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.]
15 Sep 2025 Class Video – Local and County Histories Local and county histories are often overlooked resources that can contain a wealth of resources on your ancestors and the places that they lived. This presentation explores the background of local and county history books; what information can be found in them; and, where to find them, both in print and online. 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.
11 Sep 2025 Class Video – Word for Genealogy If you have long documents or even plan to write your entire family history as a book, you need the power of Microsoft Word to manage it. But trying to figure out all of Word’s complex tools could be a real time waster. Instead, learn in one hour the five main tools you need to tame your text-heavy manuscripts! We cover formatting, headline and subheads which are also the key to navigating within your document. Then table of contents plus footnotes and indexing. 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.
3 Sep 2025 Class Video – Using US Land Records Land records are an important part of your genealogical toolkit. This presentation will provide an overview of common terms and concepts, explore how land records can help your research, and assist you in locating these valuable resources. The presentations will also share examples showing how to go from finding a deed to finding the land described in it on the modern landscape. 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.
27 Aug 2025 Class Video – Who Were the Passengers on the Mayflower? We’ve all heard the story of the Mayflower and the founding of Plymouth Colony in 1620 but who were these intrepid souls, what did they believe, why did they come to New England, and who left descendants? This presentation explores these topics and provides information on resources available for learning more about the Pilgrims. 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.
25 Aug 2025 Class Video – So You Think You Have Royal Blood. You don’t have to be an aristocrat to have royal ancestry. Learning that you descend from royalty can be an exciting find in your genealogy journey. If you are, it may not be too difficult to make the connection. Abundant source material is available on royal families and the records are often meticulously maintained. This class will explore some of the techniques and research avenues that may lead you to discover the kings and queens in your family tree. Presented by Pinellas Genealogy Society Volunteer Jean Roberson. 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.
19 Aug 2025 Class Video – Life Aboard Mayflower 1620. We all know the Mayflower Pilgrims’ story of thanksgiving after a grueling winter of failures and death. But how much do we know about this tiny ship with the huge reputation? The Mayflower was their lifeline and their home, where babies were born and heroes were created as tempest and destruction crashed over them. See what life was like for Saints, Strangers, and Sailors. Learn what it took for the Pilgrims to survive on the Mayflower for 243 days. 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.
16 Aug 2025 Program Video – Metes and Bounds Workshop. Have you ever looked at a land description that included boundary markers such as trees or iron stakes, directions such as “thence South 45° West,” or measurement units such as chains or poles? These types of descriptions are part of a land surveying system called metes and bounds used by 20 states in the U.S. This workshop will explain this system and take you step-by-step through the process of creating a plat map using a metes and bounds land description so that you can better visualize your ancestor’s land and place it in today’s landscape. 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.
14 Aug 2025 Class Video – King Philip’s War, 1675-1676. Causes & Consequences. Although largely forgotten, King Philip’s War was a widespread conflict that had a significant and long-lasting impact on New England colonists and Native Americans. The class will look at causes leading up to this brutal war, analyze the course of the war, and outline the consequences that helped shape the future of the United States. Presented by Pinellas Genealogy Society volunteer Karen Fortin. This video will be available for approximately one month in this area. It will appear on the Members pages of the website indefinitely along with the handout.
11 Aug 2025 Class Video – The Women of 1862. Today’s 3rd great grandmother likely had 3 small children the first full year of the Civil War. Then she became a widow. Life had changed for many women during that time. We will meet pioneers who fashioned the first steps of modern life as we know it. Nurses, abolitionists, enslaved, immigrants, first ladies and more bring different perspectives to the abilities and successes that defined the female contribution to our emerging empire. We also delve into 1862 family relationships, medicine, and activism. Presented by Pinellas Genealogy Society Volunteer Lori Coffey. This video will be available for approximately one month in this area. It will 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