Virginia Genealogical Society

Webinar [13 Aug 2025]
2025-08-13 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Speaker, topic, and registration information coming soon.

Webinar - Using Virginia Chronicle: An Introduction to the Library of Virginia's Digital Newspaper Collection with Kelley Ewing [11 Jun 2025]
2025-06-11 19:00 - 20:00
From birth, graduation, and marriage announcements to general articles, society columns and obituaries, newspapers provide a rich supply of material for genealogical research. Virginia Chronicle, the Library of Virginia’s freely accessible and searchable database of over 6 million newspaper pages, contains an immense amount of genealogical information to discover. The Virginia Chronicle webinar will be an in-depth exploration of the database to ensure you get the most out of using it for your research. It will cover Virginia Chronicle’s helpful tools, demonstrate various search strategies, and navigate through its special features with time at the end for questions and discussion. It will also briefly touch upon other digital newspaper resources you can access with a Library of Virginia library card or by visiting the Library.

Kelley has worked with the Virginia Newspaper Program (VNP) at the Library of Virginia for over 25 years. Since its creation in 1993 as part of the NEH initiative the United States Newspaper Program, the VNP has worked to locate, inventory, catalog, microfilm, conserve and digitize newspapers published throughout the commonwealth. Along with cataloging the newspaper collections of the largest repositories in the state, Kelley and her colleagues traveled to every city and county in Virginia, visiting libraries, colleges and universities, museums, historical societies, and publishing offices in the pursuit of previously undiscovered newspapers. Since 2008, Kelley has managed Virginia Chronicle, the Library of Virginia’s digital newspaper repository. She holds an MA in History from Virginia Commonwealth University.

VGS Spring 2025 Virtual Conference and Annual Meeting [26 Apr 2025]
2025-04-26 09:50 - 16:00
Registration opens 10 March 2025. Scroll down to purchase a ticket.

Members be sure to log into the website before purchasing a ticket so your membership discount will be applied. The discount will be applied when you reach the checkout page.

The Zoom link to join the conference and the syllabus will be sent approximately three days before the conference.

If you can’t attend the live conference, no problem! Recordings will be available for 60 days after the conference.

All times are Eastern Time.

Webinar - The WPA Era: Free Records Boon from the Government with Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA [9 Apr 2025]
2025-04-09 19:00 - 20:00
During tough economic times in the 1930s and 1940s, government programs put many people to work. The Works Progress/Work Projects Administration and the Historical Records Survey created a goldmine of material useful for today’s genealogists all across the U.S. WPA record transcriptions, courthouse and manuscript inventories, vital records indexes, city/county histories, and histories of businesses and families may exist for your ancestral locale. We will discuss many of those WPA creations, some of which you already use regularly, and where others may be found today. We will also discuss the online explosion of WPA materials.
Paula is an internationally recognized genealogical educator, researcher, and consultant focusing on unusual resources, manuscripts, methodology, and analyzing records. She also specializes in railroad research, the WPA, and Native American records. She has done extensive research at libraries, courthouses, libraries, state archives, historical societies, and various locations of the U.S. National Archives. She is a coordinator and instructor for the GRIP Genealogy Institute, has presented courses for several other institutes and academies, and continues presenting virtual seminars and webinars across the U.S. and in Canada. She is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Genealogical Societies, the Minnesota Genealogical Society, and the Association of Professional Genealogists. She is descended from eight ancestral countries and has researched family connections across the U.S. and Canada, including her children’s connections to the Southeastern U.S. She currently has her own educational website and blog at http://genealogybypaula.com and is enthusiastic about sharing knowledge and continuing education.

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Webinar [12 Feb 2025] - Solving a Virginia Mystery Using DNA with Paula Williams
2025-02-12 19:00 - 20:00
Family lore tells a different story than the records for the paternity of a southwest Virginia great-grandfather. Learn how DNA helps solve the mystery! Paula is a professional genealogist who has been researching for more than two decades in primarily southern US states and has been using DNA to solve problems for more than a decade. She has studied at IGHR, SLIG, GRIP, and the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed). In addition, she’s a board member of the Virginia Genealogical Society and of the Genealogical Research Institute of Virginia (GRIVA) and is the facilitator for the latter’s DNA Special Interest Group. She has taught at the IGHR and GRIP institutes and has lectured for the Southern California Genealogical Society’s Genealogy Jamboree and for the National Genealogical Society conference, among others. She also serves as the Virtual Tech Coordinator for the GRIP Genealogy Institute.Register for FREE at https://tinyurl.com/VGSFeb2025

