BCG Participation at the NGS Conference

The Board for Certification of Genealogists®

Website: http://www.bcgcertification.org

The Board for Certification of Genealogists® is celebrating its 50th Anniversary at the NGS conference through two events. In addition to its traditional Skillbuilding Track of board-certified speakers, the BCG luncheon and the NGS Friday evening banquet will both celebrate this fact.

BCG President and some Past Presidents

The BCG luncheon “You Can’t Know Where You’re Going ‘til You Know Where You’ve Been” will feature past presidents Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA, Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA, and Kay Haviland Freilich, CG, CGL, FNGS, each presenting a short commentary on the history of BCG during their tenure. Barbara Vines Little, CG, FNGS, FVGS, will give a short perspective on the future. Our Master of Ceremonies is F. Warren Bittner, CG. .

The NGS banquet will celebrate 50 years of credentialing and is hosted by both the International Commission for the Accreditation of Genealogists (ICAPGen) and BCG. This joint banquet will feature David Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA, speaking on “Celebrating Genealogical Credentials—The Accreditation and Certification Programs Turn 50!” All are welcome to attend. A special commemorative booklet will be given to all attendees.

A few seats remain for the BCG luncheon and NGS banquet. Don't wait! We expect the meal events to sell-out before registration closes on 22 April 2014

The BCG booth in exhibit hall has successful portfolios for the public to review. Stop by the booth to talk with associates about the certification process and to view the portfolios volunteered by Karen Mauer Green, CG, Michael Hait, CG, Harold Henderson, CG, Nancy Peters, CG and Judy Russell, CG, CGL.

BCG Participation at the NGS Conference

Richmond Discoveries' Tours

Some Tour Space Still Available – Register Online

Downtown Richmond

As you know, April 1 was the official deadline to determine which pre-conference tours will run. We have left registration open for a number of tours. Registration is still available through our website for most tours – http://www.richmonddiscoveries.com/ngs.php. The passcode is NGS2014 and is case-sensitive.

Please contact Richmond Discoveries DIRECTLY to register for the Williamsburg Research Trip – 804.222.8595 or richmonddiscoveries@cavtel.net.

Colonial Williamsburg and Swem Library Research Trip 5 May (7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.)

Research day in Williamsburg. Individuals responsible for making own research or touring arrangements.There are only three seats left on this tour, so registration is closed online. Please contact us directly at 804-222-8595 or richmonddiscoveries@cavtel.net to sign up.
Cost per Person: $78  
This does NOT include admission to Colonial Williamsburg's attractions.

Richmond Discoveries Tour 6 May (8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.) 

Includes driving tour, a tour of the Virginia State Capitol, a narrated cruise on the James River-Kanawha Canal, and a visit to Dabbs House Museum, Henrico County, where the staff will do a special presentation on genealogy research in a museum setting.
Cost per Person: $59    (seats available for both time slots, especially the afternoon)
The upper story of the Dabbs House Museum is not accessible for those with mobility restrictions.

Patriots and Presidents Tour 6 May (1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.)

This tour is being offered in the afternoon only. Includes driving tour, St. John’s Church, Capitol Grounds, and Hollywood Cemetery (subject to funerals).
Cost per Person: $51    (only a handful of slots left!)
This tour requires some moderate walking at the Capitol Square and at Hollywood Cemetery.

Confederate Capital Tour 6 May (9:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.)

Includes driving tour, Museum and White House of the Confederacy, Tredegar Ironworks, NPS, St. Paul’s Church (subject to services), the Confederate Section of Hollywood Cemetery, and our Richmond Alive! program – Life of the Civil War Soldier. Lunch on own in Shockoe Slip.
Cost per Person: $89    (only a few seats left)
This tour requires some moderate walking at Hollywood Cemetery. The upper story of the White House of the Confederacy is not accessible for those with mobility restrictions.

Feel free to contact us with questions at (804) 222-8595 or at richmonddiscoveries@cavtel.net . We are often out doing programs, but leave a message and we will respond. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you next month!

Richmond Discoveries' Tours

Technology Tips

Lisa Louise Cooke

Lisa Louise Cooke

Cooke is founder of the Genealogy Gems website and podcast, http://www.genealogygemspodcast.com, and author of four books including The Genealogist's Google Toolbox.


