DGS General Meeting
2025-11-01 11:00 - 12:30 (America/Chicago) | 7th Floor – O’Hara Hall – J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
In-person & Virtual Event

Speaker: Grace Horstmann

Topic: Sketching Your Ancestor’s Surroundings: 5 Easy Steps to Sharing Their Story

Have you ever written about an ancestor and felt like something was missing—even though you had the facts? We’ll explore how to bring genealogical writing to life by finding the right words to describe time, place, and atmosphere. We’ll look at how the five senses, regional language, and simple “story-building” questions can turn dates and names into vivid, memorable scenes. Whether you’re writing a family history book or just a single story, this talk will help you make the past feel close enough to touch.

Handouts: Sketching Your Ancestors, Family Story “From Plow to Paper”

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Grace Horstmann is a graduate of the National Genealogical Society’s Certificate Course in Advanced Genealogical Skills and has further honed her expertise through multiple writing courses at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. A genealogist, historical researcher, writer, graphic designer, and copy editor, she has devoted the past decade to the study and documentation of family history. Her specializations include Midwestern and French genealogy, with additional research experience in the Southeastern United States.

She is particularly skilled in the demanding work of navigating unindexed records, reviewing them page by page with precision and care to identify the correct individuals among countless similar names. Beyond the analytical process, her professional passion lies in interpreting and transforming those findings into compelling, narrative histories. These works are crafted with the dual aim of captivating readers and maintaining uncompromising factual accuracy. Every story she produces is grounded in rigorous documentation, yet written to convey the texture, complexity, and humanity of the past in a way that resonates with both genealogists and general audiences.

In addition to her own research and writing, Grace is committed to mentoring fellow genealogists who wish to bring their own family histories to life. She shares techniques for weaving together documentary evidence and narrative flow, ensuring that stories remain both engaging and historically faithful. Through her work, she strives to preserve the integrity of the historical record while making the experiences of past generations vivid, memorable, and relevant for the present.

DPL: Homespun and Calico: Researching the Lives of Our Foremothers
2025-11-05 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

Renowned genealogist Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG, FOGS, shines a light on the women who make up half of every pedigree chart, yet often leave behind only faint traces in the historical record. This lecture explores frequently overlooked sources and creative research strategies that can reveal the lives of our foremothers, illustrated with compelling case studies that bring their stories out of the shadows and into the heart of family history.

This program is brought to you in part by the Friends of the Dallas Public Library and General Levi Casey Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution.

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TxSGS Family History Conference
2025-11-07 08:00 - 2025-11-08 17:00
This virtual event includes TxSGS Live! on Friday and Saturday, plus an On-Demand program of pre-recorded sessions available for up to 90 days

German Genealogy Group
2025-11-08 10:30 - 12:00 | 6th Floor – TaiPei (Classroom D), J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
In-person and Virtual Event

Speaker: Robin McDonough, Outreach & Programming Coordinator-Emerson History & Genealogy Center, St. Louis County Library

Topic: Using Ortsfamilienbücher to Research German Ancestors

Ortsfamilienbücher contain genealogical information about families within a specific town, village, or parish, sometimes going back to the beginning of written records. Learn about the Emerson History & Genealogy Center’s large collection of these books and how to use them.

Robin has been researching her family’s history for over twenty-five years and enjoys helping others do the same. She is a former high school history teacher and has a Master’s degree in education.

The leaders of this group are Ann Broihier and Bernard Meisner. Contact: ggg@dallasgenealogy.org. Learn more about the German Genealogy Group

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Meeting ID: 867 5887 1312, Passcode: [REDACTED]

Collin County Genealogy Meeting
2025-11-12 18:00 - 20:30 | Haggard Library, 2501 Coit Road, Plano, TX, 75075, United States
In-person & Virtual Event

Speaker: Thomas MacEntee

Topic: Creating an Ancestor Sketch

Register in advance for the meeting.

