The Twentieth Century Wars: Military Records and Research
2023-09-23 09:25 - 16:30 (America/Chicago) | 1st Floor – Auditorium, J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
Join us for “The Twentieth Century Wars: Military Records and Research” featuring Michael Strauss. This will be a hybrid (in-person and virtual) event. Recording will be available to registered participants following the event.

MORE INFO

Spring Seminar
2024-04-13 09:25 - 15:25 | 1st Floor – Auditorium, J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
Going Beyond the Bare Bones: Reconstructing Your Ancestors’ Lives – Attendees will learn four ways to assemble information from frequently used genealogical sources to create biographies that will bring ancestors to life. Case studies will illustrate the options.

Building a Case with Scant Evidence – A case study demonstrates detecting, assembling, and interpreting scarce direct, indirect, and negative evidence and using it to prove negatives and correct entrenched errors.

Building a Credible Lineage, Despite Missing Information, Conflicting and Incorrect Records, and Undocumented Publications – A case study teaches how to establish credibility of undocumented genealogies, merge seemingly separate identities, remedy record errors, resolve conflicting evidence, and separate same-named men.

Solutions for Missing and Scarce Sources – Attendees will learn strategies for overcoming research barriers caused by lost or destroyed records, poor record-keeping, or a simple lack of records.

MORE INFO

Workshop: You Have Your Ancestry.com DNA Results: Now What?
2024-06-08 10:00 - 15:30 | 7th Floor – O’Hara Hall – J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
Nervous about taking a DNA Test? Confused about interpreting your DNA Results? Overwhelmed by the Ancetry.com website? This workshop is for you!

Summer Seminar
2024-07-27 09:25 - 15:40 | 1st Floor – Auditorium, J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
From Tulsa to Beyond: African American Genealogy in Oklahoma – Attendees will learn how to research the lives of their ancestors using tribal records (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee, and Seminole), federal records, newspapers, college/university collections, historical society records, and more! Smith’s understanding of these records will help those researching family trees to discover deep roots in the Sooner State.

Finding Isaac Rogers – Isaac Rogers was a well-known Cherokee Freedmen, U.S. Civil War veteran and Deputy Marshal, but who was he outside of those titles? This is the story of how traditional genealogy, oral history, and DNA collided to reveal his family origins, which include connections to Cherokee Nation leaders, stories of resilience during the Trail of Tears/forced removal, and the true story of life as people of African descent within an indigenous group.

Giving Them Their Glory: First Kansas/US Colored Troops 79th Regiment – Organized in August 1862, the First Kansas Colored Infantry was the first Black unit recruited in the North, the first to see and die in battle in the Civil War, made up of both free and enslaved men, including those from the Five Tribes, its exploits were legendary. Yet, the lives of its rank and file outside of their service were prolific and unsung.

Lost to Time, Unearthed by Access – Follow the journey of formerly enslaved families whose origins and life during enslavement were nearly forgotten but were revealed due to expanded access to records.

MORE INFO

Fall Seminar
2024-09-28 09:25 - 15:25 | TX
Blaine BettingerAutosomal Analysis: Tools for Finding Your Ancestors

Shared Matches and Genetic Networks – Shared matches and In Common With (ICW) are the most powerful tools that DNA testing companies provide. Together we will look at some of the ways to take advantage of these tools to work with our matches and break through brick walls.

Genetic Genealogy Year in Review – New tools, techniques, and tricks for genetic genealogists are always being created and developed. This lecture examines the very latest developments in the field and helps you understand how these new tools can be incorporated into your research.

Using DNA Painter to Map Your DNA – DNA Painter is an easy-to-use third-party tool that enables you to assign segments of DNA shared with cousins to a map of your chromosomes. Together we’ll look at this powerful new tool, and how you can use it in your research.

The Helen Marley Story – A case study identifying the mother of my adopted great- grandmother, born Helen Marley Johnson. Although no single record identifies her mother, indirect evidence and DNA testing makes the case.

MORE INFO

Spring Seminar
2025-03-15 09:30 - 15:30 | 1st Floor – Auditorium, J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
Presenters: The Ulster Historical Foundation, Fintan Mullan & Gillian Hunt

Topic: Honoring Your Shamrocks: Researching All Your Irish Ancestors

Sessions

Intro to Irish and Scots-Irish Family History Research

Using Land Records, Griffith’s Valuation, Tithe & Estate Records

Census Substitutes & Other Important Sources for the 18th & 19th Centuries

Emigration from the North of Ireland to North America

MORE INFO

REGISTER

Summer Seminar
2025-07-26 09:30 - 15:30 | 1st Floor – Auditorium, J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
Presenter: Colleen Robledo Greene, MLIS, FTxSGS

Topic: Somos Familia: Tracing Your Mexican Ancestors on Both Sides of the Border

Sessions

Foundational Concepts and Reference Tools for Mexican Genealogy

Working with Mexican Catholic Parish Records

Working with Mexican Civil Registrations

Essential U.S. Registration Records for Researching Your Mexican Ancestors

MORE INFO

REGISTER

Fall Seminar
2025-10-25 09:30 - 15:30 | 1st Floor – Auditorium, J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
Presenters: Kelli Jo Bergheimer

Topic: Strategies for DNA Breakthroughs

Topics:

Successful Sleuthing, Not Stalking, for DNA Matches

Ancestry Pro Tools: Increase Your DNA Analysis

The Power of Ancestry Clusters and Inferred Matching

The Tale of Two Grandfathers and an Adoption – Privacy and Ethical Concerns with DNA

Kelli 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.

