Thursday, May 11, 2017

NGS Conference Day #2: A Day of Experts & Education

I must admit to moving slow this morning and missing the earliest sessions. However, the sessions I did attend were excellent. Below are details on the sessions I did attend.



Land Grants in North Carolina. Presented by A. B. Pruitt

Listening to Brian Pruitt was a wonderful way to start the day. He is a delightful, intelligent gentleman with a dry sense of humor. His talk was organized, even paced and brimming with information. He explained how the land grant process changed over the years; details of the process and where to find the records of that process.  His syllabus summarizes his lecture and gives information about his website which has a lengthy list of books about land entries, warrants, surveys and deeds. Later in the day I went to the Exhibit Hall and visited Mr. Pruitt’s booth where I purchased two of his books: North Carolina County Maps, 1800 & Creeks and Rivers in South Carolina. I might have to visit that booth again tomorrow.


North Carolina Research. Presented by Jeffrey L. Haines

This fact filled session began with a brief history of North Carolina. Mr. Haines told us his session would be like a buffet dinner where you take a little bite of the food but cannot sample it all. We would look at a little of each part of NC research but we could not go in depth. Fortunately, the syllabus gives many opportunities for more in depth study. They will be well used. Thanks, Jeffrey!

The Virginia North Carolina Connection. Presented by Barbara Vines Little

Barbara, in her bright red jacket and wide brimmed hat, began sharing with us even before the official time began. She began by explaining that the VA/NC border was, for many years a line that was hard to define. People who lived in the area might be recorded in one state, the other, or both. Maps of the Great Wagon Road, the Great Indian Trading Path and Rogues’ Road/the Carolina Road showed us the most likely paths people took between the states. Barbara shared the major sources she uses for her research. I’m sure she could have continued the session for another hour and we would have enjoyed it.

I have visited the Exhibit Hall each day. During the lunch break the hall is a mob of people and it can be difficult to browse but if you visit when most people are in sessions you can take your time, ask questions and gather important resources for research. After the conference I hope to blog about the items I have gathered.


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