Calendar of Genealogy Events in California:
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Saturday, July 29, 2023, 9:00am - 3:30pm Pacific Time
The Genealogical Society o North Orange County CA
Virtual (Zoom) Seminar
Saturday, July 29, 2023, 9:00am - 3:30pm Pacific Time
https://www.gsnocc.org/seminar.html
Presenter: Lisa Louise Cooke
Session Titles:
How to Reopen and Work a Genealogical Cold Case
Google Earth Pro or Genealogy
Seeing Family History Through Google Lens
Tap Into Your Inner Private Eye: 9 Strategies for Finding Living Relatives
Saturday, May 20, 2023, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 PM PST
LIVE YouTube event!
Genealogy Garage: My China Roots
Online, via the
Los Angeles Public Library
630 W. 5th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
If you have Chinese ancestry, you'll want to hear about the library's newest database: My China Roots. Global Collections Manager Clotilde Yap will give us a practical demonstration of how to use this dynamite database. Learn how Chinese genealogy is different from Western genealogy. See what resources are available and hear how you can access them through the Los Angeles Public Library. Join us live and bring questions!
No RSVP required: all are welcome. On the day and time of the event, just go to *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95tOkHaG7_k** . This session will be recorded, so if you miss the live broadcast, you can catch it at your convenience (using the same YouTube link).
Genealogy Garage is co-sponsored by the Southern California Genealogical Society and the Genealogical Society of Hispanic America-SoCal Chapter. It takes place the third Saturday of each month (except for August and December), live via the Los Angeles Public Library.
Saturday, May 20, 2023, 1:00-4:00 pm PDT
The Ventura County Genealogical Society presents
Free Family History Programs
Online with Zoom
Saturday, May 20, 2023, 1:00-4:00 pm PDT
https://venturacogensoc.org/this-month/
Presenter: Lyn Gesch
“Acquiring a Sense of Place: Using Maps to Help Tell Family Stories”
Have you ever wondered how your ancestors ended up in a particular place? Whether they chose to settle there or other factors drove them to that location, we rely on document research to help us find answers—public records, letters, diaries, local histories, etc. In this hour, we will investigate the added value of using maps and gazetteers to help us in that quest to understand how our ancestors navigated those spaces that were “home” and built a life there. We will look at resources for urban and rural research, focusing on what is available online, and consider how maps and gazetteers help us tell a story.
Marilyn Gesch, Ph.D., is a longtime Ventura County Genealogical Society member. She has served on the Executive Board and has been a frequent presenter in the educational programs. Her background in sociology has led her to lean heavily on using social history in understanding family stories and focus on quality research practices. Recent publications inspired by family histories looked at German immigrants in American wars and appeared in the Kansas History Journal (2018; WW1) and the Missouri Historical Review (2015; Civil War). In addition, she is working on a manuscript following her father-in-law’s WW2 experiences through his letters and scrapbooks.
Second presentation:
Presenter: Sara Cochran
“Irish Eyes Are Smiling: Finding Vital Records in the Land of Saints and Scholars“
Get to know the Irish Civil Registration records! These Birth, Marriage, and Death records began country-wide in 1864 and contain a wealth of information about our ancestors. Learn how to access these records from your home through multiple websites.
Sara is a full-time professional genealogist with over twenty-five years of experience. She holds a Boston University Genealogical Research Certificate, a bachelor’s degree in library science, and is an alumnus of the ProGen Study Group. She is currently the Treasurer of the Southern California Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the Registrar for the Aurantia Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Secretary for the Amanda Stokes Tent, Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, and volunteers at the National Archives, Riverside office.
All our monthly lectures and workshops are free to our members and the public. Non-members should request a Zoom invitation here https://venturacogensoc.org/request-invitation-to-lecture/
Please note that we cannot respond to same-day requests.
Saturday, April 15, 2023, 1:00-3:00 pm PDT
Ventura County Genealogical Society
presents an In-Person
Free Genealogy Fair
at the
Camarillo Public Library
4101 Las Posas Road, Camarillo, CA
The Ventura County Genealogical Society (VCGS) and the Camarillo Public Library invite you to our free Genealogy Fair. It's open to everyone. You don't need to be a member of the society, and guests are encouraged to attend. All levels, from those just starting (or thinking about starting) to research their ancestors to those looking for help to break down the last "Brick Wall," are welcome.
When: Saturday, April 15, 2023, 1:00-3:00 pm PDT
Where: The Community Room at the Camarillo Public Library
The Genealogy Fair is open to everyone. You don't need to be a member of the society, and guests are encouraged to attend. All levels, from those just starting (or thinking about starting) to research their ancestors to those looking for help to break down the last "Brick Wall," are welcome.
