Click below to access the recordings and handouts from our recent online meetings. About one month after the presentation, videos will be moved from this page to the Members Only pages of this website. Handouts for repeating classes are also available in the Members Only pages of this website. The most recent video is at the top of the list. [Please be respectful of the copyrighted materials and do not download or share the videos.]
29 Oct 2025 Class Video – Online Book Websites A wealth of genealogical information has been published in books over the years. Luckily, many of these resources, especially those that have entered the public domain, have been made available in digital format on a variety of websites. This presentation will introduce you to some of the most popular online resources for digital books to broaden your genealogical research. Presented by Pinellas Genealogy Society Volunteer Karen Fortin. This video will be available for approximately one month in this area. It will also appear on the Members pages of the website indefinitely.
14 Oct 2025 Class Video – Isaac Allerton: Fallen Pilgrim of Plymouth Meet Isaac Allerton, one of the most complex figures in Plymouth Colony. While there is no monument to this ambitious Pilgrim, we can thank him for the thriving fishing industry and the booming economy of New England in the 1600s. So why was he banished from Massachusetts? Learn his intriguing and even uplifting story! Presented by Pinellas Genealogy Society Volunteer and Isaac Allerton descendant Lori Coffey. This video will be available for approximately one month in this area. It will also appear on the Members pages of the website indefinitely.
18 Oct 2025 Program Video – Comparing DNA Ethnicity Estimates Learn the reasons why DNA ethnicity tests often yield unexpected results. See why siblings can have surprisingly different ethnicities and why Native American ancestry is rarely found. Compare one person’s ethnicity reports from all the major DNA tests and learn why one test or another might be your best choice for ethnicity purposes. Presented by Finding Family author Richard Hill. This video will be available for one month in this area. It will also appear on the Members pages of the website for 90 days.
14 Oct 2025 Class Video – Writing Brief Narrative Sketches Share interesting ancestors with family! Do you want to share your family history research and enthusiasm with your relatives, but find that their eyes tend to glaze over when you pull out your pedigree charts and family group sheets? Try presenting the information to them in bite-size chunks, one interesting ancestor at a time, using brief, 1- to 3-page narratives with visual impact. Presented by Pinellas Genealogy Society Volunteer Karen Fortin. This video will be available for approximately one month in this area. It will also appear on the Members pages of the website indefinitely along with the handout.
8 Oct 2025 Class Video – Men Who Guarded Washington George Washington took command of the first U.S. Army to protect our new country. Then he trained some of his elite continental soldiers to protect him. Learn the story of the four groups that guarded our future president, the different units he needed and why, and how they protected him to win the war. Presented by PGS Volunteer Doug Redd. This video will be available for approximately one month in this area. It will also appear on the Members pages of the website indefinitely along with the handout.
7 Oct 2025 Class Video – The Women of 1620 Eighteen women (along with 34 children) boarded the Mayflower in 1620. This is the heart-wrenching tale of the only women who survived to the first Thanksgiving. Overshadowed by the men you all know, this true-life drama shines light on the four strong women who endured hardships and tragedy to give birth to a new nation! We also delve into feeding the family, women’s rights, and daily work of the times. Presented by Pinellas Genealogy Society Volunteer Lori Coffey. This video will be available for approximately one month in this area. It will also appear on the Members pages of the website indefinitely along with the handout.
29 Sep 2025 Class Video – The Pilgrims They Left Behind The 102 who got on the Mayflower are famous. But what about those who didn’t make it on to the ship for that fateful voyage? This is the little-known backstory of the heroes who allowed the Pilgrims the freedom to travel. Those who were imprisoned, leaders who were needed by the flock who couldn’t go and even those who were afraid of taking the trip. These unsung heroes allowed the famous pilgrims to have their spotlight in history. Now we turn the spotlight on them. Presented by Pinellas Genealogy Society Volunteer Lori Coffey. This video will be available for approximately one month in this area. It will also appear on the Members pages of the website indefinitely along with the handout.
22 Sep 2025 Class Video – City Directories Research City directories are valuable for genealogy research. They can give information on household composition, residence and business location, and insights into the lives our ancestors led. They can also be used as a substitute for the US Federal Census or used in conjunction with the census to locate hard-to-find ancestors. This class explores the history of this resource, the research value of the information they provide, and where to find the records. Presented by Pinellas Genealogy Society Volunteer Sue Styx. This video will be available for approximately one month in this area. It will also appear on the Members pages of the website indefinitely along with the handout.
VIDEOS FOR NEW GENEALOGISTS
16 Jul 2023: Getting Started on Your Family Tree. This video leads you through a hands-on tutorial on getting started on your family tree. When you follow the link to the video, you will be offered additional links to handouts which you can download for a more beneficial experience.
VIDEOS FOR NEW GENEALOGISTS. The following videos are listed in order of complexity. As you become familiar with various genealogy research skills, choose from the listed topics to tailor your skills development.
A consolidated handout is available by clicking here: CONSOLIDATED HANDOUT.
The following three presentations are from the “Essentials Collection”. They cover topics aimed at researchers new to the study of their family’s genealogy and history:
Video 1: Getting Started in Genealogy
Video 2: Key Records in Genealogy
Video 3: Internet Genealogy
The following three presentations are from the “Skill Builder Collection.” They delve more deeply into some of the research topics introduced in the Essentials Track:
Video 4: Newspapers in Genealogy Research
Video 5: Military Records in Genealogy
Video 6: Documenting Your Sources
The following two presentations are from the “DNA in Genealogy Research Collection”:
Video 7: FUNdamentals of DNA
Video 8: The Whys of Y-DNA
8 Nov 2024: DNA basics: The following videos are aimed at introducing the essential concepts of DNA in genealogy research. There is a consolidated handout for the videos in the member pages of the website.
VIDEO: DNA Basic Series Overview
VIDEO: DNA Basics I – Types of Tests and Ethnicity
VIDEO: DNA Basics II – Centimorgans and Shared Matches
VIDEO: DNA Basics III – Ancestry DNA
VIDEO: DNA Basics IV – X, Y, MtDNA
21 Sep 2024 Monthly Program: Unique Challenges of African American Genealogy. Genealogy is the same the world around, yet there are some unique challenges when researching African American family history. For example, specific strategies are required to identify and work with records before 1860 and locating identifiable names among government records can raise the difficulty level. Even though it can be challenging, it can also be rewarding. Especially if you plan to volunteer for community projects like our Clearwater Colored Cemeteries program. We’ll provide research strategies to take you around the obstacles to help you find the records you seek. Presented by Taneya Y. Koonce. There is no handout for this presentation.
PGS HISTORY VIDEOS:
Five program meetings during 2022 were dedicated to celebrating the 50th anniversary of PGS. The videos collected here are recordings of each of those five meetings They will be available on the public as well as member pages of our website for the foreseeable future. Use these videos to gain an appreciation of the breadth and depth of the Society’s activities over the past fifty years. (You can purchase a 50th Year Commemoration book by clicking on the “Publications Tab” at the top of the website homepage.)
There are no handouts associated with these videos.
15 January 2022 – VIDEO – FIRST DECADE: Debbie Schuler, PGS President shares the history of the start of the Pinellas Genealogy Society for our 50th Anniversary First Decade Event. This is also the first PGS hybrid meeting held both in-person in the Largo Library and online via Zoom.
19 March 2022 – VIDEO – SECOND DECADE: Maridell Hahn, PGS Seminar Director shares the history of the second decade of the Pinellas Genealogy Society for our 50th Anniversary Second Decade Event. This is also the first PGS hybrid meeting with both in-person and virtual speakers.
18 Jun 2022 – VIDEO – THIRD DECADE: Damon Hostetler, PGS Anniversary Committee member shares the history of the third decade of the Pinellas Genealogy Society for our 50th Anniversary Third Decade Event.
2 Dec 2022 – VIDEO – FOURTH DECADE: Damon Hostetler, PGS Anniversary Committee member shares the history of the fourth decade of the Pinellas Genealogy Society for our 50th Anniversary Fourth Decade Event.
17 Dec 2022 – VIDEO – FIFTH DECADE: Karen Fortin, PGS Anniversary Committee member shares the history of the fifth decade of the Pinellas Genealogy Society for our 50th Anniversary Fifth Decade Event.
Follow this link to join the Society: JOIN HERE