Presenter: Scott Norrick, Ancestral Past
At the time of America’s independence, the population of the American colonies was about 2.5 million.  While 1776 is a pivotal year, the war for independence (the Revolutionary War) was fought from 1775-1783.  About 200 thousand Americans served in the Patriots’ cause in some capacity.  This presentation will provide a deep dive into discovering and researching your revolutionary ancestors.  It will cover the top resources, strategies, websites, libraries, archives, and organizations for learning more about your ancestors at our nation’s founding.  Resources and documents available at the National Archives, DAR, SAR, as well as state and local organizations will be included.  The presentation will also reveal that many colonists did not support independence and supported the British/Tory cause.  It is an exciting time to jump in and learn as much as you can about your revolutionary ancestors.

Come to the library to meet in person or use the information in your emailed invitation to meet via your telephone or device.

Presenter: Dr. Katharine O'Connell, North Coast Genealogy
Forensic genealogists do family research related to the law.  Some work with police departments, others locate family members for the military.  Still others help adoptees find their birth families or locate family members listed in wills.  Some of their work involves DNA, but most often they solve cases using records you might be familiar with, like birth certificates and newspapers.
Dr. O’Connell will discuss how she uses her people locating skills to find missing and unknown heirs and tell you about the field of forensic genealogy.   You’ll come away with a new understanding for how genealogy can be used in a legal setting and go over a sample case she worked on, which involved an understanding of laws in 12 states and over 200 documents as evidence.  Starting with a will from 1906, she used a combination of newspapers, baptismal records, and censuses to provide a court-level report proving the living family members for her attorney client. She will show you how you can use a similar combination of records in your own research.

Come to the library to meet in person or use the information in your emailed invitation to meet via your telephone or device.

Presenter: Kellie Jo Bergheimer
Have you tried to figure out who some of your DNA matches are but struggle to make progress? Learn to use some free websites, newspapers, and social media to identify some of those people you don’t know in your match list.
Kelli Jo Bergheimer is a writer, teacher, editor, author, and international genealogical speaker. Kelli holds a Bachelor’s in Biology, a Master’s in Education: Curriculum and Instruction, and a Master’s in Business Management. Kelli is the  Director of Education for Your DNA Guide. Kelli runs a small business—Mess on the Desk, a genealogical organization company with a YouTube channel. Kelli is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

Come to the library to meet in person or use the information in your emailed invitation to meet via your telephone or device.