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Reed and Elissa Powell are available to speak at your next seminar or society meeting. The topics below have been well received by national, regional, and
local audiences. Please email us to discuss your date, program and budget.
You may view our current schedule here.
Lectures by Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, include:
THE BASICS
PENNSYLVANIA
CEMETERY RESEARCH and RECORDING
PROFESSIONAL
COMPUTERS and INTERNET
SOCIETY MANAGEMENT
Lectures by Reed B. Powell include:
Lectures Given by Elissa Scalise Powell, CG
Your Own Detective Story:
The How & Why of Genealogy
Level: Beginner
Length: 1 hour (there is also a shorter version of this talk that can be given as an
introduction to genealogy to general audiences of non-genealogists)
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
Each person's genealogy is their own detective story which must solve the "who, what, when, where,
why, and how" of the family history. Many reasons are given for "Why even bother" with genealogy. These range from legal, medical, scholarly, and religious, to just for curiosity or for a family reunion.
After discussing reasons "Why," "How to begin" your search and stay organized is the main focus of the lecture. Research tips, how-to's and how-not-to's are peppered throughout the presentation that
includes the five essential genealogical forms, discussion of the home files, including proof and resource files; the working files, including what to take to the library. Preservation of materials and Internet
resources are also introduced so that the beginner does not start off on the wrong foot. This lecture should give the beginner a solid foundation of how to record the information they gather with source
citations and gives them many tips on staying organized with preservation of materials and artifacts for future generations in mind.
SUMMARY: Learn why and how to efficiently begin your research, stay organized, and what is available through traditional and Internet sources. Research tips, 'how-to's and 'how-not-to's are
peppered throughout the lecture.
Dancing Around the Neighborhood with the Census Taker: Why Did He Always Miss My Ancestor?
Level: Beginner
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
The Federal Census is a wonderful and basic tool for genealogists, after vital records, but finding the ancestor can be a challenge. This lecture shows what type of information is on each census and gives
the tools for gaining access to the information. Techniques, aside from indices, will also be shown to help the researcher through some of the pitfalls of the records. Internet sources and resources will be
discussed. The 1930 census (due for public release on 1 April 2002) will also be discussed.
SUMMARY: Learn more about how to find your ancestor in the U. S. Federal Census which has been
taken every 10 years since 1790. This is one basic resource that gives us so much information, clues and insights into our ancestors.
WHAT'S A PROTHONOTARY?:
PENNSYLVANIA'S COURTHOUSE RECORDS
Level: Beginner
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
Pennsylvania courthouses have some unique terms and an indexing system that may not be familiar to
every researcher. This lecture will help the attendee gain a better understanding of those terms, the Russell Index System, and the types of records contained in the three major offices in every
Pennsylvania Courthouse: the Recorder of Deeds, the Register of Wills, and the Prothonotary, and how to navigate those offices.
SUMMARY: Confused about where to look for records in Pennsylvania courthouses and what kind of index system they use? This lecture will show you the way to navigate through these original documents
to find your hidden family treasures.
Finding Buried Treasure in the Published Pennsylvania Archives
Level: Beginner and Intermediate
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
The published Pennsylvania Archives set, containing 138 volumes, is the most valuable research tool for
Colonial (1681-1774) and Revolutionary (1775-1783) records including baptisms, marriages, militia, land warrantees, tax lists, and immigration records. Understanding how to access these volumes is a
key to success in finding your early Pennsylvania ancestor. The wide variety of records found include
militia rolls, tax records for the late 1700s, early marriage records in a place where civil registration began
in 1885, oaths of allegiance from new foreign immigrants in a time before passenger lists, original land warrantees, election results, and baptismal records among many others. The series is not well-indexed, but
the indexes that do exist for the most part are buried among the volumes themselves. Other resources have been developed to access the records. This lecture will give an understanding of the value of the
records, the limitations, research strategies, and keys to access in book, Internet and CD-ROM form.
SUMMARY: The Published Pennsylvania Archives set is a most valuable source for Colonial and Revolutionary era records.