• Volunteers will be there to answer your questions.
• You will be able to browse our Special Interest Group Tables.
• In addition, you can ask for volunteers' help to search records.
• You can browse our Sales Table for genealogy books and supplies.
• Computer stations will be set up to show you how to access various helpful websites.
Spend the afternoon reconnecting with genealogy friends and learning what the Ventura County Genealogy Society can do to help you with your family history.
https://venturacogensoc.org/this-month/
Saturday, March 18, 2023, 1:00-4:00 pm PST
The Ventura County Genealogical Society presents
Free Family History Programs
Online with Zoom
https://venturacogensoc.org/this-month/
Presenter: Peggy Lauritzen
“Migration Trails Across America”
America has been a nation on the move since the first landings in the colonies. From buffalo traces and Native American trails to rivers and canals, Americans kept pushing “west.” This presentation concentrates on the most common means of travel in the New World. Migrations trails and patterns will be discussed, as well as the many rivers and canals interconnecting us as a nation. A case study will be demonstrated showing a “lost” ancestor.”
Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG, was involved in genealogy before birth. The daughter of avid genealogists was spending time in courthouses and cemeteries while other children were playing on swings and going to the beach. However, the love of her family’s history has never left her. Peggy is an instructor at Ancestry Academy and Family Tree University served as an Ambassador for RootsTech 2016-2017, and was honored as a 2018 Fellow of the Ohio Genealogical Society.
Second presentation:
Presenter: Daniel Horowitz
“MyHeritage Photo Features: A Whole New Way to Tell Your Family’s Story”
MyHeritage has become the #1 platform for uploading, enhancing, and sharing old family photos. In this lecture, Daniel will give you a detailed tour of all the photo features MyHeritage offers. Learn to animate your photos with Deep Nostalgia™, colorize and restore colors with MyHeritage In Color™, bring faces into sharp focus with the Photo Enhancer, record the stories behind your photos with the Photo Storyteller™, make your photos speak with DeepStory, and much more. Daniel will show you how MyHeritage can breathe new life into old photos and revive your family’s favorite memories.
Dedicated to Genealogy since 1986, Daniel was the teacher and the study guide editor of the family history project “Searching for My Roots” in Venezuela for 15 years. In addition, he was a board member of The International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) for ten years. He is now involved in several crowdsource digitization and transcription projects and holds a board-level position at The Israel Genealogy Research Association (IGRA). Since 2006 Daniel has been working at MyHeritage, liaising with genealogy societies, bloggers, and media, lecturing, and attending conferences worldwide.
All our monthly lectures and workshops are free to our members and the public. Non-members should request a Zoom invitation here https://venturacogensoc.org/request-invitation-to-lecture/
Please note that we cannot respond to same-day requests.
Saturday, February 18, 2023, 1:00-4:00 pm PST
The Ventura County Genealogical Society presents
Free Family History Programs
Online with Zoom
https://venturacogensoc.org/this-month/
Presenter: Cyndi Ingle
“Tracking Your Digital Bread Crumbs: Bookmarks, Toolbars, Notes, and Other Applications”
Cyndi Ingle, a genealogist for more than 42 years, is the creator and innovator behind the award-winning and globally recognized CyndisList.com. Cyndi is an expert in using technology for genealogy, research in the United States, and bringing together traditional methodology with organization, computers, software, and the Internet. She is an internationally known guest lecturer and has authored numerous articles and three books.
All our monthly lectures and workshops are free to our members and the public. Non-members should request a Zoom invitation here https://venturacogensoc.org/request-invitation-to-lecture/
Please note that we cannot respond to same-day requests.
The DNA Special Interest Group meeting will precede the general meeting from 10:30 am to 11:30 am on Zoom. Contact the webmaster at gro.cosnegocarutnev|retsambew#gro.cosnegocarutnev|retsambew to be added to the invitation list.
Saturday, January 21, 2023, 1:00 - 4:00 pm PST
The Ventura County Genealogical Society presents
Free Family History Programs
Online with Zoom
https://venturacogensoc.org/this-month/
Presenter: Diana Elder
“Getting Things Done and Family History:
Productivity Tips and Tools”
How do you stay productive when you have numerous genealogy projects? Learn a system to capture to-do items, prioritize projects, and erase overwhelm.
Diana is a professional genealogist, teacher, author, and speaker. She has eighteen years of research experience and holds a credential for genealogy research through the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen). Diana is Accredited in the United States Gulf South Region, which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.
