Today
was a busy day, learning the layout of the conference center, hopping from one
session to another & visiting the Exhibit Hall. It was fun, exhausting and
I can hardly wait to do it all again tomorrow.
Opening
Session: Family History Lives Here. The seats in Ballrooms A & B were
almost all filled for the opening session today. The President of the NGS
started off the session with news of new publications, locations of future
conferences (Grand Rapids, MI in 2018 & St. Charles, MO in 2019) &
awards. Soon we were learning about the story behind the photo of the little
boy on the program brochure. “Behind Every Door is a Story.” We saw a movie
about high school students and their genealogy/history project where they told
stories about their families. These enthusiastic teens researched their
histories, assembled posters & recorded stories of their ancestors. We will
be able to see those posters at the conference. Lets hope those students
continue with their genealogy research and learn even more stories behind more
doors.
I
chose sessions today that focused on North Carolina research.
Tarheels
in Your Family Tree? Presented by Diane L. Richard.
Buckle
your seatbelt & hang on! Diane shared loads of information on North
Carolina research in the hour allocated. She was upbeat, informative and fun.
Of all the tips and guidance she shared one item she considers ‘critical’: Be
aware of County Formation history. Borders changed, counties split or
disappeared. I know that my families can be found in several counties without
ever moving. Besides a top notch talk, Diane provided many resources in her
syllabus. The copy I downloaded and printed is already well marked and worn
from use.
Interpreting NC Land
Records. Presented by David M. McCorkle
What is the difference
between a land grant, a deed and a headright? What was the land grant process?
Where can you find the documentation related to each step in the process? I
wondered about these questions but David answered them, clearly and with many
resources for even further research. His syllabus includes a basic land records
glossary that is handy for research in any state.
NC in the War of 1812.
Presented by Craig R. Scott
I am
not certain if any of my North Carolina family served in the War of 1812 but
now I know where to look to answer that question. Craig is clearly an expert in
the field and happy to share his expertise. He spoke quickly and I could not
take notes quickly enough. Hopefully his syllabus will fill in where my notes
dragged.
Did
I mention how friendly everyone is? Just sit down in a lecture room or take a
break for a snack and you will soon find someone sitting beside you, sharing their
conference experience. Remember: “Behind Every Door is a Story.”
Related Posts:
Sounds like a great mix of hands-on practical techniques/resources and historical background. Actually I wasn't aware of NC's involvement in the War of 1812. Looking forward to following along with you for the rest of the conference.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Marian!
Delete