DIGITAL ORGANIZATION PRESENTATION COMING UP APRIL 12 - How to Register

 

I will be presenting How to Organize Your Digital Files.

Whether it's a vital record, land record, newspaper article or family heirloom, you should not have to look all over your computer to find it.

Saturday, April 12, 2025, 9 a.m. PDT, 10 a.m. MDT, 11 a.m. CDT and 12 noon EDT

This presentation will be put on by the San Diego Genealogical Society. You do not have to be a member to attend. This will be online via Zoom.

REGISTRATION is FREE and OPEN TO ALL

Here is the link https://www.casdgs.org/event-6104668

I look forward to seeing you there.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2025   Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

My First Webinar Presentation happened last Saturday ~ Thank you to my co-presenter Debby Warner Anderson and the San Diego Genealogical Society

What fun.  I am honored to have been asked by the San Diego Genealogical Society to prepare a presentation about the Mayflower Society.  They asked my good friend and fellow blogger Debby Warner Anderson and I if we would prepare a presentation together about our experiences in applying for and joining the Mayflower Society  

What could be better than working with a good friend?  Debby and I have presented together one other time, on a much smaller scale.  

The presentation took place last Saturday, July 11 at 10 a.m. pacific time.  Since our society isn’t meeting in person right now, we presented via Zoom. 

I have attended webinars and church services via Zoom, but never been a presenter using this venue.  I’ve done quite a few classes in person, so this was a new experience.  However, since Debby has had to use Zoom for her work, she was quite comfortable with it.  (Side note – she retired on July 1st – Congratuations to her!)

The topic for our presentation was:

The Mayflower Society

Have you ever wondered what the Mayflower Society is all about?  How to find your Mayflower passenger ancestor, the application process, the events, the costumes?  This presentation will take you on our journeys as we researched, applied and hoped to become members of this unique group of men and women in order to help preserve their heritage and history.

We received a lot of positive feedback.  The attendees asked some very good questions.

Debby and I had a great time working together.  I hope we’ll be invited to speak again on this subject, perhaps by another genealogy society.

I am not able to put a link to our presentation here on my blog.  It is in the members only section of the San Diego Genealogical Society's website.

Here though, is a list of the resources that Debby and I included with our presentation.  The links won't be live, but you could download this list and enter the links manually.  Usually sites pop up pretty quickly without you having to type the entire URL.

Here is a link to upcoming presentations sponsored by SDGS. There are some good ones coming up.  All are free and most are for anyone, whether a member or not.

Here’s the link to the calendar page SDGS upcoming events 

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2020   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

MAYFLOWER SOCIETY –Episode 5–An update on my application process and a link to a presentation

I wrote my last post about my journey to join the Mayflower Society, in December 2019.  I thought I would give you a quick update.

If you want to read my previous posts about my journey to join the society please click here Mayflower Society

My completed application package was mailed on 27 Jan 2020.  The approval process in Plymouth is said to take 3-5 months in normal situations.  One thing we can say about 2020, it hasn’t been normal. 

The process for everything can be delayed in these unusual times we are living in.  Reviewing and approving society applications is no different.  It’s been over 6 months now and I still have no word. 

However, I completely understand.  I have heard that they are known to be up to applications that were submitted in December 2019.  Mine can’t be too far behind, since it should have arrived in Plymouth the last days of January or first days of February.

I’d like to say I’m waiting patiently…………but, I’m pretty much checking my mail all the time to see if there is an envelope from the Mayflower Society.  I even have our mail lady (who’s the best ever) on the lookout.  Our boxes are 3 miles from our house so we don’t check the mail each day.  She says she’ll text me if she sees anything from the Mayflower Society. 

I continue to be hopeful that I will hear back soon.

In the meantime, my friend and fellow blogger Debby Warner Anderson (Debby’s Family Genealogy Blog) and I are co presenting to the San Diego Genealogical Society this Saturday, July 11th at 10 a.m. via Zoom.  Our topic ~ How to Find Your Mayflower Passenger Ancestor.  This presentation is open to all, so if you’d like to register to attend, here is the link https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TCv4jvm1RyWqedWT42mZ-A 

You’ll be among the first to know, when I get that envelope in the mail.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2020   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

SEMINARS ~ A Day with Warren Bittner at the San Diego Genealogical Society

Warren Bittner, C.G.

