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.]
20 Dec 2025 Program Video – Best Genealogy Tips in 2025 Every month in 2025, Pinellas Genealogy Society has introduced interesting and informative speakers – all with lots of tips on how to do your genealogy better. Here you get the best of those tips in one place! Even If you missed a meeting! 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.
9 Dec 2025 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.
8 Dec 2025 Class Video Video – Evaluating Genealogical Evidence If you expect others to review your family tree, you will want to evaluate your evidence to be able to prove your information. This overview includes the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) and how to use it to solidify your research conclusions for generations! Presented by Pinellas Genealogy Society Trainer Emeritus Peter Summers in 2022.
24 Nov 2025 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, how can we use AI to enhance it? 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 in this area. It will also appear on the Members pages of the website indefinitely.
20 Nov 2025 Class Video – Census Before 1850 Many researchers become frustrated with the difficulty in researching the US Census prior to 1850 because of only the heads of households being explicitly named. However, those early censuses contain more information than one might initially think. This class examines the characteristics of the pre-1850 census, the information available, and some strategies for analyzing those census years. 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.
13 Nov 2025 Class Video – AmericanAncestors.org: Searching the Online Databases American Ancestors, 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 in this area. It will also appear on the Members pages of the website indefinitely.
12 Nov 2025 Class Video – CCCs History and Research They were the young men of the Civilian Conservation Corps far from home in the nation’s publicly owned forests and parks. Earning money to send back to their needy families, they contributed to the renewal and beautification of the country. First, we explain the history that led to the need for this mammoth government project and what was accomplished. And then we’ll show you the records and how you can find your own CCCer. 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.
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.
28 Oct 2025 Class Video – DNA and WikiTree|Manning Luce The Pinellas Genealogy Society DNA Special Interest Group (SIG) discusses using WikiTree and DNA uses in it. With Denise Manning, Susan Luce, and guest speakers Denise Jarrett and William Watson. This video will be available for approximately one month in this area. It will also appear on the Members pages of the website indefinitely.
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