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SOCIETY WEBSITE

TxSGS Society Leadership Forum
2025-11-13 09:30 - 15:30
The addition of the Society Leadership Forum in 2025 encourages speakers to consider offering programming ideas, marketing, communications and leadership concepts designated for the leaders of genealogical societies.

More information and Registration…

African American Genealogical Interest Group
2025-11-15 14:00 - 16:00, 2025-12-20 14:00 - 16:00, 2026-01-17 14:00 - 16:00 | 6th Floor – Classroom Brno (formerly Classroom B), J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
In-Person and Virtual Event

The group discusses use of variety of sources, including census research, reconstruction and Freedman Bureau records, NARA combined military records of the U.S. Colored Troops, Plantation Slave records, Slave schedules and other records.

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Meeting ID: 971 1676 5715

Cedar Hill Genealogy Society Monthly Program
2025-11-18 18:30 - 20:00
Genealogy Problem Solvers – Family History Workshop

Location: New Library: 450 Pioneer Trail in Cedar Hill (lower-level event room)

Have you hit a brick wall finding your family tree? Are you just starting the search for ancestors and don’t know how to start? Do you just want a refresher on family history research?

We’ll have experienced volunteers here to give you a hand. Please bring your family information with you — names, dates, places etc. — on paper, online family tree, on your computer, tablet or phone. The library has free access to Ancestry and other genealogy data bases and their WIFI is free and fast.

This event is made possible through our partnership with the Traphene Hickman Library. Admission is always free

DPL: Celebrate our Veterans - Military Records on Fold3
2025-11-19 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

Honor the service of our nation’s veterans while uncovering their stories through Fold3, a genealogy database available through the Dallas Public Library. This program will share successful research tips to help you make the most of Fold3, including how to browse collections, refine and customize search results, and even add your own stories and photos to honor those who served. Whether you’re tracing an ancestor’s military journey or preserving a veteran’s legacy, this session will show you how Fold3 can bring their history to life.

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DNA Special Interest Group
2025-11-20 18:00 - 19:30 | 6th Floor – TaiPei (Classroom D), J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
Virtual Event Only

Speaker: Jonny Perl

Topic: What are the Odds Video

When working with DNA for family history research, there are many scenarios where a “mystery match” will emerge. This person will share DNA with several people within a known tree, while their genealogical connection to the tree is not known. They could be someone with unknown or mistaken parentage, or simply an uncommunicative match. This webinar will show how “What are the Odds?” (WATO) can guide you towards answers to puzzles like these.

The DNA Special Interest Group explores the use of DNA as a genealogical tool. The goal is to help individuals understand and incorporate current DNA testing strategies and standards into their personal genealogy. Meeting are open to all.

Those interested in the DNA SIG may sign up for email meeting notification:

By requesting to be added to the SIG Mailing List at DNA@dallasgenealogy.org

By joining the “DGS DNA Interest Group” Project through their personal page on Family Tree DNA (the person must have tested and be in the Family Tree DNA database)

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Zoom Details: Meeting ID: 828 9186 6806 / Passcode: [REDACTED]

Best Practices SIG
2025-11-22 10:30 - 13:00 | 8th Floor – McDermott Room, J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
In-person Only

Topic: AI and FamilySearch Experimental Labs

The Best Practices SIG is for genealogists who want to learn advanced methodology skills and techniques. Liz will be leading our discussion on AI and FamilySearch Experimental Labs. We’ll be exploring the pros and cons and talking about how to make the most of these powerful tools to support our research.

“The only voice that documents have is the voice we give them.With every document we find, and every story we tell, we have a choice:We can take what we see at face value, report it devoid of context, and run the risk of misrepresenting the circumstances.Or we can seek the context we need to understand the record, the event, and the person.”

– Elizabeth Shown Mills

You can contact Liz Kutz, the SIG leader at bestpractices@dallasgenealogy.org.

Learn more about the Best Practices SIG.

Van Zandt County Monthly Meeting
2025-11-22 12:00 - 14:00
Potluck lunch and Show and Tell story time. Please bring your family memorabilia and share their story along with something for the Potluck.

