Session: Potions & Paranormal: Folklore and Family History
Explore the intersection of Old World superstitions and New World realities. Using Romanian immigrant traditions—from protection against wolves to "evil eye" charms—we discuss how to research ancestral social history. Learn to use ethnic news and fraternal records to document the legends and folklore that shaped your ancestors' worldview. (B,I)

Session 1: Two Cousins and a Son-in-Law: A Civil War Story and Mystery
Two Irish cousins from County Limerick fought on opposite sides of the Civil War—one a Confederate volunteer, the other drafted and later joining the Union. A son-in-law may have served in both armies. Conflicting records, illness, capture, and enlistment errors create a case study in resolving Civil War identity and service questions. (I)

Session 2: An AI Research Project: From One Prussian Record to Two Stories
Emil Sauerwald died in a mining accident in 1887 in Virginia, leaving his wife Eva Schneider and two children. A clue in a son’s baptism record pointed to Wetzlar. An AI research project organized evidence and guided the search, leading to their marriage record in Matricula. Emil’s line was traced quickly, but Eva’s proved more difficult. (I)

Session 1: Manage Your Digital Family Archives
Is digital clutter overwhelming you? Losing track of what records you’ve already located because you can’t find anything? Do you want to make sure your digital files aren’t lost when you are gone? This session covers habitual best practices for naming, storing, and preserving your digital family archives, so your attention can be on the research. (B,I,A)

Session 2: Researching LGBTQ+ Ancestors
Genealogists are reminded to go into research with an open mind, considering all possibilities for their subjects. One of the least documented communities in history are LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual) people. Learn useful clues and strategies to take research on this topic further. (B,I,A)

Session: Say Her Name: Leveraging records and FAN to find a maiden name
Women often appear in records where they are mentioned in connection to their family. This class will discuss the records which you should be looking for to determine or confirm your ancestor’s maiden name. We will look at census records, newspaper/obituaries, marriage and baptism/christening records, land deeds, and children’s vital records. (B,I,A)

Session: Genealogy Reboot: Take a Fresh Look at Your Research
Genealogy Reboot invites participants to step back, reassess, and refresh their work with new eyes. Evaluate existing research delights and identify frightful gaps. Whether you are returning to long neglected files or refining an active project, Genealogy Reboot encourages genealogists to move forward with renewed clarity and confidence. (B,I,A)

Session: Finding a Father: DNA searching in (N.) Ireland
The quest of a Search Angel is to find unknown biological parents – but how can we do this when records are restricted, and DNA matches are distant? Chelley will take you through a case in which she used a variety of methods to overcome the limited availability of, or access to, census and vital records. (I,A)

Session: I Hate Conflict! Mediating Sources that Don't Agree
Sooner or later all researchers encounter conflicting genealogical information. When that happens, how can you tell which source, if either, is correct? This presentation will offer several considerations to determine when a source is credible, and how to record names, dates, or locations when the conflict has not been resolved. (B,I)

Session: Strategies for Migration Research: North Sea Isle to Midwest Prairie
Our ancestors were on the move! Some were adventurers, but most were part of extended family or community migrations. Explore records and strategies for reconstructing migration stories. This lecture includes just a Touch of Dutch—North Sea islanders who sailed the Midwest prairies. You’ll get to know some Zorgdragers and Terschellingers! (I)

Session 1: When Family History Hurts: A Trauma-Informed Approach
Some discoveries challenge identity, belonging, and long-held beliefs. This session introduces a trauma-informed framework for genealogists, offering tools to approach difficult findings with care, context, and ethical responsibility while still pursuing accurate, evidence-based conclusions. (B,I,A)

Session 2: Not Everyone Was a Patriot: Proving Revolutionary War Roots
Family stories don’t always match historical reality. Learn how to evaluate Revolutionary War claims using records, context, and DNA evidence. This session explores proof standards, common myths, and strategies for building credible lineage arguments. (B,I)

Session: A Witch in the Family? Voices From the Witch Trials
Witch trial records are more than tales of suspicion and superstition. They name hundreds of neighbors, relatives, witnesses, and officials. For genealogists, these records reveal hidden family connections—especially women’s families—and help reconstruct early New England communities and their descendants. (B,I)

Session 1: Banking, Bankruptcies and their Impact on our Ancestors
Discover how your ancestors navigated the 1800s financial landscape – from buying horses to surviving bank collapses – and uncover hidden stories of money, land, and loss! Alexander Hailton established our first federal bank, but what happened next led to my grandfather establishing a private bank and his eventual bankruptcy. (B,I)

Session 2: A Genealogists' Tool Kit: Strategies for Solving Typical Problems
Same named people; lost women; missing records; migrants from nowhere. Some types of genealogical problems recur again and again. Brick wall? Nope, just need a different strategy. We will look at each type of problem, identify the best strategy to answer the question, with a quick example to illustrate the techniques. (I)

Session: Choosing the Right Genealogy Software for Your Research
Choosing the right genealogy software can save time and keep your research organized. This session explains key decisions such as online vs. desktop and free vs. subscription tools, then reviews popular options including FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, and Family Tree Maker so you can decide which program best fits your research style. (B)