Virginia Genealogical Society

VGS Webinar: Using Theses and Dissertations in Your Research featuring Craig R. Scott, CG, FUGA [9 Aug 2023]
2023-08-09 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Learn the value of theses and dissertations in creating context for your narrative and describing why and how something happened in your ancestor’s life. Craig Roberts Scott, CG, FUGA, president of Heritage Books, Inc., has been a researcher for over thirty-five years, specializing in problem-solving, military records, Quakers, and publishing.

VGS live webinars are open to all. However, the handout and recording for each webinar are VGS member benefits. Please do not share the handouts and links to webinar recordings with non-VGS members. Webinars are held the second Wednesday of February, April, June, August, and December at 7 p.m. Eastern Time.

Register for this Webinar

VGS Webinar "Three Reasons to Use Personal Property Taxes" featuring W. Samuel Williams, MDiv [14 Jun 2023]
2023-06-14 19:00 - 20:00
Discover how 18th and 19th-century Virginia personal property taxes are a genealogical goldmine, use them as census substitutes, and distinguish same-name men.

Sam Williams is a professional genealogist focusing on Central Virginia, genetic genealogy, and Greek American research. His degrees are in International Affairs, Spanish, and Orthodox theology.

VGS live webinars are open to all. However, the handout and recording for each webinar are VGS member benefits. Please do not share the handouts and links to webinar recordings with non-VGS members. Webinars are held the second Wednesday of February, April, June, August, and December at 7 p.m. Eastern Time.

Register for this webinar!

VGS is Local Host Society for NGS 2023 Family History Conference in Richmond [31 May–3 June]
2023-05-31 08:00 - 2023-06-03 17:00 | Greater Richmond Convention Center, 403 N. Third Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23219, United States
The National Genealogical Society (NGS) 2023 Family History Conference is coming to Richmond, and VGS is the Local Host Society! If you’d like to volunteer during this special event, please visit our NGS 2023 Volunteer page.

The NGS Family History Conference gives genealogists and family historians of all levels the insights necessary to take their research and writing to new heights and make exciting new discoveries.

Learn the latest from the best speakers in the genealogy community. Discover what genealogy companies are bringing to market. Gain insights from genealogy societies and organizations throughout the United States. Attend your choice of more than 110 lectures and special luncheons. Have fun at the SLAM! Idea Showcase reception and Expo Hall opening. Celebrate Virginia’s deep roots with a special Friday evening event sponsored by the Virginia Genealogical Society.

Designed for family history researchers at all levels ─ beginner, intermediate, and advanced ─ the conference lectures feature:

records and repositories in Virginia and neighboring states;

resources and techniques for researching African American, Indigenous Peoples, Jewish, and other ethnic groups;

local and federal government records including military, tax, and land records;

the use of DNA to help determine relationships;

methods to analyze and evaluate evidence;

and much more.

Program and Registration Information

Families and Houses of Mannboro: A Genealogical Look Into the Families of Amelia County and Surrounding Areas by James Michael Paschall Coleman [29 Apr 2023]
2023-04-29 14:00 - 16:00 | Amelia County Administration Building Conference Room, 16360 Dunn Street, Amelia, VA, 23002, United States
James Coleman will be presenting a fascinating genealogical presentation about the Mannboro area of Amelia County. He will be showcasing information and showing pictures from his book, Robert Coleman of Charles City Shire.

Since the soul of architecture is closely integrated with the souls of the inhabitants who interact within the space they occupy, pictures of Amelia County homes, past and present, are to be presented during this presentation. Many of these photographs were taken by Judge Valentine W. Southall, and can be found in Collection of Photos of Amelia County Homes, at the Amelia County Historical Society.

Following the presentation, there will be an informal discussion on genealogical research with emphasis on Amelia County. The discussion will be moderated by the author and will draw upon his twenty years of research for the book.

The Coleman brothers’ American odyssey began in 1637 with the arrival of Robert Coleman from England. Robert was named as one of forty headrights of Colonel William Farrar II. These indentured servants would develop Farrar’s Island of present-day Chesterfield County. After completing his servitude Robert would move to an area of Charles City Shire which became Amelia County.

“Family genealogical histories can range from fanciful collections of myth and supposition to detailed works of historic research. James M. Coleman’s book is clearly in the latter category” was written by Robert P. Winthrop, a partner at Winthrop, Jenkins, and Associates, a Virginia based architecture firm specializing in historic renovation. Historic buildings have been Mr. Winthrop’s focus in numerous writings and lectures.