Location: Van Zandt County Sarah Norman Library, 317 First Monday Lane, Canton

DGS General Meeting / 70th Anniversary
2025-12-06 11:00 - 12:30 | Auditorium, Preston Royal Branch Library, 5626 Royal Lane, Dallas, Texas, 75229, United States
In-person & Virtual Event

LocationContinuing our December tradition, we will meet at a branch library. This year, that will be at the Preston Royal branch.

Speaker: Sue Kaufman (remote speaker)

Topic: Then and Now: How Family History Research has Changed Over the Years

The Dallas Genealogical Society marks its 70th anniversary with “Then and Now: How Family History Has Changed Since 1955.” Guest speaker Sue Kaufman, Genealogy & Local History Librarian at the Peoria Public Library and former Manager of the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research, will trace the evolution of genealogy over the past seven decades. Centered on the themes of Society, Education, and Technology, the program highlights how DGS has supported researchers, embraced innovation, and fostered community while connecting people to their past.

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Jewish Special Interest Group
2025-12-08 10:30 - 12:00, 2026-01-12 10:30 - 12:00 | Jewish Community Center of Dallas, 7900 Northaven Road, Dallas, TX, 75230, United States
In-person

The Jewish Genealogical Interest Group’s mission is to assist anyone to research their actual (or suspected) Jewish ancestral lines. Learn about alternative genealogy research methods and records specifically geared to finding your Jewish ancestors.

The group will meet in the Boardroom.

DPL: Spanish Documents for Non-Spanish Speakers
2025-12-10 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

Professional genealogist Katy Bodenhorn, B.A. in Family History & Genealogy and former director at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, will equip researchers without Spanish fluency with practical tools to decode the wealth of information in Spanish-language records.

From civil registrations and church documents to immigration files, Katy will share strategies for tackling unfamiliar scripts and key terms, using translation aids, building word lists, analyzing context, and leveraging bilingual records. Her case-driven insights will help you move beyond literal translations to confidently interpret names, places, occupations, and relationships in both Latin American and U.S.-based collections.

This program is brought to you in part by the Friends of the Dallas Public Library and General Levi Casey Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution.

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Collin County Genealogy Meeting
2025-12-10 18:00 - 20:30 | Haggard Library, 2501 Coit Road, Plano, TX, 75075, United States
In-person & Virtual Event

Speaker: Mark Lowe

Topic: Let There Be Light: Using Church Related Periodicals *

* TxSGS Partner Society Webinar

Register in advance for the meeting.

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SOCIETY WEBSITE

HOGAR de Dallas Quarterly Meeting
2025-12-13 14:00 - 16:00
Speaker: Roberto Zuniga, AICP

Topic: ¡Viva Monterrey! Your Next Great Escape!

Location: Bath House Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther Drive, Dallas, TX 75218

This presentation provides a thorough introduction to Monterrey, a city in the northeastern part of Nuevo León, Mexico. It outlines the city’s history from its establishment in the late 16th century to its present-day position as one of the most vibrant industrial and economic hubs in Latin America. We will look into important historical events, how Monterey’s city layout has changed over time, and the social and economic factors that influenced its development. We will particularly focus on the city’s industrial growth, the development of its infrastructure, and how education, innovation, and entrepreneurship have contributed to its progress.

DGS General Meeting
2026-01-03 11:00 - 12:30 | 7th Floor – O’Hara Hall – J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
In-person & Virtual Event

Speaker: EvaAnne Johnson (Virtual)

Topic: Organizing Your Digital Genealogy Files

This presentation is about digital preservation for genealogists. EvaAnne talks about how digital archiving is different from backing up your digital files, and the essential steps for digital archiving.

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EvaAnne Johnson is a Genealogy and Local History Librarian with a passion for connecting people with their roots. She has been researching her own family history since 1998.

EvaAnne earned a Master of Library and Information Science (MS/LIS) degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and a Bachelor of Arts from Illinois College. She is on the Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board, and a Consultant at the Wilmette FamilySearch Center.