There are many reasons to join a genealogy society.  Attending seminars and classes ranks high on that list.  To read more about why I believe it is important to belong to and support our genealogical societies read this post SEMINARS, WEBINARS, SOCIETIES–WILL THEY HELP YOUR RESEARCH?

Yesterday I attended our annual January seminar.  The San Diego Genealogical Society has been putting on twice a year seminars for, at least, the 10 years I’ve been a member.

 

Here’s the thing about classes or seminars.  Even though you may think the subject matter is not of interest, or not pertinent to your own research, you will ALWAYS learn something of value.

This seminar was the perfect example.  The subject was all about researching in German records.  I only have ONE line that is German.  At least so far.  That would be my 7th great grandparents Johannes WUNDERLICH and Anna Barbara DENSLER.  Read more about my Wunderlich family Family History Library Trip - Day 2 - A Red Letter Day! or Surname Saturday - Wunderlich - Johannes (1700-1760) my 7th great grandfather 

Here’s what I learned and why it’s of value and can be applied to other regions of the world.

Session 1 – Meyer’s Gazetteer:  Gateway to Germany 1871-1918

• This Gazetteer lists all towns in Germany as they existed in 1910
• You can find population data, political jurisdictions, transportations and communication information and whether the towns included “dependent” villages.

Mr. Bittner explained in excellent detail how to use this information and helped us to understand the various German words.  Decipher the colons and semi colons and break down all the great information included in this resource.

Here’s a new website that can help you get started.  And…the good news, all the levels of jurisdiction are given in English https://www.meyersgaz.com

WHY WOULD THIS INFORMATION BE OF VALUE IF I DON’T HAVE GERMAN ANCESTORS?

• Because Gazetteers can be found in many countries, including the United States – we learn the value of one, we are learning the value of all of them.  Certainly an underused resource in my genealogy journey.

Session 2 – German Maps and Territories (You can’t do research without them)

• An overview of German boundary changes – And let me tell you there have been plenty.  How do they affect your research?
• Techniques to find where any village would be on a map, even the very small villages.
• How to find a Nobility Region of a town
• And, Mr. Bittner gave us a list of 10 sources for locating Maps & Territorial Histories.

Session 3 – German Marriage Laws and Customs

This was the after lunch session.  You know, that time when all of us are full and perhaps a little sleepy.  Let me tell you.  There was no sleeping during any of the sessions as Mr. Bittner kept us all intrigued and interested.I’ll condense this session as follows: 

• There were so many forces that had input into whether a couple was allowed to marry, it was incredible!  I never suspected there could be so many outside sources that would influence a couple’s right to marry.

Here are examples of some of them:

Noblemen, Parents, Church, Town or Village, Courts, Craft Guilds and Territorial States 

And a big influence was your “place” in the particular town or village.  A couple was supposed to marry within their own social class.  Weddings went on for as long as 3 days, with engagements, posting of banns, exchange of vows, feasts, a procession of the bride’s dowry, the “bedding” event (not something that was the actual consummation of the marriage), the feasts and various other traditions.

The control and restrictions of marriages went on until 1918 with the end of the second empire.  Just think.  Until just over 100 years ago, a couple could not decide for themselves to get married.

• We also learned that there are dozens of places you can find marriage records.  Not always in churches or courts. 

Another subject that was discussed was the many illegitimate births that were common place.  Is it any wonder that many of us are discovering that our DNA tests are leading us to unexpected turns in our family trees?

Session 4 – The Fisherman Who Wanted to Marry the Executioner’s Daughter

This was a true story.  The Fisherman was in a class above the Executioner’s daughter and everyone from parents to the Fisherman’s Guild, the courts and the Town Council objected to this union.  They were finally allowed to marry, but only after both attempted suicide.

Warren Bittner, our SDGS President Diane Lott and me

In closing.  If you get a chance to hear Warren Bittner, C.G. speak, I would highly recommend you attend.  Whatever subject he may be speaking about, you will find him very knowledgeable, affable and entertaining.

