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March 17, 2022

OGS Conference

Posted by JessLibrarian under Blog Housekeeping, Classes/Workshops | Tags: , , |
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Time flies when you are interested in everything (and probably overinvolved) but… I will be presenting three sessions for the Ohio Genealogical Society Conference 27-30 April 2022 at Great Wolf Lodge, Mason, Ohio–which feels like it’s suddenly right around the corner.

Follow the link for all the pertinent registration and housing information. Please Note: The Early Bird Pricing Ends March 18th!

I’m looking forward to getting out of my house, talking to people in person, and listening to a bunch of great speakers.

My talks are:

  • T24 The Tuberculosis Epidemic and Your Family Tree
  • F19 Scandalous Ancestors
  • S29 Occupational Records: Finding Gems in Work-Related Paper Trails
Image of real photo post card showing female tuberculosis patients on the patio and balcony of a brick hospital. Reads: Cottage, Ohio State Sanatorium.

I’d love to see some of you there!

Happy hunting,

Jess

 

February 26, 2022

Not Normal… But… Improvements?

Posted by JessLibrarian under Blog Housekeeping, Classes/Workshops | Tags: , |
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I am continually telling myself that I’ve got to jump on here and at least say I’m alive and well… because mostly I am. But I’m also not as focused or as able to hop back onto the computer (after a day at work on a computer) as I used to be… at least not consistently. All that said, baby steps…

Also, it’s easier to talk about someone else sometimes to get started so… my home library, Capital Area District Libraries, is putting on a genealogy series starting March 5th featuring a group of presenters I respect and really enjoy listening to. Please consider checking it out!

Corner of CADL pdf from 2021 Genealogy Series flyer. Reads: Capital Area District Libraries, Everything... right here.

Virtual Family History Open House Series

Celebrate Genealogy Day during the entire month of March! Join us for a series of presentations that will help you discover your family’s story. 

Registration required; call 517-367-6350 or click on “Register.” Email required.

Registrants will be emailed a link to our Zoom meeting a few days before.

Saturdays • 11 a.m.-12 p.m. EST

March 5: Genealogy 101 with Ginger Ogilvie

Ginger Ogilvie is a professional genealogist and loves connecting people to their roots. Learning about our ancestors can help us better understand our stories. This workshop will share genealogical best practices and step by step strategies for people who are new to family history research. We’ll cover basic terms and traditional tools.

March 12: Introduction to Military Records Research with Katherine Willson

Professional Genealogist Katherine Willson will discuss how you can determine which major military conflict your ancestor might have served in, which records may have been generated during that time, and where they are held.  We’ll learn about the various places we might look to determine whether an ancestor served in the military and what we might expect to find in his or her military records.

March 19: Understanding the Ethnic Ancestry in Your DNA Test with Richard Hill

Richard Hill was the first adoptee to identify his birth family through genetic genealogy DNA tests. He shared his story in an award-winning book, Finding Family: My Search for Roots and Secrets in My DNA. Richard’s presentation will focus on the ethnicity reports included with many of the DNA tests. He will explain why results often don’t match expectations, why different testing companies yield different results, and why Native American DNA is so rare. As an example, he will show and compare the results where the same person did eight different tests.

CADL Lansing Libraries
 

October 31, 2020

A New Family Project & Great Photos

Posted by JessLibrarian under Blog Housekeeping, Photographs | Tags: , , , , , |
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I’ve actually done a fair amount of (virtual) presenting lately which has been different but fun. I haven’t quite gotten my mojo back from the ongoing “fun” of 2020–and don’t see that happening anytime soon. But I’m finding my way and enjoying my research and reading again! That said my Aunt Joan gave me a new project which some of you should get a kick out of. Porter and Holden descendents (plus any Morris, Conant, Eldred cousins out there)–heads up! I’m sorting and scanning Aunt Zelma Porter’s (Morris Hanson Reeves) pictures and I’m hoping to stick them somewhere for family to access.

