Need A Genealogy Speaker in 2009 or 2010?

I am currently working on my speaking schedule for 2009 and 2010. It is best to arrange dates as early as possible to provide flexibility.I would be happy to discuss the possibility of coming to present to your genealogy group or club for their workshop or seminar.Genealogy workshops and seminars are great ways for members of your group to enhance their research skills and network with other genealogists. There is a world away from the computer.

For more information on speaking availability, fees, expenses, and opportunities, send an email to me at michaeln2@winco.net. Please indicate the potential date of the seminar, typical format, and general audience level. We can go from there.

Lectures are informative, relaxed, and fun.Topics can be arranged and new lectures can be developed upon request.I have presented over fifty all-day workshops across the United States on a wide variety of genealogy and computer genealogy topics. Some have been hands on all day workshops on Ancestry.com, Genline, Family Tree Maker.

Others have been more traditional days of lectures and presentations on a wide variety of topics.I have lectured for small and large groups including NGS and FGS conferences.A list of incomplete topics is available at http://www.rootdig.com/topics.html. Most upcoming engagements are listed at http://www.rootdig.com/labels/speaking.html

Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois Fall 09 Conference

The Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois of Fall '09 conference page has been updated with a registration flyer. Blog readers in the area of Carlinville, Illinois, are encouraged to attend.

For information on having me present at your conference or workshop, send me an email.

Illinois State Genealogical Society Conference Registration Online

Registration for the October 2009 Illinois State Genealogical Conference has begun. Details on the conference, where I will be presenting are available online and registration can be done online or via US mail. For more information visit the Society's website.

Contact me for details on having me present for your group or seminar.

Using Genline-28-29 August 2009-Galesburg, Illinois

Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg, Illinois, will be hosting a two-day workshop on 28 and 29 August 2009, "Using Genline." Attendees will have complete access to the Genline workshop for the duration of the day and there will be time for searching of actual family members in addition to classroom instruction and "practice" time.

More information is available on our Genline webpage at:
http://www.rootdig.com/genline.html

Thanks!

BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy

I will be making four presentations at the 2009 Conference on Family History and Genealogy on the campus of Brigham Young University at the end of July. More details will be posted here as they are developed. Topics include:

Establishing Your Own Migration Trail
100 Acres, a Mortgage, and Three Sisters
Pig Blood in the Snow: Court Records Can Solve Problems
From New Jersey to Ohio - Establishing an Early 19th Century Migration Trail

Email me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com for information about bringing me to your society's workshop or seminar.

Illinois State Genealogical Society Conference October 24, 2009

I will be the featured speaker at the 2009 Illinois State Genealogical Society Conference on 24 October in Elgin, Illinois.

More details will be announced here and on the Society's website as they are developed. Stay tuned.

McDonough County, Illinois Genealogical Society 15 June 2009

I will be presenting "Brick Walls from A to Z" at the monthly meeting of the McDonough County, Illinois, Genealogical Society on 15 June 2009. More information on the society and their meeting location is available on their site.

Knox County, Illinois Genealogical Society Meeting 9 March 2009

I will be making a presentation at the monthly meeting of the Knox County Genealogical Society on 9 March 2009 on "Brick Walls From A to Z." More information on the society is available on their site.

Village Genealogical Society-Hot Springs Village, Arkansas

I will be the presenter at the Village Genealogical Society's annual workshop on 21 March 2009 in Hot Springs Village Arkansas.

I will give the following lectures:

• Rearching the Entire Family
• Problem Solving Applied to Genealogy
• I Found it; Now what?
• Tried and Tested Tidbits
  

More information on the society (including workshop information) is on their website, including a PDF version of the workshop flyer. Hope to see you there!

Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois--17 Oct 2009

I will be presenting a seminar for the Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois on 17 October 2009 in Carterville, Illinois.

Topics and other details have not yet been set. More information will be posted here and on the Society's website. Stay tuned.

Booking Workshops and Seminars for 2009 and 2010

I am currently working on my speaking schedule for 2009 and 2010. It is best to arrange dates as early as possible to provide flexibility.I would be happy to discuss the possibility of coming to present to your genealogy group or club for their workshop or seminar.

Genealogy workshops and seminars are great ways for members of your group to enhance their research skills and network with other genealogists. There is a world away from the computer.For more information on speaking availability, fees, expenses, and opportunities, send an email to me at michaeln2@winco.net.

Please indicate the potential date of the seminar, typical format, and general audience level. We can go from there.Lectures are informative, relaxed, and fun.Topics can be arranged and new lectures can be developed upon request.

