Directory of Members

M.E. and M.B.A. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; researcher since 1987.

Has been giving talks on genealogical topics since 2006 and, in 2024, celebrates 20 years of providing professional genealogy research services.

[NEW] June 2024 -- with David M McCorkle, established GenWebinars, www.genwebinars.com -- providing direct-to-consumer webinar programs that are live, in-depth & interactive.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/genwebinars

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/102737308/

List of talks given and feedback provided can be found here, http://mosaicrpm.com/presentations_talks_workshops.html

List of current talk topics provided below.  This list is NOT comprehensive. Any southern-related, tips/tricks/techniques/strategies or online database topic is fair game. Any articles written for Internet Genealogy and Your Genealogy Today can be converted into a talk (either as a webinar or in-person delivered lecture).

Completed NIGR (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~natgenin/) in 2010

Ready research access to NC State Archive & Library, Wake County NC Resources, FHC, and other RTP-area local libraries & archives (UNC-CH, Duke, ECU etc). Listed researcher at NC Archives, UNC-CH and Duke). Access also to the Library of Virginia (LVA) and all DC repositories (NARA, LOC, etc).

Past Author [shutdown Nov 2023] for Internet Genealogy and Your Genealogy Today (was Family Chronicle) (since 2006), past editor of Upfront with NGS blog and Wake Treasures (journal of the Wake County Genealogical Society), and current editor, the North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal (since 2016).

Member: APG, NGS, NCGS, WCGS, D-OGS.

Researched for WDYTYA? and appeared on the Bryan Cranston episode (Season 6, Episode 5).  Appeared in "The Dead Files," Season 12, Episode 7, "Detox."

Co-leader, Tar Heel Discoveries, www.tarheeldiscoveries.com -- Guided North Carolina Genealogical Research. Targeted, focused, resarch assistance leading you to new family discoveries! Provides annual weekly program or one-on-one research support.

1st, North Carolina Historical Records Online, http://nchistoricalrecords.org/ -- is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization dedicated to providing public access to high-quality images of original records and other related information useful to researching North Carolina history and genealogy.

Masters of Engineering, MBA

2018 NCGS Award, editor, Wake Treasures (Wake County (NC) Genealogical Society)

• NC research (Statewide, ALL time periods & includes Online Resources, Strategies & Research in all kinds of Records, African-American, Migration to other Southern States, Military, Land, and much more)
• Southern Research (those born in xxx and found living in yyy research problems, neat southern records, and more)
• Internet-based genealogy and family history resources (regular contributing author to Internet Genealogy, http://www.mosaicrpm.com/Internet_Genealogy_Articles.html)
• Freedmen's Bureau Records
• Civilian Conservation Corps Records
• Lineage Society Proof
• Using Online Maps
• and so much more!  See list of talks given and articles written for a more comprehensive view

Here is a list of current talk topics. This list is NOT comprehensive. For the most current list, reach out to the speaker.

Any southern-related, tips/tricks/techniques/strategies, or online database topic is fair game. Any articles written for Internet Genealogy and Your Genealogy Today can be converted into a talk (eitherer the as a webinar or in-person delivered lecture).

Updated 06/01/2024

NOTE: All topics can be delivered in person or virtually

NOTE: Geographic examples from the locale where a program is based WILL BE included

NOTE: ALL talks (and handouts) are reviewed/updated for any talk that hasn’t been delivered within 2 months of the scheduled program

NOTE: ALL talks include a handout, no shorter than 4 pages, delivered as a PDF.

** next to one topic that I think is a good cut across NC research topic appropriate to start a program (it’s one of my favorite talks)

(^^) next to some topics that are good for any researchers, not just southern ones since sometimes such is desired in a program to broaden its appeal

(##) are heavily NC

(AA) is used to identify records that appeal to African-American researchers though, have relevance to any researchers.  Especially in this category is the Freedmen’s Bureau (the most given talk in my repertoire) where in NC, about 50% of records are documenting the “white” population in the immediate post-Civil War years.

NOTE … These are not in any order. Additionally, the coding is not perfect and just meant to be helpful.

(**) (##) 1) Tarheels in Your family Tree? History & Record Idiosyncrasies You Want to Know About – good overall look at elements of NC research that many are not aware of [opening session lecture given in ballroom at NGS 2017]

(##) 2) Get Excited About Your Pre-1870 NC African American Research – focus is African-American records though no records (except cohabitation bonds) are created just “solely” for those who had been enslaved; other community members are also included

(^^) 3) Two States, Multiple Counties -- What's a Border?  A simple concept that many think they understand and yet often don’t fully take advantage of.

(##) [UPDATED] 4) Crimes Across Multiple Jurisdictions: Meet Wake County's Abbott Brothers – detailed look at 18th century court records; all the places they can be found and their crimes documented!

