Poolside Chats: A Genealogy Webinar Series - Florida State Genealogical Society

The "Poolside Chats: A Genealogy Webinar Series" is organized by the Technology-Outreach Committee and presented to the FSGS membership and the public on a monthly basis. We have had webinars on topics such as DNA in genealogy, cloud-based technology, Florida territorial records, and everything in between - and we are just getting started.

Genealogy education today can be accomplished in a number of mediums, webinars being one of them. This educational opportunity can provide you with information about resources, new technology and its relationship with genealogy, methodology, new websites and new databases coming online, and much more.

All you need to participate is a computer with speakers and a connection to the internet. So, we invite you to sit back and enjoy the presentations being brought to you by knowledgeable presenters and made possible through your membership dues.

All webinars start at 8 PM ET unless otherwise noted.

2026 Upcoming Poolside Chats

By Bob Inhoff

Register Now

Past Webinars

Reverse Engineer a Genie Book: Creating Narrative from Evidence in Documents

By Anita R. Henderson | October 19, 2017

When you’re ready to write the stories of your ancestors, where do you begin? Most researchers start with the research itself. Sounds good, but that approach can be intimidating. After all, you have multiple binders and years of research under your belt. Where do you begin? How do you choose among all of your findings to tell a good story? In this session, you’ll learn a different approach to genealogy writing. By reverse engineering your genealogy book, you’ll be sure to:
write for the right audience
tell relevant stories
use only the necessary evidence to support your story
accomplish the goal you envision
Learn a proven technique to write an engaging genealogy book that appeals to non-genealogists. Explore three books written by researchers just like you to uncover how these authors used this reverse engineer practice and turned evidence into creative prose for their books.

A Day Out With Your DNA

By Diahan Southard | September 21, 2017

While DNA testing for genealogy is no longer a new idea, many companies are offering a new way to look at your DNA. In this lecture we will cover the biggest and brightest options, and help you decide where you should take your DNA, and how to make the most of it.

After getting bitten by the DNA bug as a high school student, Diahan went on to study at Brigham Young University where she earned a bachelors degree in microbiology. She worked before and after graduation for the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, one of the first efforts to create a correlated genetic and genealogical database.

Strategies for Adoption Research and Finding Other Missing Persons

By Connie Lenzen | July 20, 2017

Adoption touches many families. The search to reunite birth parents and birth children utilizes all research strategies. These same strategies are used to find relatives who have come up missing.

Connie is a full-time professional genealogist, author, and teacher. She is the author of the Oregon Guide to Genealogical Resources and a contributing author to national and local genealogical publications. She lectures at local, state, regional, and national conferences.

Gone to Florida! Tracking Migrants from Antebellum South Carolina

By Nancy A. Peters | June 15, 2017

Tracing ancestors who moved can be difficult, especially in southern states with burned counties. Learn methods and sources for tracking migrants from antebellum South Carolina to Florida. This session explores the historic context for migration in the territorial and early statehood period and describes the steps used in cluster research into ancestors who moved. A case study shows how cluster research helped find the origin of a South Carolinian who came to Alachua County in the 1840s when no known record provides his exact place of birth or names his parents.

Nancy A. Peters, CG, is a full-time genealogist living in South Carolina. She serves as a trustee of the Board for Certification of Genealogists and as the editor of BCG’s OnBoard newsletter.

After You’re Gone: Future Proofing Your Genealogy Research

By Thomas MacEntee | May 18, 2017

Have you ever considered what will happen to your years of genealogy research once you’re gone? Learn how to ensure that your hard work carries on. Through a combination of planning, common sense, and new technologies, we’ll review how to create an action plan for preserving your genealogy research.

Thomas MacEntee is a professional genealogist specializing in the use of technology and social media to improve genealogical research and as a means of interacting with others in the family history community. He is a blogger, educator, author, social media connector, online community builder and more.

Be Your Own Digital Archivist: Preserve Your Research

By Cyndi Ingle | April 20, 2017

Are you doing everything you can to safeguard your genealogical research? Your documents? Your data? Your scanned images? We will talk about the importance of taking charge of your own materials and making sure they aren’t going to disappear.

Cyndi is the owner and webmaster of the popular Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet. She is the author of three books, a genealogist for more than 33 years, and lectures for genealogical society meetings, seminars, and conferences.

Find Your Family Stories in Free Online Newspapers

By Annette B. Lyttle | March 16, 2017

Beyond birth, death and marriage notices, historic newspapers can provide information that brings your ancestors and their world to life. Many of these newspapers are available on line at no cost. Learn how to find and use these valuable resources in your family history research.

Annette Burke Lyttle owns Heritage Detective, LLC, providing professional genealogical services in research, education, and writing. She speaks on a number of genealogical topics at the national, state, and local levels and loves helping people uncover and share their family stories. Annette is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the Genealogical Speakers Guild, as well as a number of national, state, and local societies.

Slave Tags: Researching a Southern Legal System that Mandated the Tagging of Slaves and Free People

By Janis Minor Forte | February 16, 2017

Researching slave tags: the southern 1767 to 1867 governmental system of mandating the licensing and labeling of human souls.

Janis is an experienced genealogist, writer and lecturer who presents at national, state and local conferences. Recently, she presented lectures at the Ill. State Genealogical Society Conference, the NGS Conference in St. Charles and Roots Tech 2015 in Salt Lake City. In Oct. 2014, she was the keynote lecture at the Wisconsin Historical Society conference. Prior, she was honored to be the presenter of the James Dent Walker Memorial Lecture at the FGS Conference in San Antonio, Texas. She has also keynoted at several society events.

Dissecting Obituaries for New Clues

By George G. Morgan | January 9, 2017

Obituaries are miniature biographies published when a person dies. They are just one of at least three possible death notices that you may encounter, and each can provide clues to your research for the deceased and the family. The writers were compelled to compress as much information into a small amount of text. Your job is to carefully analyze the content of the death notice, obituary, and/or funeral notice and discover clues. This webinar presents a methodology for dissecting an obituary, determining what information is provided or suggested, identifying record types that may be available, and determining where those records might be located and how to access them.

George G. Morgan is president of Aha! Seminars, Inc., and an internationally recognized genealogy expert who presents in the U.S., Canada, England, on cruise ships, and webinars.

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