Whether your ancestors lived in New England in the 17th century or the 21st century, this presentation will give you the basic information to begin—and advance—your research into New England records. In preparation for the release of the Sixth Edition of Genealogist’s Handbook for New England Research, this presentation will give you the basic historical context, general organization of records, go-to resources, and unique strategies that will give you a good foundation to succeed in tracing your New England ancestors. NOTE: New England includes the present-day states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Beyond the all-important passenger list, immigration to America resulted in the creation of several other records. This presentation will demonstrate how to utilize several records, including: passports (both those from the origin nation and those later applied for by naturalized US citizens), border crossings, C-Files (naturalization certificates, 1906-1956), AR-2 Files (Alien Registration Forms, 1940-1944), WWI Alien Registrations (1918, gathered by each state), Visa Files (1924-1944), A-Files (1944-1951), and the Arolsen Archive database, which documents European refugee arrivals following Nazi persecution. 

Throughout history, there are individuals who find it difficult to live within the rules of a society, often turning to criminal, illegal activities. While some criminals can skirt the law, more often they are caught, leaving a paper trail documenting their activities, whereabouts, and other valuable information that can be used in tracing family history. We will provide an overview of key resources that can be used to research the criminals in your own family tree, including newspapers, jail registers, prison records, court records, and more.

With the influx of immigrants to America in the 20th century, many immigrant aid societies were created to assist new arrivals with job placement, medical support, finding lost family, and generally get them acclimated to life in America. Some of these organizations include Traveler’s Aid Society, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), Charitable Irish Society of Boston, the Irish Emigrant Society of New York, St. Raphael’s Society, and many others. The records and case files kept by each society can offer a detailed look into the life of your ancestor. This session will provide a brief history of the immigrant aid society movement in America, how they operated, what information can be found in records, and how to locate them. 

Following the Acadian Expulsion from Nova Scotia, an estimated 2,000 families from New England settled Nova Scotia (and parts of what is today New Brunswick) between 1759 and 1768. Largely farmers and fishermen, these Planters marked the first large-scale migration of English-speaking settlers to Canada who had not come directly from England. This webinar will discuss the historical context of the migration and point you to several published and primary resources that can help you trace your New England Planter roots.

This lecture, suitable for beginners in Irish research, starts by having the Family Historian clarify what is being looked for and creating a plan for research. Next, an overview of Irish records is presented, followed by an identification of “Go-To” resources.  

This lecture will provide tools for organizing your findings to help you interpret genealogical results, see patterns, and come to sound conclusions. In addition to tools for understanding your results, we will discuss how to compile a proof argument that organizes sometimes disparate findings into an easy-to-follow solution. 

Why should you pay attention to your ancestor's occupation? Are you merely filling in the details of a life or looking for an essential clue to break down a brick wall? Each of our ancestors is unique however figuring out what makes them unique can be challenging. Finding your ancestor's occupation may help distinguish your Ebenezer Smith from other Ebenezer Smiths, particularly if your ancestors occupation was something other than farmer or laborer. This lecture helps you identify sources that reveal the occupation of your ancestor as well as helping you use that information to advance your family history research. 

Hit a brick wall in your research? Want to connect with distant relatives? Interested in sharing your research or DNA results with others? Learn how to leverage online communities, social media, and other online tools to advance your understanding of your ancestors and make connections with family and genealogists worldwide.