Second presentation:
Presenter: Laura Hedgecock
“Practical Tools for Family History Writers”
Ready to explore software tools to help you write your stories? This session will show a range of software, smartphone apps, and websites that help writers find context, come up with and develop ideas for family and ancestor stories, and hone writing skills. Participants should be familiar with web browsers, word processing, and smartphone apps.
Laura Hedgecock is an author, speaker, freelance writer, and GeneaBlogger passionate about helping others tell stories that connect loved ones with their family and ancestry.
Laura serves as President of the 3400+ member GeneaBloggers organization and is a member of NGS, Genealogical Speakers Guild, Toastmasters, and Detroit Working Writers. She authored BLOGGING FOR FAMILY HISTORY, which provides a road map for launching a blog and making it successful.
All our monthly lectures and workshops are free to our members and the public. Non-members should request a Zoom invitation here https://venturacogensoc.org/request-invitation-to-lecture/
Please note that we cannot respond to same-day requests.
Saturday, December 17, 2022, 1:00 - 4:00 pm PDT
The Ventura County Genealogical Society presents
Free Family History Program
Online with Zoom
Saturday, December 17, 2022, 1:00 – 4:00 pm
https://venturacogensoc.org/this-month/
Presenter: Lisa Alzo
“No Easy Button: Using Immersion Genealogy to Understand Your Ancestors”
Family history is so much more than just names, dates, places, or boxes, lines, and charts. For 21st-century genealogists, it is easy to limit our research to the documents or other facts we find online or to what others tell us to be true. Learn how to take your research a step further to understand your ancestors’ lives through “immersion genealogy”—the process of discovering where they lived, worked and worshipped and experiencing those customs and traditions they passed down through the generations. Essential resources, methodology, tips for reaching out to relatives and repositories, and how to make the most out of a trip to your ancestor’s hometown (whether in North America or across the pond) will be discussed.
An avid genealogist for 26 years, Lisa teaches online genealogy courses for Family Tree University and the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. She is the recipient of the 2002 Mary Zirin Prize given by the Association for Women in Slavic Studies to recognize the achievements of independent scholars and is a frequently invited speaker for national conferences and genealogical and historical societies.
All our monthly lectures and workshops are free to our members and the public. Non-members should request an invitation here: https://venturacogensoc.org/request-invitation-to-lecture/
Saturday, November 19, 2022, 1:00 - 4:00 pm PDT
The Ventura County Genealogical Society presents
Free Family History Presentations
Online with Zoom
https://venturacogensoc.org/this-month/
Presenter: Craig R. Scott
“Researching Your Revolutionary War Ancestor”
Follow your Revolutionary War ancestor through available records from enlistment, service, pension, and bounty land.
Craig R. Scott, CG, FUGA, is President and CEO of Heritage Books, Inc., a genealogical publishing firm with over 8,500 titles in print. A researcher for more than thirty years, he specializes in the National Archives records, problem-solving, genealogical skill building, and publishing. He has been lecturing steadily since the 1990 National Genealogical Society Conference in Crystal City at local, state, and national levels. He has coordinated lecture tracks at IGHR, SLIG, and GRIP. APG awarded him the Grahame T. Smallwood, Jr. Award in 2008 and the UGA Silver Tray Award in 2009. He has appeared in the Ancestry Show and the Neil Leherer News Hour as a nationally known lecturer and educator. He brings enthusiasm and a wealth of knowledge to each engagement.
Second presentation:
Presenter: Baerbel Johnson
“Using Historical newspapers to learn more about your German Ancestor” (German SIG)
Historical newspapers are an excellent new resource for the family historian!
They may include notices of births, marriages, or deaths, property sales, patents given for new inventions, business licenses requested, intentions to emigrate, and much more. Your ancestor may even be mentioned in a news article. Historical information adds color to your family history. This presentation will discuss finding local and regional newspapers and give many examples of how they can be helpful in family history research.
Baerbel K. Johnson, AG, is a professional genealogist and works at the Family History Library as International Research Consultant. She holds degrees in Family and Local History Studies and Sociology from BYU. She has more than twenty years of extensive experience in European family history research emphasizing Germany
All our monthly lectures and workshops are free to our members and the public. Non-members should request a Zoom invitation here https://venturacogensoc.org/request-invitation-to-lecture/
Please note that we cannot respond to same-day requests.
