Genealogy and Family History and related Research Services
Lecturer and Author on Genealogical Topics
Raleigh, NC
ph: 9192318137
dianelri
Diane is regularly expanding her list of talk topics! This list is NOT exhaustive!
Do contact her directly if you are seeking a speaker for an upcoming event.
In general she talks on:
The talks are NOT listed in any particular order nor are they grouped topically. See Key box to right to explain symbols used.
ALL of these topics are available for in-person or web-based/webinar/virtual programs.
Some topics are also suited to workshop-type experiences, e.g., timeline, transcribing, ledgers.
Getting Lost in Ledgers has also been done as a 12 hour virtual institute program (3 hours one day per week x 4 weeks with homework & in-class interactive elements). Other topics are also suited to this format (e.g., 1860-1875 records, researching death beyond the usual, researching Mariners, etc)
List of Talk Titles (Given Talks)
[List Current as of 1 March 2022]
(**) (##) 1) Tarheels in Your family Tree? History & Record Idiosyncrasies You Want to Know About – good overall look at elements of NC research that many are not aware of [opening session lecture given in ballroom at NGS 2017]
(##) 2) Get Excited About Your Pre-1870 NC African American Research – focus is African-American records though no records (except cohabitation bonds) are created just “solely” for those who had been enslaved; other community members are also included
3) Two States, Multiple Counties -- What's a Border? A simple concept that many think they understand and yet often don’t fully take advantage of
(##) 4) Crimes Across Multiple Jurisdictions: Meet Wake County's Abbott Brothers – detailed look at 18th century court records; all the places they can be found
(AA) 5) Freedmen's Bureau Records-More Valuable to Anyone's Southern Research Than You Might Have Thought – excellent resource for c. 1865-1868 records for ALL southerners
(##) 6) Goldmines in Colonial NC Records – details on “where” to look for colonial records and the gaps that exist in them
(##) 7) Civil War Era Genealogy Research ... in your jammies (mostly!) – examines records created related to military service (not just pension and CSR) as well as maps, Confederate & Union Citizen Files & Southern Claims, voter registration, freedmen’s bureau, newspapers
(^^) (##) 8a) The Genealogical Gems Found in Ledgers -- Have you explored private and little known archival (aka manuscript) collections? They are full of ledgers and account books, membership lists, and so much more! You can learn so much about your family and neighborhood through these records. Relationships are sometimes noted. Store, business and physician ledgers can link family members and provide many interesting details invaluable to your family history narrative.
(^^) [NEW] 8b) Version of The Genealogical Gems Found in Ledgers though with a focus on identifying records where WOMEN are documented! Women/females are documented in more places than you might think! Can be done as a 1 hour or 2-hour program. Alternate titles = Discovering the Hidden Women in Your Family History & Women in Ledgers - Geography, Politics, Religion & More
^^) (AA) [NEW] 8c) Version titled -- Journey Through Ledgers – People of Color, Enslaved & Free Can Be Found!
(^^) 9) Sign of the Times: Timelines in Genealogy [many other titles also used] – an excellent tool to help organize and decipher lots of data and help solve genealogical conundrums!
(##) 10) Online Resources Are Key to Successful Research into North Carolina Ancestry (or NC is No Longer a Rip Van Winkle State). NCGS Members can access here, https://www.ncgenealogy.org/online-resources-are-key-to-successful-research-into-north-carolinian-ancestry-webinar/.
[no 11]
(##) 12) Born in NC: Making the Connection Back to NC – this is actually a survey course that looks at 25 different resources that help when you don’t know “where” an ancestor found elsewhere is indicated with “born in NC” in records. Preview via NCGS website, https://www.ncgenealogy.org/news/born-nc-preview/
(AA) 13) Slaves + Insurance = Rich Records – Slaves were insured and these are the records documenting that from registries to ledgers to lawsuits and more.