Growing up in Richmond, Coleman has strong family ties to Virginia.

Coleman became interested in researching his family and its ties to Amelia County, Virginia, through his father. The elder Coleman worked for his great-uncle, Lee Paschall, who founded Wise Construction Company of Richmond, and would share stories about Virginia and North Carolina with his son.

The author earned an undergraduate degree in engineering operations from North Carolina State University in Raleigh and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and began his research on the Coleman family in the year 2000. He utilized the libraries at UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State, the Library of Virginia in Richmond, the Richmond Public Library and The National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Coleman also gathered more than 400 photographs of Coleman family members, homes, businesses and other structures connected with the family. Some photographs going as far back as 1865 were found by members of the family, while others were taken by Coleman, other family members, and Judge Southall.

Virginia Museum of History and Culture: British Virginia – A Digital Humanities Project [25 Apr 2023]
2023-04-25 16:00 - 17:00 | Virginia Museum of History and Culture, 428 N Arthur Ashe Boulevard, Richmond, Virginia, 23220, United States
Join the Virginia Musuem of History and Culture for a program on rare books and documents from the its collections. Virginia Commonwealth University English Professor Joshua Eckhardt and interns Sarah Black, Paul Brennan, Kayleigh Dumont, and Olivia Hudson will discuss British Virginia, a digital humanities project that reproduces editions of original documents about the Virginia Colony, primarily from the Virginia Company of London, so that they are widely accessible and freely downloadable. Joshua and the interns will explain the project, the challenges it poses, and the benefits it brings to researchers and students across the world. This program will feature an opportunity to see the original documents from the VMHC’s collections, from which these freely accessible versions derive from.

Dr. Joshua Eckhardt is a professor of English at VCU. He is the author of Manuscript Verse Collectors (2009) and Religion around John Donne (2019).

Sarah Black is an undergraduate at VCU studying English and political science.

Paul Brennan is a graduate student in creative writing at VCU. He holds a Masters of Information with a Concentration in Library and Information Science from Rutgers University.

Kayleigh Dumont is a graduate student in English at VCU. She earned her BA in English from VCU with minors in creative writing and psychology.

Olivia Hudson is a graduate student in English at VCU and holds a BA in English, Anthropology, and Religious Studies.

Admission is free, but registration is required.

Sorting Your DNA Matches using the Leeds Method presented by Lynn Scott [19 Apr 2023]
2023-04-19 13:00 - 15:00 | Augusta County Public Library, 1759 Jefferson Hwy, Fishersville, Virginia, United States
In person or virtual.

Meeting is on the lower level of the Augusta County Public Library in Fishersville.

To join via Zoom use Meeting ID 896 8584 6116, Passcode [REDACTED]

VGS Webinar: An Introduction to the Research Library at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture [13 Apr 2023]
2023-04-13 19:00 - 20:00
James Brookes, the Melanie Trent De Schutter Library Director, and Matthew Guillen, the library reference coordinator from the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, will introduce the history, role, and scope of the museum, library, and its collections, and go through the “need-to-know” details of getting registered, navigating the catalogs, and discuss some of the frequently asked questions they receive with regards to genealogy.

Learn more about the Virginia Museum of History and Culture here.

Register for this webinar!

VGS Webinar: All Roads Lead to Virginia [4 Apr 2023]
2023-04-04 19:00 - 20:00
Join VGS for a look at the resources at the Library of Virginia.

Ashley Ramey Craig will discuss the different genealogical resources available to you through the Library of Virginia and their website. As well as the records you can access onsite or remotely from the comfort of your home through Virginia Memory.

Ashley is the Community Outreach Specialist for the Library of Virginia, where she coordinates the Library’s genealogy workshops series, genealogical programs, and community outreach for the Library. Ashley graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a bachelor’s degree in history with a concentration in Early Modern British History and colonial Virginia. She also received a master’s degree in history with a concentration in early and colonial Virginia, African and Indigenous slavery, and 19th and 20th-century race relations in Virginia. Prior to working at the Library of Virginia, she was the Site Coordinator of Preservation Virginia’s John Marshall House.

Learn more about the Library of Virginia here.

This webinar will be especially useful for those who have Virginia ancestors and will be attending the NGS 2023 Family History Conference in person in Richmond from 31 May to 3 June. #NGS2023GEN

This webinar is free and open to all. Seating is limited. This lecture will be recorded and available to everyone on the VGS website approximately five days after the live webinar.

