemingly obscure twists and turns.
4-2	Beginning Genealogy Research, Part 2 Lorraine Minor Learn more about evaluating information with a case study and then how to get started with researching your family and where to do your research.
4-3	Family History Meets the 21st Century; The Joys of Uncovering and Preserving Your Family's Stories Lin Joyce Preserving your life story matters, and the process is much easier than you may think. Learn how to begin your search and about resources that will enable you to reap the joys and rewards of "saving a life" -- yours!
4-4	Genealogy and the Internet Julia Coldren-Walker Introduction to internet research including history, pluses & minuses internet use, how to cite internet materials and general overview of the types of sites. Discussions includes search engines, message boards, message lists, blogs, wikis as well as free, governmental & commercial websites.