Trials and Tribulations of a Family Historian: NGS

Showing posts with label NGS. Show all posts

Thursday, October 1, 2020

NGS - FGS Merger Party

For Release: 30 September 2020

NGS and FGS Invite Genealogists & Family Historians to its Virtual Merger Celebration Party 1 October 2020

FALLS CHURCH, va, 30 SEPTEMBER 2020—The National Genealogical Society (NGS) and the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) announced their merger will be finalized tomorrow on 1 October 2020. We invite family historians and genealogists to join us as we celebrate “the new NGS” on 1 October at 8:00 p.m. (EDT) at a virtual merger event, featuring host Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL. Additional guests include members of the NGS and FGS boards, AAHGS president Gene Stephenson, BCG president LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, Lou Szucs, Curt Witcher, and more. The merger agreement will be signed as part of this event.

Grab some snacks, put on your party hat, get your noisemaker ready, and join us for an exciting evening of fun! Share the experience by posting a photo of yourself on social media using #NewNGS.

To attend, check your email (or ask a friend) for the link and password!

Help us commemorate FGS and salute the new NGS by creating a digital card with Vivid-Pix. Submit by 5 October to see your card live on the NGS website!

Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogical education, exemplary standards of research, and the preservation of genealogical records. The Falls Church, Virginia, based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian, seeking excellence in publications, educational offerings, and guidance in research. It also offers many opportunities to interact with other genealogists.

Monday, November 28, 2016

NGS 2017 Program Now Available

National Genealogical Society 2017 Family History Conference Program Now Available

ARLINGTON, VA, 28 NOVEMBER 2016—The National Genealogical Society is pleased to announce the release of its 2017 Family History Conference program, Family History Lives Here. The program, which includes more than 175 lectures, is now available online at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/program/ and as a sixteen-page registration brochure, which can be downloaded at https://goo.gl/uci0ec.

Experts in genealogical research and history will address a broad array of topics, including records pertaining to the Carolinas and neighboring states, migration into and out of the region, military records, and state/federal records. Additional themes will discuss researching Native American, African American, and female ancestors as well as families with black sheep. Presentations about sharing methodology; solving research problems, and a full track on DNA research in genealogy will round out the conference.

The conference will take place at the Raleigh Convention Center located in Raleigh, North Carolina, 10–13 May 2017. Registration opens on 1 December 2016 at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/register/. A number of special events have been planned with limited seating, so register on 1 December, or as soon as possible thereafter, if you plan to attend these events.

Up-to-date information about the availability, amenities, and rates for conference hotels can be found at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/accommodations/.

Sign up for the NGS Conference Blog at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/blog/ so you do not miss conference news or announcements.

Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogical education, exemplary standards of research, and the preservation of genealogical records. The Arlington, Virginia- based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian seeking excellence in publications, educational offerings, and guidance in research. It also offers many opportunities to interact with other genealogists.

Monday, May 2, 2016

NGS choices are paper or digital

The choice to print the lecture materials or do everything digital is a personal one for conferences, but you should know that NGS is making thier conference app user friendly. Even if you are at home!

First off, if you haven't downloaded the conference app make sure you visit this site and do so: http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/mobile-app/

The NGS conference app for this year includes many items. There is a daily schedule, a place to create a personal schedule, speaker and exhibitor information, floor plans so you don't get lost, direct link to the twitter feed (which is great for home too), and much more. Sessions that will be recorded have an (R) before the title of the lecture in the schedule. No (R) before the lecture title means it will not be recorded and you if you are at NGS decide how you are going to take notes. An (LS) in the title lets those of you at home know the session will be live streamed.

If you decide to use the app while at home or on-site check out the NGS conference blog or go to the “News” section on the app for all of the daily announcements concerning the NGS conference.

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Packing, packing, packing for Florida!

Fort Lauderdale Florida Photo D Ramey Logan

If you look in the dictionary under the word loony genealogist you will currently find my picture. Why? Because I am flying from OGS straight to NGS. That made my packing for the conference a little, well, interesting. However, I will assume that you are not a loony genie like me and if you are attending NGS next week you will come from your home.

