DALLAS GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

Cedar Hill Genealogy Society Monthly Program
2023-01-12 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | Zula B. Wylie Public Library, 225 Cedar Street, Cedar Hill, TX, 75104, United States
Topic: Help with your Family History or Getting Started

If you are interested in discovering your family’s history and don’t know where to start or have been at it a while and are stumped by an ancestor who doesn’t want to be found — We can help. Bring your family information on paper, laptop or flash drive to our meeting and a volunteer will work with you. Don’t have anything at all? We’ll give you a free USB memory stick containing the CHGS starter kit, and help you start filling it.

DPL: Intro to Genealogy
2023-01-14 13:00 - 15:30 | 8th Floor – Genealogy Section, J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
If you’ve never taken the plunge to look into your family history, this program will help you know how to get started. Expert genealogists Barbara Coakley and Patti Huff Smith will take you back to the very beginning with step-by-step instructions on how to get started researching YOUR family’s history. Learn how to set reasonable goals for your research, how to create an online tree and how to navigate popular genealogical websites.

After the program, volunteers are available to assist beginning researchers on library computers.

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DPL: Using the HistoryMakers Digital Archive for Genealogy
2023-01-24 14:00 - 15:00 | 8th Floor – Genealogy Section, J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
Virtual and in-person!

The HistoryMakers is the nation’s largest African American video oral history archive and features biographies and video interviews with over 2,500 notable African American history makers. Join Genealogy & History Manager Stephanie Bennett as we explore the database and learn how to use this important African American history resource for genealogy research.

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DPL: Introducing ProQuest’s African American Heritage
2023-02-07 14:00 - 15:00 | 8th Floor – Genealogy Section, J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
Virtual and in-person!

ProQuest® African American Heritage is a groundbreaking digital resource exclusively devoted to African American family history research. New at Dallas Public Library this year, get a guided tour of the database and learn how it connects you with records critical to African American family research AND a community of research experts, whose mentoring and assistance might make all the difference to your genealogy research.

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Mesquite Historical & Genealogical Society Meeting
2023-02-09 18:30 - 20:00 | Virtual Event
Online

Register to Attend Online

Speaker: Kelvin Meyers

Topic: How Great Thou Art! How Great They Are! Church Records
Underused and underutilized, this vast group of records can be a challenge to the “un-churched”. Determining the denomination, in which your ancestor was a part, can be the biggest challenge. The second challenge is to find those records. With these two things accomplished, many genealogical questions can be answered.
The meeting begins at 7:00: The bridge will available at 6:30.
Register in advance for this meeting.

Cedar Hill Genealogy Society Monthly Program
2023-02-09 18:30 - 20:30 | Zula B. Wylie Public Library, 225 Cedar Street, Cedar Hill, TX, 75104, United States
Topic: African American Research

Presenter: Lela Evans Lela will show us how to get started researching your African American ancestors; including: the differences in African American records — enslaved vs free; how laws affected records and more. She will show us how to find slave records and slave owners names and will present a case study

DPL: Intro to DNA
2023-02-11 13:00 - 14:30 | 8th Floor – Genealogy Section, J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
In-Person Only

Discover the Power of DNA! This introduction to DNA with Genealogy Expert Patti Huff Smith includes learning about what type of DNA tests are available and why DNA testing can accelerate traditional genealogy research. Once DNA results arrive an ethnicity breakout, a DNA match list and more are provided. This information can send you on a fantastic new journey of discovery into your own family’s history.

If you’ve already tested your DNA and need help, bring access to your DNA results so that volunteers can help you understand your results on library computers! This event is in-person only.

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DPL: Beginning African American Genealogy
2023-02-21 14:00 - 15:00 | 8th Floor – Genealogy Section, J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
Virtual and in-person!

Are you unsure how to start researching your African American ancestry? Genealogy Specialist Ari Wilkins will help you get started! Learn about the basic steps in starting African American research, genealogical resources and strategies.

