MASSACHUSETTS GENEALOGICAL COUNCIL

2006 SEMINAR PROGRAM  

Researching “Birds of a Feather”: How Prosopography, Cluster Studies, and Record Linkage Techniques Can Help Put New Leaves On Your Family Tree.  Meldon J. Wolfgang introduces genealogists and family historians to several useful techniques developed and used by researchers in other academic disciplines—medieval historians, epidemiologists and sociologists, to name a few—that may help dismantle those “brick walls”.  Learn the techniques that other professionals use to reconstruct historic communities, former neighborhoods and extended families and discover how uncovering the network of relationships and patterns in your ancestors' lives can breathe new life—and real results—into your research. (http://www.jonathansheppardbooks.com)

[Prosopography is an independent science of social history embracing genealogy, onomastics and demography.]

Sleuthing in the Stacks: Using Uncommon Resources to Uncover Genealogical Clues. Continuing his theme of the morning session, Meldon J. Wolfgang will use the tools of other disciplines to solve our genealogical puzzles.  Additional references used by non-genealogy professionals and suggestions for conducting a secondary literature search will be presented. www.jonathansheppardbooks.com  

Beyond the Census: Local History in Federal Records (for intermediate and advanced researchers). Horace Waters, National Archives, will explore Civil War taxes, bankruptcy, Customs, Corps of Engineers, Works Progress Administration, and GSA Surplus Property Disposal records available at the National Archives. http://www.archives.gov/northeast