So, if you are attending NGS, what should you bring or pack? If you are a seasoned conference goer you probably have a favorite bag, jacket, water bottle and the note taking device you are bringing. However, for us not used to the sunshine (thank you Mother Nature) maybe there are a few other things you have not thought about bringing.

For instance, you want to consider packing (or purchasing on site)

Sunscreen (in case you venture outside!) and aloe vera (for when you spend too much time in the sun)
A wide brimmed hat
Beach attire (it's right there after all and you are already getting sunscreen!)
a list of places to visit in the area which is accessible by water taxi (which you can take from the conference hotel)

If this is your first time at NGS, you should be in a for a real treat. While packing for a conference can be challenging (especially if you tend to over pack like me) here are a few essentials you should consider, including the things I listed above.

Comfy, supportive shoes. You will be doing a lot of walking. Make sure to take care of your feet so you can attend all of the conference sessions.
A small bag of snacks. You may forget to eat since you are running around learning stuff. Keep yourself healthy and have a small piece of fruit, granola bar or other snacks to give you an energy boost.
Don't forget to double check all of your cables for your phone, tablet, or other electronics. Even at a conference you should be able to recharge them some places and dead cell phones are a bummer.
Make a priority list of vendors in the exhibit hall. Which places do you HAVE to visit, would like to visit, or think are interesting to check out. It will help you spend your time wisely, and also keep a lot more of your money in your pocket.
If you are flying, make sure to budget money to ship purchased items home. Or bring another bag!

Well, see you in a few short days in sunny Florida!

Friday, April 15, 2016

3 Things to know about the NGS Conference

NGS is only 3 weeks away, are you ready? I know I am not! However, even if you are attending

from the comfort of your own home you should still prep for it. So, here are three things you should know about.

Are you a student, or know a student, who wants to attend the conference? Make sure they know about the Student Rate! The reduced rate of $60 is open to all college and graduate students attending the conference. Make sure to check out the link for the full details.

The NGS Mobile App is up and running! Available on multiple platforms, and with multi-device sync, this is what all high tech genealogists attending the conference need to have on hand. Of course, with the social media coverage on the app those who are staying at home can see what, and who, is being talked about from conference attendees.

If you are still learning about the area, the speakers, or the conference make sure to keep up with the Conference Blog. It is a great place to get the information you need about all aspects of the conference. Be the first to know!

This will be my first trip to Ft. Lauderdale. As such I will be posting next week on local advice I have gathered from a few of my friends. Nothing like local advice to keep you safe, happy, and entertained!

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Don't Forget NGS Early Bird Registration Ends 31 March!

Early Bird Discount Ends 31 March NGS 2016 Family History Conference Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Arlington, VA, 29 March 2016—Time is quickly running out on the early bird discount for the National Genealogical Society (NGS) Family History Conference in Ft. Lauderdale. After 31 March 2016, the registration price for NGS members will increase from $205 to $240 for all four days and the non-NGS member price will increase from $240 to $275. You also will no longer be able to order a printed syllabus or flash drive version of the syllabus. To qualify for the early bird discount, your registration must be received online or postmarked by 31 March.

The Conference will feature more than 180 lectures from basic to advanced genealogical research, including four days of BCG Skillbuilding lectures and twelve lectures on genetic genealogy. Diversity is another focus of this year’s conference. Eighteen lectures discuss African-American genealogical research, five focus on Jewish genealogy, two on Cuban genealogy, and nine on women. Floridians and those with ancestors from Florida will want to consider the nine lectures that focus on Florida’s rich archival history. In addition, the conference will provide a number of lectures on European ancestors, including French, Spanish, Scandinavian, Italian, Scots-Irish, and others.

The NGS Conference will be held at the Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center and will run from 4-7 May. For conference information and to register, go to the 2016 NGS Family History Conference.

