Classes on CD for Sale

This is a great way to learn the beginning steps in genealogy. The class covers what information you need to collect, initial places to search for it, and how to keep track of it once you have it. The presentation then goes further and introduces you to some key internet sources of data and to using a computer program to record and organize your information. If you are past this beginning level yourself, the disc makes a wonderful gift for a friend or family member who may want to start their family genealogy.

$10.00

This class provides hints, tips, tactics and strategies in using census records to trace your ancestors. An actual case study is used to trace a family line from the 1930 census back to 1810. The focus is not only on finding information that the census explicitly provides, but to also learn to read between the lines to uncover hidden information. The search strategy you learn may lead to discovering ancestors you did not know you had, and sources outside of the census that you might not have been aware of. Also, the class demonstrates how census search strategies differ for records before and after that critical census year of 1850.

$10.00

$10.00

This task is probably one of the most important things you can do in your genealogy research, and it is also one of the most neglected. Adequately documenting sources gives credibility to research, and more importantly, allows you to easily revisit sources when you need additional information or you need to double check what was originally recorded. This presentation, focusing on computer-based genealogy programs in general, addresses not only how to correctly record source information, but also the importance of recording information about the quality of the sources used. It discusses sources, citations, repositories, and notes and shows how they all work together in documenting sources. Three specific genealogy computer programs are examined briefly in terms of how they guide you through the source documentation process. The three programs are Personal Ancestral File©, Family Tree Maker©, and Roots Magic©; however, this presentation will be beneficial regardless of what program you are using.

This presentation in a sense takes you “behind the scenes” when it comes to the census. Rather than focus on strategies to track a family line through the various census years (see our CD-ROM titled Census Tracking), here we focus on looking at how individuals and families responded to specific census questions over several years. The question areas explored include occupation, marital status, immigration, military service, education, property value, and others. Not only do we explore responses, but we also examine the questions that the census takers asked and the instructions they operated by. It is easier to understand the answers our ancestors gave if we understand how and why the questions were asked. This is an advanced look at the census. If you are new to using that resource, you should consider viewing our CD-ROM Census Tracking first.

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