I have presented over fifty all-day workshops across the United States on a wide variety of genealogy and computer genealogy topics. Some have been hands on all day workshops on Ancestry.com, Genline, Family Tree Maker. Others have been more traditional days of lectures and presentations on a wide variety of topics.

I have lectured for small and large groups including NGS and FGS conferences.A list of incomplete topics is available at http://www.rootdig.com/topics.html.

Most upcoming engagements are listed at http://www.rootdig.com/labels/speaking.html

Join Michael in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, May 2009

I'll be leading an annual genealogy research trip to the Allen County Public Library in Ft. Wayne, Indiana this May from 27 May through 31 May 2009.

We are staying at the Hilton, close to the library with a pretty good room rate.

There is more information on our website at http://www.rootdig.com/acpltrip.html. This year's trip is a little different and will be run like my trip to Salt Lake--participants meet me there instead of travelling together as a group.


A registration brochure is in the works and will be posted when finalized. Those interested can register now and make room reservations if they want to be ahead of the rest! Questions or requests for more information can be emailed to me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com. Thanks!

Enter our drawing for a free stay by registering by Thanksgiving.

Genealogy Week 2009-Galesburg, Illinois

Phone registration for Genealogy Week 2009 at Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg, Illinois has begun. Registration can be done by phone (1-877-236-1862 ext. 5260) using a VISA or Mastercard. Information on mail-in registration is available on our website.

Days and Topics for 2009 are:
· 9 March 2009-Using Ancestry.com
· 10 March 2009-Using Footnote.com
· 11 March 2009-Using FamilySearch.org
· 12 March 2009-Using Land Records
· 13 March 2009-Genealogy Problem Solving
· 14 March 2009-Using Non-English Language Records

Registration is limited to 20 each day and all presentations are made by me in state of the art computer labs.

More information on the topics can be found on our website. Questions can also be emailed to me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com. We are looking forward to our 10th annual series of workshops.

Wisconsin State Genealogical Society October 2009

I will be speaking at the annual fall 2009 conference sponsored by the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society. Details are still being lined out, but the dates are 2 and 3 October 2009 in Neenah, Wisconsin. We will add more information as information is finalized.

Contact me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com for information on bringing me to your workshop or conference.

The Village Genealogical Society-21 March 2009

I will be speaking at The Village Genealogical Society's annual "2009 Spring Family History Workshop" on 21 March 2009. There is more information on the society's web site at pages.suddenlink.net/hsvgs/.

Topics include:
Researching the Entire Family
Problem Solving Applied to Genealogy
I Found it; Now what?
Tried and Tested Tidbits

A PDF flyer is available on the society's website.

For information about scheduling a workshop for your group, send me an email at mjnrootdig@gmail.com

Back from Grand Rapids

I'm back from spending the weekend in Grand Rapids where I gave two lectures for the Western Michigan Genealogical Societies' annual seminar. Thanks for inviting me and for your hospitality while I was in Michigan.

The research guides discussed in my "seeing the patterns" lecture can be found here:
http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/RG/frameset_rhelps.asp

The chart used to determine an approximate date of birth date based upon ages in various records can be seen here:
http://www.rootdig.com/pensions/rileyrampley/rileysage.html

And I heard someone say that "only a math person would do that." They might also have said "only a man would do that," I'm not exactly certain (grin).

One comment that was sent to me about the seminar is reproduced here (in part):

"Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and humor with us today in Grand Rapids. Your were excellent and your resources are great. "

Thanks again.
Michael

Western Michigan Seminar-Grand Rapids

I'll be making two presentations at the Western Michigan Seminar on 1 November 2008 in Grand Rapids. Registration is closed. I'll be lecturing on

• Seeing Patterns
• Brick Walls from A to Z

Readers are welcome to come up and introduce themselves after the lectures.

Those who would like me to present at their conference or seminar can email me for more information at mjnrootdig@gmail.com.

Genealogy Week-Galesburg, Illinois-March 2009

We have posted dates and topics for our 11th annual Genealogy Week at Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg, Illinois.

Days and Topics:
· 9 March 2009-Using Ancestry.com
· 10 March 2009-Using Footnote.com
· 11 March 2009-Using FamilySearch.org
· 12 March 2009-Using Land Records
· 13 March 2009-Genealogy Problem Solving
· 14 March 2009-Using Non-English Language Records

This is our 11th year of having a whole week of genealogy at the college. We are excited about our new offerings and topics. Registration is for whatever days you choose and is $40 a day. All materials are included and web-based offerings are in a computer lab. Registration is limited. For more information email me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com.

