Westward Migration and Research in the Western States

There are seven lectures in the Westward Migration Track and fourteen in the Western States Track. 

Topics include:

• Trails and routes to get West
• Irish miners in America
• The Okies-migrants to California
• Stories of pioneering women on the American Frontier
• The Klondike Gold Rush
• Homesteading
• The diaspora of southerners to the West
• What happened to the Gold Rush miners
• Understanding Westward migration from songs and stories
• The orphan trains
• Western States research strategies
• Angel Island–the Ellis Island of the West
• Researching multiple cultures in Southern California
• Records of the Forty-niners and the Gold Rush
• Arizona Genealogical resources
• Case studies of New Englanders and other Easterners who migrated West

Speakers:

L. to R. Julia Anderson, Charlotte Bocage, Grant Din, and Jean Hibben 

L. to R.  Sharon Hoyt, Dayna Jacobs, Melinda Kashuba, and Rebecca Koford

L. to R.  Janice Lovelace, Jill Morelli, Cheri Passey, and David Rencher

L. to R.  Mary Roddy, Joshua Taylor, Pam Vestal, and Ari Wilkins

 

Julia Anderson, AG, accredited in the US Gulf South region, owns Anderson Genealogical Research LLC, and teaches research methodology classes for Salt Lake Community College.

Charlotte Bocage has over four decades of experience.  She has taught for OLLI at UCLA, Family Tree University, and lectured at societies and conferences nationwide.

Grant Din, MA, has specialized in Asian American research for over thirty-five years and is a board member of CGS.

Jean Wilcox Hibben, PhD, is a retired speech professor, speaker, and author, president Corona Genealogical Society, past president, Southern California Chapter, APG, and a former director Corona, California, FHC.

Sharon Hoyt, MLIS, CG, is a researcher, lecturer and writer, and a winner of the NGS and Minnesota State Genealogical Society Family History Writing Contests.

Dayna Jacobs, AG, a native Californian, is accredited in Mountain West and Southwestern States research by ICAPGen.  She is an investigative genetic genealogist.

Melinda Kashuba, PhD, is a professional genealogist, specializing in nineteenth to twenty-first century California records.  Her publications include a book about maps and genealogy.

Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, CGL,  focuses on Maryland and military records.  She is executive director of BCG and director of Gen-Fed.

Janice Lovelace, PhD, is a genealogical researcher, lecturer, and author of the NGS continuing education course African American Roots: A Historical Perspective.

Jill Morelli, CG lectures on methodology and Scandinavian topics.  She founded the online Certification Discussion Group.  In 2017, sharing her journey to receive the credential.

Cheri Hudson Passey is a professional genealogist and owner of Carolina Girl Genealogy, LLC.  She is also a researcher for the US Army Repatriations Branch.

David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FUGA, FIGRS, FHL director is chief genealogical officer of FamilySearch, past president of FGS, and an Irish research specialist.

Mary Kircher Roddy, CG, lectures at regional and national events on methodology and unique ways to search.  She has written for national journals and magazines.

D. Joshua Taylor, MLS, is a professional genealogist specializing in New England and New York families, president NYG&B, and host of Genealogy Roadshow (PBS)

Pam Vestal specializes in genealogical research and biographies.  Her articles have appeared in the APG Quarterly and FGS Forum Magazine.

Ari Wilkins is a genealogy professional and staff member at Dallas Public Library.  Researching for the past twenty years, she specializes in African American research.

Katherine R. Willson (picture n/a) is a genealogical educator; founder and past president of Virtual Genealogical Association; coordinator and instructor for SLIG; and creator of the “Genealogy on Facebook” list.