EvaAnne has presented at Wilmette Public Library, DeKalb County History Center, Glidden Homestead, Allen County Public Library, and at other organizations.

She also contributes to DeKalb County’s Cornsilk magazine and has written two locality guides.

German Genealogy Group
2026-01-10 10:30 - 12:00 | 6th Floor – TaiPei (Classroom D), J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
In-person and Virtual Event

Speaker: Baerbel K. Johnson, AG®

Topic: Using Historic Newspapers to Learn More About Your German Ancestor

Historic newspapers can be a boon for family historians. They may include notices of births, marriages, or deaths, property sales, inventions, business licenses requested, intentions to emigrate, and more. Your ancestor may be mentioned in a news article. Historical information, such as local events, grocery prices, and advertisements can help you understand your ancestors’ world. Join us and learn how to use this amazing resource to enrich your family history!

Baerbel K. Johnson, AG®, is a professional genealogist who specializes in finding German ancestors. She recently retired after 32 years of service as research specialist at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Baerbel holds degrees in Family and Local History Studies and Sociology from BYU and has many years of extensive experience in European family history research with emphasis on Germany. She has published several journal articles, contributed material for several books, and lectured at various conferences. Her personal interest is in “putting flesh on the genealogical skeleton” by placing each individual within a proper social and historical context.

Baerbel is a member of NGS, ICAPGen, the German Professional Genealogists Association, and the German Society for Computer Genealogy.

The leaders of this group are Ann Broihier and Bernard Meisner. Contact: ggg@dallasgenealogy.org. Learn more about the German Genealogy Group

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Meeting ID: 867 5887 1312, Passcode: [REDACTED]

Collin County Genealogy Meeting
2026-01-14 18:00 - 20:30 | Haggard Library, 2501 Coit Road, Plano, TX, 75075, United States
In-person & Virtual Event

Speaker: Patti Gillespie

Topic: Taking a Genealogy Trip – Ready, Set, Let’s Go!

Register in advance for the meeting.

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SOCIETY WEBSITE

DNA Special Interest Group
2026-01-15 18:00 - 19:30 | 6th Floor – TaiPei (Classroom D), J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
In-person and Virtual Event

The DNA Special Interest Group explores the use of DNA as a genealogical tool. The goal is to help individuals understand and incorporate current DNA testing strategies and standards into their personal genealogy. Meeting are open to all.

Those interested in the DNA SIG may sign up for email meeting notification:

By requesting to be added to the SIG Mailing List at DNA@dallasgenealogy.org

By joining the “DGS DNA Interest Group” Project through their personal page on Family Tree DNA (the person must have tested and be in the Family Tree DNA database)

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Zoom Details: Meeting ID: 828 9186 6806 / Passcode: [REDACTED]

Cedar Hill Genealogy Society Monthly Program
2026-01-20 18:30 - 20:00
Speaker: Emily Villafranco

Topic: Genealogy Resources at the Traphene Hickman Library

Location: New Library: 450 Pioneer Trail in Cedar Hill (lower-level event room)

Discover your family story with us! If you’re curious about your ancestry but aren’t sure where to begin, join our meeting exploring the library’s genealogy resources. Learn how to access the library’s Ancestry, FamilySearch, HeritageQuest, and our genealogy collection to uncover records, trace relatives, and start building your family tree. It’s a perfect introduction for beginners and anyone eager to dive into their roots.

This event is made possible through our partnership with the Traphene Hickman Library. Admission is always free

German Genealogy Essentials
2026-01-24 09:30 - 12:00
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.

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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.