Register for this webinar!

GRIVA Program Meeting—The Seedbed of America: Eastern Shore History and Records [28 Mar]
2023-03-28 19:00 - 20:00
Join the Genealogical Research Institute of Virginia (GRIVA) for their monthly virtual meeting featuring G. Ray Thompson, Phd.

Dr. Thompson begins with a brief outline of the history of the Eastern Shore of Virginia and Maryland, then takes a look at an overview of its many record types. Following that, he’ll look at little known records of importance to family historians who are researching Eastern Shore families. These records, the oldest continuous records in British speaking America, offer much for genealogists as it was from the Eastern Shore that many waves of migrations west took place, eventually reaching the western coast of America. Dr. Thompson will also look at significant secondary sources and the types of transcriptions of records available. Many researchers will discover that they have Eastern Shore antecedents! Question and answer period will follow the visual on-line discussion of Delmarva’s myriad records.

Dr. Thompson retired from Salisbury University in Maryland in 2016 as a distinguished professor of history where he served for 44 years, including as Chairman of the History Department for 12 years. He co-founded the Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History and Culture at Salisbury University in 1982, and he served as its co-director for over 20 years. The Nabb Center is a hands-on laboratory in which history students are taught how to read, interpret, and write narrations based on original documents. It also houses a collection of Delmarva primary and secondary source materials valuable for genealogical research. His work outside of academia has included serving on many councils and boards. To name just a few: he has been past president of the Lower Delmarva Genealogical Society; president for 17 years of the Wicomico County chapter of the Maryland Historical Trust; and a member of the Governor’s Advisory Board for National Historic Publication and Records.

Register Here

MVGS 2023 Conference: Serving Our Nation: Our Military, Families, and Communities [25 Mar]
2023-03-25 08:30 - 15:00 | Hollin Hall Senior Center, 1500 Shenandoah Road, Alexandria, Virginia, 22308, United States
Join the Mount Vernon Genealogical Society for four informative lectures presented live, in-person at the Hollin Hall Senior Center.

Rebecca Whitman Koford

Missing—Presumed Dead: A Case Study of Civil War Records

This presentation focuses on the life of a Union soldier in the Civil War, his family, and the experiences that lead to his death at Cold Harbor, Virginia. We will examine records to pull out the details of his war service with federal records, newspapers, maps, and a Confederate pension. With the application of social history to contextualize these records, his story can be told.

Claire KluskensCivilians at War: Records of Participation in U.S. Military Conflicts

This presentation will focus ways that civilians participated in efforts to support a war – or were directly affected by it – from the American Revolution to World War I. War provided opportunities for employment by civilian or military agencies. Individuals provided goods, services, or loans. They suffered property losses and sought reimbursement. We’ll focus on examples of online records that document these relationships with the Federal Government (ca. 1776-1918) and Confederate States Government (1861-65).

Olivia Millunzi

Contested Ground: Research in Areas of Divided Loyalty

This talk will give a brief overview of some of the divided geographic areas and social groups in conflicts ranging from the Colonial Wars to the Civil War. Then, we’ll dive into Long Island during the American Revolution, specifically the Dutcher family, to explore the challenges and rewards of dealing with families- and individuals- with shifting allegiances during periods of conflict. The Dutcher family straddled the line during the American Revolution, featuring members pensioned for Revolutionary service in support of the Patriots, members who fled north to Canada after the war, and some members whose loyalties are harder to define. Given their divided loyalties, the Dutchers are a great example to show the records available for families of all walks of life in areas of contested ground.

Mary K. Mannix, MA, MLS

How I Learned to Appreciate Fold3

Fold3, an Ancestry product available at many public libraries, and includes remote access, is a major electronic resource for locating American military records. It can, however, be awkward to use for the uninitiated. The speaker will help us all to maneuver through Fold3 more confidently and break down any doubts about including it in our regularly on-line genealogy toolbox.

Register Here

Investigating the Evidence with Judy Russell [18 Mar 2023]
2023-03-18 10:00 - 14:00 | Dunn Loring Fire Station, 2148 Gallows Rd, Dunn Loring, Virginia, United States
Join the Fairfax Genealogical Society March 18th for fascinating programs with Judy Russell at our 2023 Spring Fair, “Investigating the Evidence”. Judy’s first session will be a workshop, “When Worlds Collide: Resolving Conflicts in Genealogical Research.” The second session will be a lecture, “No, No Nanette! What Negative Evidence Is…And Isn’t.” You may attend in person or via Zoom. Recordings of the sessions will be available to registrants afterward.

