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.

Upcoming Webinars

Research Stalled? Leads Might be Lurking in Land Records – May 16, 2024

By Gerald H Smith

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AI Tools for Genealogy – June 20, 2024

By Henry Stish

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The Anatomy of BMD: What You Don’t Know About Vital Records – July 18, 2024

By Gena Philibert-Ortega

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Using the National Archives Online Catalog – August 15, 2024

By Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, CGL

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Combining DNA and Traditional Research – In-Depth Case Studies – September 19, 2024

By Michelle Leonard

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Which John Goleman Was Jacob’s Father? Solving a Southern Case of Identity and Kinship – October 17, 2024

By Nancy A. Peters

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Genealogical Proof for the Everyday Genealogist – November 21, 2024

By Annette B. Lyttle

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America’s Westward Expansion: Twenty-five Events in Fifty Minutes – December 19, 2024

By Katherine Willson

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Past Webinars

Problem Solving with Timelines

By Beth Watson Foulk | April 21, 2016

When you create a personal timeline of an ancestor’s life, it is easy to see facts, relationships, and stories emerge that were never before apparent. Learn how to create a timeline and the many uses for them in genealogy research and analysis.

Beth Foulk learned the love of genealogy from her father and for decades she has pursued this passion in a constant question for family history and stories. She shares this joy of learning through her speaking opportunities.

They’re Not on the Census: Using Non-Traditional Sources to Identify Slave Owners

By Janis Minor Forte | March 17, 2016

Researching enslaved African Americans prior to 1865 is a difficult but not impossible task. Identifying slave holders, reconstructing family units and finding missing kin are all primary research goals for those developing family histories. Using methodology as an approach to problem solving, this webinar explores strategies to identify slave ownership. Following, attendees will be able to identify a variety of new research sources that will increase the probability of slave owner identification, reconstruct slave families as well as identify missing and unknown kin. With these new skills, the participant will be able to re-evaluate prior research for accuracy and completeness. They will also be able to complete a Verification of Documentation of Vital Records form to assure they have secured valuable documents. These additional tools and skills will improve the quality and accuracy of the research and will enable the attendee in adding context and content to the life of their ancestors.

Janis Minor Forté 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.

Family History – From a Pile of Pieces to a Puzzle Picture

By Donna M. Moughty | February 18, 2016

You’ve started your family history, but the pieces don’t seem to fit and the jigsaw puzzle isn’t revealing a picture as you’d hoped? Sometimes it’s just a matter of turning a piece in another direction or fitting it into a different place in the picture. This lecture will show you how take that pile of pieces that don’t seem to fit and turn them into a finished product. At the conclusion of this lecture, participants will understand how to evaluate information, analyze documents, create a source citation and develop a research plan. This lecture works for both the beginner as well as experienced genealogists.

Donna Moughty, a Professional Genealogist and former Regional Manager for Apple Computer, has been conducting family research for over 20 years. She teaches and lectures on a variety of subjects including Internet, Irish research and computer topics locally and at national conferences and institutes.

Your Ancestor Was… Occupations of Our Ancestors

By Nancy Waters Lauer | January 21, 2016

So you have found the occupation of your ancestor, now what? Ancestral occupations can give clues to who our ancestors were, how they lived, where they lived, and most importantly, give them individual identity and personality. The sources that identify occupations are numerous. Church records, city directories, census records, wills, and land records are just a few that may list professions. Once you know how your ancestor earned a living, what’s next? This is where the inquisitive personality of a genealogist proves most valuable. The time spent researching can prove very rewarding. There is much we can discover about our families from their occupations and allow them to live again so that future generations can come to understand their heritage.

Nancy Waters Lauer is a researcher, lecturer, college instructor, and award-winning author. She has extensive speaking experience throughout the Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia area. She has presented at national and regional conferences including NGS, FGS, and Rootstech.

On Mountain or Prairie: Treasures in Federal Land Records

By Warren Bittner | December 17, 2015

Learn how to find federal land case files and see the treasures they contain. Follow a farmer in Kansas who does not appear to own land.