(AA) [UPDATED] 5) Freedmen's Bureau Records-More Valuable to Anyone's Southern Research Than You Might Have Thought – excellent resource for c. 1865-1868 records for ALL southerners [Most given talk]

(##) [UPDATED] 6) Goldmines in Colonial NC Records – details on “where” to look for colonial records and the gaps that exist in them

(##) [UPDATED] 7) Civil War Era Genealogy Research ... in your jammies (mostly!) – examines records created related to military service (not just pension and CSR) as well as maps, Confederate & Union Citizen Files & Southern Claims, voter registration, freedmen’s bureau, newspapers

(^^) [UPDATED] 8a) The Genealogical Gems Found in Small Business Ledgers -- Have you explored private and little-known archival (aka manuscript) collections? They are full of ledgers, account books, membership lists, and more! You can learn so much about your family and neighborhood through these records. Relationships are sometimes noted. Store, business and physician ledgers can link family members and provide many interesting details invaluable to your family history narrative. [when given separate from post office records will mention such ledgers] [when given separate from women’s records will mention inclusion of women as well as their diaries, correspondence, etc]

(^^) [NEW] 8b) Version of The Genealogical Gems Found in Ledgers though with a focus on identifying records where WOMEN are documented!  Women/females are documented in more places than you might think! Can be done as a 1 hour or 2-hour program. Alternate titles = Discovering the Hidden Women in Your Family History & Women in Ledgers - Geography, Politics, Religion & More

^^) (AA) [NEW] 8c) Version titled -- Journey Through Ledgers – People of Color, Enslaved & Free Can Be Found!

(^^) 9) Sign of the Times: Timelines in Genealogy – an excellent tool to help organize and decipher lots of data and help solve genealogical conundrums! [One of my most popular programs] Can be done as a 1-hour lecture or a 2-hour workshop [mix of lecture and hands-on activities].

(##) [UPDATED] 10) Online Resources Are Key to Successful Research into North Carolina Ancestry (or NC is No Longer a Rip Van Winkle State). NCGS Members can access, https://www.ncgenealogy.org/online-resources-are-key-to-successful-research-into-north-carolinian-ancestry-webinar/.  [revamped Feb 2020]

[no 11]

(##) 12) Born in NC: Making the Connection Back to NC – this is actually a survey course that looks at 25 different resources that help when you don’t know “where” an ancestor found elsewhere is indicated with “born in NC” in records. Preview via NCGS website, https://www.ncgenealogy.org/news/born-nc-preview/ -- Attached to this can be a “Born in NC Found Living in GA” or “Born in NC Found Living in AL” case study.

(^^) (AA) 13) Slaves + Insurance = Rich Records – Slaves were insured and these are the records documenting that from registries to ledgers to lawsuits and more.

(##) 14) Maps! Oh the Places They Can take Us Without Leaving Home! (online map resources & how they can help solve genealogical problems)

(^^) [UPDATED] 15) Post Office Records: Geography, Politics, Religion & More -- Post offices aren't just about mail! Post offices used to define communities and people used their location, in records, to define where they lived. Post offices also handled newspaper subscriptions and related materials. How would you like to see great great grandpa's subscription list? Talk about insight into a person -- often indicating religious and/or political leanings.

(##) 16) A “Hand-out” for your Poor Ancestors: local parishes and counties did step up -- covers colonial period through WWII – a bit more of a focus on the laws in place and what “poor relief” was theoretically available though not necessarily implemented state-wide; some records don’t survive or have restricted access [Given at NGS 2017]

(##) 17) Pre-1913 Vital Records [focus is on NC options though most records discussed are also created in other jurisdictions]. Preview via NCGS website, https://www.ncgenealogy.org/news/pre-1913-vital-records-preview/.

(^^) (AA) [UPDATED] 18) Digital Library on American Slavery & More -- This talk discusses a few resources that you won’t regret looking into as you research your African-American ancestry. Some collections and techniques which will be focused on include … • Digital Library on American Slavery [slave petitions, runaway slave advertisements, bills of sale, transatlantic slave trade database] & related projects • Slave Narratives [not all are part of the Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936 to 1938 [Library of Congress] • Using Archivegrid to search for private manuscript collections containing records about those enslaved. [2^nd most popular AA topic]

19) Research Finns – Finnish not required; Internet is!

(^^) [NEW] [UPDATED]  22) Stock Marks Aren't Just Animal Brands: Use Them To Identify People Also! -- It’s easy to associate branding with large cattle, sheep, goat, and other ranches often found west of the Mississippi River. You do so at your own risk! The need for animal identification has been needed though ever since people have lived near one another and have raised such. Colonial states passed laws regarding the marking of animals as a form of identification. These records can help place individuals, sometimes quite early, in a community. [taped for NGS virtual conference May 2020]

(AA) [NEW] [Updated version of #33] 23) The Story of Rachel – One assumes that a slave manumitted is immediately freed; think again.  This is the story of Rachel and her children, the laws of North Carolina and the almost 20 years it too for them to actually be freed.

(^^) [NEW] 23) Crowdsourcing – Many Hands Get Digitized Records Indexed! The last few years has seen a plethora of “crowdsourced” projects focused on indexing records benefit genealogists.  A survey of active and closed such projects as well as other ways that crowdsourcing is benefiting genealogists. Extensive discussion of select platforms used by many.

