Deb's Delvings in Genealogy: 2014

04 December 2014

Prep for Genetic Genealogy Training at Institutes

More and more educational opportunities are becoming available for genetic genealogists. Week long courses offered at several institutes are available. How do you decide which course is best for you? How do you prepare to get the most from an institute course?

Blaine Bettinger, CeCe Moore, and I worked together to put together the first week-long course in the U.S. "Practical Genetic Genealogy" was offered at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) in July 2014. As best we can determine, it was the first in the world. This course, the DNA Day offered at SoCal Jamboree in 2013, the Institute for Genetic Genealogy (I4GG)'s International Genetic Genealogy Conference in August 2014, and many more genetic genealogy events have generated a lot of interest in educational opportunities.

Upcoming beginner and intermediate genetic genealogist institute courses include

"Getting Started with Genetic Genealogy" at the 2015 Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG).
Two sessions of "Practical Genetic Genealogy" at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) in June and July 2015. New instructors will be joining us in July 2015.

All of these courses cover Y-DNA, mtDNA, X-DNA, and atDNA topics. The depth of the material covered, the examples used, and the ancillary topics vary between the courses.

The SLIG course is aimed at those who are new to genetic genealogy or someone who knows a little and wants to learn more. The focus is on using genetic genealogy for personal family history research. The SLIG course is good for someone with no or only a basic understanding of genetic genealogy.

The GRIP course can also be attended by novice genetic genealogists, but some more advanced topics are covered. Topics primarily of interest to project administrators and professional genealogists working with clients are included. The GRIP course could be attended by someone with only a little understanding of genetic genealogy, but there will be some advanced topics that you may not comprehend.

Learning genetic genealogy is like any other subject. You cannot go from no knowledge to subject matter expert in one week. Expertise is developed by experience over time. Each time a topic is studied some new information will be grasped. You become a better cook over time; with experience you understand techniques you could not handle as a novice. To become a better genetic genealogist requires learning the basics, putting it in to practice, then learning more advanced techniques that were not clear before you had the experience as a foundation. This cycle will continue as new DNA discoveries, tests, tools, and techniques are happening almost every day.

For either the SLIG or GRIP course, any student who is willing to spend some time studying before the institute will get more from the course. The course will provide foundational knowledge. Those who already have some foundational knowledge to build on will learn even more.

To prepare to learn as much as possible at an institute genetic genealogy course you should read and study at least two of the following books.

Bettinger, Blaine, PhD (Biochemistry), JD and Matt Dexter. I Have the Results of My Genetic Genealogy Test, Now What? (self-published, 2008); v2.1 version with atDNA added is available from http://www.familytreedna.com/pdf-docs/Interpreting-Genetic-Genealogy-Results_web_optimized.pdf.
Hill, Richard. Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA. n.p.: self-published, 2012.
Kennett, Debbie. DNA and Social Networking: A Guide to Genealogy in the Twenty-first Century. Gloucestershire, UK: The History Press, 2011.
Smolenyak, Megan Smolenyak and Ann Turner. Trace Your Roots with DNA. Emmaus, Penn., Rodale Press, 2004. Primarily covers Y-DNA and mtDNA and discoveries since 2004 are not included.
Wheaton, Kelly. Beginner’s Guide to Genetic Genealogy. https://sites.google.com/site/wheatonsurname/beginners-guide-to-genetic-genealogy/.

More information can be found in the following book, but it jumps into some advanced definitions that may scare away a novice:

Aulicino, Emily D. Genetic Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond. Bloomington, Ind.: AuthorHouse, 2013.

The following are a small number of the blogs available. These will also provide basic information, but may not be as complete as in the books and will not be organized as a book is.

Bettinger, Blaine. The Genetic Genealogist. http://www.thegeneticgenealogist.com/.
Christmas, Shannon. Through the Trees. http://throughthetreesblog.tumblr.com/.
Estes, Roberta. DNAeXplained - Genetic Genealogy. http://dna-explained.com/.
Moore, CeCe. Your Genetic Genealogist. http://www.yourgeneticgenealogist.com/.
Russell, Judy G. The Legal Genealogist. http://www.legalgenealogist.com/.
Wayne, Debbie Parker. Deb's Delvings. http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/.

Keep up with announcements of any future offerings through the institutes, blogs, mail lists, forums, and Facebook posts by genetic genealogists.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Prep for Genetic Genealogy Training at Institutes," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 4 December 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

25 November 2014

Holiday Sales on DNA Tests at Family Tree DNA

Family Tree DNA just announced their holiday sale starting today. In addition to great prices, there is a Mystery Reward discount, changed each week, that can be applied on top of the sale price! The Mystery Reward is tied to an account and may vary between accounts. Here is the announcement:

Dear Group Administrators,

We're excited to announce the launch of our 2014 Holiday sale! The promotion will start on November 25 (it may not be live on the site yet if you're reading this before noon Central Time) and end on December 31st @ 11:59PM Central Time.

You'll find a full list of the sale prices below. And because we're in such a festive mood, we're adding a special treat to this year's great deals - Mystery Reward discounts! The Mystery Reward will be a randomized discount (up to $100 off) that can be applied on top of the already reduced Holiday Sale prices. Best of all, you’ll get a new Mystery Reward every week. You can use the discounts or share them with friends!

The Mystery Reward icon will appear on testers’ myFTDNA dashboard each week. Each code will expire the night before the next Mystery Reward appears. We’ll also send an email notification to the kit’s primary email address when a new code is available for use or sharing.

The Mystery Rewards include both product-specific and total-purchase discounts ranging from $5 - $100 (including one for $49 off a Family Finder!) and are randomly assigned to each kit. That means not everyone gets the same reward at the same time. When you open the Mystery Reward, you’ll see a code to be used at checkout, whether it’s on your own kit or someone else’s.

