Wild and Wooly "Gone to Texas" FGS Conference -- Final Day

Editor's note: Today's post was written by Sandra Gardner-Benward


It is hard to believe that I have been here 5 days already..............  conference is coming to an end today and time to repack and come home. (coming home is always a good thing). I have had an absolutely great time- lots of excellent classes, lots of great extra activities, lots of HEAT & HUMIDITY, lots of super people to share with....... I am very glad I came.

This was another busy, but rewarding day............ 

"Methods for Identifying the German Origins of American Immigrants" with Michael Lacopo -I certainly have enjoyed the German track with Lacopo (who, btw, is Italian with German lines) good sense of humor, easy delivery and good information.  

'Timelines: The Swiss Army Knife of Genealogical Tools" with Amy Johnson Crow - this analogy is so true - completing a time line on ancestors and descendants too can be extremely useful in your research - you can really see what you have and what you don't have and what you still need to research and source. 

LUNCHEON: Genealogical Speakers Guild and International Society of Family History Writers and Editors (GSG/ISFHWE) - "From Texas with Love: Six Points for Spicing Up Your Family Stories"  1)Be a Storyteller; 2) Build the Stories from the Records; 3) Every Record Tells a Story; 4) Set the Stage;  5) Illustrate It; 6) Preserve it Now-  easy steps to follow 

I went to the Exhibit Hall right after lunch and took a demo class from Lisa Louise Cooke  "Tech Tools for Newspapers - full length one hour session..........  very good. She just makes it all come alive and so much easier ..........  OK OK I will try again using her hints and strategies. 







"Tap Your Inner Private Eye: Eight Strategies You Need to Find Living Relatives" Lisa Louise Cooke. A lot of fun and very interesting. I really need to find living cousins and now I have a guide to help me. 

"Social  History and Genealogy: Writing Family Narrative" with Diane VanSkiver Gagel- Diane ran through the steps to help write those stories down. 

This was an excellent conference and one that I have enjoyed thoroughly except for the weather and they do not have control over that. 


Reminder that registration is open for the 2015 RootsTech/FGS Conference in Salt Lake City February 11-14, 2015. Contact:  FGS Conference  The earliest bird special is $139- this will only last for about 10 days and then will go up to $159 and then to $189 and finally to $239. 

You can register with RootsTech or with FGS and if you want to take classes with the other conference you can purchase a 3 day pass (Thu-Sun) and take classes at both conference. Yes both conferences are being held together but separate at the same time. They will be sharing some things- keynote speakers, registration, exhibit hall-  but the classes will totally be separate. AND of course the added benefit and big draw is being able to research at the Salt Lake City Family History Center. I am sure that those hours will be extended like last year. 

Go early for the research and stay for the classes. 


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