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Using Timelines for Analysis and Correlation (AAGS Meetings)
Wednesday, September 9
7:00 pm ZOOM meeting
Join us at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 via Zoom for our program "Using Timelines for Analysis and Correlation" presented by Jill Morelli. This is a joint program with Howard County Genealogical Society.
I love timelines and tables! They seem to arrange the information in a way that makes gaps and overlaps obvious; confirms the obscure; or summarizes the information as it is gathered. It is the only way one can analyze the pre-1850 censuses, the “tick mark censuses.” We will look at a variety of tables and timelines of increasing complexity to illustrate the power of a well designed table/timeline. Even by putting data into a table the evolution of a family over time based on the information in censuses can yield surprising information. You, too, will learn to love tables and timelines.
Jill Morelli, CG, CGL, writes and lectures nationally, and is the founder of the award-winning Certification Discussion Group, an online class which demystifies BCG certification. She self-publishes and is working on her third book. Jill is program chair of the Puget Sound-Association of Professional Genealogists and a past president of the Seattle Genealogical Society.
To register:
AAGS Members: You will receive the Zoom link via email before the event.
Non-Members: Please email programs@aagensoc.org to register and receive the Zoom link. We request you register no later than Tuesday, September 8, so we can send you the link in a timely manner.
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Explore Church Records: Find Family (AAGS Meetings)
Wednesday, October 14
7:00 pm ZOOM meeting
Join us at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, October 14, 2026 via Zoom for our program "Explore Church Records: Find Family" presented by Jacquie Schattner. This is a joint program with Howard County Genealogical Society.
Church records contain surprises, not just baptisms, marriages and deaths. They provide clues to much more, including town of origin and immigration information, how active families were in their church, and their financial situation. Churches predate government, and have information on under-represented people: women, minorities, immigrants, and young children. Identify your ancestor's place of worship, access surviving records and solve problems such as maiden names and overseas birthplaces. Find exciting new information in church records!
Jacquie Schattner has been actively researching her family’s ancestors since 1996. She volunteered at the local Family History Center for 15 years and teaches genealogy at local high schools, and libraries and online at genealogy groups all over the U.S. She is active in several genealogy societies and has written several genealogy books. She currently works as a Publications Coordinator and as a freelance editor. Jacquie received her B.S. degree from the University of Illinois. She is a retired school secretary living in Palatine, IL. She is happily married for 40+ years and has 3 grown children, 2 sons-in-law, and 6 adorable grandchildren.
To register:
AAGS Members: You will receive the Zoom link via email before the event.
Non-Members: Please email programs@aagensoc.org to register and receive the Zoom link. We request you register no later than Tuesday, October 13, so we can send you the link in a timely manner.
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Family Book Generation (AAGS Meetings)
Wednesday, November 11
7:00 pm ZOOM meeting
Join us at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, November 11, 2026 via Zoom for our program "Family Book Generation" presented by Jay Schultz. This is a joint program with Howard County Genealogical Society.
Sometimes our families don't want to hear all the genealogy data we have unearthed but do want to hear the stories. Using family stories and photographs as a starting point, this presentation explores how AI can help people shape memories that might otherwise be lost into customizable illustrated books. AI solutions engineer Jack Schultz will demonstrate the family-books platform and the guided process behind it, showing how stories can be easily adapted for different ages and reader profiles, reviewed by the family, and shared digitally or prepared for print—without requiring design or publishing expertise.
Jack Schultz is an AI solutions engineer and the founder of Stepwise.AI, where he builds and evaluates agentic and generative AI systems for organizations and individuals. He holds NVIDIA professional certifications in generative and agentic AI and contributed to the development of both certification exams. His family-books project explores a personal, values-oriented use of these tools: helping families preserve and share important stories.
AAGS Members: You will receive the Zoom link via email before the event.