In addition, all customers who have purchased the Big Y test will receive a $50 off coupon for a Big Y test, good through Dec. 31st.

Note: Only one coupon can be used per purchase.

Finally, remember that the FTDNA offices are closed the Friday after Thanksgiving. If you call and leave a message, it’s critical that you speak clearly. Please be sure to leave your contact phone number and/or email address, and the group or kit number about which you’re calling. As always, if an attempt is made during the sale period to contact us about a purchase, we will honor the sale price - and in this case, the coupon price, too.

Thank you all for your support throughout the year, and happy holidays from the team at Family Tree DNA!

Family Tree DNA
1445 North Loop West, 820, Houston, TX, 77008

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Holiday Sales on DNA Tests at Family Tree DNA," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 25 November 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).
© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

12 November 2014

Openings in Getting Started with Genetic Genealogy at SLIG 2015

We've opened a few more seats in the Getting Started with Genetic Genealogy course being offered in January at the 2015 Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG). The website is not handling these last minute openings. Contact Valerie Hansen, SLIG Registrar at sligregistrar@ugagenealogy.org if you are interested and to determine if seats are still available. SLIG announced this on their Facebook page recently so some of the seats may have been taken. Consider getting on the waiting list as there is always a possibility someone registered may have to cancel thereby opening up a seat.

The Getting Started course will help those with little or no genetic genealogy experience learn the basics. We'll also cover some intermediate level analysis techniques for genetic genealogy. Basics of Y-DNA, mitochondrial DNA, X-DNA, and autosomal DNA will be covered. Hands-on exercises illustrate how to integrate the DNA test results with your genealogical research. The focus is on using DNA for genealogy, covering only as much biology as a genealogist needs to understand. Sessions are taught by me (Debbie Parker Wayne), CeCe Moore, and Blaine Bettinger. See the SLIG website at http://www.infouga.org/cpage.php?pt=42 for more information.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Openings in Getting Started with Genetic Genealogy at SLIG 2015," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 12 November 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

28 September 2014

Free Genealogy Education from BCG, 11 October 2015, SLC

The following announcement was distributed by the Board for Certification of Genealogists® (BCG). If you will be in Salt Lake City on 11 October, be sure to take advantage of these informative lectures by some of the best speakers.

BCG OFFERS A FREE DAY OF QUALITY GENEALOGY EDUCATION OCTOBER 11

Top genealogists Elissa Scalise Powell, Judy G. Russell, Elizabeth Shown Mills, and Stefani Evans will present six lectures at the Family History Library’s Floor B2 classroom in Salt Lake City Saturday, October 11, between 9 am and 4:45 pm. The lectures are free and open to the public, sponsored by the Board for Certification of Genealogists. The board is an independent certifying body and author of the updated 2014 Genealogy Standards.

Topics and speakers:

9 – “BCG Certification Seminar,” Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL

9:45 – “Shootout at the Rhododendron Lodge: Reconstructing Life-Changing Events,” Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL

11 – “From the White Lion to the Emancipation Proclamation – Slavery and the Law before the Civil War,” Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL

1:15 – “Using Evidence Creatively: Spotting Clues in Run-of-the-Mill Records,” Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA

2:30 – “Oh, The Things You Can Map: Mapping Data, Memory, and Historical Context,” Stefani Evans, CG

3:45 – “Trousers, Black Domestic, Tacks & Housekeeping Bills: Trivial Details Can Solve Research Problems,” Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA

“Whether you stop in for one lecture or all six, you will learn more about how to apply good methodology to your own family research,” said President Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL. “The Board for Certification of Genealogists strives to foster public confidence in genealogy by promoting an attainable, uniform standard of competence and ethics. Educating all family historians of every level is part of this mission.”

For questions or more information contact: Nicki Birch, CG, office@BCGcertification.org.

CG, Certified Genealogist, CGL, and Certified Genealogical Lecturer are service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license by board certificants after periodic evaluations. The board name is a trademark registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Free Genealogy Education from BCG, 11 October 2015, SLC," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 28 September 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

25 September 2014

SLIG 2015 Early Bird Deadline is October 31

The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) just sent out a reminder that 31 October 2014 is the deadline to receive the Early Bird Registration discount for the January 2015 courses.

The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) will be held January 12-16, 2015. All courses and events will be held at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center Hotel. Labs, if applicable, and research facilities will be available at the Family History Library.

Registration: http://www.infouga.org/aem.php?lv=r&eid=12

Early-bird registration ends on October 31, 2014. If you log in as a member first your information will be populated and you will be automatically charged the reduced rate. If you are a non-UGA member you may purchase a membership, register as a non-member, and be refunded the difference. If you have questions please call the main UGA phone number at (801) 259-4172 or email sligdirector AT ugagenealogy.org. You will be given the option to pay by credit card using PayPal (you do not have to have a PayPal account) or by sending a check.

Tuition is $375 for UGA members and $425 for non-members (a $50 savings). You MUST be logged in to the member’s area of the website prior to registering to receive the member discount. These tuition prices are applicable through October 31, 2014 when early-bird registration expires. (After October 31, 2014, tuition is $425 for UGA members and $475 for non-members). Two payment options are available: pay online with your credit card via PayPal or pay via check through the mail. Your place in the course is reserved upon checkout.

Accommodations: http://www.infouga.org/aem.php?eid=12

We recommend staying at the conference hotel, the Hilton Salt Lake City Center in order to obtain the full institute experience and have access to special events and networking with the instructors and other attendees. SLIG’s reduced rate is $129/night (reduced from $269/night). This rate is set for up to four people in a room. The rooms are spacious and a two-queen room can comfortably accommodate four people.