Sailing Into the Sunset:
Tips for Finding Your Ancestors on Passenger Lists
Level: Beginner and Intermediate
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
Passenger lists are a wonderful resource for finding out more about the origins of immigrant ancestors.
Most people have at least one immigrant ancestor who arrived by ship, but the records that have been kept over the years are mostly chronological. This lecture reviews the history of why passenger lists
were recorded in an attempt to understand what types of records exist. Various indices, research aides, examples of records and where to find them are all discussed. Internet sources will also be presented.
SUMMARY: Understanding passenger lists and what indices exist are key to your success in finding
your ancestor's record. Resources and aides in both printed and electronic versions will be discussed.
The Research Cycle: Don't Pedal Backwards
Level: Beginner / Intermediate
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
This lecture will examine the necessary steps to the successful research cycle from data collection to
data comparison, analysis, and evaluation. Examples of common problems in analysis and evaluation will be shown and discussed, including how much proof is enough. Standards for citing sources, proof,
and note-taking will be addressed as given in The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual. The attendee should come away with a better understanding of the research cycle and realize that consistent
application of research methodology will lead to a better chance of success. A case study helps to illustrate the points from forming the question through data collection and analysis to the conclusion.
SUMMARY: The key to successful research is more than just data collection. It is the knowledge of how to fit all the information together using the proper methods of research in a consistent manner.
Messages From the Grave:
Listening to Your Ancestor's Tombstone
Level: Beginner and Intermediate
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
In order to find an ancestor's tombstone, the burial ground must first be found. Tips are given on how
to find the different cemeteries depending on the time period, type (church or commercial), and economic condition of the deceased. Tombstones are the last monuments to our lives on this earth. In
their shape and inscribed symbols, they can speak of the lifestyle of the deceased or the attitude of death of the loved ones left behind. They are being destroyed by many factors, which make them
illegible or eradicate them altogether. Abandoned and "lost" cemeteries can be found through records and natural signs. Discussion includes ways to read "illegible" stones, which may be the last time a
person may hear the tombstone "speak." This colorful slide lecture illustrates these techniques and shows what problems are encountered in reading a variety of markers and what might be done to
overcome them. Internet sources and resources are also discussed throughout the lecture.
SUMMARY: This color slide show illustrates tips for finding cemeteries and tombstones using regular and Internet sources, and illustrates reading techniques that make worn inscriptions jump out and "speak" to you.
Even When There Is No Will There Is a Way:
Examining Probate Records
Level: Beginner / Intermediate
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
Eager researchers who only examine the Index to the Wills and think there is nothing recorded for their ancestor who did not have a Will sometimes overlook probate records and indexes. This lecture will
discuss how to find the probate records and, using examples from Pennsylvania and Ohio, what treasures are found in them. Note that this lecture expands on the examples given in the Pennsylvania
Courthouse Records lecture.
SUMMARY: Just because your ancestor did not leave a Will is no reason to not examine the records of the Probate office. The details surrounding the distribution of your ancestor's property at the time of
his death may surprise you, or give you that clue that furthers your research.
How Did My Pennsylvania Ancestor Get Here?:
Migration Trails Out of the Keystone State
Level: Intermediate
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
All you know is that your ancestor was "born in PA." How can you find out where? This lecture
focuses on the migration routes leading west out of Pennsylvania so that tracing them backward is an easier job. The various ethnic groups such as the Germans, Scots-Irish, English, Irish and Welsh moved
for many reasons to Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and other places, and left behind clues in the areas they passed through. They followed Forbes Road and the National Road (now Route 40), the canals and
the railroads in their westward push to find new opportunities for land, jobs, and family connections. Some men were rewarded with land for military service, and some had a pioneering spirit. No matter
what drove them, they were naturalized and married in places they may not have settled. Finding these records can be difficult unless one knows their migration path, and the laws and customs of the time.
Internet resources will also be presented where appropriate.
SUMMARY: Considering the trails and reasons why your migrating ancestor left Pennsylvania will give you some clues as to where you might search for his origins there.