(##) 14) Maps! Oh the Places They Can take Us Without Leaving Home! (online map resources & how they can help solve genealogical problems)
(##) 15) Post Office Records: Geography, Politics, Religion & More -- Post offices aren't just about mail! Post offices used to define communities and people used their location, in records, to define where they lived. Post offices also handled newspaper subscriptions and related materials. How would you like to see great great grandpa's subscription list? Talk about insight into a person -- often indicating religious and/or political leanings.
(##) 16) A “Hand-out” for your Poor Ancestors: local parishes and counties did step up -- covers colonial period through WWII – a bit more of a focus on the laws in place and what “poor relief” was theoretically available though not necessarily implemented state-wide; some records don’t survive or have restricted access [Given at NGS 2017]
(##) 17) Pre-1913 Vital Records [focus is on NC options though most records discussed are also created in other jurisdictions]. Preview via NCGS website, https://www.ncgenealogy.org/news/pre-1913-vital-records-preview/.
(##) (AA) 18) Digital Library on American Slavery & More -- This talk discusses a few resources that you won’t regret looking into as you research your African-American ancestry. Some collections and techniques which will be focused on include … • Digital Library on American Slavery [slave petitions, runaway slave advertisements, bills of sale, transatlantic slave trade database] & related projects • Slave Narratives [not all are part of the Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936 to 1938 [Library of Congress] • Using Archivegrid to search for private manuscript collections containing records about those enslaved. [Given at Rootstech 2018]
19) Research Finns – Finnish not required; Internet is!
(##) 20) NC Secretary of State Papers
21) “Oh Say Can You See” War of 1812 Records Online? The Answer is a Resounding Yes!
22) Stock Marks Aren't Just Animal Brands: Use Them To Identify People Also! -- It’s easy to associate branding with large cattle, sheep, goat, and other ranches often found west of the Mississippi River. You do so at your own risk! The need for animal identification has been needed though ever since people have lived near one another and have raised such. Colonial states passed laws regarding the marking of animals as a form of identification. These records can help place individuals, sometimes quite early, in a community.
(AA) 23a) The Story of Rachel – One assumes that a slave manumitted is immediately freed; think again. This is the story of Rachel and her children, the laws of North Carolina and the almost 20 years it too for them to actually be freed.
(^^) 23b) Crowdsourcing – Many Hands Get Digitized Records Indexed! The last few years has seen a plethora of “crowdsourced” projects focused on indexing records benefit genealogists. A survey of active and closed such projects as well as other ways that crowdsourcing is benefiting genealogists.
24) Financing Wars -- 18th & 19th Century Federal Tax Records DO Exist!-- The United States federal government began levying revenue taxes back in 1791 with a tax on distilled spirits. Soon after, other items such as carriages, refined sugar and snuff were also taxed. The records that came from these taxes are an overlooked resource for genealogists. Though not all the tax records themselves may survive, newspapers end up providing some insight into some of those earliest Federal Taxes.
[RETIRED] 25) The Man Who Didn’t Want to be Found – Pursuing a Scofflaw & Bigamous Midwesterner!
[RETIRED] 26) One Genealogists Experience as a “WDYTYA?” Researcher and On-Air Expert
[RETIRED] 27) Hiring a Professional Genealogist
28) Tips for Applying to a Lineage Society – Lineage society applications are often more exacting than people would like for them to be. Let’s talk about proving your lineage, useful tools for tracking who/what/where/when, the common requirements across most applications, proof arguments, do NOTS, select society requirements, and more.
(##) 29) Seafaring/Mariner Ancestors [early 19th century focus; mid-Atlantic & South] -- Seafaring folk, especially southern ones, are challenging to document. Shipping records do survive for many 18th & 19th century ports. We’ll follow the money to identify mariner ancestors. Explore NARA, newspapers, commercial ledger, port records and more. [to be given at FGS in August]
(^^) 30) Internet Archive, JSTOR, HathiTrust etc – A Few Favorite Online Resources! Also mentioned are Wayback Machine, OCLC/Worldcat, Archivegrid, Linkpendium, and more [to be given at FxGS in April 2020]
(##) 31) The Power of People – Voices via Petitions -- Sometimes we have to “fight” for what we want and that leads to certain types of petition. Sometimes we seek government authorization for certain activities and that requires a different type of petition. Petitions are a means by which one person or many or a whole community can seek to change the status quo. Much of early legislation in our country is a result of petitions. The Crown was also petitioned by individuals seeking redress to issues, challenges (too far to the nearest courthouse), taxation (the crushing level of), and more.