Can we be creative when researching our family history? Our ancestors might answer with a resounding NO, especially if we were to start making up stories about them. But there’s room for creativity in the research process. These days, that process includes the online research world.

It’s no exaggeration that I come across new and exciting technology tools almost every day. Whenever I explore a new app, online tool or website, I ask myself, “How could I use this for family history?” This is where things get creative, fun and ultimately very genealogically rewarding!

Here are some examples, which I’ll be talking about here at NGS:

Google Search Strategies for Common Surnames, Wednesday, 11:00 a.m., W129. We can Google our ancestors, their hometowns and histories. But what if your ancestor was named John Smith? Or your surname is Winter? Learn to separate your John Smith from the pack, your Winter surname from web weather forecasts and more.

Tech Tools That Catapult the Newspaper Research Process into the 21st Century, Thursday, 9:30 a.m., T219. Newspapers can give us the inside scoop on ancestors’ everyday lives, big events and deaths. Learn to use online tools to find old newspapers (online or offline) and search them efficiently.

Finding Living Relatives Like a Private Eye, Thursday, 2:30 p.m., T242. Different stories, photos and artifacts get passed down through different branches of a family. Learn to use online tools to find and communicate with long-lost relatives who may have their own view of your shared family tree.

Technology Tips

BCG Education Fund

2014 Leary Distinguished Lecturer

Kay Haviland Freilich

Kay Haviland Freilich, CG, CGL, FNGS, is the 2014 Leary Distinguished Lecturer at the NGS Family History Conference in Richmond, Virginia. Her topic is “Research Strategies That Work.” Effective strategies include focused, well-developed research plans, broad investigations of people and events affecting the target person, pristine documentation, and written summaries detailing findings and evidence. Applying tried and true methodology frequently leads to successfully resolving research problems. The lecture includes case studies illustrating the value of employing effective strategies.

Kay’s substantial contributions as a researcher, author, lecturer, and volunteer in the genealogical community are well known. She served as President of the Board for Certification of Genealogists (2003‒2005) and as Trustee, instructed at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (2006‒2012), served as a director of the Federation of Genealogical Societies, Vice President of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, and in a multitude of other positions across the genealogical field. She authored the NGS publication Research in the States: Pennsylvania, three family histories, and has published in numerous genealogical publications. Kay develops the annual BCG Skillbuilding Track at the NGS Conference in conjunction with NGS. In 2009, she won the National Genealogical Society Family History Writing Contest, and in 2012, she was named Fellow of the National Genealogical Society for her outstanding volunteer efforts in behalf of the Society.

During Kay’s tenure as an Education Fund Trustee (2003–2009), she developed its Putting Skills To Work program and the Helen F. M. Leary Distinguished Lecture Series. Education Fund Trustees are very pleased to welcome Kay “home” as the 2014 Leary Distinguished Lecturer.

BCG Education Fund

Genealogical Society

The Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society 

Booth: 507

Web: http://www.magsgen.com

The Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society (MAGS) was founded to stimulate and facilitate research on Germanic ancestors who settled in the mid-Atlantic region over the past four hundred years. Our interests cross state boundaries in the mid-Atlantic area.

We hold bi-annual meetings, held Spring and Fall at different locations throughout the mid-Atlantic region, featuring speakers knowledgeable on a variety of genealogical topics including those related directly to research on Germanic families. Meetings also afford members the opportunity to purchase genealogical books and supplies from vendors.

On the MAGS website you can check current society information and links to Germanic sites in the US and Europe.  Our Members Only Area contains all of the society's  newsletters since our inception plus other great files and databases related to Germanic genealogy that are found only on our website.

Our quarterly newsletter DER KURIER is published in March, June, September, and December. Articles, specific to Germanic research and regular columns, such as the “Fraktur Forum,” are included. Other items covered are book reviews and publications, members’ queries, members’ Ahnentafels or ancestral charts and information about other genealogical societies' activities related to Germanic genealogy.

Stumped Roots is a free limited research service, designed to help MAGS members resolve their research problems.  Stumped Roots conducts limit on-line research for members and/or advises them on possible additional research.