2015 Tracks

In 2015, SLIG is offering twelve tracks. The foremost experts in the field for each subject provide students with at least twenty hours of in-depth instruction on their topic. The format allows coordinators and instructors to build on the understanding gained from each lecture, building a foundation rather than giving scattered information. Students leave with a much deeper understanding of the topic. The following four tracks still have seats remaining:

Beyond the Library: Research in Original Source Repositories (John Colletta, Ph.D., FUGA)

This course explores repositories of original historical sources: archives, courthouses and manuscript collections. The purpose of this course is to take the mystery and trepidation out of using original source repositories.

Finding Immigrant Origins (David Ouimette, CG)

This course covers the key historical sources and research methodologies for family historians tracing immigrant origins. We explore chain migration, ethnic migration paths, surname localization, DNA evidence, cluster genealogy, and other tools to help find your immigrant’s ancestral village.

Advanced Research Tools: Post-War Military Records (Craig R. Scott, CG, FUGA)

Wars by their nature create records; however records are created in the aftermath of war also. There is the pension application file(s) or a bounty land application file(s). But there is so much more in addition to these records. There is pension law, payment ledgers, payment vouchers, public and private claims, correspondence, state claims, soldiers homes, and burial records. This course will cover these topics in-depth.

Resources and Strategies for US Research, Part I (Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FUGA, FMGS)

This course provides in-depth study of 19th-21st century U.S. resources and methodologies for utilizing them. Analyze content, origin, location, and develop tools and strategies to interpret records.

You can also sign up for the waiting list for the other courses and you might be able to get into the course if space opens up:

The Family History Law Library (Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL)

The course will cover the basic legal concepts and legal research approaches appropriate for genealogists and will require the student to employ these concepts with hands on exercises using the resources of the FHL. Topics will include courts and their records, estate laws, legislative records, pensions, and property law. Additionally, elements of both English common law and Roman law will be introduced through classes on the legal concepts found in Irish, German, and French law that relate to research in those countries and their relevance to research in the United States.

Diving Deeper into New England (D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS)

When encountering New England roots, many find a rich treasure of previous research, compiled materials, and records dating back to the early 1600s. Yet, within the branches of our New England roots exist assumptions, errors, missing individuals, and incomplete information. Starting with the colonial period and moving to the 1850s, “Diving Deeper into New England” will take an in-depth look at New England research, specifically focusing on little-known and underused sources.

Advanced Evidence Analysis Practicum (Angela McGhie and Kimberly Powell)

This hands-on course is an opportunity for advanced genealogists to put their research skills into practice. Participants will work on five complex genealogical research problems—a new one each day. The objective is to give each student experience in conducting research on complex problems, analyzing and correlating evidence, and reaching conclusions. The research problems will be varied, offering students the challenge of stretching their mind and skills in directions that their research may not normally take them. If you can't resist a genealogical challenge and love hands-on learning, then this is the course for you!

Getting Started with Genetic Genealogy (Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL)

This course provides genealogists with the knowledge needed to correctly incorporate DNA results into their family history. Beginners will receive foundational knowledge in the basics needed to understand the application of genetics for genealogical research purposes. Those with prior knowledge of DNA will be able fill in holes in understanding and be introduced to tools and techniques with practical, hands-on exercises.

Getting More Out of Genetic Genealogy Research: Intermediate to Advanced DNA Analysis Techniques (CeCe Moore and Angie Bush, MS)

This advanced analysis coursei s intended for the genealogist who has a thorough understanding of genetic genealogy basics and has experience applying DNA testing to family history research. This is the next step in genetic genealogy education, with a focus on preparing professionals and others to work on genetic genealogy cases and strengthen the skills of those who are already doing so.

Advanced German Research (F. Warren Bittner, CG)

A comprehensive course on German research taught by one of the best researchers in this area.

From Confusion to Conclusion (Kimberly Powell and Harold Henderson, CG)

When the research is over, what next? How do genealogists transform the three-dimensional complexity of evidence into a coherent, understandable, written proof argument?

Advanced Genealogical Methods (Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL)

Students in “Advanced Genealogical Methods” will learn how to use and assemble evidence to rediscover ancestral origins, identities, and relationships that have been forgotten in the passage of time. The course will address advanced use of evidence from a variety of genealogical records and research in populations for which the usual records are in short supply (including female, enslaved, and impoverished ancestors). Students also will learn how to develop written proof summaries to show their conclusions’ accuracy and create a credible record of their findings for present and future generations of family historians.

Disclosure: I will be one of the speakers at SLIG in January 2015 teaching Getting Started with Genetic Genealogy with CeCe Moore and Blaine Bettinger.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "SLIG 2015 Early Bird Deadline is October 31," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 25 September 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

21 September 2014

Genetic Genealogy Education: I4GG 2014 Conference Videos

Over 400 attendees plus speakers attended the first International Conference for Genetic Genealogy in the Washington, DC, area in August 2014. The conference was organized by the Institute for Genetic Genealogy (I4GG). Most of the sessions were recorded and are now available at a great price! Over 27 hours of education for $50.00 (USD).

Tim Janzen and CeCe Moore, founders of I4GG, made this announcement today:

The videos from the 2014 International Genetic Genealogy Conference are now available for sale for those of you who were not able to attend this event. CeCe's spouse Lennart Martinsson has spent many hours editing these videos and getting them ready for you to view. Access to the videos may be purchased at http://i4gg.org/pricing. The quality of the videos that were shot in the Aiton Auditorium are generally of higher quality than the videos that were shot in the Ohio Room both from a video standpoint and an audio standpoint. We did not have permission to videotape Spencer Well's presentation or Angie Bush's presentation. We videotaped Jim Bartlett's presentation, but unfortunately the video card that held that presentation was somehow faulty and we were unable to recover the video of that presentation. Fortunately, much of the material that Jim covered in his presentation was also included in his portion of the FTDNA workshop video.