Saturday, October 15, 2022, 1:00 - 4:00 pm PDT
GENEALOGY FAIR
WHERE: Camarillo Library Community Room
4101 Las Posas Road
Camarillo
COST: Free
CONTACT: VCGS Webmaster Email at gro.cosnegocarutnev|retsambew#gro.cosnegocarutnev|retsambew
Event website: https://venturacogensoc.org/event/genealogy-fair/?instance_id=286
Genealogy Fair
Are you interested in learning more about your family? Here’s your chance to take a trip back in time to meet your ancestors! The Ventura County Genealogical Society will present a Genealogy Fair on Saturday, October 15, from 1-3 pm in the library’s Community Room.
Friendly VCGS volunteers will look up online records and answer your genealogical questions. Learn about resources to discover your family history and find out what life was like for your ancestors. There will be new and used books for beginners at the VCGS Sales Table.
We hope you’ll join us for this informal drop-in event.
This program is sponsored by the Camarillo Public Library.
Saturday, October 22, 2022, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm PDT
VENTURA COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
Please join us for our 2022 Annual Seminar
Presenting:
Making Sense of the Census:
An In-Depth Look at Census Records
by
Gena Philibert-Ortega
Zoom Webinar
Seminar Topics:
20th Century Censuses: What do they Say About Your Ancestors?
Searching the Census: Tips & Tricks
There’s More to the Census Than Names: Non-Population Schedules
The Other Censuses: State, Territorial, and More
Connect with us for this year’s annual seminar, featuring one of the most sought-after speakers in genealogy. Learn how to search census records more effectively.
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
Registration fee: $30.
https://venturacogensoc.org/2022-annual-seminar/
Videos of the presentations will be available for a limited time after the seminar to everyone who registered.
Door Prizes will be awarded throughout the day! You do not need to be present to win.
Saturday, September 17, 2022, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm PDT
The Ventura County Genealogical Society presents
Free Family History Presentations
Online with Zoom
Saturday, September 17, 2022, 1:00-4:00 pm PDT
https://venturacogensoc.org/this-month/
1:00 pm Presenter: Chris Paton
"British & Irish Newspapers" (British Isles SIG)
Records of births, marriages, and deaths provide a fantastic starting point for identifying our ancestors' names and where they lived. Still, in terms of understanding how those ancestors once lived, there is no better resource to plunder than a good newspaper. Over the last two centuries, newspapers have recorded the daily events that have shaped our forebears' lives. In many cases, they have identified specific tales about them and notices and advertisements directly concerning them and their contemporary communities.
Originally from Northern Ireland, but with both Scottish and Irish roots, Chris holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Genealogical Studies from the University of Strathclyde and works as a professional genealogist, running Scotland's Greatest Story research service. Chris is, In addition, a published author of several book titles (see https://scottishgenes.blogspot.com/p/books.html), a regular monthly and bi-monthly contributor to several genealogy magazines, and his own daily genealogical news feed, the Scottish GENES blog.
Second presentation
Presenter: Karen Fortin
"Creating Google Earth Tours"
Google Earth tours can be fun to share your genealogy with your relatives. Tours can be created to visually illustrate one ancestor's life and travels or the family's migration over generations.
Karen Fortin received a bachelor’s degree in History and a Master's Degree in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida. She worked at the Barbara S. Ponce Public Library in Pinellas Park, FL, for 30 years before focusing on genealogical research.
Karen's passion for history and research led her to an interest in genealogy. She began volunteering with the Pinellas Genealogy Society in Largo, FL, in 2012 and was the society's president from 2014-2017. Karen started providing genealogy and history presentations in 2016 and has lectured at various genealogical societies, public libraries, and other interested organizations.
All our monthly lectures and workshops are free to our members and the public. Non-members should request a Zoom invitation here https://venturacogensoc.org/request-invitation-to-lecture/
Please note that we cannot respond to same-day requests.
Saturday, August 20, 2022, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm PDT
The Ventura County Genealogical Society presents
Free Family History Presentations
Online with Zoom
Saturday, August 20, 2022, 1:00-4:00 pm PDT
https://venturacogensoc.org/this-month/
1:00 pm Presenter: Larry W. Thomas
“The Tax Man Cometh”
Do not overlook the wealth of information found in the tax records. As Daniel Defoe is credited for saying in a book in 1726, “Things as certain as death and taxes…,” we simply cannot avoid them. Until the early 1900s, people were taxed on their land and other possessions, which can help in the research of your ancestors. We will examine several sets of records from around the U. S. and see what we can learn from them.
Larry is a retired US Army Captain with 23 years in the field of Aviation, Transportation & Logistics. Larry began his Genealogy Research 30 years ago with his own Thomas Family, Georgia residents since the 1750s. He added the rest of his and his late wife’s families before beginning to research for clients in 2008, operating at www.AtlantaGenealogy.com. A graduate of ProGen 38 and member of the National Genealogical Society, Association of Professional Genealogists, Genealogy Speakers Guild, Gwinnett Historical Society, serves on the Board of the Georgia Genealogical Society and is past president of the Cobb County Genealogy Society.
