Upcoming genealogy presentations calendar listed into 2021

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized    Leave a comment

I spent the weekend updating some of my presentations and contracts for them. The next step was to update my calendar of when I will be doing those presentations. As of today, all my presentations are being given online through January 2021. That means you can join in on your computer, tablet, or even a phone (not ideal). I do provide a handout for each presentation. To view my updated calendar please see Paula’s Upcoming Presentations.

The presentation are done via the sponsoring organization’s Zoom, Google, or GoToWebinar platforms. Some require membership in the organization or a small fee. I can also put organizations in contact with a specialized tech person to supply the higher level Zoom platform and who will oversee the full webinar and handle all the techie parts.

I am available for additional presentations in 2020 and beyond. Check my titles and availability under the Speaking tab. Then contact me by email using the address on the website. I will then provide full information on my experience and fees. Once we agree to a date and topic, I will send my standard contract to the sponsoring organization.

Oh, the learning we are doing online today!

Hey genealogists! Need to do some or more DNA testing? It’s sale time!

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized    Leave a comment

Now that I have your attention, this is just to share that various DNA testing companies are having nice summer sales. Stock up on kits for more family members, for birthday or anniversary gifts, or to have ready for those new relative discoveries. Check each company’s website, social media sits, or do a general search for “DNA sale.”

The January 2021 Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy online courses registration is August 8th.

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized  ,  Leave a comment

Registration is online and opens on Saturday, 8 August 2020, at 10:00am MT. (9 PT, 11 CT, Noon ET).

It’s all virtual in January to keep everyone safe. Two other institutes were virtual this summer and were fantastic and fun. SLIG courses will run Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 4:00 pm MT; some will include homework and other support items outside those times. Why register? A variety of courses, all online, syllabus, homework, chatting with fellow students, access to instructors with considerable knowledge and experience, to name just some of the benefits. I am teaching in this course:

To see the full lineup of classes that Coordinator Annette Burke Lyttle has planned,  click here.

To learn more about SLIG and to register, click here.

Last discount day for my online genealogy course Government Records 101

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized  Leave a comment

Today, August 3d, is the last day to sign up for a while for my course: Researching U.S. Government Records 101. Save $10 using code Paula10. This is a four session course that is released to you one week at a time. An extensive handout is in session 2. This course won’t be offered for a while so register today. at Research Write Connect Academy.

Registrants will be added to a private Facebook group for only students who are or have taken the course. You’ll get to see some of the neat things found by previous students. You are able to revisit each session if need be or stop viewing if you need to make dinner! Homework is suggested in each session and it’s for your benefit and doesn’t need to be turned in.

MyHeritage improves the site’s search engine!

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized    Leave a comment

Received from MyHeritage: “We are pleased to announce that our search engine for historical records has been redesigned and improved. Searching our treasure trove of 12.5 billion historical records is now easier and more intuitive than ever before!

We are pleased to announce that our search engine for historical records has been redesigned and improved. Searching our treasure trove of 12.5 billion historical records is now easier and more intuitive than ever before!

We redesigned the search engine to improve the user experience. Our main goals in this initiative have been the following:

  • Provide faster performance to allow users to run more searches in less time
  • Allow users to edit the search while viewing the search results, and run it again, to make it easier for them to locate the records they need
  • Display more results on each page
  • Simplify the experience by unifying simple search and advanced search into one search form that is simple to use and powerful in capability

Additionally, our search engine will automatically suggest typical filters in global searches, and more relevant filters that will enable you to narrow down your searches within the current category or collection you are searching in. We’ve also added icons under the record name to clearly distinguish between a historical record and a family tree record. ?

I used it briefly tonight and it is a nice improvement!

 

It’s Baaack! Genealogists asked for it. U. S. Government Records 101 and a discounted fee.

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized  ,  Leave a comment

Fellow genealogists have asked for it. Didn’t get into my virtual 4 session course “Researching U.S. Government Records 101” the last time? It’s being offered again. If you register no later than 3 August, you can save $10 by using code PAULA10. The lessons are released once a week after you register. There is suggested homework, of course! You can log back in at any time to view the lessons or review them.

