Summit of Excellence Speaker Highlight: Judy G. Russell

Are you curious about how to utilize court records? Do you want to learn about how your ancestor's probate can lead you to genealogy breakthroughs? Judy Russell, The Legal Genealogist, will bring her legal expertise to the Summit of Excellence and help you explore these questions.

Judy will present the following at the Summit of Excellence held virtually, September 15-18, 2021:

Courting America: Using Court Records

The records created by all courts at all times offer what's often the best available evidence of the lives and times of our ancestors. But the sheer number of courts at all levels -- town, county, state, and federal -- can be overwhelming. Where do we find our best bang for the research buck? What records can we hope to find, and where can we find them? And if we spend the time learning to understand the courts and their records, what's the payoff: what can those records tell us?

Full session description here.

"To Dorothy my Dearly Beloved Wife”: Using Probate Records

Where there's a will, there should be a probate: the legal process of settling an estate. Often when there isn't a will, there's still a probate. Understanding the legal process and finding the records created when our ancestors died can help break through the brick walls we all have in our research. And the records themselves not only can help us find out who our ancestors were but also can tell us much about their lives and their times. Well beyond just the wills, the trip through the dockets, the minutes and the loose papers recording an estate can be one of genealogy's most worthwhile journeys.

Full session description here.

Learn more about Judy Russell and all of our amazing speakers here.

View the full schedule for the UGA Summit of Excellence here.

Join Us in September!

The 2021 UGA Summit of Excellence celebrates UGA's 50th year. This exciting virtual conference, held September 15-18, 2021, is a four-day event with multiple tracks offering a premier educational opportunity at an extremely reasonable price. Each track features a different record set or research area such as legal records, methodology, technology, or DNA. 

Learn more about the Summit of Excellence or register to attend. Questions may be directed to the registrar: registrar@ugagenealogy.org.

Summit of Excellence Track Highlight: Focus Areas Track 1

 Do you have roots in the United Kingdom or Italy? If so, do you need help identifying useful records for pre-1840 research? Our expert presenters will illustrate how to use Irish land records, Scottish gazetteers, English and Welsh poor law records and census substitutes, and Italian civil documents.

Track Presentations

The following sessions run on Thursday, September 16th:

Irish Land Records with Paul Milner, MDiv, FUGA: Understand Ireland’s land records and their importance to researchers, from the 17th through 20th century. Learn what has survived in originals and transcripts, their strengths, weaknesses, and how to access the originals and supporting indexes.

Finding the Correct Place: Maps and Gazetteers for Scottish Research with Paul Milner, MDiv, FUGA: Learn the important history of map-making and see examples of many different types of maps available, many now online and how they can be used to assist in your Scottish research, plus learn about the different gazetteers that will assist in finding the correct location.

Censuses and Census Substitutes for English and Welsh Research, 1690-1840 with Amy Harris, PhD, AG: Before 1841 there were no genealogically useful censuses with national coverage in England or Wales. However, there is a variety of documents that can be used as census substitutes. Additionally, there are some census records that survive for the earlier period.

English and Welsh Poor Law Records before 1834 with Amy Harris, PhD, AG: From the 1530s to 1834, Parliament passed numerous statutes establishing and governing a national poor relief system. We will discuss the variety of poor law documents covering illegitimacy, migration, employment, and family relationships.

Italian Research: Civil Registration Online and in the Archives with Suzanne Russo Adams, AG: In the last few years Italian civil records have become more readily available online. This session will reveal the best records and resources for researching civil registration. 

The full schedule of all presentations and links to presenter biographies may be found here. 

Join Us in September!

The 2021 UGA Summit of Excellence celebrates UGA's 50th year. This exciting virtual conference, held September 15-18, 2021, is a four-day event with multiple tracks offering a premier educational opportunity at an extremely reasonable price. Each track features a different record set or research area such as legal records, methodology, technology, or DNA. 

Learn more about the Summit of Excellence or register to attend. Questions may be directed to the registrar: registrar@ugagenealogy.org. 

Summit of Excellence Track Highlight: Professional Topics

Are you interested in turning your love of genealogical research into a profession? Curious about becoming an accredited or certified genealogist? We've got the track for you! Come and learn essential skills to manage your social media, engage your audience, publish your research, and launch your new career. 

Track Presentations

The following sessions run on Friday, September 17th:

Accreditation: An Overview of the Benefits and Process with Jana K. Greenhalgh, AG: The Accredited Genealogist®️ credential is awarded by the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen). This class will cover the various benefits available to Accredited Genealogists as well as an overview of the testing process.

Certification: My Journey to Earn the Certified Genealogist® Credential with Angela Packer McGhie, CG, FUGA: In this session, Angela will discuss her journey to prepare a portfolio to submit to the Board for Certification of Genealogists. She will share personal advice on working to meet genealogy standards and tips for each portfolio element.