Social Events, Luncheons, and the NGS Banquet
Participating organizations sponsor several luncheons at which guest speakers address many fascinating presentations such as

“Lost Eyes, Whipping Posts, and Wife Swapping: Lessons from Yesteryear”
“To the Rescue: 10 Times A Local Society has Saved My Bacon”
“Genetic Surprises, DNA and ’Non-paternity‘ Events”

The NGS Banquet is an event not to be missed! Guest speaker David E. Rencher, AG, CG^SM,
FIGRS, FUGA, will discuss what matters most to genealogists and family historians. Registration for all meals and social events closes on 22 April 2016. Tickets for social events will not be sold on-site. Be sure to sign up as quickly as possible. The Florida State Genealogical Society Host Event, “Taste of Florida,” is $42; luncheons are $32; and the banquet is $45. Menus are in the registration brochure.

Local Area Tours
There’s still time to sign up for two exciting tours on Tuesday, 3 May 2016, prior to the NGS Family History Conference. For more information, please see Local Area Tours. Registration for the tours closes on 22 April 2016.

Add Items to an Existing Registration
To add meals, tours, and pre-conference events to your current registration, log on to the NGS website, click on My Account, select My Events, and then click to Add Sessions.

We hope to see you in Ft. Lauderdale in May!

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Press Release For NGS 2016

National Genealogical Society to Live Stream Ten Lectures during its 2016 Family History Conference

ARLINGTON, VA, 9 MARCH 2016 —The National Genealogical Society (NGS) will live stream ten lectures from its 2016 Family History Conference, which will be held 4-7 May 2016, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Details of the live streaming program can be found on the NGS Conference website. NGS members and others across the United States and overseas, who are unable to attend the conference in person, are invited to sign up for these live streaming broadcasts.

NGS has selected some of the most popular topics and nationally known speakers for the two featured tracks. Registrants for live streaming can sign up for either track or the bundled package that includes both tracks.

Track One: Viewers will be able to screen five lectures on “Land Records and Maps” from 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, 5 May 2016. The lectures will cover deed books and private land claims, how to utilize mapping apps, Google Earth, and GPS to enrich your research, and maps and gazetteers for English and Welsh research.
Track Two: Five “Methods for Success” lectures will be live streaming from 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. on Friday, 6 May 2016. They will address methodology techniques for use with historical context and DNA, as well as problem solving using a combination of resources.

Registration for live streaming will close at midnight 22 April 2016 and is discounted for NGS members. All registrants will receive an electronic version of the NGS 2016 Family History Conference Syllabus.

Track Selection	Included Formats	Member Price	Non-Member Price	Track Descriptions
Track One or Track Two	Live Streaming with three months access to Track One or Two	$65.00	$80.00	Land Records and Maps. Five lectures on Thursday, 5 May 2016, or Methods for Success. Five lectures on Friday, 6 May 2016.
Bundled Package Track One and Track Two	Live Streaming with three months access to both tracks	$115.00	$145.00	Land Records and Maps. Five lectures on Thursday, 5 May 2016, and Methods for Success. Five lectures on Friday, 6 May 2016.

NGS has selected PlayBackNow to broadcast the live sessions and to provide the recorded sessions for later viewing. Instructions for viewing the live streaming will be sent to registrants before 30 April 2016.

Tracks One and Two are among the 25 tracks and 180 lectures that will be open to those who attend the four-day conference in person. Conference attendees may also benefit from purchasing the NGS live streaming package by registering for either track or the bundled package, which they will be able to view after they return home. By selecting different presentations while attending the conference, they can expand their overall conference experience. They will have ninety days following the conference to view and repeat the live streaming sessions (through 7 August 2016).

Reminder: The conference discounted Early Bird registration will close on 31 March 2016.

Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogical education, exemplary standards of research, and the preservation of genealogical records. The Arlington, Virginia, based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian, seeking excellence in publications, educational offerings, and guidance in research. It also offers many opportunities to interact with other genealogists.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

NGS Press Release : Research Trip to Ft. Wayne

National Genealogical Society Opens Registration for Research Trip to Fort Wayne, IN
15 to 19 August 2016

ARLINGTON, VA, 10 FEB 2016—Registration is now open for the National Genealogical Society’s guided research trip to the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana, from 15–19 August 2016. Under the guidance of research consultants Pamela S. Eagleson, CG SM and Patricia Walls Stamm, CG SM, CGLSM, participants have five days to conduct personal research at one of the largest genealogical libraries in the Midwest. For more information or to register for the trip, visit http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/ft_wayne_research_trip.