Webinar: I Can't Tell a Lie with anecdotes about George Washington with Jim Bish [11 Dec 2024]
2024-12-11 19:00 - 20:00
James “Jim” Bish is the author of I Can’t Tell a Lie: Parson Weems and the Truth about George Washington’s Cherry Tree, Prayer at Valley Forge, and Other Anecdotes. He grew to adulthood on a cattle and horse ranch in Nebraska where at an early age he was fascinated with stories from his grandmother about his ancestors who homesteaded the area in the 1870s. His genealogy and history pursuits identified ancestors who earlier lived in nine of the thirteen colonies with at least fifteen who served in the Revolutionary War. Those historical quests led to a career in education and history. After graduate school, Bish moved to Virginia, and there, spent almost forty years researching and teaching local, regional, and Virginia state history, where he encountered and examined many of the colonial Virginia families which became the foundation for this work.

In 1989 Bish helped to organize the Prince William County, Virginia Historical Society, known as Historic Prince William, where he served as the organization’s first president. He continues to serve on the Board of Directors of Historic Prince William. Jim later served Prince William County as member of the Prince William County Historical Commission. He currently operates History Happened Here Tours and also volunteers with the National Museum of Americans in Wartime Experiences’ Voices of Freedom Project and the Museum of Culpeper County, Virginia where he also serves upon their Board of Directors.

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VGS Fall Conference 2024
2024-10-18 09:45 - 2024-10-19 15:20 | Virtual via Zoom
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED

Opening remarks begin at 9:45 a.m. for both days, and the conference ends at approximately 3:20 p.m. Eastern Time. Zoom links and the handout will be emailed to registrants approximately three days before the conference. Recordings will be available for 60 days after the conference. Registrants will receive an email with recording links as soon as they are available.

FRIDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2024 – All times are Eastern.9:45 a.m. Opening Remarks10:00–11:00 a.m. Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGLFinding Virginia Law: Genealogists need to look at the law at the time and in the place where a record was created. Misunderstanding the legal context may make us miss records critical to our research or miss clues hidden in the records. Looking at the laws of a single jurisdiction may seem like an easy task, but with Virginia’s long history, it’s easier said than done! These tips help us understand the legal system and then find the right law for the record we’re working with.11:00–11:15 a.m. Break11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGLCrows Heads and Squirrel Scalps: Early Virginia Laws: The laws our ancestors lived by tell their own story of life in earlier times, and, from the very first colonial statutes to today, the choices made by Virginia’s legislators about what laws were needed give a rich and deep context to family history. We can use early Old Dominion laws as genealogical resources and recreate a time when one of the most pressing concerns was protecting crops from crows and squirrels.12:15–1:00 p.m. Lunch1:00–2:00 p.m. Julia Anderson, MA, AG, AGLResearch Virginia from Afar with FamilySearch: Researching in Virginia repositories in person is fantastic, but what if you can’t go there yourself, or at least not as often as you would like? This class will teach you everything you need to know to get started researching Virginia from afar with resources at FamilySearch. It will cover details about the FamilySearch websites, centers, and affiliate libraries; demonstrate how to use FamilySearch for Virginia research; guide you in using extended access to record collections; and enable you to maximize your research time and results.2:00–2:15 p.m. Break2:15–3:15 p.m. Debra M. DudekInternet Archive – The Amazing Genealogical Resource You’re Not Using! Can’t find it on Ancestry? Learn all about Internet Archive and its amazing collection of city directories, county histories, gazetteers, yearbooks, and family genealogies. If you haven’t been on this site yet, you’re missing a lot of fantastic resources!SATURDAY, 19 OCTOBER 2024 – All times are Eastern.9:45 a.m. Opening Remarks10:00–11:00 a.m. John D. Beatty, CGVirginia Genealogical Research in the Allen County Public Library: The Allen County Public Library, located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, houses the largest genealogical collection in a public library in the United States. It also is the compiler of the Periodical Source Index (Persi). This talk will explore the Virginia holdings in the Genealogy Center and will also discuss Persi as it relates to Virginia.11:00–11:15 a.m. Break11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Claire KluskensFinding Your Virginia Ancestors at the National Archives: Learn how to use the National Archives website and online catalog to locate your Virginia ancestors in federal records. With over 11.8 billion unique records, there’s a lot to discover! More information and digital images are added to the National Archives Catalog frequently.12:15–1:00 p.m. Lunch1:00–2:00 p.m. Michael L. Strauss, AGWild, Wonderful West Virginia: Genealogy Research in the Mountain State: Discover your ancestors and other family in the mountain state of West Virginia. Whether your ancestor was a coal miner or ran with the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s the beautiful state of West Virginia has many wonderful genealogical resources to offer those interested in her history. Carved out of Virginia in 1863 because of the American Civil War, West Virginia’s genealogical records are available for many years. Many new and exciting research awaits those willing to travel to the mountain state.2:00–2:15 p.m. Break2:15–3:15 p.m. J. Mark Lowe, FUGABefore Kentucky: Early Records and People in Virginia: Since Virginia contained all the land that is now Kentucky, where are the records that were created during the colonial pre-statehood Kentucky (before 1792)? Together we will look at the available record types, finding aids, and actual locations. Using real examples, we will follow actual historic records from discussion to solution.