Windows to the Past: Newspaper Research
Level: Intermediate
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
Newspaper research is more than just obituaries. Many lifetime events are recorded in newspapers
which can be invaluable especially when vital records did not exist. Once the attendee understands what types of info they may find, they will learn how to access the newspapers in various research
locales and incorporate the data into their research. Online sources, transcription projects, archives on microfilm and by subscription, detriments to believability and how newspapers can enhance a family
history will all be discussed.
SUMMARY: Newspapers contain more than obituaries -- they record many important events in our
ancestor's lives and can be a substitute for missing vital records. Learn how to access them online and off in order to reap the huge rewards that are hidden in their pages.
Hiding Behind Their Skirts: Finding Women in Records
Level: Intermediate
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
Women traditionally and historically have not participated as fully as men in creating records and
therefore are not as accessible to researchers. Research for our women ancestors must be done by connecting them to others in their family, social, economic and church circles. Maiden names may be
discovered on the records of the women's children, church records, courthouse records, etc. The trick is to ever-widen the sphere of influence and discover all possible records referring to the subject and
her family. This lecture gives concrete examples of how to search for the lost women on our pedigree.
For a newspaper article on this topic see http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05296/592235.stm
SUMMARY: Because they change their names during their lives and because of the historical status of
women, finding your ancestresses can be challenging. Learn some of the techniques and unusual records that may contain information on the missing females in your family tree.
Rubik's Cube Genealogy:
A New Twist on Your Old Data
Level: Intermediate
Length: 1 hour
Equipment Needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
We all accumulate family data and perhaps organize it into pedigree charts and family group sheets. By
looking at the data differently and giving it a new "twist," we can see patterns and holes emerge. Lineage applications may point out weaknesses in our proof of descent from a certain ancestor. By
writing the family narrative, whether for a book or a short article for a newsletter, new questions requiring further research are made evident. Even formulating a query for an Internet list will cause us to
take a new look at our data. By sifting through old data collected years ago with our more mature genealogical eyes we can see things and relationships we would not have recognized earlier. Placing our
ancestors in history through timelines can point out reasons why the records are in the jurisdictions they are found and give suggestions on where to look further. Using land platting techniques will point out
relationships previously hidden from the casual observer. Many ideas are presented to help the attendee think about how the data they have already accumulated may give the next clue to continued successful results.
SUMMARY: By twisting your data by sources, geography and chronology, holes and discrepancies
will become more apparent, and may suggest further clues. Discussion includes: timelines, genograms, lineage society applications, land platting, and writing the family narrative.
Evaluating Sources on the Internet
Level: Beginner and Intermediate
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
This lecture will discuss the differences and reliability factors between scanned images and transcribed data and how each should be approached when choosing to incorporate the data into our own research
. Learning the source of your source is important. A discussion of original and derivative sources, primary and secondary information, and direct and indirect evidence is presented in order to understand
which elements lend to the believability of a document or piece of data. A case study using an EllisIsland.org index entry which points to a mis-linked manifest is analyzed and solved. The attendee
will gain insight into records that seem so easily available on the Internet and how to feel confidant in their reliability.
SUMMARY: All kinds of data is available on the Internet, but how can one evaluate what is true?
Learn what kinds of data are more reliable than others and why, and how to weigh conflicting pieces of information.
Publishing for Fun & Profit: Your Project Should Be Fun &
Future Generations Will Profit
Level: Intermediate and Advanced
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
This lecture will go through the various stages of publishing using a tombstone reading project as an
example. Included are fact finding, proofing, selecting a printer and marketing. Discussion of what should be included in the project includes histories, maps and indices. This will appeal not only to
people and societies who would like to get into the very worthwhile endeavor of preserving cemeteries in a published form, but also the individual who is doing his or her own family history or project and
wants to know about the costs and processes of printing. Publishing the information on the internet will also be addressed.
SUMMARY: Using a tombstone transcription project as an example, learn what it takes to produce a
quality publication from A to Z: defining the scope of the project, writing, proofing, editing, selecting a printer, and marketing. Publishing on the internet will also be addressed.