Happy hunting,

Jess

Photo: Charles Erwin Porter and Lulu Holden Porter, Wedding Portrait, 1904.
This is the wedding photo of (2nd Great) Grandpa and Grandma Charles Erwin and Lulu (Holden) Porter, taken in 1904.
 

November 28, 2019

On Gratitude and Yoga

Posted by JessLibrarian under Blog Housekeeping | Tags: , |
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Pumpkins outside of  Leelanau Wine Cellars Tasting Room, Omena, Michigan

This morning I attended a Yoga class focused on gratitude and dedicated to a recently lost friend from my childhood. It was heart-warming, there was laughter, and I was reminded to remember all those that got me to this place (whatever their roles)–and to have a little care form myself as well. With that in mind, I would like to take this problematic holiday and focus on my gratitude.

 

Thank you to everyone who’s invited me out to present. Thank you to all who have attended sessions–and asked amazing questions that challenge me and push my research. Thanks to everyone I have taken classes from, researched with, or traveled with on the way to more research. You all help me re-frame questions, think outside the box, and move forward on my path—even (and maybe especially) when it might feel like I’m the one giving advice. Society, Council members, and friends I’ve met through genealogy… Thank you too.

And also, thank you to my family for not calling me out (often) when I use our crazy stories and connections as examples. My research was probably begun more as a means of finding myself, but has become something I know you enjoy and take pride in. Thank you for your support!

Happy Thanksgiving and happy hunting!

Jess

PS. All the love for Just B Yoga!

 

August 14, 2019

8 Years!?! Not-Consistent But Still Trying

Posted by JessLibrarian under Blog Housekeeping
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First Birthday, c. 1953So eight years ago I published my first post and it’s been a crazy ride since then. I credit the blog with helping me improve as a researcher, connecting me with friends and family, and giving me a fun outlet–that also pushed me to further explore my roots. And while I haven’t been that consistent–especially in the last couple of years–I still want to keep it open and (ideally) post more often about what’s happening.

On the fun side, I’ve been distracted doing a fair amount of presenting, which has been fabulous! In fact, if you’d like to catch me around Michigan, I’ll be at:

I also will freely admit I get pulled down the rabbit hole in my research–which of course has it’s negatives–but it makes for great blog and talk fodder. I’ve been pulling together a new presentation on occupational records. I’ve found coopers, distillers, bankers, Levantine merchants, my share of farmers and more to discuss and use as examples–like the following Barrel And Box article about the fire at H. R. Rothwell’s factory. Rothwell was the widower of my 4th Great Aunt Frederica Massy who later also married her 1st cousin, Julia Hill Alison.

Coopers

Thanks so much for hanging out with me! Stay tuned for more posts and happy hunting!

Jess

 

June 2, 2018

Way Late NGS Thanks!

Posted by JessLibrarian under Blog Housekeeping, Classes/Workshops, How To's/Advice | Tags: , |
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20180602_151241So, in the realm of way overdue… I’m jumping back into the blog and I want to start out by saying a HUGE thank you to everyone who made my first national conference presentation a success last month at NGS. That includes fellow speakers, WMGS family and friends, Michigan Genealogical Council friends, and NGS staff.  Another big thanks to everyone who made it to my session on Cluster Research at the end of Saturday after a long week of events. I basically told them to slow down and put more work into their research. It can be an overwhelming but so very fruitful. And finally, I’d like to extend a special shout out to my friends at the Archives of Michigan and The Genealogy Center at ACPL…. You all are fabulous!

Also, as a follow up to the Cluster Research program. I am in the same boat as everyone. Unless you’re lucky, you don’t start out doing it all correctly—properly analyzing every part of a document, properly sourcing your information, following out all the possible leads, etc. I’ve still got my share of things to clean up, follow out, and just do more work on. Writing and prepping for presentations helps me figure out what I’ve missed and work on what might otherwise feel like an overwhelming backlog of clean up.