You may also join us on a private Facebook page to share discoveries with other students and ask me questions. I love the interaction there. Discoveries made by previous students are still on that group page. I will invite you to that group with the email you use to register for the course. Some registrants may already be a Facebook friend of mine, and I will invite you directly after you register for the course.

From the course website: “Learn how to research the treasure trove of federal records of the U.S. government and mine the rich personal and other details they contain to compile a better picture of your ancestors and their families.” 

Learn more about this and other Research Write Connect Academy courses and register here.

Genealogy online: GRIP Digging Deeper course a smash hit!

Paula Stuart-Warren  Conferences/Institutes, Uncategorized  , ,  Leave a comment

I have been teaching at genealogical institutes since the early 1990s. These have included  in-person courses in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah. I have presented in-person seminars in many states. In recent years, I have been presenting online webinars. This summer has included being part of 2 week-long online institute courses via Zoom. Would I do it this way again? Sign me up!!

I taught four sessions and helped answer questions during the week in Cari Taplin’s Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh’s course Following Your Ancestors in Time and Place.

This past week the course I coordinate, Digging Deeper: Records, Tools, and Skills, took place online. I had a few reservations about the effectiveness of a few portions of the hands-on work. Those reservations are long gone. From day 1, it went well. The tech people, the GRIP directors, the  other instructors, and the students rose to the occasion and went far beyond my dreams. When the course week ended yesterday, my adrenaline rush took several hours to come down. I enjoyed the week, the teaching, the interaction, and the way everyone worked together. I thought you might like to see the class photo that includes the instructors, one of the directors, and most of the students.

 

THANK YOU ALL!

p.s. Yes, my course will be offered again — see you next June. The list of courses for GRIP 2021 is already available here. I will also be teaching in Cari Taplin’s Great Lakes research course.

Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) 2021 Courses

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized  ,  Leave a comment

Just finishing up a week of being involved in teaching for Cari Taplin’s course Following Your Ancestors in Time and Place. The week after next is my course Digging Deeper: Records, Tools, and Skills in which I teach many of the session. The experience teaching and interacting via Zoom has been wonderful this week. I have no qualms about it!

Now is the time to get you thinking about GRIP in summer 2021. My course, Digging Deeper, is moving to the June week. I will also be teaching in the Great Lakes course that week. Will we be online or in-person? Time will tell.

thumbnail of 2021 GRIP Flyer-18 courses

 

 

Those funeral, baby, wedding, and other books: Who are those people? Connected genealogically?

Paula Stuart-Warren  Uncategorized  , ,  Leave a comment

Have you thoroughly checked through family baby books, wedding books, anniversary books, old address books, and funeral books. These are the books that list guests and sometimes in their own handwriting. I have several of these items.

If you are fortunate to have some of these books, do you know who each person is who attended an event or sent a gift or card? Have you abstracted any dates or middle names that might be in these?

I have my own two baby books and those of my three children. Why did I have two baby books? I don’t have a clue. Neither is totally filled in, but I did note some nice things. I have a couple names I previously overlooked and now need to investigate. I will be surprised if there is a blood connection rather than only being family acquaintances. I got my first tooth at 8 months, walked at 10 months, and had two first birthday parties!

My maternal grandma’s birthday book is one of my prize possessions. It’s filled with names, birth dates and birth weights, middle names, death dates, and even her own birth date in several places. I wish I had this little book when I began my family history research. Grandma was still with us until 17 years after I began my trek. One page has her maiden name Cook written several times in her own hand and probably that of one of the grandchildren or great grandchildren. One of those kids did some superb scribbling on the outside back cover. I see a couple nicknames I did not have in my notes.

Ask relatives if they have any such books in their possession and if you can borrow them to abstract information. I hope some surprises await, better than this one from one of my baby books that didn’t even have one spot filled in!