Catalog of Lectures

Canadian baptisms, burials, and marriage records date back to the early 17th century for some parishes, though there is no central repository for these records making it difficult to know where to look. This lecture will help you understand where to find these church records as well as civil vital records which have been recorded since the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Substitutes for these church and vital records, such as newspaper records, will also be discussed.
 

Understand how to locate and best utilize Revolutionary War muster rolls and service records for your ancestor. An overview of using local, state and federal source to determine whether your ancestor served during the war will be reviewed.

Many loyalists fled to areas firmly under British control including New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec. Still others crossed the Atlantic to the Mother Country, England. Some would stay for the duration of the war and eventually return to the U.S.; others would put down roots and stay for generations. This lecture will discuss the many resources available for learning about your ancestor’s lives in Canada, England, and other areas of the British Empire.

Adoption as a legal process in America is a relatively new invention. This lecture will provide an overview of adoption in America, the types of records that document adoption and guardianship (including aid societies and maternity homes), general access restrictions, and other considerations when researching adopted ancestors.

Newspapers were the first form of "social media" and captured more than just obituaries. From birth announcements to crime reports to land sales, this lecture will delve into the wealth of information that can be found in newspapers. This lecture will show you how to discover your ancestors' stories using various newspaper collections.

With your ancestor’s origins in hand, it’s time to start looking at records in the Old Country. In this lecture we will review what types of records exist, how to use them in your research, and how to access them. We will pay special attention to resources that can be accessed from home, online.

The 18th century was a transformative and foundational period for Connecticut: continued colonial conflicts, movement westward, revolution, the abolition of slavery, and ultimately statehood. This lecture will look at just some of the many records of the era—pre- and post-American independence—including military records, tax lists, census records, newspapers, city directories, and more.

In this lecture, search tips and other functionalities are demonstrated for several worldwide sites including Billion Graves and Find a Grave. There is also a short demonstration on searching cemeteries on FamilySearch as well as the American Ancestors databases.

Throughout American history, brave men and women have answered the call to serve our country and defend our families. Many of us can claim these courageous citizens as our ancestors. But how do we learn more about their service? Join American Ancestors for an overview of local, state, and federal sources for researching your ancestors in the Civil War, WWI, and WWII. 

The local church was a central part of our ancestors' lives. This lecture will explore how to use Roman Catholic church records to find out more about the story of your ancestor, including baptism records, marriage registers, death registers, and confirmation records. The Historic Catholic Records Online Project at American Ancestors will be highlighted in detail.