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Celebrating our 50th Anniversary (1974 – 2024)
October 25-26 (Friday-Saturday), McKimmon Center, Raleigh NC
15 lectures in person with 8 livestreamed, ALL recorded for viewing afterwards – you won’t miss a thing!
Only $89! ($79 for members) Registration only available in person 10/24-25
All 15 lectures and other activities will be held in-person in Raleigh on October 25 and 26, and all 8 “Track 1” lectures as well as the Welcome sessions and the NCGS Annual Meeting will be streamed live for online attendees. All 15 lectures will be recorded and available for everyone registered to view at your leisure until December 31, 2024.
All times listed are Eastern Time.
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE – SCROLL DOWN FOR DETAILED LECTURE DESCRIPTIONS
Titles marked [LS] below will be live streamed at that time to online conference attendees.
TUESDAY – THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22-24
There are currently no formal pre-conference activities scheduled. However, if you are researching North Carolina ancestry we encourage you to take time to visit the State Archives and the State Library of NC in Raleigh – both in the same building! There are also research facilities nearby in Chapel Hill. For more information see Research .
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25
Welcome to the NCGS 50th Anniversary Celebration! [LS]
Friday 8:45 AM to 9:15 AM
In addition to explaining the ins and outs of the conference, we’ll talk a little about North Carolina genealogy and the North Carolina Genealogical Society.
Introduction to North Carolina Genealogy Research [LS]
Friday 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM – David M. McCorkle
North Carolina has a wide variety of records useful to genealogical research dating back to its founding in 1663. However, understanding how to use those records in your research often requires knowledge of the region’s unique history and conditions. This lecture will discuss that background, the types of records generated and why, where to find them, and how to interpret them.
In Small Things Forgotten: Probate Inventories
Friday 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM – Gay H. Baynes
While probate documents are among the most considered and informative records, one of those documents is often underestimated. Inventories are a gateway to envisioning the family life of ancestors. Inventories provide a means of establishing the socioeconomic status of a family, and often their daily life. Understanding the function and implications of items on probate inventories inspires an enlightened view of a family history.
Workshop add-on: Master Canva for Genealogy Projects (In Person only)
Friday 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM – Jon Marie Pearson
Unlock the creative potential of Canva to enhance your genealogy projects in this interactive workshop. Designed for genealogy enthusiasts of all skill levels, this 2.5-hour session will guide you through the essential tools and techniques in Canva to create visually engaging family trees, timelines, photo collages, and more. Learn to design compelling content that brings your family history to life, share your creations with the genealogy community, and preserve your heritage in a visually stunning way.
WORKSHOPS ARE AN EXTRA COST WITH LIMITED SEATING – FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED
The Leeds Method: Organizing Your DNA Matches [LS]
Friday 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM – Dana Leeds
When you take an autosomal DNA test, you get a list of people who share DNA with you because you share common ancestors. The Leeds Method uses Shared Matches (or In Common Withs) to create colorful groups of these matches. Each group is likely related to you through one part of your family, and many people get four groups based on their four grandparental lines. This method is based on DNA, not trees, so it is also often effective in cases of unknown parentage such as adoptions. The Leeds Method is a great place to start exploring your own DNA test results and learning more about your family. This presentation will help you create a Leeds Method chart, understand your results, and use that chart to learn more about your family tree.
Mining for Figurative Gold in Colonial North Carolina Records
Friday 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM – Diane L. Richard
Colonial research can be quite challenging due to extensive record losses,. The further back we go, the fewer extant records we find. That said, there are goldmines to be explored. We’ll discuss the extensive record collections that survive beyond those found in the North Carolina County Records collections, including some UK-based resources (after all, we were a British colony), and what else you will want to pursue when researching this period.
Lunch Break
Friday 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM – Box lunch, extra cost
There are no lectures scheduled for this lunch. We encourage you to socialize with your fellow researchers, and visit our vendor exhibits.
Using Artificial Intelligence Tools in Genealogy – Introduction [LS]
Friday 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM – Steve Little
This presentation provides an introductory overview of how AI tools can be used to enhance your genealogical research.
Claiming Loyalty to the Union Cause: Finding Ancestors in Southern Claims Commission Records
Friday 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM – Cheri Hudson Passey
Claiming Loyalty to the Union Cause: Finding Ancestors in the Records of the Southern Claims Commission. Full of information, including answers to application questions and witness testimony, these records can add details of our southern ancestors’ lives – both white and black – not found anywhere else.
Workshop add-on: Land Platting Using Metes and Bounds (In Person only)
Friday 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM – David M. McCorkle
Property boundaries in the original 13 colonies were described using a system called metes-and-bounds. This hands-on workshop will teach you how to find, read and understand these records, how to create maps of properties and neighborhoods using traditional hand drawing and specialized software, and how to locate the property today.
WORKSHOPS ARE AN EXTRA COST WITH LIMITED SEATING – FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED
One Man, Multiple Names: A DNA-Based Case Study [LS]
Friday 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM – Dana Leeds
Sometimes our ancestors seem to have appeared out of nowhere. That was the case with William Emmitt Hunter whose life before his 1910 Oklahoma marriage was basically unknown. One record—his application for a Social Security account number—provided self-reported information about his birth in North Carolina and his parents’ names. But his alleged parents could not be found. Without DNA, this case would not have been solved. But DNA revealed that William was born as a Beddingfield, not a Hunter. Additional research identified his name at birth and traced him through multiple marriages, divorces, another alias, and indicated the possible reason why he changed his name and left behind his family and friends to start a new life in Oklahoma.
North Carolina Plantation Records: They’re EVERYBODY’S Business
Friday 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM – Renate Yarborough Sanders
Plantation records contain a wealth of genealogical information, not only about the property-owning families, but also regarding enslaved persons and others connected to these properties by association or proximity. Learn research strategies to unlock these rich resources and discover the stories waiting to be found in your ancestral past.
Trivia Quiz and Tidbits (In Person only)
Friday 4:15 PM to 5:00 PM – David M. McCorkle
Test your knowledge of genealogy, NC history, and NC trivia! This quiz is designed not only to test your knowledge, but also for learning about obscure, useful, and even fun information about genealogy, history, and the State of NC. We will keep score for those interested (there will be prizes!), but it will be set up so you can just drop in and listen. David has been presenting these popular quizzes at his county genealogical society’s annual celebration party for almost 10 years.
Example: A cadastral map shows what?
A. Location of waterways
B. Property owners
C. State and county boundaries
D. Terrain
“Meet and Greet” Reception
Friday 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Join NCGS staff, conference speakers, and your fellow genealogists for an informal gathering at the McKimmon Center. Light food will be provided.
Saturday, October 26
Welcome – NCGS Annual Membership Meeting [LS]
SATURDAY 8:45 AM to 9:15 AM
NCGS will hold its annual meeting with reports from the prior year and voting for new board members and other agenda items. Everyone is welcome to attend, but only members may vote.
Beyond the Hype: A Practical Guide to AI Handwriting Recognition [LS]
SATURDAY 9:30 AM to 10:30AM – Dana Leeds and Stephen J. Little, Jr.
Can AI decipher that challenging historical document? This session explores the realities of AI handwriting recognition in genealogy, demonstrating how tools like Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT, and Transkribus, can assist your research—and where they fall short. Learn best practices for using AI to transcribe various historical texts, including those in foreign languages. Stephen Little and Dana Leeds will share their experiences with these tools, discuss the importance of human oversight, and provide strategies to incorporate AI into your document transcription process effectively. Whether you’re tech-savvy or just starting, you’ll gain practical insights to enhance your research skills in the evolving landscape of AI-assisted genealogy, while understanding the continued need for human expertise.
Genealogy Help Sessions (In Person only)
SATURDAY 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM – NCGS Staff and Volunteers
Do you have a problem you just can’t figure out? There is only so much that can be accomplished in 15-20 minutes, but why not give it a try! We’ll have expert researchers available to at least point you in the right direction. These short sessions are free, but you must sign up in advance. Signup details will be provided prior to the conference.
Y-DNA Case Study – Endogamy in Ashe County NC [LS]
SATURDAY 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM – Steve Little
All 32 of the speaker’s 3rd-great-grandparents had settled into what is now Ashe County, NC by 1820, and 60 of his most-recent ancestors were born, lived, and died there. This talk will discuss endogamy, pedigree collapse, and how to tease-apart multiple relationships using DNA segment triangulation.
Finding Females – 18th & 19th Century Small Business Ledgers Document Important Everyday Minutiae
SATURDAY 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM – Diane L. Richard
Female ancestors can be challenging to research due to their underrepresentation in government records. So, let’s explore non-government records and see what we can learn. A great type of these records where women are almost always listed are small business ledgers! We are talking general stores, blacksmiths, physicians, lawyers, milliners, livery stables, post offices, and more. Found entries provide intimate details about their and their family’s lives plus genealogical leverageable insights into their FAN club.
Lunch Break – Awards Presentations
SATURDAY 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM – Buffet lunch, extra cost
Join us in recognizing people and organizations that have excelled in advancing North Carolina genealogical research. Nominations for awards in multiple categories are open until August 31, 2024. If you know of someone (or even yourself) who qualifies please submit a nomination at https://ncgenealogy.org/awards .
AncestryDNA’s new Enhanced Shared Matches [LS]
SATURDAY 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM – Dana Leeds
Discover the power of AncestryDNA’s game-changing Enhanced Shared Matches tool. We’ll explore how to access this revolutionary new feature and why it’s a breakthrough for genealogists. Learn simple steps to identify more of your unknown DNA matches and break through stubborn brick walls. We’ll examine real-world examples of genealogical mysteries solved using this tool. It’s never been easier to work with your DNA matches! Join us for this presentation and learn how to use these new tools to expand your family tree.
Unveiling the Past: The Power of North Carolina City Directories in Genealogical Research
SATURDAY 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM – Edward Swieczewski, Jr.
Directories are powerful information tools for developing correlations between diverse record sets and developing proof statements or arguments to test hypotheses and advance research goals, and a North Carolina case study will be presented. There are many hidden gems that are just waiting to be discovered.
Using Artificial Intelligence Tools in Genealogy – Intermediate [LS]
SATURDAY 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM – Steve Little
This lecture goes into more depth on using Artificial Intelligence tools for genealogical research.
Leveraging Social Media for Family History Success
SATURDAY 3:00 to 4:00 PM – Jon Marie Pearson
Discover how social media can transform your genealogy research. Learn to uncover family history, share your ancestral journey, and build a supportive genealogy community online. Gain insights on creating engaging content, networking with fellow researchers, and ethical considerations in storytelling. This session will empower you to effectively use social media for your genealogical pursuits.