One of the noteworthy research repositories, the Allen County Public Library houses the Fred J. Reynolds Historical Genealogy Collection; PERSI, the Periodical Source Index, and in a joint venture with the Indiana State Museum, the Abraham Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection. The library’s collection contains more than 350,000 printed volumes and 513,000 microforms.
The trip includes:

Guidance from leading experts
Online orientation
Meet and greet for participants
Four genealogical presentations
Personal research consultations with group leaders
Tour of the Abraham Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection
Five nights at the Courtyard by Marriott, including free internet in rooms and parking for one car or airport transfers
Fees and taxes for all planned events

For more information or to register for the trip visit http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/ft_wayne_research_trip. Payment is required in full at the time of registration. The package price does not include transportation to Fort Wayne.

Eagleson is a researcher, writer, and teacher who conducts client and personal research nationwide with an emphasis on New England, the mid-Atlantic, and the Midwest. A member of NGS since 1981, she currently serves as a director at large. She lectures at NGS national conferences as well as regional and local conferences. She has attended the National Institute on Genealogical Research (NIGR), the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR), the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). Winner of the 2004 NGS Family History Writing Contest, she is co-administrator of the Stone Surname DNA project and a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and many regional genealogical societies.

Stamm serves as NGS Education Manager. She lectures on a wide variety of topics at many of NGS and the Federation of Genealogical Societies national conferences. She is a graduate of the NIGR and IGHR. Stamm is a course coordinator at Samford University's Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research and teaches at St. Louis Community College.

Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogical education, the highest standards of research, and the preservation of genealogical records. The Arlington, Virginia, based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian, seeking excellence in publications, educational offerings, and guidance in research. It also offers many opportunities to interact with other genealogists.

# # #

The words Certified Genealogist are a registered certification mark, and the designations CG, CGL and Certified Genealogical Lecturer are service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists®.

Friday, November 20, 2015

NGS 2016 Press Release

National Genealogical Society Announces Program for the 2016 Family History Conference

ARLINGTON, VA, 20 NOVEMBER 2015—The National Genealogical Society is pleased to announce the release of its 2016 Family History Conference program. The program, which includes more than 170 lectures, is now available online at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/program/ and as a sixteen-page registration brochure, which can be downloaded at h ttp://goo.gl/w40zSO.

Nationally known speakers and subject matter experts will address a broad array of topics, including records for Florida and its neighboring states; migration into and out of the region; military records; state and federal records. Other topics will discuss genealogical research on African Americans and women; methodology; analysis and problem solving; and the use of technology, including genetics, mobile devices, and apps useful in genealogical research.

The conference will take place at the Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 4–7 May 2016. Registration opens on 1 December 2015 at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/register/. A number of special events have limited seating, so register on 1 December, or as soon as possible thereafter, if you plan to attend these events.

Up-to-date information about the availability, amenities, and rates for conference hotels can be found at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/accommodations/.

Sign up for the NGS Conference Blog at http://conferenceblog.ngsgenealogy.org so you do not miss conference news or announcements.

Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogical education, exemplary standards of research, and the preservation of genealogical records. The Arlington, Virginia- based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian seeking excellence in publications, educational offerings, and guidance in research. It also offers many opportunities to interact with other genealogists.

Monday, May 18, 2015

NGS Day 4 Recap

The last day of NGS was packed. Last days usually are frantic, energy filled whirling dervishes and this one was no different.

Most of the day was spent in the exhibit hall or corridors talking to friends (old and new) mainly saying our goodbyes or until we meet agains. That is the bittersweet part. Sure, many of us converse frequently through email or social media but, honestly, it’s not the same as seeing someone in the flesh. Goodbyes are hard, I really hate them and many times I wish I could carry my genea-buds around in my pocket. Oh wait, I do! It’s called a smart phone!

Of course it took me until day 3 to eat at the food trucks. Yes, there were food trucks at the conference and I have to say the Mexican one was quite good. Nomnomnom for the pork mole tacos with mango salsa I ate. It was so good!

