I am so excited! The Lancaster Family History Conference is being held today, Friday 24 April and Saturday, 25 April in
Today I am attending an afternoon session: Behind the Scenes at the Genealogy Roadshow
with D. Joshua Taylor. When the show came to Philly, I actually applied (yes,
you have to apply to be on the show) but never heard from them. Of the various
shows on television at the moment, I prefer this one because it is every day
people, not stars who can manipulate the findings.
The two hour session, held at the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, will cover the methodology used to
verify or disprove family stories and claims. If I had been chosen, I had asked
for help with my Still line.
My 4th great grandmother, Margaret Still, has
always been difficult. I was fortunate enough to become addicted to genealogy
while my great Aunt Helen was still alive. She was – at that time – the elder
of the family and knew so much of the family, plus she had the family bibles!
We met and wrote often throughout the years.
Since then I have discovered additional information about Margaret but I
still have not proven who fathered her first son, George David Still – my 3rd
great grandfather.
I am hoping that Joshua Taylor might suggest some resource
or method that I have not thought of or, at the very least, provide some
direction.
Saturday, the Conference continues at the Lancaster Host.
Joshua Taylor will open the session with a Keynote Address. The theme this year
is “Celebrities and Cellmates: Finding that Famous (or Infamous) Ancestor.”
Like any conference, there are several talks to choose from.
The first one I chose is “Who is a Palatine Anyway?” by James M Beidler. My
husband’s family (Eckman) immigrated from the Palatine area in southwest Germany Philadelphia
The second session I selected was “Pre-1790 Oaths of
Allegiance and Naturalizations in Pennsylvania
I chose “Printed Legends and Missing Footprints in Early
Genealogy Complications” with Joshua Taylor. The session will discuss methods
used in tracing 19th and early 20th century records. He
will also discuss what to do when we come across that century old genealogy
that cannot be proved.
My final session tomorrow will be “The Making of a Family
History Book” by Stephen H Smith. I am finally ready to publish. Notice, I did
not say or indicate that I am anywhere close to being done researching any
line. However, I have traced several lines to my immigrant or to a major point
in time that would be a good start.
While that will end the Lancaster Family History Conference,
it will – I hope – provide me with some direction and insight as well as some
networking.
How exciting. I hope you have a wonderful time!
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