(##) 32) Using Church Records for Genealogy Research -- Discovering where denominational records are held, what might be available, and how to access them can challenge us. Increasingly though, helpful finding materials are being published or placed online to assist in non-secular research. Fortunately, we also find online archives (digitized records) of religious records we can access from home. This increased access to these incredibly valuable and insightful records enriches our family history research. Let’s explore how to research the spiritual affiliations and faith-based lives of our ancestors. General resources and strategies will be discussed as well as some specifics regarding Methodist, Quaker, Baptist, Moravian, Presbyterian, and the records of other denominations. [gave at WCGS in fall 2019]
(##) (AA) 33) Manumission, Quakers, Abolition Efforts, and more -- Many enslaved sought to be manumitted while many abolitionists and Quakers sought to “abolish” slavery. There was success in eliminating the trans-Atlantic slave trade though most slaves. in what is the United States were NOT freed until the Civil War. Though, some slaves were manumitted and there are records to be found both about how they gained their freedom and those involved in trying to ensure their freedom. Let’s explore these invaluable records.
(##) (AA) 34) Mapping Resources Help Us Visualize African-American History -- Visual tools can be so helpful as we do genealogical research. One form of visual tool that we are seeing more of are map-based tools. Increasingly, the focus of these mapping initiatives are documenting those who had been enslaved and other aspects of researching African American ancestry.
(##) (AA) 35) Escaped Slave Advertisements, Finding Lost Relatives – 19th Century Newspaper Research -- A very high-level look at select newspaper research sources and strategies for learning more about 19th century previously enslaved ancestors. We can only skim the surface of the rich rewards newspapers can yield as we research into them. We’ll focus on (1) advertisements for runaway slaves, (2) advertisements, notices and queries seeking information on seemingly lost relatives and (3) a few resources to help identify where/when 19th century African-American newspapers were published and how you might access them.
(##) (AA) 36) 1867 Voter Registration and Beyond -- An 1867 law allowed that males 21+ years, regardless of skin color, were eligible to vote. Any surviving 1867 voter registrations are invaluable to genealogists. Across the country, the Reconstruction Acts of 1867, implemented regulations regarding voter registration. Lists of Qualified Voters were created. These are the first lists to include, whites (who took oaths), those who were previously designated as free persons of color, AND those previously enslaved.
(^^) 37) 50 Overlooked Genealogical Resources in 50 Minutes! -- For over 12 years I have been authoring a Net Notes column for Internet Genealogy; I have authored pieces for this publication since its founding in 2006. “Internet Genealogy looks at websites and related news that are sure to be of interest.” This column provides a quick snapshot of neat free genealogically-relevant databases that have caught my eye. We are not talking database additions to Ancestry or FamilySearch et al. Many of these are home-grown narrowly focused databases that just might provide you with an invaluable piece of information. I’ve easily written over 400 net notes. Let’s take a look at a “whole bunch” of hidden gems you have available at your fingertips that you might not be aware of. [to be given at FxGS in April 2020]
38) Mostly Involuntary Servitude -- Sometimes, in order, to emigrate to what is now the United States (and elsewhere around the world) able-bodied individuals would become indentured servants. Though many of these arrangements were by choice, some were not. Let’s explore the databases that help us identify whether our ancestors were indentured or not. [to be given at FxGS in April 2020]
(##) 39) Beginning Genealogy [geared to a NC audience]
(##) 40) On the Road Again: Are Your Ancestors Hiding in Road Records? -- Road records provide incredible insight into the creation of our road infrastructure. Crews were often assigned based on where they lived in relation to the roads in the community and included not only the foreman or overseer but also individuals who worked on or maintained the roads. There are few records that document a neighborhood like road records do. [mostly NC with some VA thrown in] [NCGS Webinar 2020]
(^^) [NEW] [extension of #8b] [Updated 02/2021] 41) In Her Own Words: Women’s Voices via Diaries and Correspondence – women can be hard to document and yet exploring surviving diaries and letters gives us insight into women’s lives. Women have “voices” in many ways, not all necessarily even via writing and through participation and involvement. Let’s explore at least 20 different types of women’s voices; often, though not always, in her own words.
