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.

Did My Family Get Skipped? Mining Census Records for Missing Ancestors – December 18, 2025

By Nicole Gilkison LaRue, CG

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Past Webinars

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.

Mapping your Genealogy: From A to Z and In-Between

By Thomas MacEntee | September 17, 2015

Maps have been around as long as man needed to remember specific locations. For genealogists, maps are more than just a statement of place: they contain valuable clues for research. Learn the basics of maps and the valuable information they contain for genealogy research. You’ll also discover various resources for maps, both online and offline as well as how to incorporate maps in your research.

What happens when a “tech guy” with a love for history gets laid off during The Great Recession of 2008? You get Thomas MacEntee, a genealogy professional who’s also a blogger, educator, author, social media connector, online community builder and more.

Where You Are Depends on When You Are: Resources for Finding your American Ancestors in Time and Space

By KC Reid | August 20, 2015

Political boundaries change over time, and sometimes dramatically so. Our ancestors may never have moved, yet these boundaries could have shifted around them, causing them to live in multiple different jurisdictions even though they were born and died in the same house. If we are not aware of what those boundary changes are, and when they occurred, we may overlook relevant records and repositories or accidentally create brick walls for ourselves. This presentation explores digital and hardcopy resources that can help us navigate the ever-changing American political landscape as we work backwards through time through the 1700s, highlighting changes unique to Florida.

KC Reid is a professional genealogist specializing in tracking American ancestral lines to the immigrant ancestors and creating narratives that reflect the lives and times of those ancestors. She also designs travel and learning experiences so clients can literally walk in their ancestors’ footsteps anywhere in the world while they learn about individual ancestors who were there.

Using DNA To Explore Our Origins, Part 2

By Diahan Southard | July 16, 2015

your maternal and paternal sides. What has attracted many genealogists and non-genealogists alike is a feature of the test that allows you to see what your ancestral origins are. In general, these percentages that describe your origins are called Admixture results. These are the results that report that you are 52% British and Irish, and 31% French and German. These results can be both exciting and confusing. Come learn more about how this kind of ethnicity testing is completed, its accuracy, and how it can impact your genealogy.

A microbiology graduate, Diahan Southard worked before and after graduation for the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation. Growing up with the budding genetic genealogy industry lead her to her current position as Your DNA Guide, where she provides personalized, interactive experiences to assist individuals and families in interpreting their genetic results in the context of their genealogical information.

Facts, Photos and Fair Use: Copyright Law for Genealogists

By Judy G. Russell | June 18, 2015

Materials and records created by others are the bread-and-butter of genealogy. But whether copyright law allows use of old photographs, reports and articles can be murky at best. Understanding what is and isn’t copyrighted and what genealogists can and can’t use is the key to staying out of trouble and to protecting our own work.

The Legal Genealogist Judy G. Russell is a genealogist with a law degree. She writes, teaches and lectures on a wide variety of genealogical topics, ranging from using court records in family history to understanding DNA testing. A Colorado native with roots deep in the American south on her mother’s side and entirely in Germany on her father’s side, she is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the National Genealogical Society and numerous state and regional genealogical societies.

Ticked Off! Those Pesky Pre-1850 “Tic Marks”

By Peggy Clemens Lauritzen | May 21, 2015

It’s exciting when we are able to find our ancestors on every census they appeared on, until we reach 1840 and beyond. Those pesky tic marks seem to get in our way as we work to extend our pedigrees. Just what do they mean, and how can they help me? Are they throwing us into a dead end, or can they tell us more? This lecture provides a case study following an eastern Kentucky family back into the area of Germantown, Pennsylvania.

Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG, has been involved in family history research since the days of her youth. A favorite snapshot is of her mother getting ready to transcribe in a cemetery just four days before Peggy was born. All four of Peggy’s grandparents were born in the 1880’s. She can recall their stories of epidemics, funeral customs, weddings, wars, the Depressions, and the joys and hardships of life. They, along with her parents, were born in the days of mules and buckboards, but lived to see men walk on the moon. Peggy and her husband, Kerry are Family History Center Directors in Mansfield, Ohio.

Using Social Media and Your Genealogy Group

By Derek Davey | May 2, 2015

Learn about the various in and outs of Social Media. Understand the use of Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, etc. Learn how to create and implement a plan. Give your group the tools to move into the Social Media World. Speaker has over 10 years of experience and does it every day.

Derek is a professional genealogist, writer and speaker. He has been researching his own family since 1974 when he was thirteen years old. Primary areas for professional research are Northwest Ohio and South Eastern Michigan for the past fifteen years. Lectures on a variety of topics related to genealogy in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. Specialty areas are computer genealogy, civil war research and New England research. Currently a member of the Ohio Genealogical Society (Trustee), NEHGS, Genealogy Speakers Guild and Association of Professional Genealogist. Graduated with a BA degree from the University of Toledo in History and certificate from Boston University in Genealogy. Derek is married and has one son. Lives in the Toledo, OH area. Teaches genealogy at Lourdes University.

Using DNA To Explore Our Origins, Part 1

By Diahan Southard | April 16, 2015

The use of Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA in genealogy is a technology that has helped many better understand their origins. There are specific deep ancestral groups that can identify a person as a member of a specific genetic and genealogical community. Because DNA is an immutable record, it can provide links where paper records cannot. We will cover the basic language used in DNA testing, we will cover its limitations, and applications, specifically for those who are not of Northern European origin. Your DNA has much to share with you, to help you determine your origins, as well as help you connect with others on a similar path.

Attacking Brick Walls Using Technology and Traditional Methods

By Claire V. Brisson-Banks | March 19, 2015

Inevitably there are brick walls in genealogy. These situations take extra time, effort, and money to solve, giving up isn’t the answer. Unusual and little-known resources can make all the difference. We will use step-by-step processes using various substitutes and thinking out of the box to facilitate assistance in breaking through difficult brick walls.

Claire V. Brisson-Banks, BS, MLIS AGR is the Owner of Timeless Genealogies, a provider of ancestral and forensic research services. Her personal areas of expertise are Technology Advances, Social Media, US, Canadian, England, Scotland, Brick Walls, and Working with and Involving Youth in Family History and Genealogy. She is an experienced professional and leader in various facets of technology, education, leadership, marketing, genealogy, and an online professor.

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