Most of the sessions were taped but not all. The list of available CDs and ordering information can be found at http://www.jamb-inc.com/genealogy/ngs/2013-ngs-conference--las-vegas-nv.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Conference CDs now available
Most of the sessions were taped but not all. The list of available CDs and ordering information can be found at http://www.jamb-inc.com/genealogy/ngs/2013-ngs-conference--las-vegas-nv.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Make plans to attend Richmond in 2014
The conference theme, Virginia: The First Frontier, will explore the records and history that draw so many back to their roots in the Old Dominion. Lecture topics will also include migration into, within, and out of the region down the Great Wagon Road, over the Appalachian Mountains, and across the south to Texas and beyond.
The four-day conference will include more than 150 lectures by nationally known experts on topics including the history, records, repositories, and ethnic and religious groups in Virginia and the neighboring states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The program will also feature broader genealogical categories including military and other federal records, the law as it relates to genealogy, methodology, analysis, and problem solving.
Genealogy conferences in Richmond, Virginia, are always well attended, so plan to make your reservations early. The five conference hotels will accept reservations beginning 1 June 2013 and the special conference rates apply three days before and after the conference. The hotels offer a variety of amenities and dining options, so choose the one that best fits your needs. The convention and visitors bureau will be providing shuttle buses between the convention center and the Crowne Plaza, Omni, and Holiday Inn Express hotels, which are a few blocks away, while the conference is in session. For more details please see the NGS conference website at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/accommodations.
Consider arriving early to experience one or more historical tours in and around Richmond provided by Richmond Discoveries’ Tours on Monday afternoon 5 May 2014 and Tuesday morning and afternoon 6 May 2014. Details can be found at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/tours. Tour reservations will be accepted beginning 1 December 2013.
An Exhibit Hall with more than 100 vendors will be free and open to the public from Wednesday through Saturday at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, directly across from the Marriott Hotel. Exhibitors will include genealogy database and software providers, booksellers, genealogy societies, providers of genetic testing, and much more.
Sign up for the NGS Conference Blog at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org so you do not miss any of the conference news or announcements. Conference registration opens 1 December 2013.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Megan Smolenyak releases details about the Lucky 13 grant program
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| Megan Smolenyak speaking at the NGS 2013 Banquet |
During her presentation at the NGS Banquet on Friday, 10 May, Megan Smolenyak announced a new grant program, Lucky 13.
She promised that details would be forthcoming and those details have been posted to her website at http://megansmolenyak.posthaven.com/lucky-13-a-modest-proposal-regarding-genealogy-grants.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Exhibit Hall Video
The NGS booth on Wednesday morning was THE place to be. This video was taken a short time after the Exhibit Hall opened. Everyone was lined up to buy the two new NGS publications, Mastering Genealogical Proof by Thomas W. Jones and NGS Research in the States Series: New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County by Laura Murphy DeGrazia. You can hear the Mariachi Los Bravos in the background.
The conference is over but these books and many more are available on the NGS website at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Hoover Dam Tour
The Hoover Dam is breathtaking. On the Tuesday before the conference, several buses of attendees enjoyed a tour of the Dam arranged by the Local Host Societies.
Thanks to Pat Stamm for sharing her photos and comments about the tour.
Thanks to Pat Stamm for sharing her photos and comments about the tour.
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| The day was great for a tour. As the sun reflected off of the dam, the breeze picked up. The day was not too hot or too cold. |
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| The tour guides took us down and gave us a brief overview of how the dam was built. |
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| The giant turbines whirled noisily as the guild explained how they were maintained. |
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| After that we got a closer look at the dam itself. |
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| Looking down the river, we saw the Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge which crosses the Colorado River. |
Friday, May 17, 2013
Memories from NGS 2013 Family History Conference and Vegas!
Thank you Scott Stewart for capturing these wonderful moments!
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Kudos to the NGS media team
Kudos to the NGS media team who wrote, managed, and distributed NGS media before, during, and after the conference! Take a bow, Terry Koch-Bostic, for organizing NGS media; Julie Miller, CG, for writing and managing the new gold standard in conference blogs; Gayathri Kher for keeping conference attendees connected through a record number of timely social media feeds; Erin Shifflett for writing and distributing conference e-mails and serving as Conference Command Central; Diane L. Richard for adding buzz with UpFront publicity; and Phyllis Mathews Ziller for keeping us in grammatical style. Thank you all!
Guest blogger
Stefani Evans, CG
Conference chair NGS 2013 Family History Conference
Photo Courtesy: Scott Stewart
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Conference Challenge winner Denise Levenick
NGS held the Conference Challenge again this read. To read the details go to
http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/2013/05/win-conference-challenge-and-receive.html.
http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/2013/05/win-conference-challenge-and-receive.html.
