Our Irish Ancestors

If you are like me, you have Irish ancestors. I'm an all-American "mix" of German, Irish, English and Welsh and have discovered over the years that my Irish ancestors are the most difficult to research.

My Ryans and Dwyers lived in the same area (County Limerick) and I'm told that you often have to know the family's "nickname" if you're going to be successful.

Luckily for those of us facing this challenge, the OGS Conference might help us with our quest. If you haven't had the pleasure of hearing Richard Michael Doherty, you should definitely plan on attending one or more of his talks. A link to his website shows that Mr. Doherty has personally led 31 research trips to Ireland.

Check out Richard and the other Irish speakers and break down one of those brick walls!

Conference registration and information is available at the OGS website.

Note: This post was originally post on the OGS Conference Blog. 

Submitted by: Kathy Reed

DNA and Genealogy at the OGS Conference

Note: This post is a copy of a post written for the OGS Conference Blog. 

You can visit the Conference Blog at http://ogs.org/blog.

Have you considered using DNA to support your genealogical research? Have you had success? Are you overwhelmed by the science? Afraid of possible revelations about your health? I can answer yes to all of these questions. However, it's something that I think will become an increasingly useful tool in our genealogical toolbox -- and something I want to understand better.

In keeping with the theme of this conference, the planners included a track on DNA and genealogy.

Colleen Fitzpatrick is leading half of the sessions in this track. As I was not familiar with her, I was led to do a little research. Colleen is the author of Genetic Genealogy and DNA and Genealogy, two best-sellers in genetic genealogy. Despite her expertise, she lists her talks as appropriate for "all levels."  Her talks are "appropriate for you whether you are having trouble spelling DNA or are an old hand at genetic genealogy." She has been involved in the ID of an unknown child on the Titanic, and work related  to Amelia Earhart and Abraham Lincoln. To quote her bio, she has done "extensive professional work on DNA identification with the military, law enforcement, the Center for Human Identification, Harvard University, and many other well-known organizations."

Ugo Allesandro Perego is presenting two sessions. I was able to find a link to his site. A member of the Association of Professional Genealogists. He, too, has an extensive resume. Nora Galvin will discuss DNA testing for genealogical purposes, the testing process, what the results look like and what they mean.

There will also be a DNA Roundtable sponsored by Family Tree DNA. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, learn which DNA test to take, decide how many markers to test and determine how to best utilize the results.

All for the price of one conference admission!  Hope to see you there.

Submitted by:
Kathy Reed

Comments? I encourage you to leave a question or comment. I will do my best to find the answer.

Update on the OGS Conference - The Technology Track

Note: This is a copy of a post to the Ohio Genealogical Society's OGS Conference Blog.

Technology, and its applicability to genealogical research, will play a central role in this year's OGS Conference. When it comes to planning your schedule, you can't beat the conference "tracks" that have been outlined by the planners.  Interested in technology? Here is a list of what is being offered with a technology focus.

You can easily review the listings and determine what may be of interest to you. In addition, you can refer to the program to see if the presentation is appropriate for beginner, intermediate or advanced users of the technology. Numerous tracks have been identified. Over the next several weeks, I hope to feature each one of the tracks to assist you in planning. If you've not yet seen a copy of the conference booklet, click on this link and download a copy. Do you have friends and family asking you for a gift suggestion? Maybe a conference registration is just the ticket. Hope to see you there.

Kathy Reed  

The OGS Conference Program Is Now Available!

As you may be aware, the Ohio Genealogical Society is holding its 2013 annual conference in Cincinnati next April.The conference is co-sponsored by the Hamilton Co. Genealogical Society and the Warren Co. Genealogical Society. Kenny Burck and Dana Palmer are coordinating the event. The program for the conference is now available online at http://www.ogs.org Look on the left-hand menu and click on the link to the Conference Program.

In addition, I'd like to encourage you to sign up to receive regular updates on the conference blog. Like this blog, you can receive updates automatically by supplying your email address. I know when you look at the program and/or the blog, you will be excited about the lineup and diversity of offerings at this conference.  The focus is on how technology can support your genealogical pursuits.

Should you wish to submit articles for this blog or the conference blog, please contact Kathy Reed at khreed@cinci.rr.com.

Submitted by Kathy Reed