Board/Committee Reporting and Planning

Topic: "The 1950 Census - Are you Ready" by Thomas MacEntee

 

Summary: Many genealogists remember the amount of excitement in April 2012 around the release of the 1940 US Census. Following the “72 Year Rule” for records at the National Archives, the results of the 1950 US Census will be made public on Friday, April 1, 2022. It’s never too early to prepare for this valuable data related to US genealogy research!

Description: Participants will get up to speed on the history of the 1950 US Census, why the 1950 US Census form is radically different than previous forms, and how the data will be accessed. In addition we’ll cover what you can do NOW to prepare for the release of the 1950 US Census as well as volunteer projects related to indexing and finding aids. Finally, we’ll cover how you can always get the latest information related to the release of the 1950 US Census data!

What happens when a “tech guy” with a love for history gets laid off during The Great Recession of 2008? You get Thomas MacEntee, a genealogy professional based in the United States who is also a blogger, educator, author, social media connector, online community builder and more. Thomas has over 42 years of experience researching family history

Thomas was laid off after a 25-year career in the information technology field, so he started his own genealogy-related business called High Definition Genealogy. Currently Thomas shares many of his articles and videos for free at Genealogy Bargains.com!

Thomas describes himself as a lifelong learner with a background in a multitude of topics who has finally figured out what he does best: teach, inspire, instigate, and serve as a curator and go-to-guy for concept nurturing and inspiration. Thomas is a big believer in success, and that we all succeed when we help each other find success.

All members are encouraged to attend and participate. Current members will automatically be sent a link to join the meetings via Zoom. Non-members are welcome to attend and may request an invitation link by sending an email to: programs@scgsdelaware.org no later than March 16th.

 

Topic: Special presentation for St. Patrick's Day: "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" by Sarah Gutmann 

Learn how to trace the paths of your Irish immigrant ancestors. Discover how to gather information about them through U.S records and then where and how to look for them in Irish records.

 

About Sarah Gutmann: (https://thefamilytreeclimber.com) Genealogy is not a common hobby for a 13 year old, especially in 1996.  My friends did not know I spent countless hours scrolling through microfilm and contacting churches looking for records. What fascinated me was not just dates and locations, but piecing together the stories of family members forgotten by time. 

Once the Internet came along, brick walls came crashing down. For over two decades I have enjoyed not only building my family tree, but also helping friends, family, and students discover their own past. With so many records available, my goal is to make sure each person is climbing THEIR family tree.

In 2017 my passion led me to begin my certification as a professional genealogist through ICAP.  

In 2021 I proudly became a researcher for Legacy Tree, the number one genealogy company in the nation. 

 

 

Topic: "Religious Sources: Denominations, Records and Methodology" by Debra Hoffman

 

Specializing in Maryland and German research, Debra A. Hoffman, PLCGS, is a professional genealogist and the owner of Hoffman Genealogical Services. She is a genealogical author, lecturer, and researcher. She is a frequent speaker at genealogical societies, libraries, and has presented at the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed), the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR), the International German Genealogy Conference, and coordinated the Maryland course at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) in 2020.

She has authored articles in the Carrolltonian, Der Kurier, Bluegrass Roots, Maryland Genealogical Society Bulletin and the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly. She has a certificate in Family History from Brigham Young University and a Professional Learning Certificate in Genealogical Studies (PLCGS)-German Records from the National Institute of Genealogical Studies. Since 2009 she has completed courses at IGHR, SLIG and at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). 

Active in the genealogical community, Debra was the past Assistant Director for Gen-Fed, is an At-Large Board Member of the Maryland Genealogical Society and is the Recording Secretary for the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society. Debra is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and belongs to the William Winchester Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution as well as many other state and local genealogical societies.

 

Topic: "Researching Friends Historical Library (at Swathmore College) Quaker Records both Online and In Person" By Jordan Landes

Jordan Landes ibecame curator of the Friends Historical Library on March 11, 2019. Jordan previously was from the Senate House Library, the central library of the University of London where she was a Research Librarian for History.  A true exemplar of the value of a liberal arts education, Jordan has worked in libraries whose foci are literature and theater (Shakespeare’s Globe), contemporary dance (the Laban Library) and computer science (University of Maryland, College Park).

Jordan is an alumna of Haverford and in addition to her Master of Library Science from the University of Maryland; she has degrees in History from the University of Maryland (M.A.) and from the School of Advanced Study at the University of London (PhD).  Jordan has focused her studies in Quaker history.  Her doctoral thesis on the role of London in the creation of the trans-Atlantic Quaker community in the late 17th and early 18th centuries served as the basis for her book, London Quakers in the Trans-Atlantic World: The Creation of an Early Modern Community; it was published by Palgrave in 2015. 

Friends Historical Library (FHL) on Swarthmore College’s campus was established in 1871 to collect, preserve, and make available archival, manuscript, printed, and visual records concerning the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) from their origins mid-seventeenth century to the present. The collection reflects the Quaker origins of Swarthmore College.  With more than 45,000 books, pamphlets and serials, 60,000 photographs, 400 major manuscript collections, and 9,000 volumes of original meeting records, Friends Historical Library is one of the outstanding research facilities for the study of Quaker history. The Swarthmore Historical Society’s collections were deposited in Friends Historical Library in 1996.  The Library also maintains SHS’s archived Swarthmorean newspapers located here.

All members are encouraged to attend and participate. Current members will automatically be sent a link to join the meetings via Zoom. Non-members are welcome to attend and may request an invitation link by sending an email to: programs@scgsdelaware.org no later than October 12^th.

 

Topic: "German Research Online" by James Beidler

 

 

James M. Beidler is the author of The Family Tree Historical Newspapers Guide and The Family Tree German Genealogy Guide as well as writes Roots & Branches, an award-winning weekly newspaper column on genealogy. He is also a columnist for German Life magazine and is editor of Der Kurier, the quarterly journal of the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society. He is now an editor at Legacy Tree Genealogists, Inc.

 

 

The Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History and Culture at Salisbury University is a humanities research laboratory for university students that also fulfills the historical resource needs of a variety of community researchers. Founded in 1982, it was endowed in 1998 by Edward H. Nabb, an attorney and philanthropist from Cambridge, Maryland and renamed in his honor.

Family and local researchers frequent the Nabb Research Center for its wealth of information on family and cultural history. Distinctive photograph and artifact collections bring the Eastern Shore of the past 150 years to life, offering insight into its traditions and heritage. Public presentations on historical topics, educational seminars and exhibits showcase the Shore’s rich history and culture.

Our non-circulating library contains books, serials, archival and artifact collections relating to United States history, the greater Chesapeake region and the Delmarva Peninsula. Our extensive primary and secondary regional archival collection contains family histories, correspondence, photographs, manuscripts, ledgers, diaries, local business and organizational records, maps, newspapers, land surveys, oral histories and rare books. Included in our microfilm collection are governmental and church records pertaining mainly to Somerset, Worcester, Dorchester and Wicomico counties in Maryland; Accomack and Northampton counties in Virginia; and Sussex County in Delaware. Archaeological materials, furniture, vintage clothing and coverlets, household items, tools, and military memorabilia comprise a portion of our artifact collection and are used for classroom instruction and exhibits. One of our best resources is the specialized expertise of the Nabb Research Center staff.