We are only distributing links to the videos to those who paid a registration fee for the conference and to the speakers. If you purchase access to the videos we would appreciate it if you would not share the links to the videos with other people who did not attend the conference. If you share the links to the videos with others who did not attend the conference then this will deprive the speakers from additional revenue from the sale of the videos that they would otherwise be receiving. We have tried to make the prices for the videos as reasonable as we possibly can. If people who did not attend the conference ask you for more information about how to gain access to the videos, please refer them to the Institute for Genetic Genealogy website.

My presentation on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was the first session on Saturday. I started speaking at the start time listed in the conference presentation. Apparently the camera wasn't recording yet, but I wasn't aware of that. There is a little shakiness at the beginning of the video as the camera operator moves the camera around to get it situated. The first three slides aren't recorded.

What is missing is my title slide:

An illustration and description of a cell showing mtDNA outside of the nucleus and autosomal and X-Y DNA inside the nucleus:

A slide describing how mtDNA is passed down to descendants:

All images © Debbie Parker Wayne

I hope this helps anyone who views the video. I cannot wait to find time to view all of the sessions I could not attend in person and review some of the ones I did see in person. I hope those of you who could not attend find the videos useful. Some of the sessions have advanced content with discussions about intricate details of DNA analysis by those who have been involved in the science for over a decade. Don't let those scare you away from genetic genealogy. Start with the beginner sessions if you are new to genetic genealogy. You can come back and view those advanced sessions later on when you are ready.

I hope this model of making recordings available at a very reasonable price takes off. It would be great if we see something similar from other institutes and conferences. I suspect the low price for you to access the videos is primarily due to the time donated by Lennart Martinsson. Thank you, Lennart, for supporting genetic genealogy in this way.

CeCe and Tim are planning another I4GG conference and will announce it when details are available. They may rotate the conference from east to west coast in the U.S. I've also heard some people asking for conferences to be held outside of the U.S. So stay alert for future announcements. This is a conference you do not want to miss!

Some speakers made handouts available to accompany the video. Some made copies of the slide presentations available. Some did both. All the options provide a great educational experience that helps us all advance our knowledge of genetic genealogy. Go forth and learn!

Disclosure: The speakers, including me, were paid to present at this conference and were compensated for some travel costs. Additional fees may be paid to the speakers based on sales of the videos.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Genetic Genealogy Education: I4GG 2014 Conference Videos," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 21 September 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

12 September 2014

Free Genealogy Education: Newton County, Texas FRIDAY (TODAY) and SATURDAY

I didn't see any publicity about this online until today when a notice was placed on several Rootsweb mail lists. I hope the planners got the word out in local newspapers so the attendance will be good. If you are in the southeast Texas area this weekend maybe you can fit in one of these sessions. I am sure the speakers will appreciate your attendance.

Newton County (Texas) Genealogy Conference
Friday, September 12 and Saturday, September 13, 2014

Check with the History Center and library (presumably at 213 Court Street, Newton, Texas 75966) for directions to the different venues. No addressees were included with the notice I received, but Newton is a small town and it should not be difficult to find your way around.

Friday, September 12, 2014
- 1:00-1:45 P.M.
  - Billie Grunden, Celia's Jewelry, Newton County Museum History Center and Genealogical Library
  - Linda Reynolds, Using the East Texas Research Center, Newton County Welcome Center
- Break 1:45-2:00 P.M.
- 2:00-3:00 P.M.
  - Billie Grunden, A Genealogical Journey to the War of 1812, Newton County Museum History Center and Genealogical Library
  - Dickie Dixon, Getting Started in the County Clerk's Office, Newton County Clerk's Office
- Break 3:00-3:15 P.M.
- 3:15-4:15 P.M.
- 3:30-4:45 P.M.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
- 8:00-9:00 A.M.
- Break 9:00-9:15
- 9:15-10:15 A.M.
- Break 10:15-10:30 A.M.
- 10:30-11:30 A.M.
- 11:30A. M. -12:30 P.M. Lunch, Local Eateries include Brookshire Brothers, Dairy Queen, Hacienda Vieja, Jiffy Mart (Exxon), Subway
- 12:30-1:30 P.M.
- Break 1:30-1:45 P.M.
- 1:45-2:45 P.M.

To cite this blog post: Debbie Parker Wayne, "Free Genealogy Education: Newton County, Texas FRIDAY (TODAY) and SATURDAY," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 12 September 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

02 September 2014

Upcoming Speaking Engagements (and past ones in 2014)

One of my friends reminded me I need to be better about promoting upcoming speaking engagements so she can attend when possible. These last few months have been crazy getting ready to do the first ever week-long genetic genealogy course at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) and the first
International Genetic Genealogy conference sponsored by the Institute for Genetic Genealogy (I4GG) and much more. The FGS conference in San Antonio just ended. This has been a busy summer for speaking in places that require more than a short drive.

So what is coming soon?

Saturday, September 6
Mesquite Historical and Genealogical Society
Mesquite Public Library, 300 West Grubb St., Mesquite, Texas
9:30a.m. to 4:00p.m.

Mining Tax Rolls
Organizing for Research and Sharing: Paper and Electronic Files
Online Search Techniques of Highly Successful Genealogists
Finding Online Books and Journals

Tuesday, September 23
Austin Genealogical Society
Highland Park Baptist Church, 5206 Balcones Drive, Austin, Texas
6:30p.m. to 8:30p.m.

GATA GACC! DNA and Genetic Genealogy Today

Saturday, October 4
Oklahoma Genealogical Society
Oklahoma Historical Society, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
9:00a.m. to 4:00p.m.

GATA GACC! DNA and Genetic Genealogy Today
Maternal Lines: Using Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
Paternal Lines:Using Y-DNA
Going Nuclear: DNA Discoveries to Trace All Lines of Descent

Saturday, October 11
Mid-Cities Genealogical Society
Euless Public Library, 201 N. Ector Dr., Euless, Texas
10:00a.m. to 4:00p.m.