(##) 42) Genealogical Research on 18th and 19th Century Epidemics and Health. Were any of your ancestors doctors or nurses? Did any family members stay in a hospital or other medical institutions? What and when were some of the major heath crises in the past? Discusses resources available that document epidemics, medical care providers, the education of healthcare professionals, and healthcare options for formerly enslaved and descendants.
[NEW Dec 2020] (##) 43) Migrations 1: Many Arrive -- Early Migration In, Across and Out of North Carolina -- Many individuals and families migrated into North Carolina, especially in the colonial and pre-Civil War time period. Depending on who was immigrating and when, different locales in NC were hot spots for emigrants from abroad either directly or via Virginia, South Carolina, Pennsylvania and beyond. As the state developed, resources were depleted, productive land was becoming more scarce, settlers considered it to be getting too crowded, and we see a pattern of western migration. This migration often did not stop at the state borders. Many families spent a few years, a generation or a few generations in North Carolina, often hopscotching across the state, east to west, before migrating to adjoining states and beyond. Let’s explore these years of migrating North Carolinians – the history of the times and the documentary trail left behind.
[NEW Jan 2021] (##) (AA) 44) Migrations 2: North Carolinians on the Move -- Reconstruction and early 20th Century Migration -- Throughout history many of those who stepped foot in North Carolina have migrated into, across and out of the state. Reconstruction and the early 20th century accelerated certain types of out migration from the state. The economic devastation created by the Civil War and the needs of those formerly enslaved to reconnect with far flung family members resulted in many leaving North Carolina. Increasing discrimination against African Americans, World War I ,and the depression found many more North Carolina families fragmented as some members moved to the Norfolk-Portsmouth area, or New York City, or locations with robust factory-based economies – either as part of the “Great Migration” or those just seeking opportunities unavailable in North Carolina. We’ll explore the factors leading to out migration from NC, efforts to replenish the workforce, and how we might link “back to NC” from where its former citizens ended up.
(^^) [UPDATED] 45) Death Records by a Different Name – Let’s discuss over 30 different places where we might find documentation of a death. We are not talking obituaries, cemetery records, probate records, death certificates and the records that most of us regularly pursue. We are talking of some of the many other records which might be created and document the death of your ancestors.
(^^) [UPDATED] 46) Accurate Transcriptions – this program was most recently done for the State Archives of North Carolina as they introduced Colonial Court Records to Transcribe NC (crowdsource transcribing platform). The recorded program can be accessed here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsKz-JD9GAo&t=1769s. Done as a 2-hour hands-on workshop; 1st half lecture and 2nd half pop quiz and hands-on exercises. Can be done as 1-hour lecture or 2-hour workshop.
(AA) [NEW] 47) Free Persons of Color – Some Were Required to Register. Not all African Americans living in the United States before the Civil War were enslaved; many non-white skinned individuals identified as Free Persons of Color (FPOC). Most had been born "free," though some were formerly enslaved, American Indians, and Americans of mixed race. The status of FPOC within a community, especially a southern one, was often tenuous. Throughout time, what "rights" they did have were eroded. Sometimes, there was a requirement to "register" with the local government. This law resulted in the creation of registers or similar, some of which survive and are invaluable to researching. As with all record sets, not all do survive.