Non-Members: Please email programs@aagensoc.org to register and receive the Zoom link. We request you register no later than Tuesday, November 10, so we can send you the link in a timely manner.
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Bounty Land Records: Its Complicated (AAGS Meetings)
Wednesday, December 9
7:00 pm ZOOM meeting
Join us at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, December 9, 2026 via Zoom for our program "Bounty Land Records: Its Complicated presented by Annette Burke Lyttle, CG. This is a joint program with Howard County Genealogical Society.
Bounty-land programs created rich documentary trails-but they are rarely straightforward. Learn how bounty land worked in major U.S. conflicts, why land warrants oftern changed hands, and how to trace the records that connect soldiers, heirs, and later buyers. You'll leave with practical strategies for using bounty-land files to uncover military service, family relationships, and migration patterns.
Annette Burke Lyttle, CG owns Heritage Detective LLC, providing professional genealogical services in research, education, and writing. She speaks on a variety of genealogical topics and loves helping people uncover and share their family stories. Annette is a course coordinator for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. She is a published writer whose research interests include Quaker ancestors and ancestral migrations in the United States. She is past president of the Association of Professional Genealogists and editor of The Florida Genealogist.
To register:
AAGS Members: You will receive the Zoom link via email before the event.
Non-Members: Please email programs@aagensoc.org to register and receive the Zoom link. We request you register no later than Tuesday, Dec 8, so we can send you the link in a timely manner.
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The National Archives: What Can It Do For Me? (AAGS Meetings)
Thursday, January 14, 2027
7:00 pm ZOOM meeting
Join us at 7:00 pm on Thursday, January 14, 2027 via Zoom for our program "The National Archives: What Can It Do For Me?" presented by Rebecca Whitman Koford. This is a joint program with the Howard County Genealogical Society.
The National Archives, headquartered in Washington, DC is a repository for a multitude of documents, records and photographs. These records and documents include many primary sources. This lecture gives an overview of the Archives' history, locations, and accession style. Records valuable to genealogists are highlighted and where they can be found.
Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, CGL, holds credentials as a Certified Genealogist® and as a Certified Genealogical Lecturer®. Her research specialties focus in Maryland, Upstate New York, Virgina, the District of Columbia, military records, as well as land records of all types. She has lectured at RootsTech, National Genealogical Society conferences (NGS), Legacy Family Tree Webinars, and local conferences across the states. She is co-author of the NGS Research in the States series book on Maryland. Rebecca is the Course I coordinator for Georgia’s Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research (IGHR) and in Utah, the course coordinator of the Advanced Research Tools: Land Records course at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG). She is a graduate and former administrator from 2015–2020 of the ProGen Study Group. Rebecca was Executive Director of the Board for Certification of Genealogists® from 2018–2024. From 2024–2026, she served as vice-president of the National Genealogical Society. She currently serves as Director of the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) held annually at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
AAGS Members: You will receive the Zoom link via email before the event.
Non-Members: Please email programs@aagensoc.org to register and receive the Zoom link. We request you register no later than Wednesday, January 13, so we can send you the link in a timely manner.
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Digital File Mastery for Genealogists: Optimizing Organization and Efficiency (AAGS Meetings)
Wednesday, February 10, 2027
7:00 pm ZOOM meeting
Join us at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, February 10, 2027 via Zoom for our program "Digital File Mastery for Genealogists: Optimizing Organization and Efficiency" presented by Linda Debe. This is a joint program with Howard County Genealogical Society.
In the digital age, effective file management is essential for genealogists. This session combines best practices from two key areas: mastering file management techniques and harnessing your PC’s power for digital organization. Learn how to corral scattered files, establish consistent file naming patterns, and utilize metadata to enhance organization. Discover practical strategies for setting up folders, categorizing documents, and ensuring quick retrieval. Whether you’re new to digital genealogy or looking to refine your workflow, this presentation equips you with comprehensive tools to streamline your research, maintain clarity in your digital archives, and optimize efficiency.
Linda Debe is a lecturer, writer, and lifelong student with over 40 years of genealogy research experience. She graduated from the ProGen 54 Study Group in May 2022. She has attended several national genealogical conferences and institutions to further her education. Also, she is a member of several genealogy societies. Since 2019, Linda has been lecturing on genealogy and technology-based topics to societies public libraries, conferences, and institutes. In 2024, the Georgia State Archives invited her to speak for their Inaugural Native American Symposium; and she was a course coordinator/lecturer with the Applied Genealogy Institute on Native American Records. In 2025, she presented at the UGA Summit of excellence on Native American Rolls, and was a guest lecturer for three IGHR classes in Course 4- Unearthing Your Family’s Past Using Maps. She spoke at Rootstech 2026 on pre-1850 Census Records. Referred to by friends as “The Sleepless Genealogist,” Linda now has a website by the same name where you can find a list of the lectures she offers.
To register:
AAGS Members: You will receive the Zoom link via email before the event.
Non-Members: Please email programs@aagensoc.org to register and receive the Zoom link. We request you register no later than Tuesday, February 9, so we can send you the link in a timely manner.
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Intro to AI for Genealogists (AAGS Meetings)
Wednesday, March 10, 2027
7:00 pm ZOOM meeting
Join us at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, March 10. 2027 via Zoom for our program "Intro to AI for Genealogists presented by Mark Thompson.This is a joint program with Howard County Genealogical Society.
Are you curious about artificial intelligence but not sure where to start? You’re not alone, and today’s AI tools are more accessible and useful for genealogists than ever before. Artificial intelligence has brought powerful new tools to family history research. AI can efficiently summarize documents, reliably extract information from large texts, and accelerate your research. In this talk, designed for those new to AI, you’ll discover which AI tools work best for genealogists, learn the basics of using a chatbot effectively, and start building a practical toolkit of AI skills for your family history. Mark will also highlight which of these powerful tools are available for free, so you can get started without breaking the bank. Along the way, you’ll learn where caution is critical and traditional research methods remain essential. Join Mark for an accessible overview of AI’s potential and discover what these new capabilities could mean for your family history research.
Mark Thompson is a professional genealogist, educator, and speaker who helps family historians put technology to work, from Artificial Intelligence to Genetic Genealogy, Excel, and Family Archiving. He co-hosts the Family History AI Show podcast with Steve Little, is a founding member of the Coalition for Responsible AI in Genealogy, and serves as President of the Victoria Genealogical Society.
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Migration Trails from the Tidewater to Trans Appalachia (AAGS Meetings)
Thursday, April 15, 2027
7:00 pm ZOOM meeting
Join us at 7:00 pm on Thursday, April 15, 2027 via Zoom for our program "Migration Trails from the Tidewater to Trans Appalachia" presented by Jake Eubanks. This is a joint program with the Howard County Genealogical Society.
The origins of overland migration routes begin from very simple means: rivers, streams, and game trails. People developed these into footpaths, post roads, and navigable river routes. Identifying these means of migration is a key strategy in resolving complicated genealogical queries. Learn about the many common routes early Americans traversed from the Tidewater to the Mississippi river.
Jake Eubanks, MLS is the Assistant Manager of the Emerson History & Genealogy Center at St. Louis County Library and the curator of the Center's research collection. Jake is a regular contributor to PastPorts monthly newsletter and national speaker in the field of genealogical research. Jake's focus is on westward migration from the Mid-Atlantic to Trans-Appalachia and the Great Plains. He writes and lectures on the use of historical manuscripts, maps, and records to resolve complicated genealogical queries due to issues of migration, administration, and gender.
To register:
AAGS Members: You will receive the Zoom link via email before the event.
Non-Members: Please email programs@aagensoc.org to register and receive the Zoom link. We request you register no later than Tuesday, April 14, so we can send you the link in a timely manner.
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