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RootsTech 2023
2023-03-01 00:00 - 2023-03-04 23:59 | Salt Palace Convention Center, 100 South West Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84101, United States
“RootsTech is a family history and technology conference and trade show held annually in the Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2017 it claimed to be the world’s largest family-history technology conference. It is the successor to three former conferences: the Conference on Computerized Family History and Genealogy, the Family History Technology Workshop and the FamilySearch Developers Conference. Over the years, RootsTech has welcomed a number of celebrities, television personalities, and actors as keynote speakers.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RootsTech

Grand Prairie Gen Soc Monthly Meeting
2023-03-02 18:30 - 20:30 | Grand Prarie Memorial Library, 901 Conover Drive, Grand Prarie, TX, 75051, United States
Online

In Person

Speaker: Jim Thornhill
Topic Description: Digging Deeper into the U.S. Census
Jim Thornhill has been researching his family’s history for 20 years, five of those as a professional genealogist. Jim is chief researcher for Heroes of the Past, a company that seeks to delight clients, provide context in our ancestor’s lives, and show how we all have Heroes in our Pasts.
Jim is a graduate of the ProGen professional genealogy course, the Genealogy Proof course, Texas Institute for Genealogical Research and was awarded the Birdie Monk Holsclaw Scholarship to the Institute for Genealogical and Historical Research in Athens Georgia. Jim has written articles for the Dallas Genealogical Society’s e-news and Stirpes, the Journal of the Texas State Genealogical Society. Jim is an active member in the Texas State Genealogical Society and the Dallas Genealogical Society, where he serves as President. Jim is a native Texan who has been living in the Dallas area his entire life and has roots in pre-civil war Texas and Mississippi.
There will be a Meet and Greet at 6:30 pm with the program beginning at 7:00 pm. There will be no refreshments and masks are optional.

To register, please send an email to info@gpgstx.org

DPL: Introducing Heritage Hub
2023-03-07 14:00 - 15:00 | 8th Floor – Genealogy Section, J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
Virtual and in-person!

New to Dallas Public Library, Heritage Hub allows you to explore your family history with the premier collection of U.S. obituaries and death notices for in-depth genealogical research. Delve into this new genealogy database and other updated newspaper and online news resources available from Newsbank.

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Collin County Genealogy Meeting
2023-03-08 18:00 - 20:00 | Virtual Event
Speaker: Tim Gieringer

Topic: Researching with Newspapers on the Portal to Texas History and Related Resources

Zoom Only

This will be an overview of the newspapers available for genealogical research on the Portal to Texas History along with a demonstration of how to use them. As well as a look at newspapers on the Gateway to Oklahoma History and Chronicling America. Tim will also cover other valuable resources for researchers at the Portal.

Register in advance for the November 9th meeting.

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Speaker: Tim Gieringer has worked as the Metadata Coordinator for the Portal to Texas History’s Texas Digital Newspaper Program since 2014 and also contributes metadata work to the Oklahoma Digital Newspaper Program. Beginning in November 2022 he became UNT Library’s project coordinator for their National Digital Newspaper Program grant in collaboration with the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities. He has a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Marquette University and a Master’s in Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh. In addition to working for the Portal, he also enjoys utilizing it in his spare time for family and local history research.

Denton County Genealogical Society Meeting
2023-03-09 18:30 - 20:00 | Emily Fowler Central Library, 502 Oakland Street, Denton, TX, 76201, United States
Presenter: Brian Rhinehart

Topic: I Have a Civil War Ancestor… Now What?

Civil War soldiers often left a rich genealogical paper trail. Many of these records are tucked away at the National Archives in Washington DC. Brian Rhinehart will give a virtual presentation about what records are available for your ancestors at the National Archives, what records are online already, and how to access all of them, at the Denton County Genealogical Society’s meeting on Thursday, March 9, 2023. Records from the Civil War may unlock some of the family stories that have been forgotten over time, as well as break down a brick wall or two!

Brian Rhinehart is a professional genealogist and speaker and is the owner of CivilWarRecords.com. He is a graduate of Boston University’s Certificate of Genealogy Research, and his work has been featured in the PBS television show “Finding Your Roots.” A direct descendant of six Civil War soldiers, Brian specializes in research and record retrieval for Civil War and War of 1812 soldiers at the National Archives in Washington DC and has retrieved military files for hundreds of clients there.