(^^) 24) Financing Wars -- 18th & 19th Century Federal Tax Records DO Exist! -- The United States federal government began levying revenue taxes back in 1791 with a tax on distilled spirits. Soon after, other items such as carriages, refined sugar and snuff were also taxed. The records that came from these taxes are an overlooked resource for genealogists. Though not all the tax records themselves may survive, newspapers end up providing some insight into some of those earliest Federal Taxes.

(^^) 28) Tips for Applying to a Lineage Society – Lineage society applications are often more exacting than people would like for them to be. Let’s talk about proving your lineage, useful tools for tracking who/what/where/when, the common requirements across most applications, proof arguments, do NOTS, select society requirements, and more.

(##) [UPDATED] 29) Seafaring/Mariner Ancestors -- Seafaring folk, especially southern ones, are challenging to document. Shipping records do survive for many 18th & 19th century ports. We’ll follow the money to identify mariner ancestors. Explore NARA, newspapers, commercial ledger, port records and more.

(^^) 30) Internet Archive, JSTOR, HathiTrust etc – A Few Favorite Online Resources! Also mentioned are Wayback Machine, OCLC/Worldcat, Archivegrid, Linkpendium, and more [see #55 which is an extension of this topic – many more resources/faster pace and more obscure topics]

(^^) [UPDATED] 31) The Power of People – Voices via Petitions -- Sometimes we have to “fight” for what we want and that leads to certain types of petition.  Sometimes we seek government authorization for certain activities and that requires a different type of petition.  Petitions are a means by which one person or many or a whole community can seek to change the status quo.  Much of early legislation in our country is a result of petitions. The Crown was also petitioned by individuals seeking redress to issues, challenges (too far to the nearest courthouse), taxation (the crushing level of), and more. [

(##) 32) Using Church Records for Genealogy Research -- Discovering where denominational records are held, what might be available, and how to access them can challenge us.  Increasingly though, helpful finding materials are being published or placed online to assist in non-secular research. Fortunately, we also find online archives (digitized records) of religious records we can access from home. This increased access to these incredibly valuable and insightful records enriches our family history research. Let’s explore how to research the spiritual affiliations and faith-based lives of our ancestors. General resources and strategies will be discussed as well as some specifics regarding Methodist, Quaker, Baptist, Moravian, Presbyterian, and the records of other denominations.

(##) (AA) [see #23] 33) Manumission, Quakers, Abolition Efforts, and more -- Many enslaved sought to be manumitted while many abolitionists and Quakers sought to “abolish” slavery.  There was success in eliminating the trans-Atlantic slave trade though most slaves. in what is the United States were NOT freed until the Civil War. Though, some slaves were manumitted and there are records to be found both about how they gained their freedom and those involved in trying to ensure their freedom. Let’s explore these invaluable records. Includes the case study – The Story of Rachel. [

(AA) 34) Mapping Resources Help Us Visualize African American History -- Visual tools can be so helpful as we do genealogical research. One form of visual tool that we are seeing more of are map-based tools.  Increasingly, the focus of these mapping initiatives are documenting those who had been enslaved and other aspects of researching African American ancestry. [to be given at FxGS in April 2020]

(^^) (AA) 35) Escaped Slave Advertisements, Finding Lost Relatives – 19th Century Newspaper Research -- A very high-level look at select newspaper research sources and strategies for learning more about 19th century previously enslaved ancestors.  We can only skim the surface of the rich rewards newspapers can yield as we research into them.  We’ll focus on (1) advertisements for runaway slaves, (2) advertisements, notices and queries seeking information on seemingly lost relatives and (3) a few resources to help identify where/when 19th century African American newspapers were published and how you might access them.

(^^) (AA) 36) 1867 Voter Registration and Beyond -- An 1867 law allowed that males 21+ years, regardless of skin color, were eligible to vote.  Any surviving 1867 voter registrations are invaluable to genealogists. Across the country, the Reconstruction Acts of 1867, implemented regulations regarding voter registration.  Lists of Qualified Voters were created.  These are the first lists to include the formerly enslaved, whites (who took oaths), and those who were previously designated as free persons of color.

(^^) 37a) 50 Overlooked Genealogical Resources in 50 Minutes! – Since 2006 I have been authoring a Net Notes column for Internet Genealogy; I have authored pieces for this publication since its founding in 2006.  “Internet Genealogy looks at websites and related news that are sure to be of interest.”  This column provides a quick snapshot of neat free genealogically-relevant databases that have caught my eye. We are not talking database additions to Ancestry or FamilySearch et al.  Many of these are home-grown narrowly focused databases that just might provide you with an invaluable piece of information. I’ve easily written over 500 net notes.  Let’s take a look at a “whole bunch” of hidden gems you have available at your fingertips that you might not be aware of. [Taped for Legacy Webinars in 2021]

(^^) [NEW] 37b) 50 Mostly “Hot off the Press” Net Sites You Want to Check Out! – This is a continuation of the previous talk; a completely new set of resources, still worldwide in nature divided into various groupings. [Taped for Legacy Webinars in 2022]

[NEW] 37c) Even More 50 Mostly “Hot off the Press” Net Sites You Want to Check Out [Taped for Legacy Webinars in 2023]

[Coming to Legacy Webinars in 2024] 37d) Let’s Continue With 50 More Overlooked Genealogical Resources

(^^) 38) Mostly Involuntary Servitude -- Sometimes, in order, to emigrate to what is now the United States or Canada (and elsewhere around the world) able-bodied individuals would become indentured servants. Though many of these arrangements were by choice (often not really), some were definitely not. Let’s explore the databases that help us identify whether our ancestors were indentured or not. Some US, UK and Canadian resources will be explored.