Career Paths for the Genealogist with Kelly R. Summers, AG: You want to develop a career as a genealogist? Genealogists are some of the most brilliant and creative people. They are skilled at problem solving and analysis. These skills combined with natural talents and interests can be the basis for a career in genealogy. In this class, we will introduce some of the many ways that a genealogist can bring their love of genealogy into a career.

A Genealogist's Guide to Social Media & Email Marketing with Anne Merrell: Learn how to connect with and grow your potential customer base through tested social media and email marketing techniques. 

Writing and Publishing with Tristan L. Tolman, AG: Learn tips for writing and publishing a family history, personal history, business history, or autobiography for yourself, your family, or a client. 

Public Speaking: Engaging with Your Audience at Home and In-person with D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS: Connecting with your audience as a professional speaker is essential. This session focuses on delivery, visuals, and other elements when making virtual and in-person presentations.

The full schedule of all presentations and links to presenter biographies may be found here. 

Join Us in September!

The 2021 UGA Summit of Excellence celebrates UGA's 50th year. This exciting virtual conference, held September 15-18, 2021, is a four-day event with multiple tracks offering a premier educational opportunity at an extremely reasonable price. Each track features a different record set or research area such as legal records, methodology, technology, or DNA. 

Learn more about the Summit of Excellence or register to attend. Questions may be directed to the registrar: registrar@ugagenealogy.org.

Summit of Excellence Track Highlight: Focus Areas Track 2

Do you have Eastern European, German, or Scandinavian roots? Have you been told records for your Jewish family are non-extant? Do Nordic naming patterns confuse you, or does old German handwriting confound you? Join our experts as they shed light on these research challenges.

Track Presentations

The following sessions run on Friday, September 17th:

Lifting the Curtain on East European Family History Research with Joseph B. Everett, AG, MLS: Eastern Europe is a region that defies precise definition, and misconceptions about its people, their history, and their records abound. Yet, after all its tragic history and diverse complexity, the veil is lifting. This class will shine a light on Eastern Europe and help demystify the task of tracing family history in this part of the world.

It’s What They Answered To: Understanding Ashkenazi Jewish Names with Emily Garber, MA: Name changes, both in adopted countries and in the old world, make determining Ashkenazic (central and eastern European) Jewish names a genealogical puzzle. One cannot take research back to the old country until one has identified forenames and last names. This presentation will introduce some of the basic clues for recognizing the same person recorded under a variety of names.

German Genealogical Research with Fritz Juengling, PhD, AG: In this class, you will learn of the many online resources available to help you in your research, including on FamilySearch, e.g. the Wiki, Learning Center, Community Archion, and Matricula.

German Paleography with Fritz Juengling, PhD, AG: In this class, you will learn the strategies that professional paleographers use when deciphering old handwriting. 

Beginning Norwegian and Danish Research with Jeffrey M. Svare, AG: This presentation will introduce the fundamental sources of church and census, and provide instruction on how to identify and access additional records of genealogical value.

Beginning Swedish and Finnish Research with Jeffrey M. Svare, AG: This presentation will introduce the fundamental sources of church and census, and provide instruction on how to identify and access additional records of genealogical value.

The full schedule of all presentations and links to presenter biographies may be found here. 

Join Us in September!

The 2021 UGA Summit of Excellence celebrates UGA's 50th year. This exciting virtual conference, held September 15-18, 2021, is a four-day event with multiple tracks offering a premier educational opportunity at an extremely reasonable price. Each track features a different record set or research area such as legal records, methodology, technology, or DNA. 

Learn more about the Summit of Excellence or register to attend. Questions may be directed to the registrar: registrar@ugagenealogy.org. 

Summit of Excellence Track Highlight: Legal Records

Rick Sayre describes federal land records as "A Goldmine of Kinship Information." Attend his session and you won't be disappointed. But the goldmine doesn't stop there. From immigration and naturalization to probate and tax, legal records offer insights into our ancestors not found elsewhere.

Track Presentations

The following sessions run on Friday, September 17th:

Courting America: Using Court Records with Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL: The records created by all courts at all times offer what's often the best available evidence of the lives and times of our ancestors. But the sheer number of courts at all levels -- town, county, state, and federal -- can be overwhelming. Where do we find our best bang for the research buck? What records can we hope to find, and where can we find them? And if we spend the time learning to understand the courts and their records, what's the payoff: what can those records tell us? 

Naturalization Know-How: The Laws and Records of U.S. Citizenship with Rich Venezia: Many records were created when immigrant ancestors became American citizens. Learn what they are and how to find them. 

"To Dorothy my Dearly Beloved Wife”: Using Probate Records with Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL: Where there's a will, there should be a probate: the legal process of settling an estate. Often when there isn't a will, there's still a probate. Understanding the legal process and finding the records created when our ancestors died can help break through the brick walls we all have in our research. And the records themselves not only can help us find out who our ancestors were but also can tell us much about their lives and their times. Well beyond just the wills, the trip through the dockets, the minutes, and the loose papers recording an estate can be one of genealogy's most worthwhile journeys.   