GATA GACC! DNA and Genetic Genealogy Today
Maternal Lines: Using Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
Paternal Lines:Using Y-DNA
Going Nuclear: DNA Discoveries to Trace All Lines of Descent

Saturday, October 25
Genealogy Workshop for Beginners with Scott Fitzgerald and Debbie Parker Wayne
East Texas Genealogical Society
9:00a.m. to 4:15p.m.

Steps for Beginning Genealogy (Scott)
Organizing for Research and Sharing: Paper and Electronic Files (Debbie)
Finding and Using Census Records Effectively (Debbie)
Texas Courthouse Research (Scott)
DNA: What Can It Do for Genealogy (Debbie)
Genealogy Websites (Scott)

And what filled the rest of the spring and summer (for completeness of the 2014 speaking schedule)?

August 27 to 30, FGS in San Antonio, Texas, where I helped Elissa Scalise Powell and Judy G. Russell teach the "BCG Certification Seminar" and I presented "Texas Resource Gems," "DNA Case Studies," and "Using mtDNA and X-DNA"
August 15 to 17, Chevy Chase, Maryland, the first International Genetic Genealogy conference sponsored by the Institute for Genetic Genealogy (I4GG) where I presented "Using Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)" and then got to attend many great presentations by the most knowledgeable genetic genealogists of the day
August 9, Huntsville, Texas, where I presented "GATA GACC! DNA and Genetic Genealogy Today" and "Going Nuclear: DNA Discoveries to Trace All Lines of Descent"
July 20 to 25, the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), Pennsylvania, where CeCe Moore, Blaine Bettinger, and I taught two concurrent Practical Genetic Genealogy courses because we had so many people enroll we could fill two classrooms
June 8 to 13, IGHR at Samford University, Angela McGhie invited me to be part of her new Intermediate Course where I taught "Mining Tax Rolls: More than Property Lists," "Directory Assistance: Using City and Other Directories," and "DNA and Genetic Genealogy, GATA GACC!"
May 19, Angelina County Genealogical Society, Lufkin, Texas, where I presented "DNA Case Studies"
May 7 to 10, NGS in Richmond, Virginia, where I worked the BCG Education Fund workshops, helped Elissa Scalise Powell and Judy G. Russell teach the "BCG Certification Seminar" and I presented "DNA Case Studies"
April 14, Cherokee County Genealogical Society, Jacksonville, Texas, where I presented "Tax and Land Laws"
April 5, Houston Genealogical Forum, Houston, Texas, where I presented an expanded version of "Tax and Land Laws"
March 24 to 29, Forensic Genealogy Institute of CAFG, where I presented a one-hour "Forensic Techniques for Genetic Genealogy" and an advanced half-day version expanding on the one-hour session
March 11, Illinois State Genealogical Society, webinar on "Going Nuclear: DNA Discoveries to Trace All Lines of Descent"

I definitely have good intentions of blogging about the upcoming speaking engagements instead of about the ones already in the past. Keeping my fingers crossed I can make good on these intentions.

And I'd love to meet you all at the upcoming events.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Upcoming Speaking Engagements (and past ones in 2014)," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 2 September 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

13 July 2014

MyHeritage: Free access to WWI records for a limited time

Here is a chance to check out some of the records on MyHeritage.com free through the end of July. MyHeritage.com offers some unique records and tools on their site.

Through the end of July 2014 you can get free access to World War I records. This is to commemorate 100 years since the war started in 1914.

For more information check out the MyHeritage blog post, "Search WWI military records for free!" Collections include:

Silver War Badge Recipients, 1914–1918
British Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914–1919
The National Roll of the Great War, 1914–1918
Tennessee WWI Veterans
Ireland's Memorial Records, 1914–1918
Royal Navy and Royal Marine Casualties, 1914–1919
De Ruvigny's Roll Of Honour 1914–1924
Distinguished Conduct Medal Citations 1914–1920
British Officers Taken as Prisoners of War, 1914–1918
British Military Officers
Victoria Cross Recipients, 1854–2006

Enjoy this free access. Take some time to explore other offerings on MyHeritage.com. For eaxmple, check out Randy Seaver's post on "Smart Matching in MyHeritage" at http://www.geneamusings.com/2011/06/smart-matching-in-myheritage.html for one of the great features offered. You may find the site is useful to your research and decide to subscribe.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "MyHeritage: Free access to WWI records for a limited time," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 13 July 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

29 June 2014

Openings in Practical Genetic Genealogy at GRIP 2014

I just heard we had some cancellations so we have a couple of open seats in the Practical Genetic Genealogy course at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). The course runs from July 20-25, 2014, in Pittsburgh at LaRoche College. This is the first week-long genetic genealogy course to be offered in the U.S. The course is a mixture of classroom presentations and hands-on exercises. The best way to learn how to use DNA for genealogy is to do it!

A registration waitlist link is at http://www.gripitt.org/?page_id=73 or just e-mail info@GRIPitt.org with a subject like "WAITLIST Practical Genetic Genealogy."

The course description is at http://www.gripitt.org/?page_id=1147. The GRIP website also has travel information and everything you need to know about the institute and the facilities.

A few people told me they wanted to get in, but were too late. Now is your chance. I wish I had e-mail addresses to contact those people directly, but most I met at conferences or society meetings and have no contact information. If you know someone who might be interested please pass this on.

The course will be taught by Blaine Bettinger, CeCe Moore, and me. We have divided up the topics so we each teach the sessions we have the most expertise and interest in. We are looking forward to seeing everyone there and know it will be a great group to be part of.

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

24 June 2014

TSLAC Genealogy After Dark, 18 July 2014

The Texas State Library continues its Genealogy After Dark program on 18 July 2014 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Registration is limited to 30 participants. A link to the registration form is available at: http://www.tsl.texas.gov/genafterdark.html. Registration ends on 11 July (one week before the event). Parking is available in the Capitol Visitors Parking Garage at 1201 San Jacinto.