Use the + icon to the right of the zero to add a ticket, then click on Get Tickets to add to your shopping cart.Member conference discount will be applied in the Cart before checkout. (Standard member discount will not be applied in addition to the conference discount.)

VGS Webinar: Research Plan Writing – Tools to Stay Focused (and Realistic) in your Virginia Research with Kelly L. McMahon, CG®
2024-08-14 19:00 - 20:00
Register at https://tinyurl.com/VGSAugust2024

Join Kelly as she helps walk you through the steps to draft a solid research plan to keep you on-task as you complete your research. This workshop will cover the following topics:

How to create (and use?) your own research journalEffective research goalsAssessing prior research/known facts about an ancestorNavigating potential issues with certain localities and record availabilityReview a sample research plan

Kelly L. McMahon, CG® (Certified Genealogist®) is a Norfolk, Virginia, native and a graduate of the College of William and Mary. Her interest in genealogy began at a young age, when she began researching her family lines from the Tidewater region of Virginia. Her professional genealogy research focuses on Colonial Virginia records – using creative methods to solve difficult genealogical problems that arise from burned counties and for marginalized populations in Colonial Virginia. Other research interests include land records and tax list research.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/VGSAugust2024

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.

VGS Webinar: A New Virginia Resource: What It is and What It Isn't with Barbara Vines Little [12 Jun 2024]
2024-06-12 19:00 - 20:00
Sources are important—we need to know what records are available and where they can be found. But, unless we understand the background and the law as it applies to the records, we will miss important clues and even lose our way because we assume things that are not so. It takes time and experience to learn the ins and outs of research in a particular area. A new resource is at hand, one that packs between its covers the information with examples that is normally presented in a one-week institute course. Join me for a peek inside.

Sign up to be notified when the publication goes on sale at https://tinyurl.com/VABookNews. Register for the webinar by clicking the button below.

Barbara Vines Little, CG, FNGS, FUGA, FVGS, a professional genealogist, has lectured over the past thirty-plus years at conferences in thirty-two states on research methodology, Virginia and West Virginia resources and writing and publishing. Editor of the quarterly Magazine of Virginia Genealogy since 1996 and winner of the NGS Quarterly Award of excellence in 2001 and 2022, she has written articles for a number of publications including the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, the National Genealogical Society Newsletter, and the Board for Certification of Genealogists’ newsletter, OnBoard. The current editor of National Genealogical Society’s Research in the States series, she is the author of the West Virginia volume and has published three volumes of Virginia court records and edited others for publication. She served as coordinator and instructor for VIGR (Virginia Institute of Genealogical Research) Track II, 1996–2004 and as the coordinator and instructor of the Virginia track for Samford University’s Institute for Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) from 2007–2012 and the 2017, 2020, and 2023 Virginia track at SLIG (Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy). A member of the board of the Library of Virginia and a former board member of the Orange County Historical Society, she is a former board member and president of both the National Genealogical Society and the Virginia Genealogical Society.

VGS live webinars are open to all. Though webinar handouts are usually only available for VGS members, Barbara has graciously made the handout for this webinar available to all. You can download it here. However, the recording for is a VGS member benefit. Please do not share the 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.

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Spring Conference: Bringing Your Family History to Life [27 Apr 2024]
2024-04-27 09:50 - 15:50 | Virtual – online via your favorite browser.
Join us for the Spring 2024 virtual conference with four well-known speakers: Judy G. Russell, Gayle Jessup White, Sara Gredler, and Michael Lacopo.

Join links and the link to download the syllabus will be sent to the email you registered with on 25 April 2024. Test your system at https://support.goto.com/webinar/system-check-attendee before conference day to make sure GoToWebinar will work on your device.

If you can’t join us on conference day, recordings are available for 60 days. The recording link will be emailed to all registered participants when the recordings become available.