The one lecture I stole myself away to was Michael Ramage’s “Adoption Research for Genealogists and Real Life Case Study.” I even set an alarm so I wouldn’t get talking and miss it. Currently I am working on an adoption mystery in my own family plus I have many friends who are adopted and ask me for guidance. I do what I can to help with the paper genealogy, and now DNA, but at times I still feel like I struggle. It’s that lost feeling of “is there more I could be doing but don’t know that I can” which the hardest to deal with. I did pick up some great tips from Ramage and also received validation through the lecture that I am doing it all correct.

Then there was the announcement that everyone who was tweeting could hardly wait for: who would be the winner of the twitter contest and receive a full registration for NGS 2016 in Ft. Lauderdale. Let me set this scene for you. About 1:30pm I was sitting talking with some friends in the exhibit hall when my cell phone vibrates. Even though it happens all the time I actually took a moment to look, and that is when I saw the announcement from NGS that I had won. Well, I jumped up, squealed like I do when excited and showed the message to my friends. Holey Moley! My husband was very excited too. That’s one less thing we have to worry about budgeting for next year.

It was also announced on Saturday that NGS 2017 will be in Raleigh, North Carolina. That made me very happy too. Not only do I have to plan to be there a few days before so I can research but it is an easy drive for me from where I live. Well, easy as long as I-95 doesn’t decide to become the parking lot it likes to be frequently.

My evening was topped off with about 20 blogging friends for the informal NGS blogger dinner. We went to a great BBQ place in St. Charles and sat outside on the deck. At times it looked like it was snowing with the cottonwood floating around. It was the perfect setting to end my time on the banks of the Missouri. Good food + great friends = an amazing evening

Later this week after I have a chance to unpack, do laundry and catch up on work I will post more on my overall thoughts about the conference. There are a few things that are percolating in the brain which I think I need to write down.

Friday, May 15, 2015

NGS Day 3 Recap

Lewis and Clark Memorial

Today was silly day. If you saw me in the exhibit hall or even the hallways I was a, well, bundle of energy. All I can say is what you may have witnessed is my state right before I fall over and go boom. Yes, the lack of sleep and too much caffeine is catching up to me!

I am working at the In-Depth Genealogist booth for NGS. If you have never volunteered or had a booth at a conference you should consider it at some point. Yes, it is a ton of work. However it is also an amazing time. I have meet a wide variety of people, shared stories, made friends, been goofy and even had a few very serious conversations. Working a booth gives you great insight into who is attending the conference and why. If you are a people watcher there is nothing like it.

Then there is doing yoga behind the table, ask me about it, dare you.

Today I was lucky enough to attend 3 lectures. Elizabeth Shown Mills “The Problem Solver’s Trifecta: GPS + FAN + DNA,” Michael S. Ramage “Forensic Genealogy Meets the Genealogical Proof Standard,” and Angie Bush “Using DNA as a Genealogical Record.” Yes, I got my geek on for a few hours today.

Many of you know that I write, lecture and study DNA passionately. Which, of course, meant that I had to attend these lectures. While I knew the subjects I found the case studies interesting. It was a great way to show those who are not familiar with the subject how DNA and forensic techniques are relevant to the genealogy field. It would be great if more and more people became experts in these fields over the next few years. There is more than enough work to go around!

This evening I was happy to have no firm plans. I was able to walk along the Missouri River with my roommates and have an amazing dinner at a little dinner on Main Street in Historic Downtown St.

Charles. It threatened to rain several times but just having a bit of decompression time to read historical plaques and explore was fantastic.

Tomorrow is the last day of the conference. I am sad to see the end, but also happy to be heading home soon to the family. So, until tomorrow, I hope you have sweet dreams about ancestors to be discovered!

Thursday, May 14, 2015

NGS 2015 Day 2 Recap

Today was a long and tiring but oh so exciting in many ways. Not just for me either. My poor 19 year old roomie was appalled when her mother and I got her up at 6 am (we were up at 5 by the way) to head for breakfast.