Federal Land Records – A Goldmine of Kinship Information with Richard G. Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA: Federal land records often provide key information to establish kinship. This presentation deals with the federal records establishing the first purchase of land in the public domain, the types of records, how to find them, and how to use them in genealogical research.

Puzzle Pieces: Understanding & Mapping State-Land States with Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, CGL: Our Midwest ancestors often originated from state-land states in the South and on the East Coast. Land records are vastly different there. In this lecture, we discuss understanding deed terminology and mapping metes and bounds, and we use case studies to illustrate.

United States Tax Lists and Records with Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG: Tax records are widely available throughout the historical blueprint of our ancestors’ lives. This presentation will look at some ways they can help us.

The full schedule of all presentations and links to presenter biographies may be found here. 

Join Us in September!

The 2021 UGA Summit of Excellence celebrates UGA's 50th year. This exciting virtual conference, held September 15-18, 2021, is a four-day event with multiple tracks offering a premier educational opportunity at an extremely reasonable price. Each track features a different record set or research area such as legal records, methodology, technology, or DNA. 

Learn more about the Summit of Excellence or register to attend. Questions may be directed to the registrar: registrar@ugagenealogy.org.

Summit of Excellence Track Highlight: Technology

Are you drowning in research notes and scrap-paper tidbits? Want to find out how to keep track of your online research and make it accessible when you are away from your desk? Want to learn how to construct smarter queries for better research results, or organize, share, and store your precious photos, videos, and one-of-a-kind digital documents? Our experts will help you utilize and harness the power of technology to work smarter, not harder!

Track Presentations

The following sessions run on Saturday, September 18th:

Beyond the Basics-Online Research Techniques with Cheri Hudson Passey: Tips and tricks to help researchers move beyond the basic beginning strategies for searching online records and other resources.

Spreadsheets for Genealogists: Five Ways They Can Help You in Your Research with Mary Kircher Roddy, CG: Spreadsheets can help you in analyzing your data and keeping track of your research. Mary Roddy will present several examples of how to use this powerful tool to gain perspective and further your genealogy research. 

Digital Organization with Lianne Kruger: Photos, digital documents, and videos are wonderful for recording family history. This session will discuss a variety of ways to store these digital items online along with the pros and cons of each.

Evernote for Genealogists with Lianne Kruger: This session will illustrate how to create notes of genealogical research on a variety of platforms in Evernote and then organize and share the notes with others. 

The full schedule of all presentations and links to presenter biographies may be found here. 

Join Us in September!

The 2021 UGA Summit of Excellence celebrates UGA's 50th year. This exciting virtual conference, held September 15-18, 2021, is a four-day event with multiple tracks offering a premier educational opportunity at an extremely reasonable price. Each track features a different record set or research area such as legal records, methodology, technology, or DNA. 

Learn more about the Summit of Excellence or register to attend. Questions may be directed to the registrar: registrar@ugagenealogy.org.

Summit of Excellence Track Highlight: Getting Started

New to genealogy and family history research? Or perhaps it has been a while and you want to make sure you've covered the basics? We've got the experts to help you build a solid foundation and prevent self-constructed brick walls in your research.

Acknowledging UGA's 50th anniversary and our ongoing commitment to providing premier educational experiences, this track is FREE to the general public and to all registered Summit of Excellence participants. By giving back to the community, we honor the vision of UGA's founder, Jerry D. Wells.

Track Presentations

The following sessions run on Wednesday, September 15th:

Genealogy 101 with Crista Cowen: Brand new to family history? Join Crista Cowan as she guides you through the steps to getting started with building a family tree and shares some basic genealogy standards. 

Beginning Your Genealogical Journey with Katherine Willson: Build your family tree as you discover how to gather basic information, fill in common charts, locate public records, and navigate Internet resources. Overcome obstacles and avoid common pitfalls with these resources that will guide you towards excellence in your research.

Location, Location, Location! Surveying the Places Your Ancestors Lived with Jana Greenhalgh: This class will teach the importance and process of gathering geographical context to aid in our genealogy research.  techniques.

Records, Rules, and Repositories with Katherine Willson: Learn where to locate genealogical documents for your ancestors and his/her family members, as well as the methods for analyzing those records. Our discussion will include records such as birth, marriage, and death records; census forms; military draft registration forms; and passenger lists.

Beginning Strategies for Searching Online Records and Resources with Cheri Passey: Learn the best methods for searching online records. From how to get more out of your research results to locating record collections, discover strategies for searching online records and resources.

The full schedule of all presentations and links to presenter biographies may be found here. 

Join Us in September!

The 2021 UGA Summit of Excellence celebrates UGA's 50th year. This exciting virtual conference, held September 15-18, 2021, is a four-day event with multiple tracks offering a premier educational opportunity at an extremely reasonable price. Each track features a different record set or research area such as legal records, methodology, technology, or DNA. 

Learn more about the Summit of Excellence or register to attend. Questions may be directed to the registrar: registrar@ugagenealogy.org.