Second presentation
Presenter: Jeanette Sheliga
“Navigating FultonHistory.com”
FultonHistory.com, or Old Fulton NY Postcards, is a free, historical newspaper website that contains archives of over 50 million pages of microfilmed newspaper images (mostly New York State newspapers) and collections from other states and Canada). This presentation will give an overview of the content and a variety of search strategies.
Jeanette lives in Lockport, NY, and has been researching her family tree since 2002. She began genealogical lecturing at the North Tonawanda Public Library in 2011 and soon after formed the North Tonawanda Library Genealogy Club, which she managed for ten years. In 2013, Jeanette became a Board Member of the Niagara County Genealogical Society. She is also the vice president, NGS Delegate, and Program Chairperson. Jeanette became Chairman of the Board in March 2020 and held that position for over a year and a half.
All our monthly lectures and workshops are free to our members and the public. Non-members should request a Zoom invitation here https://venturacogensoc.org/request-invitation-to-lecture/
Please note that we cannot respond to same-day requests.
Saturday, July 16, 2022, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. PDT
The Ventura County Genealogical Society presents
Free Family History Presentations
Online with Zoom
https://venturacogensoc.org/this-month/
1:00 pm Presenter: Andrew Fairweather
“Tenement Housing in the Mid-19th Century”
Do you ever wonder who your ancestors’ neighbors were? Are you writing a historical novel and need some inspiration? Join Andrew Fairweather, Librarian at the New York Public Library’s Seward Park branch on the Lower East Side. We’ll be talking about the history of the neighborhood during its decades of peak immigration, as well as looking at a few tips and tricks on how to perform demographic and genealogical research in this area, and elsewhere. Using Land and Buildings records and photographs, we’ll see the streets where your ancestor lived and maybe even a photo of their building. We’ll learn about living conditions in tenements and how to find your family in census records.
Andrew Fairweather is a Librarian who works for the Seward Park branch of the New York Public Library on New York City’s Lower East Side. His professional focus has included spreading knowledge about tools that help researchers conduct genealogical and local history research, as well as giving lectures that give people entry points into classic works of literature.
Second presentation:
Presenter: Paul Milner
“Irish Immigrants to North America” (Irish SIG)
Before, During and After the Famine: Learn about the routes taken and the reasons for the emigration from Ireland to the U.S. and Canada before, during, and after the famine. Learn how this mass movement of people can affect your research, plus what tools and records are available to trace your Irish ancestor.
Paul is a professional genealogist and lecturer, with over 30 years of experience. Born and raised in northern England, settling in the U.S. in 1975. An internationally recognized speaker for British Isles research and migration. Author of Discover English Parish Records; Discover English Census Records; Buried Treasures – What’s in the English Parish Chest; Genealogy at a Glance: English Research and Co-author of A Genealogists Guide to Discovering Your English Ancestors and A Genealogists Guide to Discovering Your Scottish Ancestors. Coordinator for English and Scottish research tracks at Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research, and coordinator of English Research tracks at Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and British Institute.
All our monthly lectures and workshops are free to our members and the public. Non-members should request a Zoom invitation here https://venturacogensoc.org/request-invitation-to-lecture/
Saturday, July 30, 2022, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm PDT
GSNOCC Virtual Seminar featuring Rhonda R. McClure, Senior Genealogist, New England Historic Genealogical Society
VIRTUAL on Zoom
Genealogical Society of North Orange County, California (GSNOCC)
https://www.gsnocc.org/seminar.html
Join GSNOCC on Sat., July 30, 2022, from 9:00 am – 3:30 pm (PDT) for our annual VIRTUAL (on Zoom) seminar! Featured speaker, Rhonda R. McClure (Senior Genealogist, New England Historic Genealogical Society), will present four fascinating topics throughout the day-long event:
• Using Major Genealogical Websites in Your Family History Research
• Using Your Computer for Genealogical Analysis
• Using Google in Family History Research
• Mining the Treasures in Newspapers
Plus, chances to win prizes, play genealogical games, and more! The first 25 people to register will be entered into an additional drawing for a gift worth $25!
To register, please visit https://www.gsnocc.org/seminar.html
($20 members/$30 non-members. Deadline to register is July 27, 2022.)
This Calendar is sponsored by Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter.
This page was last updated 16 May 2023 20:54.