I was excited to start my day at the Find My Past breakfast. As usual the members of the community that were there were diverse. Bloggers, lecturers, younger and older genealogists all gathered for comradery and to meet someone new. I sat with a great group of people and made a few new friends.

Of course we got a glimpse into some of the up and coming things at Find My Past. I admit that many made me excited, and many more reminded me that once again it is a site I need to investigate more regularly. They are always adding something new (new record Friday!?) and I encourage you to go and look too. Also, many people are interested to see how the merger with Mocavo is going. From the booth presence (which if you are here you need to go check out) I can tell that it is business as normal with them. A fact that I am thankful for since it was a great endeavor on its own!

I was disappointed that I did not get to attend a lecture by Karen Maurer Jones titled “Records Created by New York Towns and Cities: Uncommonly Rich Resources.” While I showed up 15 minutes early there was not a seat open and per the fire marshal people were not allowed to stand. Yeah, I was so sad to miss it, but it’s a lesson to all that you never know how fast a class will fill up.

On the flip side I did attend “Building Better Citations” by Alison Hare. Yes, I know, I teach people how to make good source citations. However, like I have said several times in the past few days, you never know when you will learn a new idea or technique. She had some great points and other ways of explaining what could be a very dry topic. I also have to admit that it was nice to know that the way I think about citations is an accepted way. My head was nodding frequently in agreement with what she said. Citations are very much layers and once you understand the layering process it will fall into place.

After sessions were over this evening I was able to join in on the NextGen Genealogy Network meet-Its great fun to get together with younger genealogists (and those who support us) to learn, vent and network. Dinner, however, afterwards with the Chicago Genealogical Society (roommates and ride home were in attendance!) was the topping on the cake. Yummy time at the Trailhead Brewing Company in historic downtown St. Charles, MO.

n-greet.

Tomorrow is Friday. Friday!! I have a couple classes I am really looking forward to tomorrow. Fingers crossed that I get a seat in those rooms.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

NGS 2015 Day 1 Recap

What a day! What a whirl wind amazing day to be exact. I saw old friends and ended up making a few new ones. Always a recipe for a great time don’t cha’ know! So, here is day one, as I saw it with a few announcements and a lot a fun.

To start, during the opening session we saw many very deserving individuals recognized for their hard work. Highlights from the award winners announced were (from the NGS press release):

The NGS Newsletter Competition

Family Association Newsletter:

Winner: About Towne, newsletter of the Towne Family Association, Inc., edited by Rae Russell Johnson.

Honorable Mention: The Seeley Genealogical Society Newsletter, newsletter of the Seeley Genealogical Society, edited by Katherine M. Olson

County/Local Genealogical and/or Historical Society, for societies with less than 500 members:

Winner: GRIVA News and Notes, newsletter of the Genealogical Research Institute of Virginia, edited by Sharon Barden Garber.

Honorable Mention: The Newsletter of the Irish Family History Forum, newsletter of the Irish Family History Forum, edited by Patricia Mansfield Phelan, and BIGWILL News, newsletter of the British Interest Group of Wisconsin and Illinois, edited by Karen Glass.

Major Genealogical and/or Historical Society, for societies with more than 500 members:

Winners: Wisconsin State Genealogical Society Newsletter, the newsletter of the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society, edited by Tina Krummel

The President's Citation

The President's Citation is given in recognition of outstanding, continuing, or unusual contributions to the field of genealogy or the Society. The NGS President selects the recipient(s). This year’s the citation went to two outstanding individuals: Pat Richley-Erickson aka Dear Myrtle of South Jordan, Utah, and Dr. Ruth Ann Murray, Assistant Dean of the Metropolitan College, Boston University.

I saw Pat (aka Dear Myrtle) later in the day and she was still on cloud nine from the surprise. It was such a great response from the crowd (there was cheering and hollering the hall) that I was so happy that I was able to be there and see accept her award.

Keynote with theater!