Warren Bittner, CG, is a genealogical researcher and lecturer. He is a trustee for the Board for Certification of Genealogists. He holds a Master of Science degree in history from Utah State University and his master’s thesis looked at the social factors affecting illegitimacy in nineteenth-century Bavaria.

Find Your American Ancestor Using Canadian Records

By Kathryn Lake Hogan | November 19, 2015

When you can’t find your ancestor’s birth, marriage or death registration, or their name on a ship list or immigration record at Ellis Island, then it’s time to consider your ancestor may have been in Canada. Whether your ancestor was here for a day or for many years, he/she left behind records. Discover eight reasons why your American or immigrant ancestor actually may have there. Learn how and where to find the Canadian or provincial records that will help you fill in the missing pieces of your ancestor’s life.

Kathryn Lake Hogan is a professional genealogist, author and educator. She is the driving force behind her family history business, LOOKING4ANCESTORS.

Mob Action: Working as a Group to Get and Stay Afloat

By Jean W. Hibben | October 24, 2015

The objectives here are to help the attendee and his/her society create a cohesive group, use internal resources to help save money, and increase membership. Using principles of small group dynamics, the presenter will acquaint those in attendance with the various terms of the “field” and how these apply to genealogical societies. The problems that result in lowered attendance, membership drop-off, and failure to adhere to the governing documents (bylaws and standing rules) will be discussed in an effort to convince society members to avoid such experiences. The value of a group mission statement, identified leadership, and common goals will be emphasized. Finally, to help those whose groups are experiencing financial issues, some suggestions for bolstering the attendance while staying within a budget will be provided. Member interaction and task management techniques can help a society improve its efficiency. Develop programs from within to save money and build an interdependent group.

Jean Wilcox Hibben; PhD, MA, CG, is the Director of the Corona Family History Center and a Board Member of the Assoc. of Professional Genealogists (and Past-President of the So. Calif. Chapter). She served as lead researcher on the PBS television program Genealogy Roadshow in 2013.

Beyond the Simple Website: 5 Technologies for Putting the “Social” into “Society”

By Drew Smith | October 24, 2015

Your society’s website is only a first step in successful communication. The modern hi-tech world requires that you investigate and use additional online tools in order to hold on to current members, to attract prospective members, and to let the local community know what you are accomplishing. The objective of this webinar is to help the attendee become aware of five popular and free online tools that any society can use to strengthen communication between the society and its members, to showcase the society and its activities to prospective members, and to make the public aware of the positive impact the society’s activities are having within the local community and beyond. The function and benefits of each tool will be presented, including how to assess its impact. Facebook: a way for the society to reach an enormous audience, keeping current members up to date and attracting new members. Twitter: a way to get small bits of information out quickly to the public with links to more information. Pinterest: a way to use attractive photos, infographics, and other visual information to interest members and non-members. Blogs: a way to replace print newsletters and awkward-to-update websites with the latest society news. Hangouts: a way to put engaging video about your society and its members in front of a wide audience.

Drew is an Assistant Librarian with the Academic Services unit of the University of South Florida (USF) Tampa Library and has taught graduate-level courses in genealogical librarianship and indexing/abstracting.

Probate Records, Genealogy’s Goldmines

By Jack Butler | October 15, 2015

Probate is the lawful process that gives a deceased person’s property to another person or persons. Control of this transfer of property from the deceased to living persons can either be testate – the deceased left a will which governs how the property is to be disposed of – or it can be intestate – there was no will and the law and the Probate Court decides the disposition of property. Both methods can be gold mines of genealogical information. They usually tell the decedent’s date and place of death, and information about family members and relationships is routinely revealed. It is often possible to identify parents or children of the deceased, and sometimes several generations can be identified. References to religious affiliation or bequests of land ownership provides guidance to research in church or land records. Inventories and bequests can give you some idea of the financial status of the family and sometimes provide a peek into how the family lived. This program uses real examples to explain the different kinds of probate records that you are likely to encounter in your research, as well as where the records can be found and the types of information that each kind of record may provide

Jack Butler is a professional genealogist, lecturer and author. Active in serious genealogical research for more nearly 20 years, Jack is also active in the genealogy community. In addition to being a frequent speaker at Genealogical Societies and Conferences around Florida, he is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and former President of the Florida Chapter of the APG.

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