Social time begins at 6:30pm with the program beginning at 7:00pm.

More Info

Cedar Hill Genealogy Society Monthly Program
2023-03-09 18:30 - 20:30 | Zula B. Wylie Public Library, 225 Cedar Street, Cedar Hill, TX, 75104, United States
Topic: Family History Workshop Do you want to know your family’s history? Don’t know how to start your family history? Do you have an ancestor who doesn’t want to be found? Do you have confusing information about an ancestor.

DPL: Genealogy for Children & Families
2023-03-11 10:30 - 12:30 | 8th Floor – Genealogy Section, J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
In-person Only

Children, ages 8-12, will learn the basic tools to begin their own genealogy research in this exciting interactive workshop. This hands-on program provides an opportunity to start a family tree, understand basic genealogy terms and leave with a plan to continue learning about their family history. Participants will discover the type of records and documents they can locate. Siblings are welcome with adult supervision.

Requirements: Each child must be accompanied by one parent or guardian. Each participant should bring one or more photographs of a grandparent or relative from an older generation.No Registration Required.

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Sponsored by the Dallas Genealogical Society.

HOGAR de Dallas Quarterly Meeting
2023-03-11 14:00 - 16:00 | Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak, Dallas, TX, 75204, United States
Speakers: Sylvia Valle, Retired Educator & Counselor and Kay Moore, Friends of Garland’s Historic Magic 11th Street

Topic: Manuel and Maria Valle – First Hispanic Family of Garland

Manuel and Maria Valle are Garland’s first Hispanic family. The Valle’s had eight children, all graduates of Garland High School, including Manuel, Juaquin, Guadalupe, Jesus, Jose, Eugenia, Pascual, and Luis. Pascual at age 91 years is the sole survivor of the eight children. Pascual’s wife, Sylvia Valle, a retired educator and counselor, will share the Valle family story and legacy.

Kay Moore with Friends of Garland’s Historic Magic 11th Street will also speak on her organization’s role in securing approval from the Texas Historical Commission for a Texas Historical Marker that honors Garland’s Manuel and Maria Valle Family as the city’s original Hispanic family that arrived in 1928 and blazed trails for today’s growing Hispanic population in Garland.

DPL: Settlement of the Gulf Coast
2023-03-21 14:00 - 15:00 | 8th Floor – Genealogy Section, J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
Virtual and in-person!

While most history classes cover the original settlement of the United States Northeast coast, not many cover the settlement of the gulf coast in the south. In this presentation, Genealogy Specialist Mic Barnette will provide a historical timeline for the settlement of the gulf coast in the United States. Understanding settlement trends and migration patterns will help you better understand the lives of your ancestors who originally settled along the gulf coast area.

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Arlington Family History Seminar
2023-03-25 08:00 - 15:00 | Arlington Texas Stake Center, 3809 Curt Drive, Arlington, Texas
The Arlington Family History Center is resuming the Annual Seminar! This seminar provides several lessons and help for beginners to advanced researchers.
More Info

Van Zandt County - 175th Birthday
2023-03-25 14:00 - 16:00 | TX
Van Zandt County will soon be 175 years old. The Van Zandt County Genealogical Society, in partnership with other local history groups, will hold a birthday party for the county on Saturday, March 25, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., at the Blackwell House Museum and the main County Library (next door) 317 First Monday Lane, in Canton. The celebration is open to the public and free. Tours of the museum will be provided, and there will be opportunities to learn about some of the early settlers of the county. Refreshments will be served.

The Texas State Legislature passed a law creating Van Zandt County on March 20, 1848. The new county was named after Isaac Van Zandt (1813-1847), a country store owner who became a legislator and diplomat for the Texas Republic; his greatest achievement was to help ensure that Texas joined the United States. Van Zandt died of yellow fever in 1847 while campaigning to be Governor. Although Van Zandt never lived in his namesake place, the creation of the county was a testament to the gratitude of legislators for his service to Texas during his short life.

