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

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Past Webinars

Metadata for Digital Images

By Thomas MacEntee | July 21, 2016

Metadata helps identify aspects of digital files such as scanned photographs including size, date taken, etc. Learn how to add or edit metadata and use it to your advantage in your genealogy research. Once an image is scanned, you can do more than just send the image to friends and family. Learn how to work with the metadata embedded in the file to add captions, information about people in the photo, when the photo was taken and more!

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.

Ten Ways to Jumpstart Your Eastern European Research

By Lisa Alzo | June 30, 2016

Curious about your East European roots but don’t know where to begin? This session will show you how to “jumpstart your genealogy!” Learn the basics of how to investigate your family’s history using both traditional and online sources. Discover which records to tap into to identify your ancestral village, and how history impacts genealogical research. Tips for contacting possible relatives and writing to foreign archives, as well as strategies for overcoming the most common pitfalls and problems will also be discussed.

Lisa A. Alzo, M.F.A., is a freelance writer, instructor, and internationally recognized lecturer, specializing in Slovak/Eastern European genealogical research, writing your family history, and using the Internet to trace female and immigrant ancestors.

Using Free Third-Party Tools to Analyze Your Autosomal DNA

By Blaine T. Bettinger | May 19, 2016

Although DNA testing companies provide their own analysis of test results, there are free third-party tools that allow test-takers to learn even more about their genomic heritage, including admixture calculators and the identification of genetic cousins. Together we’ll explore some of these tools and learn how to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Blaine Bettinger, Ph.D., J.D., is an intellectual property attorney by day and a genetic genealogist by night. In 2007 he started The Genetic Genealogist (www.thegeneticgenealogist.com), one of the earliest blogs on the topic. Dr. Bettinger has been interviewed and quoted on personal genomics topics in Newsweek, New Scientist, Wired, and others.

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.

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