Register Here

Virtual Genealogy Workshop | Tips & Tricks for Navigating the Library of Virginia's Website [10 Mar 2023]
2023-03-10 10:00 - 11:00
The Library of Virginia’s website is a powerful tool for anyone researching their Virginia roots. In this presentation, reference librarian Becky Schneider will walk through strategies for effectively searching and browsing the Library’s digital collections and online catalog, as well as options for help if you hit a brick wall. Contact Ashley Ramey Craig at as**********@**********ia.gov or 804.692.3001 for more information.

This is a free online event. Registration is required.

Virginia Beach Genealogical Society Monthly Meeting [9 Mar 2023]
2023-03-09 17:30 - 19:00 | Virgnia Beach Central Library, 4100 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, Virginia, 23452, United States
”Colonial American Migration Routes and Modes of Travel” with Annette Burke Lyttle, 9 March 2023, 5:30 p.m. at the VA Beach Central Library and via Zoom. To attend via Zoom, send an email to me******@****va.net.

Introduction to Genealogical Research with the Augusta County Genealogical Society - Two Sessions [4 & 11 Mar 2023]
2023-03-04 10:00 - 12:00 | Staunton Public Library, 1 Churchville Ave, Staunton, Virginia, United States
Saturdays, March 4 & 11 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., ACGS will introduce the at-home family historian to the world of genealogical research.

The class objectives are:• To provide an overview in how to trace your family• To provide information on types of tools, records, and resources available to the family historian

We will cover:• Vital Records• Recording Your Family Information• Research using Censuses – Federal & State• Using the Internet for Genealogy ResearchThe Augusta County Genealogical Society (ACGS), located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, was established in 1996. Their mission is threefold: help preserve genealogical records and public access to them; furnish aid and education in genealogical research methods; and foster and encourage interest in genealogical research.

Events sponsored by the Staunton Public Library are open to all and offered at no charge. The Library welcomes people of all abilities. Please alert us at least five business days in advance if there is a need for accommodation. For information or assistance, please call 540-332-3902 or email us at li*****@************va.us. For cancellation announcements, check our social media the day of the program or give us a call.

More Information

Black History Month 2023 Genealogy Conference: No Longer Forgotten [11 Feb 2023]
2023-02-11 10:00 - 14:00
A free virtual conference sponsored by the African American Special Interest Group, Washington DC Family History Center, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc., State of Maryland and Washington, DC Chapters.

Dr. Shelley Viola Murphy will deliver the keynote address, “Descendants of Enslaved Communities of UVA.” An avid genealogist for over 30 years, Dr. Murphy, aka “familytreegirl,” was born and raised in Michigan, now living in central Virginia. She conducts genealogy workshops at local, state, and national conferences, and is known for her inspiring & interactive “SO WHAT” with genealogical research, along with interesting problem-solving methodology lectures such as the use of timelines. Dr. Murphy’s personal research focuses on Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia/West Virginia, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Other speakers include Chiquita Clark Sorrels, Andrew J. Hochreiter, Carol Kostakos Petranek, Dr. Ida Jones, Tamela Tenpenny-Lewis, and Will Schwartz.

Schedule and Registration Information

NGS 2023 Family History Conference Q&A [9 Feb 2023]
2023-02-09 20:00 - 21:00
The National Genealogical Society (NGS) 2023 Family History Conference will be held in Richmond, Virginia, from 31 May through 3 June. The conference is designed for family history researchers at all levels ─ beginner, intermediate, and advanced ─ the conference lectures feature:

records and repositories in Virginia and neighboring states;

resources and techniques for researching African American, Indigenous Peoples, Jewish, and other ethnic groups;

local and federal government records including military, tax, and land records;

the use of DNA to help determine relationships;

methods to analyze and evaluate evidence and much more.

If you have questions about the conference, join NGS on 9 February for a Q&A Event about #NGS2023GEN. Learn more about the program, special activities, and research opportunities by attending this Zoom. Get your questions answered—sign up today!

Register at: bit.ly/2023FHCQandA

Establishing the True Identities of "Felix Richards Slaves" – with Amy Bertsch [9 Feb 2023]
2023-02-08 19:00 - 20:00
This lecture will examine a chancery suit, federal compensation claim, and other records that resulted in the identification of enslaved African Americans in a rare photograph. Discover tips and resources from this case study to advance your family history research.