Happy hunting (and research clean up when necessary),

Jess

 

November 5, 2017

In the fine and maddening tradition of “Vaguebooking”…

Posted by JessLibrarian under Blog Housekeeping, How To's/Advice | Tags: , |
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FallingTrees2017

Falling trees in the woods leading up to Grand Traverse Lighthouse, Leelanau State Park, Northport, Michigan 2017

So, I’ve been very quiet of late for a number of reasons. I’ve had the great honor to present around the state, I’ve taken time to work on my own education—attending wonderful seminars and webinars offered by the Michigan Genealogical Council, Western Michigan Genealogical Society, BCG and APG. I’ve enjoyed working with my area societies on new projects. And finally… I’ve been trying to figure out my next move after a research find that pulled the rug out from under my feet.

As I work through this new twist in my research journeys, I am reminded that whenever you find yourself skidding into a new brick wall, your best bet is to regroup and continue to do thorough and documented research. Applying the Genealogical Proof Standard (which you should be doing anyway!)—exhaustive research, thorough documentation, analyzing the evidence, resolving conflicting evidence and writing up reasoned and coherent conclusions—can help you work through almost any setback.

Conflicting evidence will sometimes knock you for a loop, what matters is getting up, dusting yourself off, and getting back to work. Yes, I’ve got sports on in the background.

So, I’m getting back to work.

Happy hunting,

Jessica

 

September 7, 2017

A Quick Update

Posted by JessLibrarian under Blog Housekeeping, Classes/Workshops | Tags: , |
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I’ll be presenting:

public-speaking-hypnosis-script

“Scandalous Ancestors,” at Ionia County Genealogical Society, Saturday September 9th at 1 pm, at the Freight Station Museum in Lake Odessa.

“African American Genealogy Research,” at Lyon Township Public Library, September 14th at 6:30 pm.

 

“Scandalous Ancestors,” at Marshall District Library, September 19th at 7 pm.

“African American Genealogy Research” and “Cluster Genealogy: Are We Related to Everyone on the Block, at the Genealogical Society of Washtenaw County, October 22nd at 1:30 and 3:30 pm.

Happy hunting!

Jess

PS. I will NOT be wearing heels.

 

July 11, 2017

It’s Reunion Season

Posted by JessLibrarian under Blog Housekeeping, How To's/Advice | Tags: , |
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I’m being pulled  in a lot of different directions lately but I still want to keep this blog going so here’s me, yet again, saying I’ll try to be better about writing.

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Summer is a time of family gatherings—weddings, open houses, and reunions. Are you taking advantage of your family time to build on your genealogy research? Even just sitting around and sharing photographs can spark great family storytelling! That’s what Grandma Trotter, my aunts, and I were doing in this picture.

 

One of the projects I’ve been working on for the last few months is an update of my research on Grandma Trotter’s family (my paternal grandmother) accomplished through solo research and a big crowdsourcing project amongst my distant cousins. The sharing was an interesting experiment. I pulled together all of my notes in a register report from our earliest known York ancestors and then one of my cousins sent it out by email to family all over the country with orders to send corrections and additions to me.

Some of the corrections made total sense, some were confusing, some totally contradicted each other. We have step-children, illegitimate children who are still blood related, we even had the moment where I had to look at two people’s additions repeatedly before I understood that representatives from two different wings of the family had married—not uncommon, just confusing in the corrections. But it was a wholly rewarding experience… marred only by the fact that I can’t attend this particular reunion.

[Trotters and Yorks—I’ve been working on our genealogy for years so I know mine is not the only family effected by the reunions being in the same month.]

Happy hunting!

Jess

 

April 25, 2017

DNA Day 2017

Posted by JessLibrarian under Blog Housekeeping
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PieChartBeacuse it’s been a hot topic in my corner of genealogy, this is just a quick heads up for those interested in DNA testing.  Today is DNA Day and sales are running for at least Family Tree DNA and AncestryDNA. It’s about as low a price as they ever go.

Happy hunting!

Jess

 

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