Headed to Detroit

I'll be in Detroit, Michigan this weekend making two presentations at the Family History Festival held at the Detroit Public Library.

I will be presenting programs on "How to Use Ancestry.com" and "Problem Solving as Applied to Genealogy".

Blog readers are welcome to come up and introduce themselves---just not while I'm making a presentation!

Utah Genealogical Association 13 September 2009

I will be making four presentations at the Utah Genealogical Association's Fall 2008 Conference at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

Lectures are:

• Finding UFO Ancestors: Unidentified Family of Origin
• Re-stacking Blocks: Organizing Your Data
• Pig Blood in the Snow: Using Court Records to Solve Problems
• 100 Acres, a Mortgage and Three Sisters

More information is on the Association's website. I love to meet blog or article readers, feel free to come up and introduce yourself. I'm also scheduling speaking engagements for 2009 as well.

Louisville, Kentucky Seminar 11 October 2008

I will be the featured presenter at the Louisville Kentucky's annual seminar on 11 October 2008 in the Louisville, Kentucky, area. I'm looking forward to my first trip to Louisville

Topics include:

Researching the Entire Family
Using Records from the Family History Library When You Don't Know the Language
Determining Your Own Migration Trails and Migration Chains
Effective Internet Search Techniques

More details about the workshop can be found on the Society's website.

2009 Genealogy Week--Galesburg, Illinois, USA

We have set the dates for our 11th annual Genealogy Week at Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg, Illinois: 9-13 March 2009.

Our registration fee will remain the same as it has since we began the workshops 10 years ago: $35.

More details will be posted on our site as they are developed. Anyone with suggestions is welcome to send them to me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com

Salt Lake City Research Trip 2009

We have posted details on our 2009 research trip to Salt Lake City's Family History Library next May.

Our trip will be 14-21 May 2009 and more details can be seen out our webpage
http://www.rootdig.com/slctrip.html

Waterloo Public Libary Seminar 6 Sept 2008

I will be presenting four lectures at an all-day genealogical seminar sponsored by the Waterloo [Iowa] Public Library on 6 September 2008 in Waterloo, Iowa. The topics have yet to be determined, but the date has been set and we will post details on the website as they are set. The library's event page can be seen here.

We will post additional information when available.

To bring Michael to your meeting or workshop, email me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com.

Family History Festival, Detroit, Michigan 27 Sept 2008

I will be one of the speakers at the annual Free Family History Festival co-sponsored by the Detroit Society for Genealogical Research and the Fred Hart Williams Genealogical Society on 27 September 2008 in the Detroit, Michigan area.

I will be presenting:

• Using Ancestry.com
• Problem-Solving Applied to Genealogy

For more information about the festival, visit the Detroit Society for Genealogical Research's website or the Fred Hart Williams Genealogical website.

Contact me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com for information on having me present at your meeting or workshop.

Presenting At Western Michigan Seminar 1 Nov 2008

I will be presenting two lectures at the 1 Nov 1008 Western Michigan Genealogical Seminar to be held in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The presentations will be:

• Seeing Patterns: Organizing Your Information
• Brick Walls from A to Z

More information is on the society's website.

Contact me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com to inquire about my presenting at your meeting or workshop.

Butte, Montana, Seminar--19-20 September 2008

I'll be making four presentations at the annual Montana State Genealogical Society Conference this upcoming September in Butte, Montana. The Society recently released a flyer on their website for those interested. I'm looking forward to my first trip to Montana.

I'll be giving the following lectures:

• Unnatural Process--Naturalization Records
• Researching Your European Origins Online
• Seeing the Patterns: Organizing Your Information
• An Introduction to Reading Non-English Handwriting

The seminar will be held at the Butte War Bonnet Hotel in Butte. There is more information on the Society's website.

Getting Ready for OGS

I'll be making two presentations at the OGS Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Saturday 19 April.

Regular site visitors or readers of my Ancestry.com column are welcome to come up and introduce themselves.

Computer Genealogy Workshop-Carthage, IL 26 April 2008

Carl Sandburg College in Carthage, Illinois, will be sponsoring a genealogy workshop on April 26 on "Free Genealogy Online."

The workshop will be held at the Education Commons in Carthage at 641 Buchanan Street.

The topic will be "Free Genealogy Online" and I will be making the presentations.

More information is available on our website.