Van Zandt County Monthly Meeting
2026-01-24 14:00 - 15:00
Speaker: J. Mark Lowe (remote)

Topic: Let There Be Light: Using Church Related Periodicals for family research

J. Mark Lowe is a semi-retired professional genealogist, author, and teacher who researches primarily original records and manuscripts in the South. He has been researching families for over 55 years. Mark has published articles in several society publications. He is a former officer and Board member for the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS), Past-President of the Association of Professional Genealogists, a Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association and was awarded the APG – Grahame T. Smallwood Jr. Award and an APG Lifetime Membership. He serves as the Course Coordinator for ‘Research in the South’ at IGHR (Georgia), SLIG (Utah), and TIGR (Texas). He also presents Webinars for Legacy Family Tree and has worked on several genealogical television series including Follow Your Past, African American Lives 2, Who Do You Think You Are? and UnXplained Events, and podcasts, including Twice Removed and Blast From My Past.

Location: Van Zandt County Sarah Norman Library, 317 First Monday Lane, Canton

Best Practices SIG
2026-01-31 10:30 - 12:00 | 8th Floor – McDermott Room, J. Erik Jonnson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
In-person Only

We’re excited to begin a new year and a new study focused on applying the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) to our own family research.

This will be a hands-on, work/study group rather than a lecture series. Each participant will use their own research throughout the year, applying GPS principles to an unresolved research problem of their choosing—whether that means addressing a long-standing research challenge or advancing a family line with greater confidence.

Please come prepared to share a brief overview of your current research (5–7 minutes) so the group can become familiar with your project and help identify effective research strategies.

We’ll also spend a small portion of each meeting exploring how AI tools can support organization, planning, and analysis—always within a GPS framework.

Handouts:

Simple GPS Flow

Genealogical Proof Standard Overview

You can contact Liz Kutz, the SIG leader at bestpractices@dallasgenealogy.org.

Learn more about the Best Practices SIG.

Grand Prairie Genealogical Society Meeting
2026-02-05 18:30 - 20:00 | Grand Prarie Memorial Library, 901 Conover Drive, Grand Prarie, TX, 75051, United States
In-person & Virtual Event

Speaker: Bernard Meisner

Program: Techniques and Strategies for More Effective Online Searching

As more genealogical records become available through the Internet it has become essential to formulate efficient searches to find the relevant information about your ancestors. One must not only know where to look for the information, but how to find it. This presentation will cover how to determine what information is available, where it is located, and how to use search tools such as filters, wildcards, relationships, complementary data sources, and tailored search engines to improve the likelihood of finding it.

Location: Inspire Room at the Grand Prairie Memorial Library

Bernard is a genealogist and lecturer based in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. He began researching his family over 35 years ago and enjoys sharing lessons learned from that experience, including his mistakes. Although he knew only one grandparent (his maternal grandfather) he has successfully identified all of his great-great grandparents, several triple- and quadruple-great grandparents, and his Meisner 8th great grandparents. He is a co-leader of the Dallas Genealogical Society’s German SIG, and a member of the Nation, Texas State, and Germanic Genealogical Societies. He has written several articles for the Texas State Genealogical Society’s quarterly magazine, Stirpes.Bernard retired from the National Weather Service Southern Region Headquarters where he was the Chief of the Science & Training Branch. He is certified as a consulting meteorologist by the American Meteorological Society. He has taught at the Universities of Texas, Oklahoma and St. Thomas (Houston). Bernard earned a B.S. in physics/German from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in meteorology from the University of Hawaii. He has completed coursework of the National Institute for Genealogical Studies, the Texas Institute of Genealogical Research, The Family History AI Show Academy’s Introductory and Advanced courses, and attended the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh multiple times, completing courses in Irish, German, and Pennsylvania Research, Digital Research Skills, and Practical Genetic Genealogy.

DGS General Meeting
2026-02-07 11:00 - 12:30 | 7th Floor – O’Hara Hall – J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, 75201, United States
In-person & Virtual Event

Speaker: Mark Thompson

Topic: Photo Research with Artificial Intelligence

AI is revolutionizing genealogical research, offering powerful new tools for both hobbyists and professionals. In this workshop, discover how AI can transform your approach to family history, particularly in the realm of photo research and analysis. Learn to leverage AI technologies to assist you with photo identification, improve image organization, and simplify photo restoration.

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