MORE INFO

German Genealogy Essentials
2026-01-24 09:30 - 12:00 | TX
German Genealogy Essentials: From American Records to German Archives

Zoom Only

Mark your calendars for a German Genealogy Pre-Conference! This will help prepare you for our Spring Seminar with Michael D. Lacopo, D.V.M. presenting “German Genealogical Research Strategies.”

Tracing German ancestry requires more than just names and dates—it requires knowing where your ancestors lived and when records were created. In this two-session seminar, experienced researchers Barbara Coakley and Bernard Meisner will show you how to extract critical clues from U.S. records and how historical context can make the difference between success and frustration in German research. Gain tools, insights, and confidence for your German genealogy journey.

Cost: $15 – registered pre-conference participants will receive a $15 discount code for the March 28 Spring Seminar with Mike Lacopo.

REGISTER

MORE INFO

Barbara Coakley presents From U.S. Clues to German Roots: Using American Sources to Identify Your Ancestor’s Homeland – Research in Germany requires knowing the town and region where your Ancestor lived before immigrating to the U.S. We’ll discuss U.S.-based sources that may provide clues to an immigrant’s German origins.

Bernard Meisner present It Depends: How Awareness of German Political, Social, and Cultural Changes is Invaluable in Locating Your Ancestors’ Records – Time and place are particularly important in German genealogical research. Learn how knowledge of regional history will enable you to overcome challenges such as shifting borders, religious affiliations and record-keeping practices to determine what records may exist for your German ancestors and where they might be found.

Spring Seminar
2026-03-28 09:30 - 15:30 | 1st Floor – Auditorium, J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
Presenters: Michael D. Lacopo, D.V.M.

Topic: Mastering the Search: German Genealogical Research Strategies

Sessions:

Overcoming the Language Barrier in German Genealogy

German Genealogy on the Internet: Beyond the Basics

Finding and Using German Church Records

Telling Their Story: Adding Character to Your German-American Genealogical Narrative

MORE INFO

REGISTER

Summer Seminar featuring Craig R Scott
2026-07-25 09:30 - 15:30 | Dallas Public Library – J Eric Jonsson, 1515 Young Street, DALLAS, TX, 75218, United States
Our Speaker: Craig R Scott, MA, CG, FUGA

In recognition of our country’s 250th anniversary, we have invited Revolutionary War expert genealogist Craig R. Scott, CG, FUGA to come to Dallas and walk us down the paths we need to follow to find the details of our patriot ancestors’ service. Discover the impact the fight for American independence had on our forebears’ lives.

REGISTER

Sessions

A Revolutionary War Case Study: Begin with the Organizations – This case study will follow the course of one revolutionary soldier, that captures the experiences of most of our ancestors who served. It begins with the organization of military units in the Revolutionary War. The subsequent lectures in the seminar will each focus in depth on a different aspect of the American fight for independence.

Records created by the War – This lecture will examine types of service, compiled military service records, and where other documents can be found using a step-by-step methodology in a case study.

Records created after the War: Pensions – This lecture will explain the types of pensions, pension law, pension application files, pension ledgers, pension payment vouchers, last and final payments.

Records created after the War: Bounty Land – This lecture will cover the history of state and federal bounty land, French and Indian War bounty land during the Revolutionary War, bounty land acts, and the bounty land process. It will reveal the information to be found in Bureau of Land Management website relating to military bounty land.

Craig is an expert in Military Research and other National Archive records. He has been a professional genealogical and historical researcher for more than thirty-nine years. He is an entertaining and dynamic speaker and has often coordinated Military track programs for the premiere U.S. conferences, including IGHR, SLIG, and GRIP.

He has written seventeen books, and several articles in the NGSQ and other genealogical publications. He is the owner of Heritage Books Inc., a genealogical publishing firm with a catalog of more than 10,000 titles.

Fall Seminar featuring Diana Elder
2026-09-26 09:30 - 15:30 | Dallas Public Library – J Eric Jonsson, 1515 Young Street, DALLAS, TX, 75218, United States
Our Speaker: Diana Elder, AG, AGL

Topic: Genealogy Today: Using AI and DNA in Your Research

Watch this space for more information!