Amy Bertsch is a historian and genealogist specializing in African American and Virginia history. Amy has taught historical archaeology in the Public History and Historic Preservation certificate program at Northern Virginia Community College, and she previously worked in public history at the Office of Historic Alexandria which operates the City of Alexandria’s museums, historic sites, archives and archaeology program. She has an M.A. in history from Sam Houston State University and her published work includes the “Lost Potters of Loudoun County, Virginia: The Gardner-Duncan Family” in the Journal of Early Southern Decorative Arts.

VGS live webinars are open to all. However, the handout and recording for each webinar are VGS member benefits. Webinars are held the second Wednesday of February, April, June, August, and December at 7 p.m. EST.

Register for the Webinar

Webinar with Vic Dunn
2022-12-14 19:00 - 20:00
“Deeds, Surveys, Land Books, and Other Records” – Vic Dunn, CG

Register for the webinar

Join us on 14 December 2022 at 7:00 PM Eastern Time when Victor S. Dunn presents “Deeds, Surveys, Land Books, and Other Records.” Research in land records is essential in solving Virginia genealogical research problems. Explore the records that are available including little known sources that may provide the key to solving your problem.

Victor S. “Vic” Dunn, CG, is a full-time professional researcher who specializes in Virginia research, with an emphasis on brick-wall problem resolution and lineage society applications. He serves as the coordinator of the Virginia research track for the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research. A lecturer at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and other national platforms, he is a frequent contributor to major genealogical publications including feature articles in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, The Genealogist, BCG OnBoard, and Magazine of Virginia Genealogy. In 2014 he received the Mosher Award for Colonial Virginia Research and was named as the official genealogist of the Order of First Families of Virginia. He is a member of the Jamestowne Society and the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. He is a past trustee of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, past treasurer of the National Genealogical Society and past governor of the Virginia Genealogical Society.

Webinar with Roccie Hill
2022-08-10 19:00 - 20:00
“Native American Databases and Other Resources: The Secret Keys to Your Families” – Roccie None Hill, MA

Lecture Description: Finding information about Native American ancestors has long been a complex endeavor for many reasons: the lack of written records by native authors, cultural differences in naming traditions, language barriers, errors in non-native records, and forced transport of indigenous peoples, individually or in groups, to distant parts of the country. Understanding the historical context of bands and tribes is crucial to locating and analyzing written documentation, as is knowing where to look. We will discuss these contexts through treaties and other political or military actions, as well as identify online and physical repositories where both federally created and indigenous generated records are kept. We will review the efficacy of DNA to identify indigenous ancestry. Finally, we will review federal and state recognized tribes and sample paths to enrollment, since that is the Number 1 topic today in Native American genealogy.

Roccie None Hill, MA, Co-Owner of Past & Present Pathways, www.pastpresentpathways.com, has been doing genealogy research since 1990, and professionally since 2009. She specializes in Native American research, as well as Southwestern US genealogy including tribal and borderlands.

She is fluent in French, has worked extensively with French Canadian records, and has a working knowledge of Spanish. She has a BA from UCLA in Philosophy/History, and an MA from San Francisco State University in English/History.

She has written various articles for www.genealogists.com and for the Tennessee Genealogical Society, has lectured on military records and land records across the US, and has published two novels, Three Minutes on Love, 2008 and Window of Exposure, 2015 (The Permanent Press), as well as the play, Our Scars, in 2017, which was produced in Portland, Oregon, at the Fertile Grounds festival.

Roccie is a member of the DAR (past 2nd & 1st Regent at the Cahuilla Chapter), the National Society Colonial Dames of the XVII Century, APG Second Life (Vice President), Tennessee Genealogical Society (former Associate Editor of Ansearchin’ quarterly), Genealogical Society of Hispanic America (past Chair, Marketing Committee), National Genealogical Society, Virginia Genealogical Society, NEHGS/American Ancestors, Melungeon Heritage Association, Palm Springs Genealogical Society, and the New Mexico Genealogical Society.

She is a former cataloguing volunteer at the Research Library of the Smithsonian Affiliate, the Museum of the West in Scottsdale. She is currently a paleography volunteer for the Mellon Foundation-funded project, Native Bound Unbound, Archive of Indigenous Americans Enslaved.

She is also an experienced nonprofit grant writer.

Registration