The March 25 birthday celebration will honor the county and the pioneers who made East Texas succeed. A highlight will be the celebration of the life of Elvira Engledow, an early settler of Van Zandt County and a Citizen of the Republic of Texas. Many organizations, such as the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and the Van Zandt County Historical Commission, will join with the Genealogical Society in this event. The hosts will be wearing their 1800s pioneer clothes, and the public is encouraged to do so. Come join the fun, learn some history, have some birthday cake! Remember, the party will be happening at both the Blackwell House and next door at the main county library in Canton, Texas.

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DPL: Finding Our Scottish Immigrant’s Home with American Documents
2023-04-04 14:00 - 16:00 | 8th Floor – Genealogy Section, J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
In-person & Virtual Event

Genealogy Expert Patti Gillespie, owner of Family Lines and Stories, will help genealogy researchers better understand how to locate their ancestor’s Scottish origins. She will present on one of her family’s ancestors – Robert Gillespie, husband, father, and miner who emigrated to the United States in 1869; he never became a United States citizen. Without naturalization information, it becomes more difficult to find the birthplace of the émigré before 1900. This presentation concentrates on looking for other sources and sites to find Robert’s hometown.

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Grand Prairie Gen Soc Monthly Meeting
2023-04-06 18:30 - 20:30 | Grand Prarie Memorial Library, 901 Conover Drive, Grand Prarie, TX, 75051, United States
In-person & Virtual Event

Speaker: Patti Huff Smith

Topic: Introduction to DNA

There will be a Meet and Greet at 6:30 pm with the program beginning at 7:00 pm. Masks are optional.

If you are planning to request a link to the Virtual or Zoom Meeting, please do so as soon as possible so that the link can be given to each person in a timely manner.

To register, please send an email to info@gpgstx.org

About the Speaker: Patti is the Director of Education for the Dallas Genealogical Society and holds her membership there. She is also a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, National Genealogy Society, Texas State Genealogical Society and several counties in Texas where her roots run deep.

Patti has pursued her passion for genealogy and family research since 2013.

Denton County Genealogical Society Meeting
2023-04-13 18:30 - 20:00 | Emily Fowler Central Library, 502 Oakland Street, Denton, TX, 76201, United States
Presenter: Bill Buckner

Topic: The 1890 Census Substitutes: Bridging the Gap (created by Buckner & Hannah Kubacak)

Learn gap-busting strategies such as using census substitutes, reconstructions and other enumerations. Learn which clues from familiar records can help you gain knowledge about your ancestors and bridge the gap.

Social time begins at 6:30pm with the program beginning at 7:00pm.

http://genealogydentontexas.org

About Bill

Genealogy supervisor of the Genealogy Center of the Waco-McLennan County Library for the past 24 years, Bill is committed to furthering information access, and the pursuit and sharing of knowledge. He initiated and co-hosts with the Central Texas Genealogical Society (CTGS) the popular annual Statewide Genealogy Lock-in. He also leads the McLennan County Cemetery Interest Group (MCCIG) to identify and inventory McLennan County cemeteries.

Bill has been a valued Texas State Genealogical Society volunteer for over a decade, serving as the TxSGS District 12/District H representative since 2009; TxSGS book awards committee member since 2009, and its chair since 2010; and the TxSGS awards chair since 2014. He was named a 2021 Texas State Genealogical Society Fellow. He holds a BS from Southwestern University, and a MS in library science from UNT. Bill is a fourth-generation Texan and lives in Temple with his family.

Cedar Hill Genealogy Society Monthly Program
2023-04-13 18:30 - 20:30 | Zula B. Wylie Public Library, 225 Cedar Street, Cedar Hill, TX, 75104, United States
Topic: Finding Your Roots – Vital Records

Presenter: Dave Klauck

Vital records, or vital statistics, are the official record of dates and details of births, marriage and death — BMD. They are also loaded with other genealogical data.

Dave will show us examples of what the records look like, what’s in them, and where to find them. We’ll also see what data may be flawed and how to spot it,

Dave is a member of the Cedar Hill Genealogy Society and has been an avid genealogist for over 25 years.

Our Meeting begins at 7:00 Thursday, April 13th but please join us at 6:30 PM for socializing and snacks. Admission is free and guests are always welcome.

