One of the biggest hurdles to overcome in genealogy is the seemingly illegible handwriting in our ancestors’ records. Whether you struggle to navigate colonial penmanship that doesn’t even look like English or wrestle with contemporary documents that are poorly written,…
If your genealogy research is stuck or you’ve “lost” your ancestor, stop actually looking for that particular ancestor. Instead, turn your attention to the events happening around them and the social issues that could have been influencing their life and the decisions…
Mark Olsen, the Family Tree Maker Ambassador, spoke at the October SIG meeting about the FTM 2019 (free) update 24.1. He discussed how to access the update and install it. He also reviewed the main features and benefits of the…
Once you have identified the location for a family event, you have an opening to create a rich, detailed life portrait for your ancestor. Location research allows genealogists to learn the details surrounding their family, helping to give context and…
Dean Jobb will speak about his book The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream: The Hunt for a Victorian Era Serial Killer. Before Jack the Ripper, before The Devil in the White City’s H.H. Holmes, the world's deadliest serial killer…
Laurie Filipiak, FTM SIG Facilitator, and Mark Olsen, the Family Tree Maker Ambassador to historical and genealogical societies around the world, co-led the May FTM SIG meeting. They provided a high level review of the following topics: Starting a new…
Farm records can be an insightful tool for understanding your ancestor’s place in the world. Were they wealthy, prosperous farmers or scratch farming to survive? Agricultural census, land records and mortgage books, court records, farm directories, newspapers, and personal ledgers…
Jeffrey Bassett will speak on Genetic Genealogy; the latest technique being used as a tool in genealogical research. He will explain how he got started in genealogy, how DNA testing works, and then will present different case studies from the…
Fox Valley Genealogical Society launched their new Special Interest Group (SIG) for users of Family Tree Maker on 23 March 2022. All skill levels were invited to attend the kickoff meeting and learn what's new in FTM. The meeting was…
The Morning Writing Group offers support, inspiration, and encouragement for writing about your ancestors, memories of your childhood, or experiences of your life or the lives of other family members. Writers are free to choose their own topics, points of…