Discovering Famiglia: Italian Research
Level: Intermediate
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
For Italian-Americans the search for their ancestry takes them very quickly over "the pond" since the
Italians were such recent immigrants. As we get further away from the largest waves of immigrants in the early 20th Century many families are beginning to lose their heritage and wish to discover what has
not been passed down. This lecture will encourage Italian-Americans to collect all the possible American records before going abroad. Discussion of the EllisIsland website, passenger and
naturalization records and passports will be included as an aid for bridging the gap. Options for Italian
research will be presented including LDS films, writing directly to Italy, how to hire a local researcher and traveling to Italy oneself with advice on how to prepare for such a research trip. The attendee will
walk away with the knowledge and confidence to pursue their "roots in the boot."
SUMMARY: Roots in "the boot?" Discover how you can learn more about your Italian family and the options for records access.
Ignite Your Society With That Pioneer Spirit:
Developing a First Family Program
Level: Society Management
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
This lecture is intended for society management members to consider the advantages of beginning a
First Families or Pioneer Families Lineage Program in their society. The effort of putting together such a program benefits a society in the increased membership and scholarship knowledge of their area, as
well as any profits from fees and published information. The members benefit as well from making connections with other cousins who have submitted their lineages, honoring their ancestors, and
encouraging them to prove their lineage with documentation.
Discussion will include various aspects of the project:
Ø How to define the cut-off date by which the pioneers were in the area, and if there might be other criteria (certain geographic area, ethnic group, or religious affiliation, etc.)
Ø What forms are needed for the application and judging processes, including rule sheets.
Ø How to advertise the new lineage society.
Ø Giving recognition to successful candidates through a special event, certificate, ribbon, etc.
Ø What to do with the information once you have collected it.
Ø Will the project continue or is it just a one-time event?
SUMMARY: Learn the advantages and considerations in starting up a First Families Lineage Program in your society. Not only do you benefit by increased membership, but you also gain documented
knowledge of the families who settled your area, and your members gain new family connections.
Creating a Family History Book
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
Length: 1 or 2 hour workshop
Equipment needed: Computer projector
Using a software program such as Family Tree Maker or Legacy helps you to organize your data, but how do you make a presentable book for your family? This
workshop shows the steps involved in converting information you have stored in your software program to a camera-ready copy.
The Board For Certification Of Genealogists:
What Is It and How Do I Apply?
Level: Advanced
Length: 1 or 2 hours
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
This can be a 1- to 2-hour workshop on the history of the BCG, the application process and the requirements for each category. Since the final application is judged against the BCG Genealogical
Standards Manual, practicing good standards will be emphasized. This workshop would be appropriate for anyone thinking of becoming certified, whether they are a professional, an advanced
hobbyist, a genealogical lecturer or instructor, or a librarian dealing with genealogists.
SUMMARY: If you are curious about the Board for Certification of Genealogists, how it can help you, and the application process, then this is the workshop for you! It provides information on becoming
certified, whether you are a professional, an advanced hobbyist, a genealogical lecturer or instructor, or a librarian dealing with genealogists.
Managing A Cemetery Reading Project Efficiently
Level: Society Management, or All levels
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
This lecture will go through the various stages of a tombstone-recording project, which endeavors to
preserve the inscriptions in a published format. The biggest question is usually how to manage the data readings from the cemeteries. Different methods of storing and gathering will be addressed including
databases, websites, word processors, and publishing software. While considering how to input the data, the output must also be considered, whether it will be a printed book, CD-ROM, or website.
Discussion of what should be included in the project includes histories, maps and indexes. Unique marketing ideas for the final product will be presented. Also addressed will be the efficient management
of the project and its volunteers, as coordination is key to any large-scale project.
SUMMARY:
Learn what it takes to have a successful cemetery reading project which endeavors to preserve the
tombstone inscriptions in a published format. Managing both the data and the volunteers is addressed.
Thinking Outside the Index: Advanced Search Techniques
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen and possibly a computer projector
This lecture examines why some records cannot be found using present indexes and gives alternative
methods for searches and alternative search engines. Finding these hidden treasures usually helps to burn brick walls.