[NEW] 48) What is New is Also Old – Tolls – Have You Explored For Your Ancestors? How many of you have cars with E-Zpass or similar toll transponders? This is the modern way of collecting tolls from those traveling by car. The concept of tolls has been around forever, or so it seems. 18th-century records clearly document requests for and approval of tolls for roads, bridges, ferries, and canals. If you were willing to “pay” you could take the shorter/quicker/easier route from Point A to Point B; if not, then your journey was typically longer and harder. From the perspective of state and local government, if infrastructure was needed, what better way than to let private citizens create roads, bridges, ferries, and canals and then allow them to charge tolls to recoup their costs and hopefully result in a profit. Did your ancestor pay tolls? Let’s explore surviving records that just might answer that question.
(AA) [NEW] 49) “Colored News” – Don’t Miss Out on This Hidden Though Invaluable Goldmine. The reality is that effectively until the Civil Rights Act of 1964, “white” newspapers printed little news of the African American, Colored, Negro, Black, etc., community. Crimes by “negros” and other sensational news are the type of article typically found. That said, some “white” newspapers did publish “colored news” or similar columns in their newspapers. This talk explores this aspect of African American newspaper research.
(AA) [NEW] 50) African American research with a focus on Funeral Programs [taped for Rootstech 2021 as a 20 min program] & Photograph Collections strong in African American imagery [taped for Rootstech 2021 as a 20 min program]. These two programs are combined, additional details have been included, and the pace is a bit more relaxed <grin!> to make this a full program.
(^^) [NEW] 51) Unlocking the Life of an English Rose – Don’t Overlook Researching Your Immediate Family: Think you know your mom? Researching my mom’s life, after she died relatively young and before grandchildren, and bereft of memorabilia, yielded some fun surprises about her youth. Don’t wait! Our research skills aren’t just for researching the long-ago deceased, they can be used for 20th century research into a loved one.
(AA) [NEW] 52) Freedman’s Bank Records – records that complement those of the Freedmen’s Bureau [see talk #5]. Created at the same time though existed a few years longer, until 1874. Let’s talk about why it existed, the records that survive and what juicy gems they include, and key for genealogists, where to find them!
[NEW] 53) Extra! Extra! Read All About It -- Worldwide Tour of Newspaper Platforms & Resources. There has been an explosion in newspaper platforms. Covid helped accelerate digitization projects of newspapers. We’ll cover oldies but goodies like Google Newspapers to locale specific projects like DigitalNC to national projects – British, Finnish, etc. -- to multi-country projects (e.g., Europeana) to Veridian Software client projects (International) to keeping up on new projects via Ancestor Hunt and so much more! The focus is online access and FREE!
[NEW] 54) DLAS, Voyages 2.0, Enslaved & Beyond – Let’s Explore Historical Slave Trade Resources. An exploration of online free international projects focused on researching and reconstructing the lives of individuals who were enslaved, owned slaves, or participated in the historical trade.
[NEW] 55) Scholarly and Academic Resources are a Genealogists Best Friend. Don’t ignore academic resources in your research. Some great contextual information and abstracted/transcribed data can be found with breadcrumbs (aka bibliography) to further guide your research. Jstor, Libguides, OATD, and more will be explored; many research gems to be found!
[NEW] 56) Two British Resources That Help You Research from the Americas to the Caribbean, Europe, UK, India and Beyond. The Endangered Archives Programme (British Library) (EAP) & British Online Archives (BOA) are both incredible, surprising and little-known resources. And, their focus is NOT solely on British records though the “old” British Empire is well represented. EAP has some neat Caribbean record collections while BOA includes an exciting collection of 17th-early 19th century port records including the Americas and Caribbean. Let’s explore the vast holdings of these projects and how they benefit genealogists.
Key:
(AA) is used to identify records that appeal to African-American researchers though, have relevance to any researchers. Especially in this category is the Freedmen’s Bureau (the most given talk in my repertoire) where in NC, about 50% of records are documenting the “white” population in the immediate post-Civil War years.
** next to one topic that I think is a good cut across NC research topic appropriate to start a program (it’s one of my favorite talks)
^^ next to some topics that are good for any researchers, not just southern ones since sometimes such is desired in a program to broaden its appeal
(##) are heavily NC either via topic and/or examples.
Copyright 2022 Mosaic Research and Project Management. All rights reserved.
Raleigh, NC
ph: 9192318137
dianelri