After the award winners were announced we were treated to an excellent keynote by J. Mark Lowe titled The Tales of Pioneer Paths: Rivers, Roads, and Rails. It started with him singing Oh Shenandoah dressed in 19th-century costume. It was unique and wonderful, which I hope everyone in the room appreciated. He played a man from the time telling us stories, family history stories, about the characters family. It was enthralling to hear a man’s struggles (honestly the struggles of many of our ancestors) living on the frontier come to life in front of you. At one point there was not a dry eye in the room.

I was able to attend 2 lectures today but most of my day was spent in the exhibit hall meeting, greeting and networking. One of the main reasons I come to conferences. Especially since this may be the one time I see many of these people each year.

My favorite session of the day was John Colletta's "Principles of Good Writing and Good Storytelling." Mainly I enjoyed it because he touched on subjects that I think are fundamental to good genealogical writing. Now, this not scholarly writing. They type of writing I, and he, mean is the conversational prose that everyday people enjoy. You know, like your cousins. Those people who we want to read our hard work. Writing well, knowing your audience and putting your research out there in an easily accessible way I feel only helps future generations.

If you want to hear more about my days at the conference make sure you follow me on my twitter account. In fact, some of the tweets are found here on my twitter roll on this account. Hint, hint. Also, follow tweets from the conference by reading #NGS2015GEN on twitter too.

Well, I am off to work out for the night. Yes, I have had dinner and talked to the family so I really should go workout in the hotel gym. Or I could watch TV. Decisions, decisions….

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

NGS Conference 1 week and counting

One week. One week from today and I will be on a plane to the National Genealogical Society’s conference in St. Charles, MO. Where did all my planning time go?!

Honestly, I thought I had plenty of time but it seems deadlines, work and other volunteer commitments whittled my spare time to plan away. Now I am frantically trying to lay out a plan for pre-conference research and what I want to do while I am at the conference. My spread-sheet is currently blank but it will not be for long!

If you are in the same predicament as I am I hope you have at least been reading the NGS Conference blog. It contains a wealth of information from exhibitor profiles to local flare. Really anything you need to make sure you are an amazing trip.

Below are a few highlighted posts you will want to check out. Of course, this is just a few items from a very long list of blog posts. I encourage you to go and peruse that site. You will discover many important pieces of information about the conference.

Airport Shuttle: There is a special rate for NGS attendees but hurry because the offer is only good on reservations made through May 7^th!

Conference App: For those of you who like to be paperless, or just like the convenience, the mobile app for the conference is up and running. Make sure you have it downloaded and ready to go before you leave!

Convention Center: I like maps, and this post has a great map to help you pre-navigate the convention center. It also has information about the center itself and a link to a virtual tour of the site.

Local Attractions: Need to get out of the hotel for a while? Well, St. Louis has some great sites. Check out this list for other things to do besides research…if you have the time.

Repositories: There is a large list of local and distant area repositories that conference goers may be interested in. This list hits major facilities that have collections on items of interest to those with Missouri ancestors.

Wi-Fi: Of course, in the 21^st century, knowing about internet connections can be crucial. Information on the conference Wi-Fi can be found on this post.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

NGS Social Media and Live Streaming

I like being busy. Really, I do. Yes, it can be stressing and overwhelming at times, but there is always a great sense of accomplishment when I get to check items off of the to-do lists. Then I take a look at my calendar. Wow, just over 2 weeks until I leave for NGS in St. Charles. I had better get cracking on all the stuff I need to do in preparation! All I can say is thank goodness for social media and online planners.

Below are 2 things that I think you out there in genealogy cyberspace need to know about especially if you can’t make it in person to the conference. I think it is great that NGS is making it possible for those of you who are staying home to participate too. Check these out and see if you can make them work for you.

Don’t miss out on the live streaming sessions. Hurry though, registration for these presentations ends on April 29^th at midnight. When you register you will also receive an electronic syllabus too. Oh, and if you are an NGS member you get a discounted members price! There are 2 tracks you can choose to stream. Pick one of them or both of them whatever works in your schedule better. Videos will be available to 90 days after the conference ends (August 16^th!) so if something happens at the last minute and you can’t watch it live don’t worry. Just come back when you can and jump on in!

Social media is always a big thing at these conferences. Do you know the official hashtag to follow? For the 2015 NGS conference it is #NGS2015GEN. Follow it on your favorite social media outlets for live updates and ongoing conference information.