If you have questions, contact the library at reference.desk@tsl.texas.gov or 512-463-5455.

The State Library will close at 5:00 p.m. and reopen at 6:00 p.m. for Genealogy After Dark participants. The building will be locked at 6:45 p.m. and no participants will be admitted after that time.

There is no program this time, but you have access to the materials of the library and archives:

6:00 Sign-in. Reference and Genealogy research rooms open.
6:15 Orientation: Requesting and Using Materials in the Texas State Archives (required for those planning to use archival materials during the event). Archives research room opens immediately after orientation.
7:45 Light refreshments in Lobby.
9:45 Archives research room and microfilm and photocopy rooms close.
10:00 Building secured.

In addition to all of the wonderful original records available in the archives, the library has shelves and shelves of reference books for Texas laws. Prior to the registration of births by the state you may be able to use tax rolls and state laws to determine an ancestor's birth year. What did the law say was the age at which a man first had to pay a poll tax (a head tax,a tax for just being alive and of a certain age, nothing to do with voting)? Find your ancestor's name on the tax roll the first time he pays a poll tax, determine the mandated age when a poll tax was levied, and you can compute a possible birth year for that ancestor.

To cite this blog post:

Debbie Parker Wayne, "Texas State Library, Genealogy After Dark, 18 July 2014," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 24 June 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

16 June 2014

Digital Catalog for Appeals to the British Privy Council from the American Colonies

17 June 2014 update: I got a message from Mary Sarah Bilder, Professor of Law, Lee Distinguished Scholar, Boston College Law School, letting me know the correct title of this collection should have used the word Colonies, which I originally added in brackets, instead of Plantations. I made this correction in the post title. Professor Bilder included a link to an interesting article on an appeal related to the Phillips-Woodbridge duel in the June 2014 "Object of the Month" posted at the Massachusetts Historical Society: http://www.masshist.org/object-of-the-month. This background adds to what we can learn in the papers filed for the appeal.

Many sources used by historians are also useful to genealogists studying our family history.

Are you looking for the name of the wife of Thomas Parker who was in Virginia by April 1699? Have you considered court records in England? Thomas Starke of London appealed a ruling of the court in Virginia to the British Privy Council. Records of that appeal give us the name of Thomas Parker's wife Francillia who is executrix for Joseph Goodricke.¹ If this case is from a burned Virginia county this information could be extremely useful to a descendant of Francillia Parker. We'd also be interested in the relationship between Francillia and Goodricke in case this could lead us to her maiden name.

The Legal History Blog posted about one of these new sources in "An Annotated Digital Catalogue to Appeals to the Privy Council". The post tells us over 800 cases were appealed to the British Privy Council from the colonies and about one-third of those cases came from what is now the U.S.²

Annotations added to the original papers (such as the legal briefs) link to other useful resources. In some cases only the register books have been found; in some cases the register books and the briefs filed for the appeal still exist. Links take you to digital images of the record books. Where the briefs are not available the entries in the record books may not give details of the case, but just state whether the original ruling was upheld or not. Some cases have pages and pages of briefs filed by both sides in the case.

The advice to students on how to use these resources will also be helpful to genealogists; definitions of the papers and processes help us understand the British legal system.

I can't wait to spend more time in this source.

1. Starke v Parker, Appeals to the Privy Council, Acts of the Privy Council, Colonial Series, Virginia, Report No. 13_1699_00; digital index and images, Ames Foundation, Harvard Law (http://amesfoundation.law.harvard.edu/ColonialAppeals/index_new.php?report_no=13_1699_00 : accessed 16 June 2014). Images from the National Archives, London, England, may be used only for purposes of research, private study, or education; reproduction permission was granted for the Harvard website. Copyright laws in England are different than those in the U.S. Be sure you understand the laws applied to this source before using it.

2. Dan Ernst, "An Annotated Digital Catalogue to Appeals to the Privy Council," Legal History Blog, posted 12 June 2014 (http://legalhistoryblog.blogspot.com/: accessed 16 June 2014).

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Digital Catalog for Appeals to the British Privy Council from the American Colonies," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 16 June 2014, updated 17 June 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

15 June 2014

SLIG 2015 Registration Opens

There are still seats open in some of the tracks at the 2015 Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) and some courses have already filled. If the course you want is filled be sure to get on the waiting list as you never know when someone may have to change their plans to attend thereby creating an unexpected opening for you to slip in to!

Here is the announcement from SLIG:

Registration for SLIG 2015 opens on Saturday, June 14, 2014 at 9:00 AM Mountain Time! Pick your course, so that you are ready to enroll when registration opens as there are limited seats and the courses fill fast. The following tracks are being offered:

The Family History Law Library (Judy Russell, JD, CG, CGL and Rick Sayre, CG, CGL)
Beyond the Library: Researching in Original Resource Repositories (John Colletta, Ph.D., FUGA)
Advanced Genealogical Methods (Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS)
Finding Immigrant Origins (David Ouimette, CG)
Advanced German Research (F. Warren Bittner, CG)
Advanced Research Tools: Post-War Military Records (Craig R. Scott, CG, FUGA)
Resources & Strategies for United States Research, Part I (Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FUGA, FMGS)
From Confusion to Conclusion: Writing Proof Arguments (Kimberly Powell and Harold Henderson, CG)
Getting Started with Genetic Genealogy (Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL)
Advanced DNA Analysis (CeCe Moore, Angie Bush)
Diving Deeper into New England (Advanced) (D. Joshua Taylor, MA)
Advanced Evidence Analysis Practicum (Angela McGhie)

Immerse yourself in a specific genealogical topic for a week-long educational opportunity that is unparalleled. Many of the courses are interactive and highlight on site research at the Family History Library (FHL) as well as one-on-one consultations with the course coordinators and instructors. These individuals are genealogical experts and provide guidance and insight that may help you overcome those brick walls and move forward with your research.