Purchase your ticket below. Members be sure to log in to the VGS website to receive the member discount. The discount will appear when you click “Checkout Now.”Member price: $32; Guest price: $40

PROGRAM SCHEDULEAll times are Eastern Time.9:50 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.Opening Remarks and Welcome10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.Putting Those Records to WorkJudy G. Russell, CG®, CGLSMEvery document we locate in genealogical research has its clear use: a census record will help us identify family members and trace them over time; a court record will tell us what was happening with that person at that time; a will or probate record will help recreate a family at a specific point in time. But every document we locate can be mined-directly or in combination with other records-for more: a deeper richer context for our family members and their place and time.11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.BREAK11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.Reclaiming Our HistoryGayle Jessup White12:15 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.LUNCH1:00 p.m. – 1:25 p.m.VGS Annual Meeting1:25 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.BREAK1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.She Did What? Putting Your Ancestor in Historic ContextSara Gredler, CG®, AG®Sara discusses how to research and document your ancestors beyond vital records and relationships. In ways that help discover more about their lives. It weaves those broad historic themes and conflicts (war, disease, etc.) with everyday life. Without specific documents surviving to the present, we can only do so much to think about how our ancestors lived. Even when specific documents survive, we need historic context to show us why and how those records were created. Historic contexts help us fill in those gaps.2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.BREAK2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.She Came from NowhereMichael D. Lacopo, DVMThis lecture illustrates the joys and pitfalls of Virginia research as well as employing a problem-solving approach utilizing social history, female research, and family analysis to identify the parents of Elizabeth Stith, the ancestor “from nowhere.” One need not have Virginia ancestors to see the Genealogical Proof Standard at work!3:45 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.Closing Remarks

VGS Webinar: Uncovering Identities of an Enslaved African American Family with Tim Kilby [10 Apr 2024]
2024-04-10 19:00 - 20:00
From the book Gourdvine Black and White, a case study with resources and research methods . . . and afterthoughts on acknowledgement, restorative, and reparative genealogy.

Timothy Kilby earned degrees from Virginia Tech and Rochester Institute of Technology and had careers in education, art, and information technology before retiring in 2014. He grew up in the village of Sperryville, Rappahannock County, Virginia, not far from the homesteads of his Kilby forefathers, the subjects of decades of his genealogical research. In recent years he has devoted countless hours researching the people and events recounted in Gourdvine Black and White. Tim now lives in Northern Virginia with his wife, Lois, and step-grandson, Caiman. He is active in the U.S. national organization, Coming to the Table, which works to heal from slavery’s legacy of deep-rooted racism. One hundred percent of proceeds from the sale of Gourdvine Black and White are donated to the Kilby Family Endowed Scholarship Fund to benefit descendants of the enslaved.

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 event.

VGS Webinar: Squatters on George Washington’s Land—Pennsylvania and Virginia’s Overlapping Colonial Land Disputes with Megan Clark Young [14 Feb 2024]
2024-02-14 19:00 - 20:00
Learn the history of the land dispute between Pennsylvania and Virginia, including an ejectment suit by the most famous man in America.

Megan Clark Young is a professional genealogist, writer, and lineage society chair. She specializes in Pennsylvania research and owns MACY’s Genealogical Research.

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 event.

VGS Webinar: Records of the Freedmen's Bureau: There's Something for Everyone! [13 Dec 2023]
2023-12-13 19:00 - 20:00
Mark the date on your calendar.

Join us virtually on 13 December 2023 when Renate Yarborough Sanders will present “Records of the Freedmen’s Bureau: There’s Something for Everyone!”

Though the nickname “Freedmen’s Bureau” suggests a complete focus on the formerly enslaved, this presentation highlights information about ancestors of all backgrounds – black and white.

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 Fall 2023 Virtual Conference [28 Oct 2023]
2023-10-28 09:45 - 15:20
PROGRAM

9:50 a.m.Opening Remarks10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.Finding Virginia’s Wives, Mothers, and Sisters – Vic Dunn, CG11:15 –a.m. 11:30 a.m.BREAK11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.Enslaved Ancestral Research in Virginia and North Carolina? Oh, Yes You Can! – Renate Yarborough Sanders12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.LUNCH1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.Finding Thomas’s Father Through Records, Land Platting, and DNA – Pam Stone Eagleson, CG2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.BREAK2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.Four Essential Indexes for Virginia Researchers – Leslie Anderson, MSLS3:15 p.m. – 3:20 p.m.Closing Remarks

Registration is now closed.

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
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.

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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.

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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