I will be live tweeting again as long as I have a signal. It’s always so much fun to do that and to read what other people are thinking or saying. Especially when you are in the same lecture! Which means follow the conference and then follow me so you can see what I am up to plus my thoughts on lectures, the conference and what fun things I am doing in general. If you are not already following my twitter account never fear. Posts are also copied to my TNT Facebook Page as well.

Let the countdown begin…

19 days to go!

Monday, April 6, 2015

NGS Releases Mobile Conference App for 2015 Family History Conference

ARLINGTON, VA, 6 APRIL 2015—The National Genealogical Society (NGS) announces the release of the Mobile Conference App for the NGS 2015 Family History Conference, which will be held 13‒16 May 2015 in St. Charles, Missouri. To download the free NGS Conference App, go to Mobile App.

The NGS Conference App is available for iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone, and web-enabled devices. Search your app store for NGS Family History Conferences.

New this year, we have introduced a multi-event NGS app. This allows attendees to download a single app and access all current and future NGS conferences by adding new events to this app.
Features include:

The Dashboard to keep you organized with up-to-the-minute information
About the NGS 2015 Family History Conference to keep all conference information in one place
Alerts of important real-time communications from NGS
Twitter feed to follow and join in on the conference chatter. The Twitter hashtag is #NGS2015GEN.

You also can

Sync your schedule across multiple devices
Locate exhibitors you plan to visit
Access a list of Local Places based on Category
Connect, message, and share schedules with your colleagues through the Friends feature
Link to syllabus material for each lecture, which will be available about 29 April 2015.

We encourage you to begin using the app now so you can plan and improve your conference experience in St. Charles.

Friday, April 3, 2015

Live streaming at NGS

Image courtesy of Ambro
at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I looked at my calendar today. First, what do you mean it’s April? Seriously we are 4 months into the year already?! When did that happen?The second thing I realized is that it is just over a month until the NGS Conference in St. Charles, Missouri. This blogger needs to start planning!

For those of you unable to attend this year have you checked out the listing of videos you can watch from home? If not, you really should. There are a number of great speakers and fascinating topics being presented there. You will need to register for the live streaming sessions though, so make sure you do that. It would be a shame if you missed them!

On the program page, you can view all 164 lectures that are scheduled. If you search for (LS) on this list in the search box the 10 live streamed lectures will appear. I copied and pasted the list here for your convenience:

T205 The Journey to America: Federal Passenger-Ship Records (LS)	05-14-2015	08:00 am	Immigration	Jeanne Larzalere Bloom, CG
T215 Becoming an American: Naturalization Records (LS)	05-14-2015	09:30 am	Immigration	Julie Miller, CG
T225 Discovering the REAL Stories of Your Immigrant Ancestors (LS)	05-14-2015	11:00 am	Immigration	John Philip Colletta, PhD, FUGA
T245 Bads, Bergs, Burgs, and Bachs: Finding Locations in Germany (LS)	05-14-2015	02:30 pm	Immigration	Warren Bittner, CG
T255 A Methodology for Irish Emigration to North America (LS)	05-14-2015	04:00 pm	Immigration	David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA
F302 The Time of Cholera: A Case Study about Historical Context (LS)	05-15-2015	08:00 am	Strategies for Success	Alison Hare, CG
F311 The Problem-Solver's Great Trifecta: GPS+FAN+DNA (LS)	05-15-2015	09:30 am	Skillbuilding	Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA
F321 When Does Newfound Evidence Overturn a Proved Conclusion? (LS)	05-15-2015	11:00 am	Skillbuilding	Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS
F342 Forensic Genealogy Meets the Genealogical Proof Standard (LS)	05-15-2015	02:30 pm	Strategies for Success	Michael S. Ramage, JD, CG
F352 Using DNA as a Genealogical Record (LS)	05-15-2015	04:00 pm	Strategies for Success	Angie Bush

I hope even if you can’t join me in May at the NGS conference you will be able to login and continue your education with these excellent speakers!

Trials and Tribulations of a Family Historian

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