Footnote.com workshop in St. Charles, MO 12 April 2008

There is still room in my workshop on using Footnote.com on 12 April 2008 at the community college in St. Peters, Missouri (suburban St. Louis). Attendees will have access to the site for the duration of the workshop and there will be time for searching and self-discovery.

Registration is limited and more information is available on our website.

5 April 2008 Omaha, Nebraska

I'll be presenting at the Greater Omaha's Annual Conference on 5 April 2008 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Topics are:

• Researching the Entire Family


• Beginning German Research


• Land Records


• Researching on a Tight Budget

More information is available on the society's site, including a downloadable registration form.

Butte, Montana Seminar 19 and 20 Sept. 2008

I will be lecturing at the Montana State Genealogical Society Conference in Butte, Montana, on 19 and 20 September 2008. Topics have not yet been chosen, but additional information will be posted as it becomes available. More information on the society can be found on their website.

Bureau County, Illinois Genealogical Society Presentation 27 March 2008

I will be presenting the evening lecture "How to use Ancestry and a few Other Web Sites" for the Bureau County (Illinois) Genealogical Society on 27 March 2008.

The Society meets at 7:00 in their library at 629 S. Main Street in Princeton, Illinois.

Their website hasn't been updated for a little while, but more information on the society can be seen here.

Village Genealogical Society-21 March 2009

I will be the featured lecturer at the Village Genealogical Society's biannual conference on 21 March 2009 in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. We will post more details here as they become available. The society's website will also have updated information as well.

I'm still booking seminars in late 2008 and later--interested groups can contact me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com.

Free Genealogy Online Computer Workshop-Carthage, Illinois 26 April 2008

Carl Sandburg College will be offering a full-day workshop on Overview of Free Genealogy Online at the Branch Campus in Carthage, Illinois.

The workshop will be held on 26 April 2008 and runs from 8:30 until 3:00.

Registration is only $35 and is limited. Lunch is not included.

More information is available on our website. Questions can be addressed to me at mneill@sandburg.edu.

Family Tree Maker 2008 Workshop-Carthage, IL March 2008

Carl Sandburg College will be offering a full-day workshop on Family Tree Maker 2008 at the Branch Campus in Carthage, Illinois.

The workshop will be held on 29 March 2008 and runs from 8:30 until 3:00.

Registration is only $35 and is limited. Lunch is not included.

More information is available on our website. Questions can be addressed to me at mneill@sandburg.edu.

Using Footnote.com--St. Charles, Missouri, April 12, 2008

I will be presenting an all-day hands-on workshop on "Using Footnote.Com" for the St. Charles County Genealogical Society (Missouri) and the St. Charles Community College. More details on this workshop are available on our website. Attendees will have access to Footnote.com for the duration of the workshop.

Omaha, Nebraska Seminar April 5, 2008

I'll be the featured speaker at the Greater Omaha Genealogical Society's annual workshop on April 5, 2008 in Omaha, Nebraska. Details are still be finalized, but will be posted here when we have them.

Looking for a Speaker?

I am currently working on my 2008 and 2009 travel and speaking calendar. There are still several open dates on my travel schedule.

My lectures are entertaining, relaxed, yet educational and informative. There is no getting up and reading the handout and lectures are up-to-date and reflective of the latest research methodology. Handouts are always intended to be more than adequate to reduce the amount of time attendees take notes. Those attending the workshop are encouraged to ask questions between sessions, at lunch (at least after I eat), and after we are done.

For questions about having me present to your group, send me an email at mjnrootdig@gmail.com and we can go from there.

Ohio Genealogical Society--19 April 2008

I'll be attending the 2008 Ohio Genealogical Society Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. More details to come.

Lecture Availability and Contact Information

I would be happy to discuss the possibility of coming to present to your genealogy group or club for their workshop or seminar. Genealogy workshops and seminars are great ways for members of your group to enhance their research skills and network with other genealogists. There is a world away from the computer.

For more information on speaking availability, fees, expenses, and opportunities, send an email to me at michaeln2@winco.net. Please indicate the potential date of the seminar, typical format, and general audience level. We can go from there. Lectures are informative, relaxed, and fun. Topics can be arranged and new lectures can be developed upon request.

I have presented over fifty all-day workshops across the United States on a wide variety of genealogy and computer genealogy topics. Some have been hands on all day workshops on Ancestry.com, Genline, Family Tree Maker. Others have been more traditional days of lectures and presentations on a wide variety of topics. I have lectured for small and large groups including NGS and FGS conferences.

A list of incomplete topics is available at http://www.rootdig.com/topics.html