Attendees have time to explore Salt Lake City’s many attractions as well as spend time outside of the course researching at the FHL. The library is a short walk from the Institute’s location.

When making your travel plans, you may also want to consider attending the Association of Professional Genealogist’s Professional Management Conference (PMC), which will be held the Thursday and Friday before the Institute begins. You can check their website (https://www.apgen.org/conferences/index.html) for more information. You can experience two great events being held back-to-back at one location!

Sign-up before October 31st and you will save over 10% off your registration. Become a member of UGA and increase your savings even more.

For more information on the Institute and registration information go to
http://www.infouga.org/cpage.php?pt=42.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "SLIG 2015 Registration Opens," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 15 June 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

29 May 2014

Standards for Genetic Genealogy

(I know I should have posted this two weeks ago, but other commitments have taken precedence over this blog recently.)

A group of genetic genealogists have been working for several months now to create a draft of Genetic Genealogy Standards. Informal discussions started much earlier, but the time seems right for formal standards to be developed as more researchers begin using DNA for genealogy. These standards do not teach how to analyze DNA data. The standards cover privacy and ethical situations we should all consider as we take a DNA test, ask relatives to take a DNA test, and as we share those test results privately and publicly.

Formal discussions were led by The Genetic Genealogist blogger Blaine Bettinger. More importantly for this effort, he also holds a PhD in Biochemistry and a JD. Others in the group are from several countries, some are medical doctors, some are biologists and geneticists, some are project administrators, most are genealogists—professional, forensic, genetic, and family, or all of these—or have an interest in genealogy. A selected group of genealogists and genetic genealogists outside of the original discussion group were asked for comments prior to making the document available to the public.

Blaine created a website to allow the document to be available for public comment at Genetic Genealogy Standards.

Please take the time to download and review the document then use the website to provide official feedback. The feedback period ends June 15th. The more reviewers we have, the better the final document will be.

Blaine blogged about this on 12 May 2014 at Announcing the Creation of Genetic Genealogy Standards.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Standards for Genetic Genealogy," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 29 May 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

SCGS Jamboree streamed and recorded sessions

I won't be able to attend the Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree this year, but I can see some exciting sessions from the comfort of my home without airport hassles and travel costs. Yay!

For details see the Jamboree Live Streaming Schedule.

These DNA Day sessions will be streamed, require a fee to view, and will be available for viewing for 30 days only (not a part of the general archive of sessions for members):

CeCe Moore: "Real World Stories from the Desk of a Genealogy DNA Detective"
Diahan Southard: "Lab Tour: How Your Data is Generated"
Blaine Bettinger, PhD, JD: "Using Autosomal DNA to Explore Your Ancestry"
Dr. Maurice Gleeson: "Which DNA is Best for You?"
Tim Janzen, MD: "Advanced Techniques for Use of Autosomal DNA Tests to Break Through Genealogical Brick Walls"

These sessions will be streamed, are free to view, and many will be available for viewing (as part of the general archive of sessions for members) after the conference:

Friday, June 6 - Four sessions 1:00pm to 6:30pm PDT
- Judy G. Russell JD, CG, CGL - "Dowered or Bound Out: Records of Widows and Orphans"
- Blaine Bettinger PhD, JD - "DNA and the Genealogical Proof Standard"
- Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FUGA - "Manuscript Finding Aids: Locating Migrating Family Records"
- F. Warren Bittner, CG - "Proof Arguments: How and Why"

Saturday, June 7 - Six sessions 8:30am to 6:00pm PDT
- F. Warren Bittner, CG - "Elusive Immigrant!"
- Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL - "Staying out of Trouble: The Rights and Responsibilities of Today's Genealogist"
- Michael Leclerc - "Researching Your New England Ancestors"
- Bennett Greenspan - "The Future of Genetic Genealogy"
- Dr. Maurice Gleeson - "Researching Your Irish Ancestry"
- Cyndi Ingle - "The Internet: A Genealogist's Printing Press"

Sunday, June 8 - Four sessions 8:30am to 3:30pm PDT
- D. Joshua Taylor - "Resources of the DAR: Beyond Revolutionary War Soldiers"
- Dawn Thurston - "How to Write a Personal History that Captures your Interesting Life"
- Dr. Maurice Gleeson - "Ireland and the Slave Trade"
- Denise Levenick - "Dirty Pictures: Save Your Family Photos from Ruin"

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "SCGS Jamboree streamed and recorded sessions," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 29 May 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

19 May 2014

MyHeritage offers free access to military records May 23-26

This Friday through Monday, May 23-26, MyHeritage will offer free access to U.S. military records in honor of our Memorial Day. MyHeritage is a subscription site offering access to record images and databases, family trees, and many other things useful to researchers. One of those useful features is a SmartMatch service. Randy Seaver of GeneaMusings discusses the feature here http://www.geneamusings.com/2014/05/looking-for-cousins-in-myheritage-smart.html and in many other posts you can find by searching his website for "myheritage."

Here is the announcement from MyHeritage:

In honor of Memorial Day, MyHeritage is offering FREE access to millions of US military records, which will be available to search from May 23 to May 26.

Military records are valuable resources that provide insight into the lives of those who have served in the armed forces, as well as their families. With these records, users can learn about their ancestors and honor their memory and service to their country.

Please see our special search page for the military collections that will be free over the Memorial Day weekend: www.myheritage.com/memorialday

The link is already live, but the collections will be free starting on Friday, May 23.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "MyHeritage offers free access to military records May 23-26," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 19 May 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

25 April 2014

DNA Day 2014

Today is DNA Day—celebrating publication of the structure of DNA and the announcement of "completion" of the mapping of our DNA by the Human Genome Project.¹

Big things happening today include the updated Y-DNA Haplotree from Family Tree DNA. The tree is being expanded from 400 to over 1000 branches and will sport a new design interface. A free webinar today at noon Central Time (5pm UTC) will provide details on and demonstrate the new tree. Register for the live webinar at http://bit.ly/1dGbbbx or catch it later when it will be posted online at http://www.familytreedna.com/learn/ftdna/webinars/.