Visit the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society at booth 507 across the aisle from Ancestry and learn more about locating your Germanic ancestors. Books and other research aids will be available for purchase.

Visit the MAGS website at http://www.magsgen.com for additional information.

Genealogical Society

Virginia Repositories—Richmond

Family History Centers of Richmond

Richmond Family History Center

Richmond Family History Center
5600 Monument Ave.
Henrico, VA

Phone: 804-288-8134

Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, 9:30 a.m.‒2:00 p.m.; Wednesday, Thursday, 7:00 p.m.‒9:00 p.m.

Wiki: https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Richmond_Virginia_Family_History_Center
E-mail: rvafhc1comcast.net

Be Prepared

Free access to Internet for FamilySearch.org and most genealogical sites including premium databases.
You may make copies with a USB drive or you can use your camera.

Collection

Library contains many books with vital information, useful especially before 1850. Many volumes on Virginia counties and numerous other books by state and country, immigration, military, surname histories, maps and dictionaries. Microfilm/fiche collection containing hundreds of films includes Virginia birth, death, marriage, census, plus miscellaneous records by county; other films/fiche are for various states and countries.
Equipment includes nine computers, printer/copier, reader-printer, image digitizer/scanner, twelve film and fiche readers.

Specialty areas include Germany, Slovakia, Virginia.

Entrance

Located in rear of building near the parking lot. Ring bell if locked.


Midlothian Family History Center
LDS Library-Chesterfield County
4601 N. Bailey Bridge Rd.
Midlothian, VA 23112

Phone: 804-763-4318

E-mail: varc@ldsmail.net

Open Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10:00 a.m.‒2:00 p.m.; 2nd & 4th Wednesday, 7:00‒9:00 p.m.; 1st & 3rd Saturday, 9:30 a.m.‒12:00 p.m.

Be Prepared

Equipment: 4 computers, 1 scanner, 3 film and 2 fiche readers. Free access to Internet for FamilySearch.org and most genealogical sites including premium databases. You may make copies from computers with a USB drive that you bring or you can use your camera.

Collection

Library includes books on local family histories and compilations of records of Virginia and North Carolina. Microfilm copies are mostly older census records. No specialty areas.

Entrance

Located at front right side of church as you drive in.

Virginia Repositories—Richmond

Virginia Repositories—Richmond

Beth Ahabah Museum and Archives
1109 West Franklin Street
Richmond, VA  23220

Phone: 804-353-2668
Web: http://www.bethahabah.org/bama/
E-mail:  bama@bethahabah.org

The Repository

Distance from Convention Center:  1.27 miles (5 minutes) Go west on Broad Street, turn left on Ryland Street, turn left on West Franklin Street.  Beth Ahabah will be on the right.

Be Prepared

The Museum is open to the public Sunday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  For information on exhibits, guided tours, and reservation for use of the archives, please call the museum.  A donation of $5.00 is suggested at the entrance to the museum. A one-time research fee of $5 is charged researchers. Copying services are available. Black and white copies are $.20 per copy.

Holdings

Four Generations of  Hutzlers 

The archival collections are open to all those researching Richmond and southern Jewish history and genealogy.  Holdings include the official records of Congregation Beth Ahabah as well as letters, documents, and photographs of Congregation families.  The archives also houses the papers of most of Richmond’s Jewish organizations.

Interesting Items in the Collection

The archival collection includes:  handwritten and elaborately published genealogical charts; personal family photographs; records of the Hebrew Cemetery; early nineteenth century records and photographs of Jewish-owned businesses in Richmond; and early nineteenth century family Bibles and prayer books.

Services

Staff research is available for an hourly fee.

Gift Shop, Publications for Sale

The shop has a selection of judaica jewelry and publications on southern and Richmond Jewish history.
 
Photo:   Four Generations of the Hutzler-Held-Heller family. Ivan Hutzler (baby); Beulah Heller Hutzler (young woman, baby Ivan’s mother); Amelia Held Heller (middle aged woman, Beulah’s mother); Rosalie Held (holding baby, Ivan’s great-grandmother). Courtesy of Beth Ahabah Museum and Archives.

Bonnie Eisenman, Administrator
Grace Zell, Administrative Assistant
Beth Ahabah Museum & Archives

Virginia Repositories—Richmond