(##) 40) On the Road Again: Are Your Ancestors Hiding in Road Records? -- Road records provide incredible insight into the creation of our road infrastructure. Crews were often assigned based on where they lived in relation to the roads in the community and included not only the foreman or overseer but also individuals who worked on or maintained the roads. There are few records that document a neighborhood like road records do. [mostly NC with some VA thrown in] [NCGS Webinar 2020]

(^^) [NEW] [extension of #8b] [Updated 02/2021] 41) In Her Own Words: Women’s Voices via Diaries and Correspondence – women can be hard to document and yet exploring surviving diaries and letters gives us insight into women’s lives. Women have “voices” in many ways, not all necessarily even via writing and through participation and involvement.  Let’s explore at least 20 different types of women’s voices; often, though not always, in her own words.

(##) 42) Genealogical Research on 18th and 19th Century Epidemics and Health.   Were any of your ancestors doctors or nurses?  Did any family members stay in a hospital or other medical institutions?  What and when were some of the major heath crises in the past?  Discusses resources available that document epidemics, medical care providers, the education of healthcare professionals, and healthcare options for formerly enslaved and descendants.

(##) [UPDATED] [NEW Dec 2020] 43) Migrations 1: Many Arrive -- Early Migration In, Across and Out of North Carolina -- Many individuals and families migrated into North Carolina, especially in the colonial and pre-Civil War time period.  Depending on who was immigrating and when, different locales in NC were hot spots for emigrants from abroad either directly or via Virginia, South Carolina, Pennsylvania and beyond.  As the state developed, resources were depleted, productive land was becoming more scarce, settlers considered it to be getting too crowded, and we see a pattern of western migration.  This migration often did not stop at the state borders.  Many families spent a few years, a generation or a few generations in North Carolina, often hopscotching across the state, east to west, before migrating to adjoining states and beyond. Let’s explore these years of migrating North Carolinians – the history of the times and the documentary trail left behind.

(##) (AA) [UPDATED] [NEW Jan 2021] 44) Migrations 2: North Carolinians on the Move -- Reconstruction and early 20^th Century Migration -- Throughout history many of those who stepped foot in North Carolina have migrated into, across and out of the state. Reconstruction and the early 20^th century accelerated certain types of out migration from the state.  The economic devastation created by the Civil War and the needs of those formerly enslaved to reconnect with far flung family members resulted in many leaving North Carolina. Increasing discrimination against African Americans, World War I ,and the depression found many more North Carolina families fragmented as some members moved to the Norfolk-Portsmouth area, or New York City, or locations with robust factory-based economies – either as part of the “Great Migration” or those just seeking opportunities unavailable in North Carolina. We’ll explore the factors leading to out migration from NC, efforts to replenish the workforce, and how we might link “back to NC” from where its former citizens ended up.

(^^) [UPDATED] 45) Death Records by a Different Name – Let’s discuss over 30 different places where we might find documentation of a death.  We are not talking obituaries, cemetery records, probate records, death certificates and the records that most of us regularly pursue.  We are talking of some of the many other records which might be created and document the death of your ancestors.

(^^) [UPDATED] 46) Accurate Transcriptions – this program was most recently done for the State Archives of North Carolina as they introduced Colonial Court Records to Transcribe NC (crowdsource transcribing platform).  The recorded program can be accessed here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsKz-JD9GAo&t=1769s. Done as a 2-hour hands-on workshop; 1^st half lecture and 2^nd half pop quiz and hands-on exercises. Can be done as 1-hour lecture or 2-hour workshop.

(AA) [NEW] 47) Free Persons of Color – Some Were Required to Register.  Not all African Americans living in the United States before the Civil War were enslaved; many non-white skinned individuals identified as Free Persons of Color (FPOC).  Most had been born "free," though some were formerly enslaved, American Indians, and Americans of mixed race. The status of FPOC within a community, especially a southern one, was often tenuous.  Throughout time, what "rights" they did have were eroded.  Sometimes, there was a requirement to "register" with the local government.  This law resulted in the creation of registers or similar, some of which survive and are invaluable to researching.  As with all record sets, not all do survive.

(^^) [NEW] 48) What is New is Also Old – Tolls – Have You Explored For Your Ancestors? How many of you have cars with E-Zpass or similar toll transponders?  This is the modern way of collecting tolls from those traveling by car.  The concept of tolls has been around forever, or so it seems.  18th-century records clearly document requests for and approval of tolls for roads, bridges, ferries, and canals. If you were willing to “pay” you could take the shorter/quicker/easier route from Point A to Point B; if not, then your journey was typically longer and harder. From the perspective of state and local government, if infrastructure was needed, what better way than to let private citizens create roads, bridges, ferries, and canals and then allow them to charge tolls to recoup their costs and hopefully result in a profit. Did your ancestor pay tolls? Let’s explore surviving records that just might answer that question.