AncestryDNA is offering a $20 discount on their autosomal DNA test.

23andMe isn't advertising a sale today as they did a sale earlier this year. This is another good place for a DNA test for genealogical purposes.

Check the websites of other testing companies to see what they may be offering today. But if you are ordering an autosomal test for genealogical purposes be sure you are getting a test that includes 500,000 markers or more and not one of the lower resolution tests.

1. "DNA Day," WikiPedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA_day : accessed 25 April 2014)

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "DNA Day 2014," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 25 April 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

All images created by and © 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

02 April 2014

TSLAC Genealogy After Dark - 25 April 2014

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) is hosting another Genealogy After Dark program on 25 April 2014. Contact them at geninfo@tsl.state.tx.us or 512-463-5455 for more information or to register. Registration is limited to 30 and you must register by 18 April 2014.

The schedule is:

6:00 - Sign-in (Note: You must enter before 6:45 p.m. when the building will be locked.)
6:15 - Presentation by John Anderson, TSLAC Preservation Officer and Photo Archivist: “Researching Prints and Photographs in the Texas State Archives…and Beyond”
7:15 - Genealogy and Reference rooms open for research
Orientation: Requesting and Using Materials in the Texas State Archives (required for anyone planning to use archival materials during the event)
Texas State Archives open for research, immediately following the orientation
7:45 - Light refreshments in the lobby
9:45 - Microfilm and photocopy rooms close
10:00 - Building secured

Park on the street or at the Capitol Visitors Parking Garage at 1201 San Jacinto, one block east of the Zavala Building. There is no charge for visitors who arrive after 5:00 p.m.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "TSLAC Genealogy After Dark - 25 April 2014," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 2 April 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

28 March 2014

mtDNA Test Sale at Family Tree DNA

For the next four days Family Tree DNA is offering reduced prices for mtDNA full sequence test orders and upgrades. Orders must be placed and paid for before 11:59 p.m. Central Time on 1 April 2014.

Sale Prices Are

mtDNAFullSequence Addon and New Kits - Now $139 US (Save $60)

mtHVR1toMEGA Upgrade - Now $99 US (Save $50)

mtHVR2toMEGA Upgrade - Now $89 US (Save $70)

The Full Sequence mtDNA test is the most comprehensive mtDNA test available and is only offered by Family Tree DNA. Order Now from Family Tree DNA.

We made the announcement this morning at the Forensic Genealogy Institute and several attendees immediately ordered the test after learning how to use the test results yesterday in the sessions I taught on "Forensic Techniques for Genetic Genealogy." I can't wait to hear what they learn from this test.

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "mtDNA Test Sale at Family Tree DNA," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 28 March 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

09 February 2014

Registration Feb. 12th for Practical Genetic Genealogy at GRIP

Ten or so years ago I wished for an in-depth training class on using DNA for genealogy.

Genetic genealogists were mostly self-taught. Around that time Family Tree DNA started offering a two-day conference for project administrators. I wasn’t an admin at that time so I couldn’t attend. Megan Smolenyak and Ann Turner published their book on using DNA to Trace Your Roots.¹ Colleen Fitzpatrick had a DNA section in Forensic Genealogy.² Ann Turner had started the genealogy-dna mail list on RootsWeb.³ Other educational opportunities were mostly non-existent other than one-hour introductory presentations at conferences and seminars. You can’t do in-depth in one hour when you have to start with the basics.

Five or so years ago a group of professional and aspiring professional genealogists discussed whether or not there was enough a genealogist needs to learn about DNA to fill a week-long institute course. My response was a resounding YES even as I got some very skeptical looks from others. I had already started a list of things I thought should be included. And this was before I knew much about autosomal DNA.

I refined my list of potential topics. I sat in on sessions looking for good speakers who were knowledgeable about the topic. In my opinion, a good genetic genealogy speaker doesn’t just teach the scientific facts. The good genetic genealogy speaker, when speaking to a newbie or general audience, has to be able to choose the part of the science a genealogist must understand and eliminate the part only the scientist or DNA nerd needs. The good genetic genealogy speaker has to be able to relate the required scientific knowledge to what a genealogist already knows about research. The good genetic genealogy speaker has experience using the latest DNA analysis techniques and can demonstrate those techniques so any motivated genealogist can learn them. The good genetic genealogy speaker keeps up with the latest developments in the community.

In 2012 I met and became friends with a group I felt I would enjoy working with and who I knew would present a course I would want to attend myself. In 2013 our course proposal was accepted.

This year all of that planning becomes a reality as CeCe Moore, Blaine Bettinger, and I offer the first week-long genetic genealogy course at a genealogy institute in the U.S. – Practical Genetic Genealogy.

Registration starts February 12th at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) for the Practical Genetic Genealogycourse offered on July 20-25, 2014.

The course outline is available at http://www.gripitt.org/?page_id=1147.

The course is expected to fill up quickly if everyone who has told us they want to attend really tries to register. Tips for Quickly Getting Through Registration is available at http://www.gripitt.org/?p=1296

I am looking forward to this so much as I hope we can help others learn what I wish someone had been around to teach me ten years ago.

1. Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and Ann Turner, Trace Your Roots with DNA (Emmaus, Penn., Rodale Press, 2004).
2. Colleen Fitzpatrick, Forensic Genealogy (Fountain Valley, Cal., Rice Book Press, 2005).
3. Ann Turner, founder, Genealogy-DNA List on RootsWeb ( http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/DNA/GENEALOGY-DNA.html).

To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Registration Feb. 12th for Practical Genetic Genealogy at GRIP," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 9 February 2014 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2014, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved