The National Genealogical Society Conference: Final Thoughts

The week of the National Genealogical Society Conference flew by in a flash.  A whirlwind of speakers, networking, meeting new people from all over the country.  I came away with more knowledge and ideas than I ever dreamed.

Elissa Powell

Lori Thornton

Jeffrey Haines

John Colletta

Elizabeth Mills

Lisa Louise Cooke

All these people (and more) imparted such a sense of research and scholarship and--the best part--joy in the researching of clues about our ancestors and how they lived and died.  When I started researching my family tree, an entire new world and passion opened up for me.  After this conference, my world, appreciation, and research potential grew immensely.  I took so much away from this conference, and my hope is to continue to discover new facts with the integrity I saw in those around me this week.

So thank you, National Genealogical Society.  I appreciated this week so much.

Vendors, Software & Booths, Oh My! The Exhibit Hall at the National Genealogical Society Conference

I could go on and on about the great speakers and lectures I had the opportunity to hear, but the exhibit hall was something to behold.  Participants walked among vendors who discussed with them all things genealogy:  memberships, societies, website help and demonstrations.  I had the opportunity to use findmypast, a site that contains world records dating back to 1200.  After I did some searching, I was able to find my great great great grandparents, William Stewart and Agnes Simpson in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1861.  William's occupation is listed as "Pattern Book Maker Journeyman," which means he was a qualified tradesman who served an apprenticeship and worked as a mold maker for iron products.  Agnes is listed as a strawhat dressmaker.  I cannot wait to delve into findmypast even more.

While in the exhibit hall, I also visited Archives.com, Newspapers.com, and FamilySearch.org, all of which gave me an tutorial and guidance in the hope of finding more information and answers to lingering questions.  I also had a great discussion with the North Carolina Genealogical Society about periodicals in western North Carolina and other resources from that region.

Definitely make more than one trip to the exhibit hall if you're at the conference.  You'll definitely walk away with more knowledge and experience.