Nearly 250 years ago, America declared its independence from the British Empire, changing the course of history. For those of us with American ancestry from that period, we want to know if—and how—our ancestor served the cause. This five-week online course will delve into the many primary and published records that exist to document your ancestors’ role in the American Revolution and their contributions to the cause for independence.

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Jamestowne was the first permanent English settlement in the New World and had already been growing and developing for 13 years by the time the Mayflower landed in Massachusetts. In this online course, Executive Director of the Jamestowne Society Bonnie Hofmeyer and genealogist Ann Lawthers discuss essential resources, record collections, research strategies, and historical context for verifying your connection to Jamestowne.

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Advances in DNA research have had huge implications for the field of genealogy. Yet, with the growing number of companies and options, it can be difficult to know what test is best for you and how to interpret your results. In this online seminar, Senior Genealogist Melanie McComb will demystify the practice of using genetic testing to trace family roots.

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Now is the perfect time to write your family history! Think about the legacy you will be leaving if you write and publish your own family research: not only a legacy for current and future family members, but an important resource for current and future genealogical researchers. This online course led by the writing and publishing experts at American Ancestors will provide you with a step-by-step approach to turning your raw data into an illustrated narrative, Register-style genealogy or Ahnentafel. 

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Land records are a critical part of Irish family history research. As many public records were destroyed in 1922, land records become a bright spot in Irish genealogical research. Discussing—but also moving beyond—Griffith’s Valuation, this online seminar delves more deeply into leveraging land records in your family history research. NOTE: This course covers both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

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As a group, 17th-century New Englanders are arguably one of the most studied groups on the planet, and thus descendants are blessed with a multitude of resources. This online course will discuss the settlement of and migrations within New England, how to locate and utilize original and published records, and strategies for breaking down brick walls. This course will cover the colonial period (1620–1776) in the area of what is today Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

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Throughout its history as a territory and state, Ohio has long been a destination for people migrating for new opportunities, from early fur traders and homesteaders to African Americans travelling in the Great Migration of the 20th century. This four-part online seminar will provide an overview of the records, resources, repositories, and strategies for exploring your Ohio roots. 

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Probate records are crucial—but sometimes overlooked—sources for family historians. This online course will provide an in-depth tutorial on how to understand, locate, and leverage wills, inventories, guardianships, and other probate records in your family history research.

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If you have Catholic Ancestors, there is a wealth of information available when it comes to family history research. The Catholic Church keeps meticulous records of its congregants, and there are many records documenting baptisms, marriages, and more, which can help you trace your Catholic ancestors. Join us for this 5-session online seminar, where we’ll discuss the records, repositories, and strategies for tracing your Catholic ancestors.

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Scots have been migrating to and settling in America and Canada for centuries. Today, there are an estimated 25 million Americans of Scottish descent. Tracing your Scottish heritage is rewarding, but not without its challenges. This four-session online seminar will provide you with key historical context, strategies, and resources setting you on the right path to trace your ancestry back several generations in Scotland.

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Enemies for centuries, the British and French frequently found common ground on art—French art, that is! Join Curator of Special Collections Curt DiCamillo for a brilliantly illustrated exposé of French design and decorative arts within British townhouses, country estates, and palaces.

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In Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, he acknowledged the soldiers who fought and died in battle declaring, “the world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.” This online course will delve into the many primary and published resources that exist to document your ancestors’ role in the Civil War and their contributions to either the Union or Confederate cause.

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Perhaps no novelist inspired the idealized vision of the English country house more than Jane Austen. The reality is that Jane herself visited many of the great houses of England and used them as models in almost all of her books. This lecture will examine country houses that inspired Jane and left us with a fanciful world of English rural beauty unequaled in literature.

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Throughout its history—from Dutch colony to English Province to statehood—New Jersey has been characterized by its ethnic and religious diversity. This online course will help fill those gaps, providing a century-by-century look at the records, resources, repositories, and research strategies essential to exploring your New Jersey roots. We will also look at the historical context, settlement patterns, and migrations within the state.

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