Congratulations to Denise Levenick! Denise was one of two winners, http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/2013/05/conference-challenge-winners-announced.html.
Thank you for sharing and we hope you enjoy your free registration to the NGS 2013 Family History Conference in Richmond, Virginia.
Challenge 1–Fashion!
Tweet a picture that proves you met an attendee wearing a kilt.
Challenge 2–Dining!
Tweet a picture that proves you dined with fellow genealogists.
No lunchbox & thermos needed at the BCG luncheon with Diane Gravel & Joan Peake.
Challenge 3–Literature!
Tweet a picture that proves you checked out the latest publications or education releases at the NGS booth.
Checking out new tools for building bridges w/NGS publications.
Challenge 4–Volunteerism!
Tweet a picture that proves you chatted with an ASK ME volunteer.
Found a helpful NGS Ask Me volunteer who fixed my specs without any tools! thanks Lenny!
Challenge 5–Shopping!
Tweet a picture that proves you visited exhibitors whose company names have an “I” or “T” in them.
NGS2013 Exhibit Hall buzzing.Talked w/Treelines about gr8 new tool to build bridges betwn now/then.
Challenge 6–Geekdom!
Tweet a picture that proves you attended a GenTech track lecture.
Spreadsheet as #genealogy tool for building bridges to ancestors' past w Jill Crandall.
Challenge 7–Travel!
Tweet a picture that proves you really are in Las Vegas.
Yes, it's Vegas, Baby for #NGS2013. Ready to build new bridges.
Challenge 8–Decorative Art!
Tweet a picture that celebrates the attendee with the most badge ribbons.
@walkingyourtree wins longest #NGS2013 badge WOW! She could build a bridge with those ribbons!
Challenge 9–Networking!
Tweet a picture that proves you talked with current NGS board members.
Networking about building bridges with Pam Eagleson & Stefani Evans.
Challenge 10–Celebrity!
Tweet a picture that proves you rubbed shoulders with a person featured in an NGS video.
Rubbing shoulders w/ NGS celeb Laura DeGrazia, she knows the best tools for NY Research.
Visit Denise at The Family Curator http://www.thefamilycurator.com/home/.
Summary of Conference Blog Posts
A big thank you to Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings for putting together a list of blog posts about the conference. There are some very informative posts from many different perspectives.
Since we all can be in only one place at a time (which is definitely a disadvantage during the conference), the posts are a good way to hear about the sessions we had to miss. Also, they are very helpful for making a list of CDs to buy from Jamb, Inc., http://www.jamb-inc.com/genealogy. The 2013 conference list will be available for purchase in a few weeks.
Randy's list of blogs can be found at http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/05/blog-posts-from-ngs-2013-conference.html.
Since we all can be in only one place at a time (which is definitely a disadvantage during the conference), the posts are a good way to hear about the sessions we had to miss. Also, they are very helpful for making a list of CDs to buy from Jamb, Inc., http://www.jamb-inc.com/genealogy. The 2013 conference list will be available for purchase in a few weeks.
Randy's list of blogs can be found at http://www.geneamusings.com/2013/05/blog-posts-from-ngs-2013-conference.html.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Conference Survey still open
The survey is located at http://goo.gl/Cxp8R and should only take from three to five minutes. Your feedback will help NGS in planning future conferences.
The survey will be open until Monday, 20 May.
Special Edition of The Forget-Me-Not Hour Radio Show
Special Edition: NGS Las Vegas Recap
Jane E. Wilcox, host of The Forget-Me-Not Hour: Your Ancestors Want Their Stories to Be Told radio show, welcomed Julie Miller, CGSM, Vice President of NGS, to this special edition of the show.
The show was live from the NGS 2013 Family History Conference Media Center in Las Vegas on Saturday, 11 May and can now be viewed on-demand at
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/janeewilcox/2013/05/11/ngs-las-vegas-recap-with-julie-miller
Jane E. Wilcox, host of The Forget-Me-Not Hour: Your Ancestors Want Their Stories to Be Told radio show, welcomed Julie Miller, CGSM, Vice President of NGS, to this special edition of the show.
The show was live from the NGS 2013 Family History Conference Media Center in Las Vegas on Saturday, 11 May and can now be viewed on-demand at
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/janeewilcox/2013/05/11/ngs-las-vegas-recap-with-julie-miller
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Conference Planners Extraordinaire
Thanks Stefani and Erin for a great conference!
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| Stefani Evans, Conference Chair Erin Shifflet, Conference Manager |
Day 4 Wrap Up
Youth Camp
Seventy-seven kids attended this year!
Ancestry Day
Live from Las Vegas! The Forget-Me-Not Hour: Your Ancestors Want Their Stories to Be Told radio show. Host, Jane E. Wilcox and Julie Miller talked about the different events at the conference this week.
The Ancestry Insider (who does not allow his face to be photographed) asked those at the NGS GenTech Luncheon what they wanted genealogy in the future to be.
The annual NGS meeting was held at 5:15.
Dar was a super star keeping all the AV up and running.
"Now it's time to say good-bye to all our company."
See you next year in Richmond!
Safe travels home everybody.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Conference Challenge winners announced and mystery judge revealed
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Denise Levenick, Gena Philibert-Ortega,Holly Sammons* |
There were so many creative entries that the judge had a hard time choosing just one winner. So we decided to have two this year. And the winners are (drumroll please), Denise Levenick and Holly Sammons. They both received a full conference registration to the NGS 2014 Family History Conference in Richmond, Virginia.
And the secret judge was Gena Philibert-Ortega, author of From the Family Kitchen and Gena's Genealogy Blog, http://philibertfamily.blogspot.com/. Thanks Gena!
*our apologies to Holly for originally posting her name as Holly Simmons
Saturday is Youth Camp and Ancestry Day
Super Saturday
You may notice some extra people around the conference center today because Youth Camp and Ancestry Day are taking place.
Youth Camp is being held in Conference Room 5. Kids ages 8-16 will be attending the camp from 8:30 a.m.-12:00 noon. They will then be invited to visit the Exhibit Hall.
Ancestry day will take place in Ballroom A. The program will give attendees an in-depth look at Ancestry.com and an opportunity to receive targeted training directly from the pros from Ancestry.com. To attend, you must have registered separately.
Day 3 Wrap Up
Exhibit Hall
Browsing through the books
Tom Jones signing Mastering Genealogical Proof
Taking time to relax during the cocktail hour before the banquet
Patiently waiting for dinner
Mark Hall-Patton entertained the crowd, then had a two man beard contest with photographer, Scott Stewart.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Julie Potter Miller, CG, Awarded the Shirley Langdon Wilcox Award for Exemplary Volunteerism by the National Genealogical Society
“Julie is consistently out in front, leading the charge,” said NGS President Jordan Jones. “She is knowledgeable, fair, and thinks about the long term, consistently pushing the board to explore new and innovative ways to use technology to better serve NGS members.” Stefani Evans, 2013 NGS conference chair added, “Julie has freely shared her experience and project management skills while serving on the conference committee again this year. In every interaction, she has been kind, thoughtful, and patient.”
In addition to her service to NGS, Julie has served as president of the Colorado Genealogical Society, Colorado Chapter of APG, and the Broomfield Genealogical Society. She served on the board of directors of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors and volunteers at the National Archives Rocky Mountain Regional Branch.
Excellence in Genealogy Scholarship and Service Honored at NGS Annual Banquet
National Genealogical Society Hall of Fame: Beginning in 1986, the National Genealogy Hall of Fame program, administered by the National Genealogical Society, has honored outstanding genealogists whose achievements in the field of American genealogy have had a great impact on our field. Qualified nominations are solicited annually from genealogical organizations. Those nominated must have been deceased for at least five years and have been actively engaged in genealogy for a minimum of ten years. Their contributions to the field of genealogy in this country need to have been significant in a way that was unique, pioneering, or exemplary. Such contributions could have been as an author of books or articles that added significantly to the body of published works, served as a model of genealogical research or writing, or made source records more readily available. Nominees could also have been a teacher or lecturer, or contributed to the field through leadership in a genealogical organization or periodical.
Entries are judged by a panel of genealogists from various parts of the United States. This year, Earl Gregg Swem, whose nomination was made by The Virginia Genealogical Society, was elected to the NGS Hall of Fame. For thirty-seven years his career was devoted to the collection and publication of materials on Virginia and Virginians. He was the assistant librarian at the Virginia State Library for twelve years and then became the head of the William and Mary College Library from which he retired in 1944.
Fellowship in the National Genealogical Society recognizes a valued servant of the National Genealogical Society. This year’s Fellow, Donn J. Devine, is a retired Brigadier General with the Delaware National Guard and a resident of Wilmington, Delaware. He has been the archivist of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington since 1989. He served eight years as a director of NGS from 1994–2002. Donn was one of the first lecturers on the appropriate use of DNA and serves as the administrator of two family DNA projects. He has been Board-certified since 1987 and has performed many services for the genealogical community at large. He chaired NGS’s committee on standards and currently serves on the Records Preservation & Access Committee and is a member of the NGSQ Editorial Board. He is a former trustee of the Board for Certification of Genealogists (1992–2006), for which he currently serves as general counsel. He is a past president of the Delaware Society, Sons of the American Revolution, and is a trustee of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania.
Among Donn’s publications are “Sorting Relationships Among Families with the Same Surname: An Irish American DNA Study,” published in The National Genealogical Society Quarterly in December 2005. His articles have been published in The American Genealogist and The Delaware Genealogical Society Journal. His most recent article, “The European Origin of George Falk (1823–1900), Brooklyn Watchmaker,” was published in The New York Genealogical & Biographical Society Record in January 2013.
For his years of service to the genealogical community; his dedication to meticulous adherence to best practices in the field of genealogy as researcher, writer, and lecturer; and for his unflinching volunteer efforts on behalf of the National Genealogical Society and the genealogical community at large, the NGS Board has elected Donn J. Devine a Fellow of the National Genealogical Society.
William Filby Award for Genealogical Librarianship is awarded to a librarian whose primary focus is genealogy and local history and who is employed in a public, academic, or special library. This year’s award, and a $1,000 prize underwritten by ProQuest, went to Elizabeth Crabtree Wells, manager of the Special Collection Department at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Active in the genealogical and historical community, she served as past president of the Alabama Genealogical Society, the Birmingham Genealogical Society, and is a founder and past president of the Society of Alabama Archivists. She is a regular lecturer at the Samford Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research. She is co-author of The History of Judson College. Elizabeth holds a BA from Judson College, an MA from Auburn University, and a MLS from the University of Alabama.
The Award of Merit is presented to an individual or non-profit genealogical or historical organization to recognize exceptional contributions to the field of genealogy over a period of five or more years, which has significantly aided research or increased interest in genealogy. For over twenty-five years Carolyn Marguerite Hutchinson Brown has taught genealogy classes and passionately and unabashedly promoted genealogy. She has published six books on her family and her husband’s family lines and has authored many articles published in a variety of genealogical publications. She also founded the Bouse Genealogical Society in Bouse, Arizona, in 2008. She continues to chair, teach, and mentor the group today. As the nomination form concluded, “One person can and does make a difference!”
Family History Writing Contest: Paul K. Graham of Salt Lake City, Utah, was the winner of the Family History Writing contest with his entry, A Love Story Proved: The Life and Family of Laura Lavinia (Kelly) Combs. This award is to encourage NGS members to write a family history that covers at least three generations and not more than four generations of their family.
National Genealogical Society Quarterly’s Award for Excellence: This award is presented for an outstanding article published in the NGSQ in the previous calendar year. The winner of this year’s award emphasized the importance of cultural practices, comprehensive research, and creative problem solving. For 2012, the editors have chosen Without Land, Occupation, Rights, or Marriage Privilege: The Büttner Family from Bavaria to New York, by F. Warren Bittner, CG, published in the September 2012 issue of the NGSQ.
Award for Excellence: Genealogical Methods and Sources: This year’s recipients were Robert S. Davis of Hanceville, Alabama, and Ted O. Brooke of Cumming, Georgia. The title of their entry was Georgia Research: A Handbook for Genealogists, Historians, Archivists, Lawyers, Librarians, and Other Researchers. This award is for a specific, significant single contribution in the form of a book, an article, or a series of articles that discuss genealogical methods and sources, which serves to foster scholarship and/or advances or promotes excellence in genealogy.
Award for Excellence: Genealogy and Family History Book: This year’s recipient was Helen Schatvet Ullmann, CG, FASG, of Acton, Massachusetts. The title of her entry was Some Descendants of Roger Billings of Dorchester, Massachusetts. This award is for a specific, significant single contribution in the form of a family genealogy or family history book published in the past five years. Entries serve to foster scholarship and/or otherwise advance or promote excellence in genealogy.
Senior Rubincam Youth Award (for students in grades 10–12 or between the ages of 16 and 18): Andrew Staton of Simpsonville, South Carolina, was this year’s winner. The title of his entry was My Windsor and Young Ancestors. The Senior Rubincam Award was established in 1986 to honor Milton Rubincam, CG, FASG, FNGS, for his many years of service to the National Genealogical Society and to the field of genealogy. The award encourages and recognizes our youth as the next generation of family historians.
Home Study Course Scholarship: Kristin Harms of Alpharetta, Georgia, was the winner of the Home Study Course Scholarship. Harms received the award for having demonstrated her serious interest in pursuing a career in genealogy. Criteria include attending genealogy conferences and training, subscribing to genealogical publications, and membership in NGS.
The renowned NGS Home Study Course provides a solid foundation for researchers just starting out and new possibilities for experienced researchers’ more difficult problems. The self-paced, year-long course is published on CD and is offered with a grading option. Learners receive feedback from experts while conducting their personal research.
Ann C. Hilke was presented with the NGS Past President’s pin in recognition of her dedication and service to NGS.
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