Virtual Pass Schedule and FREE Live Streams for RootsTech 2020

Live Streaming Sessions

I hope many of you will be able to join me at #RootsTech in four weeks in Salt Lake City. If you are there I hope we get a chance to meet. If you are not able to work this into your travel schedule, the live streaming schedule has now been announced. For four days from Wednesday, February 26 to leap day on Saturday, February 29 you will be able to watch live at least five sessions from where ever else you are. Several of the best programs will be live streamed FREE of charge but you must register to get login information. These will include presentations by recognized experts on a wide variety of genealogical topics. Also celebrity key notes are included:

Virtual Pass Classes

Even if you are able to be in Salt Lake City, you may want to multiply your number of learning experiences and your options by purchasing a Virtual Pass. This will allow us to attend one session live and others from that same time slot at a later time. The 30 sessions covered by this pass will be available for a year after you have been notified they are available. This pass is available for $129 (US) if you are not attending the conference and for only $79 as an add on if you are already registered for RootsTech. A list of the presentations covered by this pass are available on the Virtual Pass page.   

Virtual Pass Classes (Beyond the Free Streaming classes)

Resources for Tracing Mayflower Ancestors – Lindsay Fulton, Donald LeClair, Ginevra Morse

2020 marks the 400th anniversary of the crossing of the Mayflower. With an estimated 35 million descendants worldwide, people are curious to learn if their family has a connection to the Pilgrims. Don't reinvent the wheel! Learn about published resources, online databases, and collaborative projects that will make finding your link to the Mayflower easier than ever before.

Accreditation: What, Why, and How – Diana Elder, Jenny Hansen, Lisa Stokes

Have you considered going through the Accreditation process to earn a professional genealogy credential? What does the process entail? Why would you want to explore this endeavor? How can you get started? We’ll satisfy your curiosity in this fast-paced and fun overview of Accreditation through the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen).

Challenges of Jewish Research: Names, Dates, Places – Janette Silverman

Jewish genealogical research has unique challenges. It is often very difficult to determine our Eastern European ancestors’ names because the spelling is inconsistent after immigration. The places they were born or resided are also recorded in various ways, and determining where the places were is often elusive. Dates are also often inconsistent and seem to change from document to document. This presentation will discuss and describe some of the challenges and resources that will aid in resolving the inconsistencies. This session will take a brief look at each of these areas: how to identify the names of ancestors, how to figure out where they came from, and how to understand dates.

What do you mean the vital record is wrong? – Shannon Combs-Bennett

Records, even official ones, can be wrong. When evidence raises more questions than answers, an exhaustive search must be conducted. But how? This lecture will cover how mistakes can be made in official records and how to use the GPS to create proof narratives for your records and will conclude in a case study about identifying the correct paternity of August Jahnke even when no vital record states it.

Essential Tools for the Hobbyist Genealogist – Olivia Jewell

You’ve got the passion, but what about the time? Come learn the latest tools that can make your family history frequent and fantastic. In this class you will learn sneaky ways to incorporate family history into the busy moments of life using your best friend—your smartphone. Work on family history on the go, at the game, at the doctor’s office, waiting in line at the airport, or in your few minutes of sanity at the end of the day. We’ll discuss some great apps and tools designed for on-the-go family history.

Kicking DNA up a Notch to Unmask Unknown Ancestors – Roberta Estes

Confirming known ancestors is great, but are you ready to kick it up a notch? Learn techniques utilizing various vendor and third party tools and analysis techniques to suggest previously unknown ancestors. Make your DNA tell its story and knock down those pesky brick walls in your tree.

Finding My Story: Adoption and Family History – Amie Tennant  Adopted persons sometimes have a difficult time putting together their personal family history. Though they may know about their adoption family lines, they may have big gaps in their birth family lines. Do you long to learn more about your birth family history? In this lecture, we will first discuss how an adoptee might prepare mentally to begin their journey of finding their birth family and history. Next, we will talk about the first steps to finding information that may include, but is not limited to, petitioning the courts, DNA testing, and the use of social media to put together the story of you.

10 Years Later: 20 Ways RootsTech Changed Our World – D. Joshua Taylor

As RootsTech celebrates its 10th year, take a look at the incredible advancements in family history that came about through the world’s largest family history event. This session will include comments and notes from professional genealogists, technologists, and other industry leaders.

Ancestry Search Tips & Tricks – Crista Cowan

Discover how to make the most of your searches on Ancestry.com from Crista Cowan.

Oral History for Beginners: Interviewing Is Key – Rachel Trotter, Rhonda Lauritzen

Asking the right questions is the best way to get started telling your own story or that of someone you love, but sometimes it can be the biggest stumbling block. What do you ask? How do you record it? What do you need to know? This class will go over the basics of the best interview, recording, and transcription. You will come away with a skill set to start writing your own stories (because you have to interview yourself to write your own story) or that of a loved one. Easy and practical tips will also be shared on the best recording and transcription methods. We will role-play practical application of the interview process and what to do if things don’t go as planned.

Report for Duty: Find Stories of Veteran Ancestors – Lindsay Fulton, David Lambert, Melanie McComb

Throughout American history, brave men and women have answered the call to serve our country and defend our families. Many of us can claim these courageous citizens as our ancestors. But how do we learn more about their service? Finding their stories is a way to connect with and honor their memory and military service. In this session NEHGS experts will provide you with the tools, tips, and strategies for learning about your ancestors who served in the Civil War (David Allen Lambert), World War I (Lindsay Fulton), and World War II (Melanie McComb).

The Leeds Method: Grouping DNA Matches to Identify Shared Ancestors – Dana Leeds

Have you taken a DNA test but need help identifying your DNA matches? Are you frustrated with matches who don’t have trees or won’t answer your questions? The Leeds Method is a free tool that requires no previous knowledge of DNA or your DNA matches. It creates DNA match groups or clusters, with each person in a cluster likely being descended from a common shared ancestor. This method, which can be done on a spreadsheet or piece of paper, often creates four clusters representing four grandparent lines. It can help you work on a specific line with a specific research question such as an unknown great grandparent, an unknown biological parent, or a brick wall.

Finding Your England Ancestors Online – Jana Greenhalgh

A wealth of records exists to help us research our families from England, and many records are available online! This beginning-to-intermediate class will cover basic English research methods and provide an overview of the valuable records that are most useful to genealogists. And because it's wonderful and convenient to research at home, the focus will be on records that are accessible on the internet.

The 2020 Genealogist’s Google Search Methodology – Lisa Louise Cooke

It’s a new decade, so if you think you know how to Google, think again! Technology moves rapidly, and keeping our search skills updated and sharp is key to genealogical online research success. In this session Lisa Louise Cooke, author of the book The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox lays out her proven Google search methodology updated for 2020. You’ll learn the process that is guaranteed to dramatically improve your genealogical searching with Google and its associated tools and get up to speed on the latest and best search innovations.

German Vital Records: Finding the Clues You Need – Katherine Schober

Learn how to discover the wealth of information German vital records contain—even if you don't speak German! In this session, we will examine three standard vital record forms (birth, marriage, death) in detail, teaching you exactly where you can find the information you so ardently seek: names, parents’ names, occupations, hometowns, witnesses, and more. We will also discuss the incredible tools and resources available to make deciphering these specific forms much easier.

British & Irish Research: The Differences – Brian Donovan

Brian will give an overview of the key differences between researching in Britain and Ireland. Because of administrative and cultural similarities, there can be an assumption that research is also similar. However, the differences in records kept and their survival, coupled with historical and cultural distinctions, make Ireland a unique challenge to most genealogy enthusiasts. Brian will touch on the:

• Key historic differences.
• Administrative/geographic divisions.
• Destruction of records and what survives.
• Census, BMD, and parish registers.
• Land ownership and occupation records.
• Security records.
• Poor Relief records.
• And much more, providing a firm foundation to get started.

Gathering the Life Stories of Living Generations – Deborah Abbott, Sunny Morton, Jay Newton-Small

Capturing the memories of living loved ones is a unique opportunity. It’s not genealogy research and it’s not your personal history; it’s what lies between. It’s an opportunity to learn more about your older relatives and also gain access to their living memories about relatives who have died. But interviewing and recording these stories can be challenging. There’s a delicate balance between truth-discovering and managing family relationships. This session will offer different perspectives on how to capture these life histories and also different ways you can share them.

A 5 Company Comparison of DNA Ethnicity Results – Diahan Southard

In the early days of DNA testing, we were excited to be able to tell the difference between European and Asian. But advances in both technology and database size are leading to an unprecedented level of clarity in our history and origins. Learn a bit about how these estimates are made and about how each of our five major DNA testing companies are doing things a little bit differently. Learn which company can offer the best estimates for different areas of the world and which company is offering the best tools to utilize your ethnicity results in your family history research.

Any French ancestors? Research them yourself! – Muriele Gadaut, Jerome Malhache

If you have French ancestors, do not panic! Before calling for help or coming to France, start by working your genealogy at home. You can do it through associative databases, commercial sites, or public archives’ portals. In practice you will use all these sources, but, according to the data you use to start your research, you may find it more useful to begin using one or the other. It is still necessary to know that they exist and what they offer. And then, when you have to dive into the handwritten archives, which can be complicated to read and understand, you can call a professional genealogist. It’s simple, effective, and economical.

Super Tools: Research Plans and Logs – Heather Murphy

Have you ever sat down to work on family history and spent too much time trying to remember what you were doing and what records you had searched? Research plans and logs are some of the best time-saving and organizational tools in genealogy. Learn how to keep track of what you want to accomplish and plan the steps to meet your goals. This presentation will cover many options to stay organized, from pen and paper to spreadsheets and databases. Not only do plans and logs save you time, they help you have greater success. Whether you come back to your research the next day or the next year, you can easily pick up your project right where you left off.

Using the Online Scandinavian Church Records – Jenny Hansen

Did you know that actual research of your Nordic ancestors can be done on your home computer? Recent record digitization for Denmark, Norway, and Sweden puts images of the Church records at your fingertips. See how this new access can change your life—genealogically speaking, of course!

Geography of the British Isles: A Crash Course! – Myko Clelland

Britain can seem confusing. Are your ancestors from England, Britain, or the UK? How can they be from the British Isles but have never set foot in England, Wales, Scotland, or Ireland? Why are my relatives from one county only found in records from another? Questions like this can make it difficult to know where to look for answers to genealogy mysteries! Join Myko Clelland, Findmypast’s resident British genealogist, as we delve deeper into the often confusing Church & Civil administrative boundaries that have appeared and disappeared through the ages. We’ll better understand where British records can be found, how they work, and how to better pick out matches that may not be all that they seem.

Y-DNA Basics for Genealogy & Parentage – Gale French

This presentation teaches the basics of Y-DNA testing. It covers tools used to assist with the matching process and what to do if there are surprises. The Y-DNA test offers males a clear path from you to a known or likely direct paternal ancestor. The course will also show how women can use the test by recruiting a father, brother, cousin, or uncle to do the test.

The First Documented Africans and Hear Their Story – Ric Murphy

They were captured in Angola and enslaved by the Portuguese in January 1619. They were intended to be enslaved when they were to arrive at their designated port of call in Vera Cruz, New Spain. They were kidnapped a second time on the high seas and brought to the shores of English North America on August 25, 1619. More than “20 and Odd” Angolans came as unknown individuals destined to be enslaved but persevered and ended as wealthy land owners, procurers of English headrights, respected officers in the colonial government. Now meet for the first time the first documented Africans in English North America. Learn their names, remarkable stories, and present-day genealogical importance.

DNA Clusters: Power in Numbers – Randy Whited

While using shared DNA matches has long been a mainstay of genetic genealogy, new tools and techniques have recently come to the forefront. From the Leeds method and color coding matches to automatic clustering applications found in DNA Gedcom or Genetic Affairs, we can now better work our matches collectively. This has the power for deeper analysis, to identify patterns and common ancestry, and to develop new lines of research. Learn how to tackle the overwhelming number of DNA matches and better target your DNA work.

Engaging the Family in Telling Your Family Story – Nicole Dyer, Jana Greenhalgh, Olivia Jewell

Let’s get creative—instead of just telling the stories ourselves, we’ll explore modern tools that will make it fun to engage family members of all ages in the process of gathering and telling your family story. If you’ve felt the nag to get your family more involved, this is a can’t-miss class. Learn from three busy moms who know what it means to get family involved.

FamilySearch Records: The Most Valuable Collections for your Family History – David Ouimette

Discover the breadth and depth of the record holdings freely available on FamilySearch.org, including the record collections of greatest value for your family history. We will explore the FamilySearch treasure trove and show you how to get the most out of the records of your ancestors.

Three Next Steps for Your DNA Test – Diahan Southard

Autosomal DNA is a flexible, information-rich test that has most people left wondering what the next steps should be. While everyone’s genealogical brick wall may be different, the steps to utilizing DNA successfully are the same. We start with what we know, we gather new information, and then we do genealogy. Lots and lots of genealogy! Come to this class with your questions and leave inspired and confident that you can use DNA to find the answers.

Not in the Census? Try again! – Drew Smith

Not everyone recorded in a census is easy to find on first inspection. In this session, attendees will learn tips and techniques to locating those ancestors who require additional effort. The session will cover a quick bit of U.S., UK, and Canadian census history; the idea that some individuals were counted two or more times in the same census, or sometimes entirely missed; and the pitfalls of enumeration, transcription, and indexing. Attendees will learn some clever searching techniques beyond the obvious methods, how to find individuals who are not where they are expected to be, and how to use browsing instead of searching for the tough situations.

Locating Your Immigrant’s Hometown – Debbie GurtlerStruggling to trace your ancestor to their homeland? Learn about a myriad of U.S. sources that may contain that treasured piece of information—the name of your ancestor’s hometown. Learn record types you might find when you get there and how to find help once you get there.

Genetic Genealogy identifies parent of fetus?

If you are looking for a medical science fiction thriller, Genesis may be of interest. This would be particularly true if you are a fan of Robin Cook from reading some of his earlier thirty or so medical crime novels. Published last month Genesis can stretch your mind a bit about the potential of genetic genealogy to solve crimes and not just cold crimes.

If you are not familiar with Cook's genre, he takes an emerging technology and fictionalizes its use or abuse when applied to medical practice. For example about five years ago he wrote Cell about using cell phones to advance personalized health care.  

In Genesis his protagonist is a brilliant but antisocial pathology resident who stumbles into genetic genealogy as she tries to identify a killer who has attempted to cover his tracks by masking them as fentanyl laced opioid overdoses. Armed only with Blaine Bettinger's The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genealogy and Tamar Weinberg's The Adoptee's Guide to DNA Testing: How to Use Genetic Genealogy to Discover Your Long-Lost Family she steamrolls in search of her killer who may be the father of a 10 week old fetus discovered during the autopsy of his mother.

From Cook's epilogue:

“Let’s look on the bright side,” he said.”

“I’m having trouble seeing the bright side,” Laurie said.

“It seems that you and Aria Nichols have added genetic genealogy to the forensic grab bag of tricks to make it possible to construct a perpetrator’s genome. If that’s not a bright side, I don’t know what is.”

That's enough of a spoiler.