I have an entirely new outlook now on what may have influenced my ancestors in their journey through life.  Whether or not they were in Germany or another part of Europe, Canada or even here in the U.S. I know I can be a better researcher with this information.

I’d love to hear about the classes, seminars, conferences or webinars you’ve attended or watched that have changed or influenced your research strategies.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2020   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

TAX & ESTATE RECORDS ~ What I learned at a seminar featuring Michael Lacopo

San Diego Genealogical Society

Guest Speaker: Michael Lacopo, D.V.M.

Session 1: More than the Census-Our Families did exist within those ten-year intervals

Session 2: Using Tax Records for Genealogical Problem Solving

Session 3:  Estate Files: Are you getting the most out of them?

Session 4: The German Immigrant experience in the 18^th Century

It’s always fun to attend classes, seminars and conferences.  In a dozen plus years, I’ve never attended one and walked away without more knowledge than I started with.  In addition to learning how to do research by actually doing it, and watching various webinars, I cannot say enough about attending seminars and conferences.

I wrote a blog post about this subject in 2014 and what I said still holds true today.

You can read it here SEMINARS, WEBINARS, SOCIETIES–WILL THEY HELP YOUR RESEARCH?

The San Diego Genealogical Society will be celebrating it’s 72nd year next month.  It’s still very active and up to date. Please visit our web page here San Diego Genealogical Society.

Our speaker yesterday was Michael Lacopo.  He has an impressive resume and once you attend one of his classes, you’ll want to hear him speak again. When I attended a class back in 2016 at Jamboree, I couldn’t wait for another opportunity to hear him lecture.  He’s knowledgeable, easy to understand and has a great sense of humor.

Here are some of the highlights from the seminar:

Session 1 – make sure you are paying attention to where your ancestors went during those 10 year intervals between U.S. censuses.  Michael pointed out, using real examples, the surprising movements that could occur during those intervals.  We all know that, contrary to what me might have been told, our ancestors didn’t always stay put.  There are many resources you can use to obtain information between censuses: tax records, land records, probate records, church records, voter and poll records and newspapers are just a few. 

Session 2 – Tax Records – I learned a lot during this session.  I’ve used tax records before, but not often.  And, I never understood the real value of them until Michael explained it.  I can’t possibly cover, nor do I want to duplicate, what Michael told us.  It is after all his presentation.  Here’s what I realized though – from tax records you can determine what kind of property your ancestor owned and where.  This could lead to you finding probate and land records.  Who was taxed in the same location as your ancestor?  Are they related?  Did your ancestor’s property increase or decrease between taxations?  Take a look, you won’t regret it.  I’m doing just that today and I’ve already located quite a lot of information.

Session 3 – Estate Files – I expect that most of you have looked at estate files, probate records, wills etc.  BUT, are you like me and just look for the actual will among those papers?  I always kind of skipped over the administration papers, bond papers and something called a Vendue List (an auction list of the value of items). Who bought items at the auction?  Michael shared that if a buyer came from a county over or some other long distance, they were probably related.  Why was there still activity going on for a probate 15 years after someone died?  It could have been the executors weren’t doing their jobs.  If there was more than one auction of items, check those names.  Did the same name show up again and again?  Probably a relative.  I now realize I may have missed some extremely important clues to family connections.  I have vowed, as of today, to change my ways.  Michael recommended and so do I, that you use Cyndi’s List as a place to find more links to estate files.  I have a lot of work to do now that I know better what to be looking for.

Session 4 – German Immigrant Experience – This was a case study for one of Michael’s ancestors who came to America from Germany.  But, the things we learned can apply to any immigrant experience.  Learning more about what our ancestors went through, just to get here, makes us appreciate all the more, their sacrifices.

I’ve been busy today revisiting tax & estate records for my own ancestors and my approach is completely different.  Thank you Michael.

YOU MAY FIND THESE POSTS HELPFUL

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS ON LOCATING A PROBATE RECORD ON FAMILY SEARCH

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2018   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION