Heritage Seekers

Unknown Until Now–The Ongoing Effort to Identify the Dead in the Fredericksburg National Cemetery
2025-07-14 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Unknown Until Now–The Ongoing Effort to Identify theDead in the Fredericksburg National Cemetery
Presented by Peter Maugle, Park RangerFredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park
The Fredericksburg National Cemetery was established in 1866 and remained open for military burials until 1945. It holds the remains of 15,414 soldiers, sailors and Marines who mostly died during the Civil War. At least 85% of the graves are unidentified, resulting in over 12,770 unknowns (the most of any cemetery in the U.S.) During this program, we will learn about unique aspects of this cemetery and recent efforts to identify some of the unknowns without exhumation or DNA analysis.
Peter Maugle is a native of Bethlehem, PA with a B.A. in history from Penn State. He worked as a park ranger at Valley Forge National Historical Park for six years and is currently stationed at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. He conducts tours and programs related to various aspects of the American Revolution and the Civil War and lives in Spotsylvania with his wife and daughter.

The Elaine Massacre
2025-06-23 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
The Elaine Massacre
Presented by Dr. Brian Mitchell
In September of 1919, black sharecroppers attended a meeting of the Progressive Farmers & Household Union at a church just north of Elaine. The objective was to accomplish competitive prices for their cotton. Instead, they found the church surrounded, ending in a shootout with white supremacist farmers. Posses & nightriders were sent out. Black farmers were hunted & shot by white mobs. U S troops were called in & created stockades to house their prisoners. Hundreds (unknown) black farmers, including a WWI hero, were killed, with only 5 white deaths. The deadliest racial confrontation in Arkansas, possibly the bloodiest in the US.
Brian’s presentation explores the Life and Legacy of the youngest member of the Elaine Twelve. In Giles’ brief life, he would go from Sharecropper, to Death Row inmate, and would ultimately die in Springfield, Illinois.
Former Director of Research and Interpretation for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Dr. Brian Mitchell, is a noted scholar of “Difficult History.” Mitchell taught African American and Public History at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for fifteen years before relocating to Springfield, Illinois. The author of several books, book chapters, and papers. Mitchell’s most recent book, Monumental: Oscar Dunn and his radical fight in Reconstruction Louisiana was the winner of several prestigious book awards including, the Phillis Wheatley Book Award, The American Association of State and Local History’s (AASLH) Excellence Award, and was a finalist for the Organization of American Historians’ Best Civil War and Reconstruction Book Award.

Researching Your Colonial War Ancestors
2025-06-09 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Researching Your Colonial War Ancestors

presented by Michael L Strauss, AG

Participation in the local militia units was an important part in the life of your ancestors. The militia provided for the common defense and brought families together in times of crisis. Numerous armed conflicts including; King Philip’s War, King George’s War, and the War of Jenkins Ear are some that are highlighted. Genealogical sources will include muster rolls, militia lists, pay documents, published books and manuscripts, and other related materials.

Michael L. Strauss, AG is an Accredited Genealogist and national genealogical speaker. He has been employed as a forensic genealogist for 25 years and has a BA in history where he is a court qualified expert witness in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Michael is a veteran of the United States Coast Guard and faculty member at IGHR, SLIG and GRIP where he coordinates the military courses and has been active in Civil War reenacting for almost 30 years.

Our Poor Ancestors: Strategies for Finding Records and the Stories Those Records Can Tell
2025-05-19 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Our Poor Ancestors: Strategies for Finding Records and the Stories Those Records Can Tell
presented by Pam Vestal
Researching financially-struggling ancestors often requires a strategic approach using unfamiliar records. Whether they were born poor or fell upon hard times, we’ll explore their stories through town minutes, almshouse, sheriff’s, and apprenticeship records, legal and financial documents, and much more. We’ll also consider indirect evidence, such as changes in crop prices and payment ledgers that may suggest reasons for our ancestors’ struggles.
Pam Vestal is a professional genealogist and speaker who turned her focus to her longtime love of genealogy after a 20-year writing career. Her articles have appeared in the National Genealogical Society Magazine and The Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, and her lectures take her from coast to coast. Pam specializes in conducting genealogical research and then transforming that information into illustrated stories that even non-genealogists can enjoy.

“_____ward Ho!” Case Examples: Finding & Tracking Early American Settlers pre-1850 Part 2
2025-05-12 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
“_____ward Ho!” Case Examples: Finding & Tracking Early American Settlers pre-1850 Part 2
presented by Phillip Adderley
Part TWO!“____ward Ho!” Case Examples: Finding & Tracking Early American Settlers pre-1850 (Sequential companion to previous presentation)
Philip Burnett Adderley is a retired professional genealogist, author, and lecturer. He holds a B.S. and B.A. in physics and mathematics, as a Robert E. Lee Scholar at Washington and Lee University; and an M.S.E.E. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Born in Bermuda a British subject, he lived in Colombia, South America as an exchange student, and in Spain for five and a half years as a Senior Project Manager for Lockheed Martin.
An avid genealogist since 1977, Philip completed several specialized tracks at Samford University’s Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research, including its Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis Course, and the National Institute on Genealogical Research at the National Archives. Mr. Adderley conducted full time genealogical research professionally since 2006 for private clients nationwide, with emphasis on compiled narrative lineages and brick wall problems, the latter augmented since 2010 by DNA testing.
In 2009 he was licensed the use of the Certified Genealogist® credential for a five-year term by the Board for Certification of Genealogists. His work has been published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and The NGS Magazine. He served the National Genealogical Society through 2011 as a grader for local land records and migration modules in American Genealogy: A Home Study Course, and later as a mentor/grader for the American Genealogical Studies course series.
After he retired from full time work in 2015, he continued working on a limited basis for clients on long-term research projects. Philip specializes in land, courthouse, and archival records of the southern American colonies and states, and 17th to 19th century British colonial records of Bermuda. He is a member of the National Genealogical Society and a past president of the Ark-La-Tex Genealogical Association, Inc., of Shreveport, Louisiana. His lectures and seminars emphasizing case studies and research methodology have been well received at genealogical conferences and associations in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.

“_____ward Ho!” Basics: Finding & Tracking Early American Settlers pre-1850 Part 1
2025-04-28 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
“_____ward Ho!” Basics: Finding & Tracking Early American Settlers pre-1850 Part 1
presented by Phillip Adderley
Part ONE! “____ward Ho!” Basics: Finding & Tracking Early American Settlers pre-1850
While the predominant movement of American settlers was–on aggregate–westward, many pre-1850 settlers migrated northward, southward, and sometimes eastward. Most migrations occurred in small groups banded together for protective security and collective assistance. Although every-name federal censuses beginning in 1850 (for free persons) and 1870 for all persons help point us backward in time, a researcher needs contemporary records to identify and correlate ancestors from one location to the next.
Philip Burnett Adderley is a retired professional genealogist, author, and lecturer. He holds a B.S. and B.A. in physics and mathematics, as a Robert E. Lee Scholar at Washington and Lee University; and an M.S.E.E. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Born in Bermuda a British subject, he lived in Colombia, South America as an exchange student, and in Spain for five and a half years as a Senior Project Manager for Lockheed Martin.
An avid genealogist since 1977, Philip completed several specialized tracks at Samford University’s Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research, including its Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis Course, and the National Institute on Genealogical Research at the National Archives. Mr. Adderley conducted full time genealogical research professionally since 2006 for private clients nationwide, with emphasis on compiled narrative lineages and brick wall problems, the latter augmented since 2010 by DNA testing.
In 2009 he was licensed the use of the Certified Genealogist® credential for a five-year term by the Board for Certification of Genealogists. His work has been published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and The NGS Magazine. He served the National Genealogical Society through 2011 as a grader for local land records and migration modules in American Genealogy: A Home Study Course, and later as a mentor/grader for the American Genealogical Studies course series.
After he retired from full time work in 2015, he continued working on a limited basis for clients on long-term research projects. Philip specializes in land, courthouse, and archival records of the southern American colonies and states, and 17th to 19th century British colonial records of Bermuda. He is a member of the National Genealogical Society and a past president of the Ark-La-Tex Genealogical Association, Inc., of Shreveport, Louisiana. His lectures and seminars emphasizing case studies and research methodology have been well received at genealogical conferences and associations in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.

Country Doctors of Arkansas
2025-04-14 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Country Doctors of Arkansas
presented by Dr Sam Taggert, author, MD
Country Doctors hold a special place in our lives. Most of these men and women are originally from small towns and make the conscious decision to return. Each little town has its own story with diverse characters and dramas. The country doctor often acts as part of the glue that holds these small towns together, acting as the father confessor, a priest of technology and the narrator of the town story. We will discuss their evolution over the last two centuries and ask questions about the future.
Sam Taggart is a family doctor, raised in the White River Delta in Augusta, Arkansas. After medical school at UAMS, he completed a Family Practice Residency. He retired in 2013 as the senior partner and founder of Family Practice Associates of Benton. In 2012 he wrote a book describing a narrative history of health and disease I Arkansas over the last 200 years. The book is The Public’s Health.
In 2015, he created the Arkansas Physician’s Oral History Project. As a part of this project, he went around the state interviewing country physicians to create a video record of their lives and the practice of medicine in rural Arkansas for the last 75 yrs. In June of 2021 he published Country Doctors of Arkansas, as one of the products of that study. In April 2023, he published For Every Family, A Family Doctor a narrative history of the modern family medicine movement in Arkansas since 1947.
He and his wife, Dr. Annette Enderlin are presently working on a book called Against the Odds: Arkansas Women in Medicine before 1972.

Is There a Doctor in the House? Researching Ancestors Who Were Physicians
2025-03-24 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Is There a Doctor in the House? Researching Ancestors Who Were Physicians
presented by Jane Neff Rollins, MSPH
Is There a Doctor in the House? Was one of your ancestors a physician? If so, your relatives played important roles in American society throughout American history. Discussion will include a brief history of required training, a summary of U.S. laws governing practice, and types of documents that provide information about ancestors in the medical professions. Resources include: documents available on Google Books and at University archives; registries of licenses; court documents; city directories; newspaper advertisements and articles; and more personal items: diaries, oral histories, and ephemera.
Jane Neff Rollins is a professional genealogist who works primarily with clients whose ancestors came from the former Russian Empire, providing research and translation of Russian documents. She has researched in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Washington DC, and Jerusalem. She is an alumna of ProGen Study Group 29, and a multi-time attendee of the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the Forensic Genealogy Institute.
Jane has lectured at the annual conferences of the National Genealogical Society, the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies, the Southern California Genealogical Society, and both virtually and in-person for societies throughout the United States.
Jane’s genealogy articles have appeared in NGS Magazine, FGS Forum, Crossroads, and Avotaynu: The International Review of Jewish Genealogy: “Researching Jewish Ancestors Who Served in the Civil War.” Other writing has appeared in Roots-Key, the LA Jewish Journal, and medical trade magazines.
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Research Day & Brick Wall Challenge at Butler Center!
2025-03-22 11:00 - 16:00 | CALS Butler Center, 401 President Clinton Ave, Little Rock, AR, 72201, United States
Research Day & Brick Wall Challenge at Butler Center!

Times to be determined.

Exploring Unindexed Records with Family Search Labs: Unlocking Hidden Gems in Genealogical Research
2025-03-10 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Exploring Unindexed Records with Family Search Labs: Unlocking Hidden Gems in Genealogical Research
presented by Linda In this one-hour presentation, participants will explore the powerful tools available through Family Search Labs, focusing on utilizing full-text search features to uncover hidden records. Attendees will learn to access and navigate FamilySearch Labs, an experimental platform offering advanced tools to enhance genealogical research. The presentation will cover best practices for using full-text search, a feature that scans not just indexes but entire documents for keywords, names, and places, making it easier to find elusive records. By examining real-world examples, genealogists will see how this feature can reveal obscure details in probate records, land deeds, and other document types that are often missed in traditional searches.
Additionally, we will discuss strategies for refining searches to avoid overwhelming results and identify the most relevant records efficiently. This session is ideal for genealogists seeking to deepen their research techniques and leverage cutting-edge technology to break through brick walls in their family history research.
Linda Debe is a lecturer, writer, and lifelong student with 40 years of genealogy experience. She has many genealogy passions, but she gets really excited when it comes to technology. Her motto is work smarter, not harder, and technology allows her to do just that, especially when it comes to maps and timelines. She has spoken to numerous genealogy audiences and has a you tube channel where she creates short technology how-to videos.
She holds an AAS degree in Electronics Technology from the United States Air Force. She is an alum of Pro Gen 54, a coordinator for Pro Gen 64, and she expects to graduate from the International Institute for Genealogical Studies in 2025. She has attended national genealogical conferences and week-long institutions to further her education. She is a member of several state and local genealogical societies where she conducts research. She is on the Program Committee for North Hills Genealogists out of Pittsburgh PA.
Being Microsoft Office certified in Access and Excel, she applies her training by creating automated spreadsheets helping with genealogy research. Linda created a free Google calendar for genealogists to locate and register for genealogical educational opportunities. Located on her website, Thesleeplessgenealogist.com.

Everything You Never Wanted to Know about the Nuts and Bolts of Genealogy Blogging
2025-02-24 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Everything You Never Wanted to Know about the Nuts and Bolts of Genealogy Blogging
presented by Bill Lindsey, Heritage Seekers
Bill’s presentation will focus on the nuts and bolts of genealogical blogging, with a hands-on approach that walks participants through a number of genealogical blogs and talks about the pros and cons of different approaches to genealogical blogging. Some questions it will consider: How to choose a platform for a genealogical blog? How to go about maintaining a blog? How to use the different tools at different platforms? What focus to choose (i.e., on a particular surname, on a group of families, on a region, on DNA and its use in genealogy: the possibilities are pretty endless)?William D. (Bill) Lindsey is a Little Rock native who holds a B.A. in English from Loyola University, an M.A. in English from Tulane University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in theology from the University of St. Michael’s College of the Toronto School of Theology. Among other published works, he’s the author of Fiat Flux: The Writings of Wilson R. Bachelor, Nineteenth-Century Country Doctor and Philosopher, which won the Booker-Worthen prize in 2014; and (with William L. Russell and Mary Ryan) A Family Practice: The Russell Doctors and the Evolving Business of Medicine, 1799-1989.
Bill maintains a genealogical blog in which his goal is to place online his research of nearly fifty years. The blog is called Begats and Bequeathals: A Southern U.S. Family Documented and is found here:https://begatsandbequeathalsasouthernusfamilydocumented.com

Manuscript Collections
2025-02-10 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Manuscript Collections
presented by Dr Deborah Abbott, PhD
Manuscripts are original records and are often overlooked. They serve as primary sources that provide first-hand documentation and evidence of events that shape the development of a society, community and/or families. These records can be found in libraries, archives and other repositories. Manuscript collections usually are not completely indexed; therefore, it takes time and patience to sift through the various documents that you might find. Knowing exactly where and what will be found in manuscript collections can be tricky, but when found, they can create a gold mine of information pertaining to your ancestors and family history. Learn the value of manuscript collections, where to find them and how to use these fascinating resources.
Deborah A. Abbott, PhD, is a professional genealogist specializing in genealogical methodology, manuscript collections, and African American family research. She is a member of the Cuyahoga County (OH) Archives Commission, the Lakeview Cemetery Community Outreach Committee (Cleveland, OH), past president of the African American Genealogical Society, Cleveland, Ohio, and a retired professor of Counseling from Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland.
She holds both the BS and MEd degrees from Tuskegee University and the PhD degree from Kent State University. Dr. Abbott is coordinator of both the African American Track at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) in Athens, Georgia, and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). She teaches at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) and the Texas Institute of Genealogical Research (TIGR).
Dr. Abbott has articles published in the Ohio Genealogy News and Family Tree magazines. She can be found teaching African American genealogy in a segment entitled “Needles & Threads” on Ancestry Academy, an educational video course for Ancestry.com. She also teaches monthly classes entitled “Using Ancestry.com in Genealogy Research” at the Lakewood (Ohio) Public Library and coordinates the “Genealogy and Family History Clinic” for the Cleveland Public Library.
She is a member of the National Genealogical Society (NGS), the Association of Professional Genealogist (APG) and the Genealogical Speakers Guild (GSG). A Cleveland, Ohio native, Dr. Abbott is a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Tuskegee University National Alumni Association, and Antioch Baptist Church in Cleveland.

The Times of Their Lives: Using Timelines in Genealogical Research
2025-01-27 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
The Times of Their Lives: Using Timelines in Genealogical Research
presented by Diana Crisman Smith

Beginner Colonial-Era Research, Through the Life of Anne Marbury Hutchinson
2025-01-13 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Beginner Colonial-era Research, Through the Life of Anne Marbury Hutchinson
presented by Kim Richardson
Information and examples for the beginner Colonial-era researcher are interwoven into this story of Anne Hutchinson, who emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1634 and was a champion of freedom far ahead of her time. Wrongly banished and excommunicated, she was a well-acknowledged leader among the founders of Rhode Island – the progressive, daring group who created the charter that served as the blueprint for our nation’s Constitution.
In her last days, she and most of her children moved to the Bronx and were murdered. Only her daughter Susanna survived; she was kidnapped and ransomed. This amazing account of the beginnings of this great nation is not to be missed and will provide information about colonial-era record-keeping and our nation’s birth which will assist with researching those way-way-back ancestors.
Kim Richardson enjoys serving the genealogy community by coaching and enabling others to do their own research successfully. She assists other genealogists to accomplish their goals and helps clients solve genealogy mysteries. Kim created the Brick Wall Buster Cards to show others her secret to solving tough genealogy problems. She regularly writes for various genealogy society magazines and wrote the “Mississippi Research Guide” for Family Tree Magazine and researches for Finding Your Roots and Who Do You Think You Are?

Finding Your 19th Century Ancestors on Fold3 - Is There a Better Way?
2024-12-09 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Finding Your 19th Century Ancestors on Fold3 – Is There a Better Way?
presented by Brian Rhinehart
Ever get confused searching on Fold3? Learn what records are available for your 19th-century military ancestors there and pick up some search strategies to narrow down what you’re looking for. Yes, there is a better way to search!
Brian Rhinehart is a professional genealogist and speaker and is the owner of CivilWarRecords.com. He is a graduate of Boston University’s Certificate of Genealogy Research and is a regular researcher for the television show Finding Your Roots. A direct descendant of seven Civil War soldiers, Brian specializes in research and record retrieval for Civil War and War of 1812 soldiers at the National Archives in Washington DC and has retrieved military files for hundreds of clients there.

WWI: Records, Research Methods & Resources
2024-11-11 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
WWI: Records, Research Methods & Resources
presented by K B Barcomb
This program combines an overview of WWI records & resources, especially those online, with strategies and methods to help you effectively manage and analyze the information you find. A mini-case study then illustrates how these come together to provide you a detailed outline of an ancestor’s WWI service.
KB Barcomb specializes in WWI and WW2 records, resources, and research methodology. Her focus is on understanding the chronology and context of military records, so as to more accurately interpret and analyze their content. She has taught for the Applied Genealogy Institute, the Genealogical Research Institute of Pennsylvania, and the Salt Lake institute of Genealogy. A retired Army officer with over 20 years of active military service, she is also the daughter of two WW2 veterans. KB is a member of the Society for Military History and the Association of Professional Genealogists.

Using Narrative "Blueprints" to Structure Writing Projects
2024-10-28 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Using Narrative “Blueprints” to Structure Writing Projects
presented by Kim Richardson, Tennessee Genealogical Society
Say farewell to the dreaded writer’s block when confronted with a blank screen. This presentation explores a unique method that makes any writing process easier and stress-free. The session teaches how to create a visual framework, or “blueprint,” for narratives, proofs, and biographies. This technique assists in constructing a written draft, enables smooth reorganization, and ensures clarity and conciseness.
This method goes beyond broad concept-outlining and ultimately crafts a detailed sketch of the narrative BEFORE typing on the computer begins. Writers will plug in pieces of information and identify which to include and exclude. The pieces of information can then be reorganized to find the best possible arrangement for presenting material to the audience. Sentences are also formulated to use in the first draft which defeats writer’s block. The result is a narrative “blueprint” which can be effortlessly transformed into a well-structured, polished final version of a written narrative.
Kim Richardson enjoys serving the genealogy community by coaching and enabling others to do their own research successfully. She assists other genealogists to accomplish their goals and helps clients solve genealogy mysteries. Kim created the Brick Wall Buster Cards to show others her secret to solving tough genealogy problems. She also wrote the “Mississippi Research Guide” for Family Tree Magazine and researches for Finding Your Roots and Who Do You Think You Are?
Company: Brick Wall Buster CardsURL: www.brickwallbustercards.com

Getting Started with First World War Army Records of the US, UK and Canada
2024-10-14 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Getting Started with First World War Army Records of the US, UK and Canada

presented by Heather Robb

Heather Robb is a graduate student in the genealogy studies program at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. She is currently working on a topic for her master’s thesis. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history and has done graduate studies in Public History where she developed an interest in museum studies as well as architectural history and historic building survey. She is a graduate of the Boston University Genealogy Certificate Program and holds a Professional Learning Certificate (PLCGS) in American records from the International Institute for Genealogical Studies.

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Introduction to 10 Million Names
2024-09-23 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Introduction to 10 Million Names
presented by Danielle Rose, American Ancestors
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Chef Boyardee
2024-09-09 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Chef Boyardee
presented by Dr Deborah Abbott
Have fun and enjoy following the life an American icon through genealogical eyes. Chef Boyardee was not only the face on the spaghetti can but was a real breathing person with roots in Cleveland, Ohio. Learn how genealogical records, i.e., immigration records, vital records, ship manifests, manuscripts, military, photos, newspapers, etc., help to bring this man to life by providing information that you may not have known.
See how important repositories such as local and national libraries, the national archives, the library of congress, government documents, etc., are in the research process. The jewels that were found in this genealogical research are amazing. You are guaranteed to leave with new knowledge, a smile on your face and an appetite for genealogy.
Deborah A. Abbott, PhD, is a professional genealogist specializing in genealogical methodology, manuscript collections, and African American family research. She is a member of the Cuyahoga County (OH) Archives Commission, the Lakeview Cemetery Community Outreach Committee (Cleveland, OH), past president of the African American Genealogical Society, Cleveland, Ohio, and a retired professor of Counseling from Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland. She holds both the BS and MEd degrees from Tuskegee University and the PhD degree from Kent State University.
Dr. Abbott is coordinator of both the African American Track at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) in Athens, Georgia, and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). She teaches at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) and the Texas Institute of Genealogical Research (TIGR).
Dr. Abbott has articles published in the Ohio Genealogy News and Family Tree magazines. She can be found teaching African American genealogy in a segment entitled “Needles & Threads” on Ancestry Academy, an educational video course for Ancestry.com. She also teaches monthly classes entitled “Using Ancestry.com in Genealogy Research” at the Lakewood (Ohio) Public Library and coordinates the “Genealogy and Family History Clinic” for the Cleveland Public Library.
She is a member of the National Genealogical Society (NGS), the Association of Professional Genealogist (APG) and the Genealogical Speakers Guild (GSG).
A Cleveland, Ohio native, Dr. Abbott is a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Tuskegee University National Alumni Association, and Antioch Baptist Church in Cleveland.
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Census Gap Alternatives
2024-08-26 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Census Gap Alternatives
presented by LaDonna Garner
Discover documented options to bridge ancestors between the census years.
LaDonna Garner, M.A. is a Historic Consultant — Professional Genealogist & Historic Preservationist— focused on historical preservation and genealogical research in and outside Southeast Missouri. She often lectures on both subjects at conferences, society events, and colleges. She also offers in-person/online courses and one-on-one consultations.
Garner is an active member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and assists numerous organizations in various volunteer and leadership capacities. Garner’s current projects regard reenacting and rediscovering forgotten communities and cemetery preservation for a greater understanding of people, places, and cultural heritage. Recently, LaDonna taught in a course at The Institute of Genealogical & Historical Research in a government documents class.
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Research Day & Brick Wall Challenge
2024-08-24 12:00 - 16:00 | CALS Butler Center, 401 President Clinton Ave, Little Rock, AR, 72201, United States
Butler Center for a Research Day & Brick Wall Challenge
A favorite Heritage Seekers event! Spend the day with us whether you are a beginner or seasoned researcher looking to break out some brick walls. Everyone has a great time! There is always more to learn & fun strategies you never thought of.

Connecting Faces Through Time – How Related Faces Can Help Identify Unknown People in Old Photos
2024-08-12 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Connecting Faces Through Time – How Related Faces Can Help Identify Unknown People in Old Photos
presented by Tina LaFreniere, Related Faces
Tina will step you through how to identify unknown people in old photographs by utilizing the features of Related Faces. This class discusses the basics of how facial recognition works, the importance of properly digitizing your photos and how to do it with just a cell phone, shows techniques for making positive identifications and matches, and covers real-world examples.
Related Faces is easy and intuitive to use, yet the technologically is powerful. Tina’s goal is for Related Faces to become a place where people can recapture their family history and reconnect with long lost family members, brought together by the faces of their ancestors.
Tina LaFreniere is the founder and CEO of Related Faces Technologies. She is a graduate of The University of Houston where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance. She is a former Assistant Vice President and Production Manager for a mortgage brokerage firm in Dallas, Texas. Tina began her genealogical journey over 15 years ago and along the way she has inherited thousands of photos from her family, hundreds with no identification. These photos were the inspiration for Related Faces back in 2018 when she conceived the idea for Related Faces, and the idea took first place at the Google Techstars Start-up Weekend in Ft. Myers. Related Faces was launched in February of 2022 and was issued a U.S. Patent in October of 2022. Tina is a member of the Genealogical Society of Collier County, Florida, the Texas Genealogical Society, the Comal County Genealogical Society, the National Genealogical Society and The Photo Managers Group. Related Faces is also a Family Search Registered Solutions Provider.
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The Homestead Act
2024-07-22 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
The Homestead Act
presented by Ranger Amber Kirkendall, Homestead National Historic Park & Heritage Center of Beatrice, Nebraska.

National Youth Administration (NYA): the New Deal for Young People
2024-07-08 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
National Youth Administration (NYA): the New Deal for Young People
presented by Lori Thornton
The National Youth Administration trained young people for vocations during its duration. Learn about the program, its camps and centers, the jobs, its records, and its legacy.
Lori Thornton, MLS, professional genealogist and academic librarian, resides in Morristown, Tennessee. The Mississippi native specializes in Southern States research and religious records. Lori speaks to librarians and genealogists locally, regionally, and nationally. Her own ancestry includes early New England settlers who migrated to the Midwest, Amish who immigrated to Pennsylvania and beyond, and Southern ancestors.
Lori holds master’s degrees from Cincinnati Bible Seminary and University of Kentucky and studied at Institute for Genealogical Research (IGHR), Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), and Texas Institute for Genealogical Research (TIGR). She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the National Genealogical Society, and several state and local societies. She previously served as a director on North Carolina Genealogical Society’s board.
She authored Research in Mississippi in National Genealogical Society’s Research in the States series in 2017. She wrote articles appearing in several genealogical publications.

The Public's Health with Dr. Sam Taggart, MD
2024-06-24 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
The Public’s Health with Dr. Sam Taggart, MD
On June 24th, Dr. Sam Taggart will give a presentation to the Heritage Seekers of Central Arkansas entitled: The Public’s Health: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Two hundred years of health and disease in Arkansas. This lecture will look at the evolving history of Arkansas through the prism of health and disease. In the presentation he will discuss the various problems faced by Arkansans over the last two centuries. Beginning with malaria, yellow fever, smallpox and cholera in the 19th century and progressing to, COVID, AIDS, Drugs Addiction and Obesity. We will look at the illnesses faced, the tools they had to deal with them and how the people responded. Please join us.
Sam Taggart is a family doctor, raised in the White River Delta in Augusta, Arkansas. After medical school at UAMS, he completed a Family Practice Residency. He retired in 2013 as the senior partner and founder of Family Practice Associates of Benton. In 2012 he wrote a book describing a narrative history of health and disease I Arkansas over the last 200 years, The Public’s Health.
In 2015, he created the Arkansas Physician’s Oral History Project. As a part of this project, he went around the state interviewing country physicians to create a video record of their lives and the practice of medicine in rural Arkansas for the last 75 yrs. In June of 2021 he published Country Doctors of Arkansas, as one of the products of that study. In April 2023, he published For Every Family, A Family Doctor a narrative history of the modern family medicine movement in Arkansas since 1947.
He and his wife, Dr. Annette Enderlin are presently working on a book called Against the Odds: Arkansas Women in Medicine before 1972.
CHAT
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There’s a Spreadsheet for That! Excel for Genealogists
2024-06-10 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
There’s a Spreadsheet for That! Excel for Genealogists
presented by Linda Debe, The Sleepless Genealogist/ Geniebug
This presentation aims to equip genealogists with the fundamental Excel skills necessary to evaluate their family history data. Whether you’re just starting or looking to streamline your research process, this session will cover the basics of Excel tailored specifically for genealogical tasks. By the end of the presentation, attendees will have a solid understanding of how to leverage Excel to organize, analyze, and visualize their family history data. With these foundational skills, genealogists can enhance their research process and uncover new insights into their ancestral heritage.
Linda Debe is a lecturer, writer, and lifelong student with 40 years of genealogy experience. She has many genealogy passions, but she gets excited when it comes to technology. Her motto is to work smarter, not harder, and technology allows her to do just that especially when it comes to maps and timelines. She has spoken to numerous genealogy audiences and has a YouTube channel where she creates short technology how-to videos. In the Fall she will be presenting a 4-week course on Native American Records with the App Gen Institute.
She holds an AAS degree in Electronics Technology from the United States Air Force. She is an alum of Pro Gen 54, a coordinator for Pro Gen 64, and she expects to graduate from the International Institute for Genealogical Studies in 2024. She has attended national genealogical conferences and week-long institutions to further her education. She is a member of several state and local genealogical societies where she conducts research. She is the Program Chair for North Hills Genealogists in Pittsburgh PA.
Being Microsoft Office certified in Access and Excel, she applies her training by creating automated spreadsheets to help with genealogy research. Linda created a free Google calendar for genealogists to locate and register for genealogical educational opportunities, located on her website, Thesleeplessgenealogist.com.
Handout
CHAT

Scavenger Hunt (of sorts) at Mount Holly
2024-06-02 14:00 - 17:00 | Mount Holly Cemetery, 1200 Broadway St Little Rock, AR 72202, Little Rock, AR, 72202, United States
Part 2 of
Flora, Faces, and Fauna: Reading Cemetery SymbolismHolly Hope, Arkansas Historic Preservation ProgramScavenger Hunt!NOTE: Park on 13th Street & enter from that gate. Public restrooms will be open.

1200 Broadway, Little Rock, Arkansas

My Great-grandfather: His Letters Home from the Civil War and Other Stories
2024-05-13 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
My Great-grandfather:
His Letters Home from the Civil War and Other Stories
presented by David W. Bash
Through 50 letters written home from his Civil War service and other memorabilia, was my great-grandfather William G. Kendrick arrogant, narcissistic, a daredevil, or just telling it as he really was? Maybe all four traits or maybe just boasting to his wife? Zoom in and determine it for yourself.
David Bash, Ph.D., earned his Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics in 1969. After teaching for a few years, he became interested in applying mathematics instead of teaching it – especially after having a fellowship sponsored by the National Science Foundation about applied mathematics for college professors of mathematics. His major career was as an Operations Research Analyst with the US Army doing war game development and nuclear weapons effects analysis. David is also a long-standing member of the Civil War Roundtable of Arkansas & Heritage Seekers.
Handout
CHAT
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Iconography Scavenger Hunt at Mount Holly Cemetery
2024-05-05 10:00 - 14:00 | Mount Holly Cemetery, 1200 Broadway St Little Rock, AR 72202, Little Rock, AR, 72202, United States
Iconography Scavenger Hunt at Mount Holly Cemetery
Led by Holly Hope, Special Projects Historian, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program

REscheduled