(AA) [NEW] 49) “Colored News” – Don’t Miss Out on This Hidden Though Invaluable Goldmine. The reality is that effectively until the Civil Rights Act of 1964, “white” newspapers printed little news of the African American, Colored, Negro, Black, etc., community.  Crimes by “negros” and other sensational news are the type of article typically found.  That said, some “white” newspapers did publish “colored news” or similar columns in their newspapers.  This talk explores this aspect of African American newspaper research.

(AA) [NEW] 50) African American research with a focus on Funeral Programs [taped for Rootstech 2021 as a 20 min program] & Photograph Collections strong in African American imagery [taped for Rootstech 2021 as a 20 min program].  These two programs are combined, additional details have been included, and the pace is a bit more relaxed to make this a full program.

(^^) [NEW] 51) Unlocking the Life of an English Rose – Don’t Overlook Researching Your Immediate Family: Think you know your mom?  Researching my mom’s life, after she died relatively young and before grandchildren, and bereft of memorabilia, yielded some fun surprises about her youth. Don’t wait!  Our research skills aren’t just for researching the long-ago deceased, they can be used for 20^th century research into a loved one.

(AA) [NEW] 52) Freedman’s Bank Records – records that complement those of the Freedmen’s Bureau [see talk #5].  Created at the same time though existed a few years longer, until 1874.  Let’s talk about why it existed, the records that survive and what juicy gems they include, and key for genealogists, where to find them!

(^^) [NEW] 53a) [20 min program – Rootstech 2022] Extra! Extra! Read All About It -- Worldwide Tour of Newspaper Platforms & Resources: There has been an explosion in newspaper platforms. Covid helped accelerate digitization projects of newspapers. We’ll cover oldies but goodies like Google Newspapers to locale-specific projects like DigitalNC to national projects – British, Finnish, etc. -- to multi-country projects (e.g., Europeana) to Veridian Software client projects (International) to keeping up on new projects via Ancestor Hunt and so much more! The focus is online access and FREE!

(^^) [NEW] 53b) [full-length program] Extra! Extra! Read All About It -- Worldwide Tour of Newspaper Platforms & Resources :  Newspapers provide such rich and often intimate details about our ancestors. Whether documenting death, conflict, hobbies, politics, travel, or more, they provide information often not found elsewhere. Recently, there has been an explosion of newspaper digitization projects that allow us to use our fingers to walk through our ancestors' lives while in our jammies. These projects range from free national ones to newspaper-focused platforms to crowdsourced-based to subscription databases, specific African American resources, and beyond. We'll also discuss several state-centric newspaper projects. There are many options to pursue when exploring the lives of ancestors; whether immigrants, in-state or when migrated elsewhere. [This program can easily be customized for any location; the bones of the program remain the same with inserted content (if not already included) for the relevant state.]

[NEW] 54) DLAS, Voyages 2.0, Enslaved & Beyond – Let’s Explore Historical Slave Trade Resources

An exploration of online free international projects focused on researching and reconstructing the lives of enslaved individuals, enslavers, or those who participated in the historical trade.

(^^) [NEW] 55) Scholarly and Academic Resources are a Genealogist's Best Friend -- Don’t ignore academic resources in your research. Some great contextual information and abstracted/transcribed data can be found with breadcrumbs (aka bibliography) to guide your research further. Jstor, Libguides, OATD, and more will be explored; many research gems to be found! [an extension of topic #30 – many more resources/faster pace and more obscure topics]

(^^) [NEW] 56) Two British Resources That Help You Research from the Americas to the Caribbean, Europe, UK, India and Beyond. The Endangered Archives Programme (British Library) (EAP) & British Online Archives (BOA) are both incredible, surprising, and little-known resources. And their focus is NOT solely on British records, though the “old” British Empire is well represented. EAP has some neat Caribbean record collections, while BOA includes an exciting collection of 17th-early 19th-century port records, including the Americas and the Caribbean. Let’s explore the vast holdings of these projects and how they benefit genealogists. A few other projects might also be mentioned!

[COMING – Not Yet Available] 57) Researching Colonial Women – They Did Leave Records Behind! We often hear that official/government records don’t document women. Though this might mostly be true when talking about land records, holding office, many tax records, etc., there are whole categories of government-created and privately held records where we DO find women documented in the colonial era. We also often hear that women were invisible due to the patriarchal order of the times.  Again, this may hold true in many regards, and trust me, records can be found! And we are talking about everyday ordinary women – not famous women. We’ll explore a mix of records where common colonial-era women bearing unfamiliar names (except to their genealogically minded descendants) ARE documented and sometimes extensively. Assuming you’ve already checked for wills, probate, deeds, and other widely available and familiar records, we’ll focus on some of the record types less likely to be consulted and yet a must when researching your colonial-era female ancestors.

[COMING – Not Yet Available] 58) Courthouse Disasters (aka Burnt Counties) are NOT a Guaranteed Brick Wall. We often hear the term “Burnt County” to convey that few to no records survive for that county.  It can be any disaster that befell county records – fires were common, but floods, staff walking off with the papers, improper storage leading to mold/pests/degradation, and other causes of record loss occur.

