Some things to look forward to

It can be really hard, on the days when a major genealogical conference is going on halfway across the continent, to be stuck at home, at work, away from all the fun.

And it may seem like missing the 2015 National Genealogical Society conference — now ongoing in St. Charles, Missouri — is a greater loss than usual this year.

That’s because we often can console ourselves if we have to miss the spring NGS conference by promising to reward ourselves with the late summer conference of the Federation of Genealogical Societies.

This year, of course, FGS held its annual conference in conjunction with RootsTech in February and so that’s not available as the consolation prize for 2015.

What do we do now?

What can we give ourselves as a genealogical education treat to make up for having to work or care for family or meet other obligations?

The Legal Genealogist has two suggestions:

North to Alaska!

Think for a moment about the excitement of a genealogy conference: a range of speakers offering guidance on a range of topics we need to know about for our research.

Then think about the pleasures of cruising: every minute catered for by ship crew and staff, gourmet meals, and fascinating ports of call.

Put the two together and what have you got?

Genealogy cruising… with the Federation of Genealogical Societies, setting sail on 28 August 2015 from Seattle through the Alaska Inside Passage and back.

The speaking team for this conference is first-rate: Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA; David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA; D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS; and some Legal Genealogist type person… me! We’ll cover everything from DNA to methodology to Irish and British records and so much more.

Add in the cruising — to Alaska’s inside passage, Tracy Arm Fjord, Seattle as the beginning and end point — a gorgeous city in its own right, Victoria in British Columbia with world-famous gardens and its walkable inner-city streets, and Juneau and Skagway and… — and this is a cruise not to be missed.

Ready to book? Reservations information can be found here and both conference registration and cruise reservations are going fast, so book now!

More information overall is on the FGS cruise website.

Come on along!

North to New York!

FGS is also a co-sponsor of a land-based alternative on the other coast in September: the 2015 New York State Family History Conference, to be held September 17-19 at the Syracuse/Liverpool Holiday Inn in Liverpool, New York.

This three-day, three-track conference of the Central New York Genealogical Society and the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society is the premier event for New York area genealogists and those with research interests anywhere in the New York area.

Its wide-ranging program addresses the special -– and sometimes daunting –- challenges of researching New York families that stems from the Empire State’s long and complicated colonial and state history, immigration and migration patterns, population diversity, records loss, and the idiosyncrasies of the creation, archiving and dispersal of records in 62 counties.

The speakers who will be featured during this major conference include Blaine Bettinger, Ph.D., The Genetic Genealogist; Laura Murphy DeGrazia, CG, FGBS, former editor of the NYG&B Record; Dick Eastman of Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter; Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, FASG, co-editor of the NGS Quarterly; David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA, FamilySearch.org; D. Joshua Taylor, President of the Federation of Genealogical Societies; Jane Wilcox, member, NYG&B Record editorial board, and host of the Forget-Me-Not radio program; Curt B. Witcher, Allen County Public Library; and even The Legal Genealogist.

The early bird registration discount is only available until May 31st, so register soon!

See?

Two great choices to make you feel better … at least a little bit … about not being in St. Charles this week.