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. Personal use only of the handouts is allowed.]
Dec 18 2024 Class Video – Kentucky’s Revolutionary Battle. In the summer of 1780, British troops led Native Americans to mount a large-scale attack on the frontier Kentucky settlements. The more exposed northern settlements became the preferred target. When the crosshairs of a secret weapon landed on two large stations, including one known as “Fort Liberty,” it was devastating. Learn the tragic story of massacre, forced march, and resistance under dire circumstances as families struggled to survive this western Revolutionary battle. Presented by Jon Hagee, Ruddles Station/Frontier KY historian, RAMSHA Founder & President. This video will be available for approximately one month then it will be moved to the Members pages of the website. There is no handout with this presentation.
Nov 25 2024 Class Video – Excel for Genealogy. You may know and use Excel to crunch your budget numbers, but have you thought about using it specifically for genealogy? Even if you’re new to Excel, we will teach you the basics of building a database right, then we’ll cover how to think through your options to make the exact database that meets your specific needs. Then, as we show you ways to use Excel in genealogy, we’ll add tips to take your skills to the next level whether you’re using your own computer or the library’s. Presented by Pinellas Genealogy Society Volunteer Lori Coffey. This video will be available for approximately one month then it will be moved to the Members pages of the website. The handout for this class is permanently available on the Members pages of the website.
Nov 22 2024 Class Video – Revolutionary Ancestors. If your ancestors were here in the 1700s, it’s likely they were documented in the Revolution. Whether they were patriot or loyalist, records may be available. We will discuss a brief history of the Revolution and the key players, what and where records may be found, plus which lineage societies you might be eligible for. Presented by Pinellas Genealogy Society Volunteer Lori Coffey. This video will be available for approximately one month then it will be moved to the Members pages of the website. The handout for this class is permanently available on the Members pages of the website.
Nov 21 2024 Class Video – Orphan Trains. The story of the Orphan Trains, which relocated children from the eastern cities to rural farmlands, has become a part of American popular culture. This presentation explores the facts behind the legends; follows a group of children “placed-out” in 1880; and provides resources available to learn more about the orphan trains and their riders. Presented by Pinellas Genealogy Society Volunteer Karen Fortin. This video will be available for approximately one month then it will be moved to the Members pages of the website. The handout for this class is permanently available on the Members pages of the website.
Nov 17 2024 Program Meeting – As part of our Lecture Series Program, Jean Wilcox Hibben presented two topics. Click on the links that follow to see the videos and a consolidated handout. The handout and videos will be available on this public page until approximately 15 January, at which time they will be available until 15 February on the members only pages of this website.
VIDEO 1 – AVOIDING FALLACIES IN FAMILY HISTORY
VIDEO 2 – PRINCIPLE OF THREE IN GENEALOGY RESEARCH
Click here for the Consolidated Handout
Nov 14 2024 Class Video – Photos in Genealogy. What is a family tree without photos to enhance the story? But many old photos are degrading with age in storage. And we can’t always travel to see the newest members of the family. Even when we do get to snap the picture, the quality is less than what we expect for historical purposes. And how do we get it off our phones and into our books and online trees?! This fully packed training will cover these issues and more as we learn tips of the trade for your pictures. Presented by Pinellas Genealogy Society Volunteer Lori Coffey. This video will be available for approximately one month then it will be moved to the Members pages of the website. The handout for this class is permanently available on the Members pages of the website.
Oct 31 2024 Class Video – AmericanAncestors Databases. AmericanAncestors.org, the website for the New England Historic Genealogical Society, provides more than 1 billion records in over 450 databases online. Although much of the collection focuses on New England, records from around the U.S. and even some from other countries are available. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the website, and will go through the basics of searching these extensive databases. Presented by Pinellas Genealogy Society Volunteer Karen Fortin. This video will be available for approximately one month then it will be moved to the Members pages of the website. The handout for this class is permanently available on the Members pages of the website.
Oct 29 2024 Class Video – Ancestry Foundations, Features, Fixes (Three F’s). Whether you are new to Ancestry.com or a power user, in this session you will learn ideas to make your journey through this powerful tool even better. First, we explain the foundational tools you may have missed. Then we show you features that make this the number one ancestral search tool. And then, because it happens to all of us, we review fixes to common errors we can make. Presented by Pinellas Genealogy Society Volunteer Lori Coffey. This video will be available for approximately one month then it will be moved to the Members pages of the website. The handout for this class is permanently available on the Members pages of the website.
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.
19 Nov 2022: 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 last 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