So, first, let’s explore the finding aids often created by a state archive or similar let us know what records are known to be extant, aka survive.  Let’s look over that list.  Just because a disaster befell a county does not mean that ALL records were lost (though, sometimes, it does).  Similarly, for a county not hit by a disaster, we may find many important records missing for unknown reasons. This means that you should not “assume” what has or has not survived; you should investigate it.  If we confirm extensive or exhaustive record losses, what next? Any record that survives for the appropriate time and place, such as when and where your ancestors lived, is worth exploring.  No rocks are too slimy to look under. Assuming that you’ve checked out the attics/basements of the family for documents with no success, what are some key alternative records for us to pursue to help fill in those now-existing knowledge gaps?

[COMING – Not Yet Available] 59) Here Cometh the Tax Man – His Diligence & Persistence Were Unparalleled. As Ben Franklin and others before him said, “nothing can be certain, except death and taxes.”  Taxes have long been a fact of life.  We’ve all paid them, and our ancestors paid them.  An often-overlooked aspect of them is the nuances of why and how they were collected. You had local/county taxation, possibly state taxation, and Federal taxation.

[COMING – Can Be Available] 60) [Follow on to 8a, 8b, & 8c aka Ledgers Part 2] Let’s Take a Deep Dive Into Ledgers!

Now that we know about this incredible resource and the wide variety of extant volumes, we can more fully explore what just one ledger might tell us.  To do this, we’ll more deeply explore a few ledgers as well as check out some tools we might benefit from using to correlate all the newly revealed data on individuals, businesses, and bartering relationships.

(*) Case study showcasing the neat finds one ledger might reveal – Betsy Haywood Private Collection Ledger (shoemaker)

(*) Case study showcasing account reconciliation & the bartering system used to ensure that a naval stores business had the raw material needed – Thomas Gill Ledger

(*) Case study – geography [John Williams Lawyer Ledger (Granville co) + John Tate Ledger (Guilford co)] (*) additional case studies

(*) [maybe] include AI elements (ChatGPT) – review available abstracted/transcribed material – what relationships can be correlated?

(*) [maybe] play with Gelphi to visually summarize documented information found

Webinars

1. Agreed upon fee
2. Access to a platform supporting PPT presentations [I currently don't provide the webinar platform and we can discuss]
3. Can discuss archiving of webinar and associated handout as appropriate
4. ALL talk topics can be done as a webinar!

Face-to-face

1. Cover cost of transportation -- Flight, train or driving (using the federal mileage rate) as appropriate.
2. If I drive, I typically bill at a reduce rate my drive time since I have not learned how to work & drive.  I typically consider the first 30 minutes each way free since I would do that to attend local events and speak.
3. If needed (e.g. not local), a hotel for the preceding night and possibly the program night, especially if there is a post-event dinner or similar event.  Basically, if I can do a round-trip in a day for the program I will.  Lodging only needed if that is not possible.
4. I would like to get $200 for each talk if they are talks that I would not be creating from scratch specific to your program (unless we’ve discussed the topic and I know that I can leverage it at other events).  There is room for negotiation.
5. I would expect that I would provide a master of the handouts that y’all would print double-sided and in black & white unless you offer virtually (for the former, I would offer attendees a PDF version if they email me). So, no cost to me.
6. Meals on the program day(s) (hotels with breakfast always work, then if lunch is provided for the program, then that just leaves dinner) or a meal allowance (I eat cheap).
7. Provision of a projector/screen – I have an old and cranky projector and so if one is provided that just helps and ensures the best experience for participants (and saves me lugging it around).  I usually bring my own laptop and always place my talks on USBs (if there is already a laptop linked to the projector).  I also bring a controller in case one is not provided.
8. If the space is large enough or sound quality in the space is an issue, some form of microphone – either handheld (with a cord allowing movement) or cordless or lavalier are fine.  I like to move around when I talk.
9. Details for longer than 50 minutes talks or longer than all-day programs can be discussed.

For the best & most current information, contact the speaker for a COMPLETE & CURRENT list of recent and past speaking engagements

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Recently given talks (2020-2024)

Current through 07/06/2024 -- Full titles not given; just summary information to characterize the nature of the topics delivered.

2024 [scheduled]

• [see GenWebinars.com for scheduled talks]
• [virtual] UGA Summit of Excellent – Freedman’s Savings Bank
• [virtual] Pikes Peak (CO) – Federal Taxes
• [virtual] Legacy Webinars – Let’s Continue with 50 More Overlooked Genealogical Resources
• [in person] York County (SC) – (1) Timelines, (2) 50 Overlooked
• [virtual] Larimer County (CO) – Post Office
• [in person] NCGS Conference – (1) Colonial NC Research, (2) Women + Ledgers
• [virtual] TxSGS Conference – (1) UK Resources, (2) FPOC Registration, (3) Academic/Scholarly Resources
• [virtual] GSGM (FL) – Women + Ledgers
• [virtual] Pima (AZ) – Civil War Research
• [virtual] NCGS (NC) – Abbott Brothers (18^th century court records & beyond)
• [virtual] Castle Rock (CO) -- Ledgers

2024 [given]

• [virtual] Houston Genealogical Forum – Migrations #1
• [virtual] NEOCAG -- Ledgers
• [virtual] Tennessee State Genealogical Society – Post Office Records (non-Federal)
• [virtual] Rootstech – (1) English Rose and (2) Stock Marks
• [virtual] Prince Georges (MD) Gen Society – Women + Ledgers
• [virtual] WPSDM (Canada) – In Her Own Words (Researching Women)
• [in person] Durham-Orange Genealogical Society (NC) -- Petitions
• [virtual] Olde Meck (NC) -- Goldmines in Colonial NC Records
• [virtual] Olympia (WA) – Ledgers
• [virtual] SCGS (CA) – Don’t Ignore Scholar Resources
• [virtual] Wylie (TX) – Finding Family After Emancipation
• [virtual] SCGS (CA) – DLAS & related
• [virtual] GenWebinars – Death Records
• [virtual] GenWebinars – Freedmen’s Bureau Records
• [virtual] GenWebinars – Academic/Scholarly Resources
• [virtual] Wake County Genealogical Society (NC) – Colonial NC Records
• [virtual] GenWebinars -- Timelines

2023 [given]

• [virtual] NCGS – Poor Relief
• [virtual] Patchogue-Medford Library – Timelines
• [in person] Moore Co (NC) – General Genealogy Research & Online NC Research
• [virtual] GFO – Timelines
• [in person] D-OGS (NC) – Crimes Across Jurisdictions (Abbott Brothers)
• [virtual] AAHGS (triangle) – Freedmen’s Bureau Records
• [in person] Garner (NC) DAR – WDYTYA
• [in person] Raleigh (NC) DAR – 25 Overlooked Resources
• [virtual] AAHGS (Houston TX) – Lost Friends Advertisements
• [virtual] North Suburban Gen Society (IL) – Timelines
• [virtual] CAGGNI – Post Office Records & Colonial Research
• [virtual] Ontario (Canada) Genealogical Society – In Her Own Words (Researching Women)
• [virtual] Rootstech – Power of the People (Petitions) & Researching African Americans in Ledgers & Migrations (NC)
• [virtual] NC DAR – Migrations (NC)
• [virtual] San Angelo (TX) Genealogy & History Society – Researching Religious Records
• [virtual] SCGS Jamboree – Ledgers
• [virtual] Family History Society of Arizona – Death Records
• [virtual] NCGS Spring Conference – Newspaper Research
• [virtual] Augusta (GA) Genealogy Society – Civil War era Research (mostly non-military)
• [in-person] Durham-Orange (NC) Genealogical Society -- 50 Mostly "Hot off the Press" Websites
• [virtual] APG Writers SIG – Elements of APG PMC 2022 talk & NCGS Journal Update & Submission Requirement
• [virtual] MTGS – Post Office Records (non-Federal)
• [in person] NGS – (1) Scholarly Resources & (2) NC Migrations
• [virtual] AAHGS (Houston TX for AARP group) -- Lost Friends Advertisements
• [virtual] SMCGS (CA) – Ledgers
• [virtual] Pikes Peak (CO) – Post Office Records (non-Federal)
• [virtual] VGA – Ledgers
• [virtual] Fountaindale (IL) – Ledgers
• [in-person] Fearrington (NC) – English Rose
• [virtual] Western NY Gen Society – Death by Another Name
• [virtual] UGA SOC – Freedmen’s Bureau Records
• [webinar] Legacy Webinars – Even More 50 Mostly Hot off the Press Resources
• [virtual] Wabash Valley – NC research online & offline
• [virtual] AAHGS – (1) British & Scholarly Resources, (2) AA Photographic Collections
• [virtual] TxSGS – (1) Financing Wars, (2) Freedmans Savings Bank, & (3) Civil War Research
• [webinar] NCGS – Toll Roads

2022 [given]

• [virtual class – 12 hour class] AppGen Institute – Get Lost in Ledgers
• [webinar] Southern California Genealogical Society – FPOC Registration
• [virtual conference] North Carolina Genealogical Society – Death Records by a Different Name
• [webinar] Wayne Co Public Library – (1) Going Beyond Ancestry.com: Tracing African American Ancestors Before 1870 & (2) Finding Our Foremothers: Researching Women in Your Family Tree
• [virtual] Durham-Orange Genealogical Society – English Rose
• [webinar] RootsTech – 3 topics – (1) Crowdsourced Projects from Around the World, (2) Worldwide Tour of Newspaper Platforms, (3) Online Favorite Resources
• [webinar] Craven Co (NC) Library – (1) Freedman’s Bank
• [webinar] Palm Springs Genealogical Society – Post Office Records
• [webinar] Wylie Tx Gen Soc – “Open Mic”
• [webinar] UGA Pro Talk – Timelines
• [webinar] Craven Co (NC) Library – 3/4 programs – (2) “Colored” News, (3) Migrations #1, (4) Migrations #2
• [webinar] Chicago Genealogical Society – Timelines
• [webinar] Virginia Genealogical Society – Newspapers
• [webinar] Wake County Genealogical Society – In Her Own Words
• [webinar] Ontario (Canada) Genealogical Society – Favorite Online Places
• [webinar] Oklahoma Genealogical Society – Post Office Records
• [recorded] Legacy Webinars – 50 Mostly Hot off the Press Net Sites You Want to Check Out
• [virtual] Ontario (Canada) Genealogical Society – Death Records
• [virtual] UGA Summit of Excellence – (1) Ledgers, (2) Freedman’s Bank, (3) Stock Marks
• [virtual] Association of Professional Genealogists PMC -- Are You Squeezing What You Can Out of What You Are Doing?
• [in-person] Tar Heel Discoveries – will give several lectures to participants
• [virtual conference] Virtual Genealogical Association – Academic & Scholarly Resources

2021 [given]

• [webinar] FSGS – Research African American Ancestors (Funeral Programs and Photo Archives)
• [webinar] North Carolina Genealogical Society – Migrations (Part 2)
• [webinar] Marion Co FL Genealogy Society – Tarheels in Your Family Tree
• [taped] RootsTech Connect – (1) African American Funeral Programs, (2) African American Photo Archives, (3) Researching Finnish When You Don’t Speak Finnish
• [webinar] Legacy Family Tree Webinars – 50 Overlooked Genealogical Resources in 50 Minutes
• [webinar] Utah Genealogical Society (Virtual Chapter) -- Financing Wars -- 18th & 19th Century Federal Tax Records DO Exist!
• [webinar] SAHGS – Post Office Records
• [taped] NERGC – (1) Digital Library on American Slavery, (2) 1867 Voter Registration
• [taped] SCGS Virtual Jamboree –Runaway Slave Advertisements & Lost Relatives
• [taped] NGS – (1) In Her Own Words, (2) Journey Through Ledger
• [hybrid in-person & webinar] D-OGS -- Stroll Through Ledgers and Explore Ancestors’ Everyday Lives
• [webinar] NCGS -- Get Lost in Ledgers – The Unique Looking Glass into Our Ancestors’ Lives
• [recorded] TxSGS – (1) Road Records, (2) 1867 Voter Registration
• [recorded] AAHGS -- (1) 1867 Voter Registration and Beyond, (2) Free Persons of Color – Some Were Required to Register, (3) Journey Through Ledgers – People of Color, Enslaved & Free Can Be Found!
• [webinar] Texas Bay Area GS -- Migrations 1: Many Arrive – Early Migration In, Across and Out of North Carolina
• [webinar] Ft Worth Library – (1) Power of the people (legislative petitions), (2) 50 Overlooked
• [webinar] OBCGS – Migrations #1 & Migrations #2 [modified to reflect more WNC]
• [in-person] NCGS – (1) Transcription Workshop, (2) Seafarers
• [webinar] IAAGG – 50 Overlooked

2020

• [webinar] North Carolina Genealogical Society – Road Records
• Wake County Genealogical Society – Jstor, Internet Archive, Linkpendium and more
• [virtual conference] North Carolina Genealogical Society – Online NC Resources [updated version of webinar recorded years ago]
• [webinar] Southern California Genealogical Society (SCGS) JES Webinar series– 1867 Voter Registration
• [webinar] Virginia Beach (VA) Genealogical Society – Timelines
• [webinar] Fairfax County (VA) Genealogical Society – (1) Mostly Involuntary Servitude, (2) Crowdsourced Projects, (2) Overlooked Genealogical Resources
• [webinar] Durham-Orange Genealogical Society – Health, Medical, etc.
• [webinar] Triangle Jewish Genealogical Society -- Sign of the Times: Timelines in Genealogy
• [taped] NGS – (1) Stock Marks, (2) 50 Overlooked Resources in 50 Minutes
• [webinar] Olde Mecklenburg – Ledgers
• [webinar] State Archives of North Carolina – Transcribing Colonial Records
• [webinar] TxSGS Virtual Conference – 50 Overlooked Resources
• [webinar] Augusta County (GA) Genealogical Society – [focus on women] (1) The Story of Rachel, (2) Born in NC with GA example, (3) Women in Ledgers, (4) On the Road Again – road records
• [taped] Alabama Genealogical Society – (1) 50 Overlooked Resources, (2) Mapping African American, (3) Born in NC with AL example, (4) Women in Ledgers
• [webinar] East Carolina University – 2-hour program – Discovering Hidden Women
• [webinar] Prince George Co (MD) – Mariners/Seafarers
• [webinar] UGA Virtual Conference – Genealogical Gems Found in Ledgers
• [webinar] UGA Virtual Chapter – Mariners/Seafarers
• [webinar] Houston (TX) Genealogical Forum -- Genealogical Gems Found in Ledgers
• [webinar] The Villages – Genealogical Gems Found in Ledgers
• [taped] AAHGS – (1) Digital Library on American Slavery, (2) Slave Ads, Lost Relatives, Newspapers
• [webinar] Central Georgia Genealogical Society -- Tarheels in Your family Tree? History & Record Idiosyncrasies You Want to Know About
• [taped] Tx State Genealogical Society Conference – (1) Digital Library on American Slavery, (2) Stock Marks
• [webinar] North Carolina Genealogical Society – Migrations (Part 1)
• [webinar] Virtual Genealogical Association – Timelines