- Why information can't be found (Few records, variant spellings, records lie, historical context ignored, difficult records not consulted, records not analyzed together)
- Looking at things a different way (Use extant records, be open to spelling variants, reexamine what you know, collect all documents, read contemporary historic accounts, access
obscure records, look at records in context of the whole person)
- Common Problems (Handwriting/transcriptions, name format, common surname, jurisdictional boundary changes)
- Search techniques (Index tool limitations, Ancestry.com search tips, Soundex and how it applies to searches in Ancestry.com)
- Internet tips (Wildcards, Boolean operators, choosing the right search engine for the job)
SUMMARY: Failure to locate information is attributed to many reasons. Searching databases with
advanced techniques such as truncation, wild card, Boolean, and using non-standard fields, all help massage the data in ways that can help identify people otherwise overlooked. Tips for choosing the
right search engine will also be discussed.
Eating an Elephant: Managing Large Projects
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen; possibly a computer projector
The seven steps to managing a large project are:
- Visualize the end result. (What is the goal and what does it look like?)
- Parameters (what to include, how much latitude, resource limitations, deadlines and milestone dates)
- Break the project into smaller bites.
- Prioritize bites.
- Use the right tools. Are they on hand? If not, acquire them and learn to use them. Tools illustrated include software, computer hardware and the Internet.
- Reevaluate often and adjust schedule.
- Finish a bite to feel accomplishment.
Large project examples include a family history booklet for a special occasion, a printed family history, and the certification application process.
SUMMARY: Facing a large project is not so intimidating with good planning, the right tools, and thoughtful analysis. Organizational tips for paper and computer will also be discussed.
Twenty Years of Stuff - Now What Do I Do?
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
Length: 1 hour
Equipment needed: Screen; possibly a computer projector
Whether a researcher has been collecting information for a long time or has suddenly inherited someone else's research, they will need to:
1.) Organize it,
2.) Decide what is valuable and what isn't,
3.) Make it available to others through some type of publication, and
4.) Provide for the collection's survival.
This lecture will encourage organization (both paper and computer) and preservation of the materials; analysis and writing the family history using standard numbering systems including NGSQ and the
Register systems. Evidence analysis and source citations will be discussed as will the use of computer programs as tools for organization and writing. Discussion also includes the use of artifacts and
photographs in the family history and a genealogical will or codicil for the disposal of both the material and paper collections.
SUMMARY: Have piles of documents and loads of information, photographs, and artifacts? Organization, preservation of what is essential, and publication of the family history will be discussed as
well as consideration of the collection's final disposal.
Get Paid for Your Passion: Becoming a Professional Genealogist
Many genealogists, hooked on the thrill of the chase, would like to know more about what it takes to
become a professional and get paid for their passion. This lecture explores psychological, educational, and physical requirements for achieving that goal. Since many businesses fail within one to three years,
tips are provided to help the attendee evaluate whether this is for him/her and what it takes to be successful.
- Defining Professionalism
- Adjust mental attitudes and do a self-assessment
- Tips for success
- Learning Progression
- Continuing Education: institutes, major conferences, and other workshops and seminars
- Guided Study and Self-Instruction Opportunities
- Keeping up to date: newsletters, e-mags, etc.
- Finding a Mentor – networking suggestions
- Specializing – study an area in depth
- Collecting ready reference material
- Hanging out your shingle: advertising and business practices
- Credentials – public and private reasons to consider
SUMMARY: You love the thrill of the research hunt and think it would be heaven to be paid too.
Learn what you need to consider before and during your transition to becoming a professional.
Lectures Given by Reed B. Powell
Building Your First Website
Level: Beginner and Intermediate
Length: 90 minutes
Equipment needed: Computer projector and screen
Genealogy and the Internet
Level: Beginner and Intermediate
Length: 90 minutes
Equipment needed: Internet connection, computer projector and screen
Genealogy and Multimedia
Level: Intermediate and Advanced
Length: 90 minutes
Equipment needed: Computer projector and screen
Using Scanning to Enhance Your Family History
Level: Intermediate
Length: 90 minutes
Equipment needed: Computer projector and screen
This page last updated 29 March 2008.
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