Family Research Half-day Workshop
2023-04-15 14:00 - 17:00 | TX
Learn how to discover your family’s history! Come to a free family research workshop on Saturday, April 15, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., at the Main County Library in Canton. The class, presented by the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society, features Donna Toups, researcher and librarian at the Wills Point LDS Family History Center. Beginner researchers are the focus of the class, but it will also give information of vital importance to advanced genealogists. Refreshments will be served, and attendees don’t have to be a member of the Genealogical Society to attend.

Donna Toups has taught Genealogical Society classes in the past, and has charmed and informed students by focusing on the sheer fun of family research. Bring your laptop and smartphone if you have them; the workshop will include computer research and the old-fashioned, non electronic kind. It will also offer attendees the chance to share stories with other researchers, and to get specific tips from Ms. Toups.

There has never been a better time to get involved in genealogy, or to sharpen your skills if you’ve already started. The Van Zandt County Genealogical Society hopes the April 15 workshop will help inspire researchers, both young and old, new and experienced.

DPL: How the Weather Affected Your Ancestor
2023-04-18 14:00 - 15:00 | 8th Floor – Genealogy Section, J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
In-person & Virtual Event

Earthquakes! Tornadoes! Hurricanes! Droughts! Throughout history, weather has impacted the lives of our ancestors and caused disease, death, migration and property loss. Genealogy Specialist Ari Wilkins will present on how to use weather events described in newspapers to document the social history of your ancestors.

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Fort Worth Genealogical Society
2023-04-25 17:00 - 19:00 | Fort Worth History Center, 501 E. Bolt St., Fort Worth, Texas, 76110, United States
Topic: ADOPTION RESEARCH

Speaker: JANICE BLAKELY

Do you have adopted relatives wanting to trace their biological parentage? Are you uncertain how to trace their lines for them. There are SEARCH ANGELS out there who help with this. Often the answer is DNA. Please come hear Janice tell you her own advice gleaned through her own experiences with adoption research and family ties.

DNA Workshop
2023-04-29 09:00 - 14:30 | TX
DNA WorkshopBetween the Lines: What your ancestors didn’t tell you!Understanding and making the most of your DNA results.

Speaker: Patti Huff Smith, Dallas Genealogical Society Vice President

Using DNA in your genealogy research

Autosomal (atDNA) & yDNA testing

Understanding DNA Match comparison

A case study from 1818

And more!

Fort Worth Botanic Garden3220 Botanic Garden BlvdFort Worth, TX 76107

Register by April 21 Cost: $30

Make checks payable to:Fort Worth Chapter NSDARChristean Jenkins, Treasurer4817 Weyland DriveHurst, TX 76053

DPL: The Garsole in 20th Century Texas Mexican Dress and Culture
2023-05-02 14:00 - 15:00 | 8th Floor – Genealogy Section, J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
In-person & Virtual Event

Lacking many formal records about her family, Genealogy Librarian Kat started learning about her ancestors by studying the culture and customs of the places they came from — like the foods they ate, the plants they used, and what clothes they wore. In this presentation, Kat will share information on what she learned about her great great grandmother and the clothes she might have worn while working in 20th century cotton fields in Texas. Learn about what life in Texas might have been like in the mid-20th century for your female ancestor, and how you can use your ancestor’s social history to better connect with your family’s past.

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Arlington Genealogical Society
2023-05-09 18:30 - 20:00 | Arlington Public Library, 100 South Center Street, Arlington, TX, 76010, United States
Speaker: Emily Richardson (remote speaking)

Topic: Changing Your Mindset to Breakdown Your Genealogical Wall

Collin County Genealogy Meeting
2023-05-10 18:00 - 20:00 | Virtual Event
Speaker: Tony Hanson

Topic: Why Finding Atlantic Shipping Records Is Challenging

Zoom Only

Between 1500 and 1914 approximately 40 million people crossed the Atlantic and settled in the United States, and another 5 million settled, at least initially, in Canada. Finding records for these emigrants can be challenging and frustrating. This presentation will provide attendees with an understanding of how emigrants traveled to North America during this time-frame, an overview of the records that documented their journeys and a strategy for locating available records.

Register in advance for the meeting.

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