CGS and OFSC volunteers host a series of fun, informal discussions on a variety of topics. These free gatherings, available in-person at the Center or via Zoom, are held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Come to the FamilySearch genealogical library, meet other family history researchers, and learn to use the library’s databases, scanning and digitizing equipment, and many other resources!
2024 SCHEDULE
April Topics:
- Wednesday, April 3, 11:00 am: "UK Registration Research from 1841-1923 (England, Wales, and Scotland)" with Bruce McLeod. Case studies will be presented using GRO, FreeBMD, FindMyPast, and ScotlandsPeople. Bruce worked 38 years as a trial attorney that prepared him well for many of the aspects of doing genealogical research. He got very interested in doing family history about 12 years ago and has been at it in a variety of different ways ever since. In addition to scouting out his own family, he has worked as a world-wide Family History Consultant for FamilySearch, an Area Family History Advisor for the area covering the mid-Bay area down to Monterey and most recently completed service as the Director of the Oakland FamilySearch Center.
- Tuesday, April 9, 11:00 am: "How To Series-Descendancy Research on FamilySearch" with Denise Plaskett. Typically when doing genealogy we start with ourselves and move back in time. Descendancy research is about choosing an ancestor and moving forward in time to the present. This type of research helps you find "cousins", those with whom you can form new relationships and who might be able to help you with your research (think family Bibles, photos, and stories). Come and see how to do descendancy research using FamilySearch. Denise dabbled in family history research beginning in the 1980's, again in the 1990's, some in the early 2000's, but then more earnestly and continuously since 2013! She loves building her family tree but especially loves the technology and helping others grow their trees. She currently serves as an Associate Director at the Oakland FamilySearch Center and lives in Fairfield.
- Wednesday, April 10, 11:00 am: "DNA Part 1 of 3 - Intro to the Basics of DNA" with Sue Severson. This is a repeat of the informative class given in November. Sue Severson, OFSC volunteer, has had a lifelong passion for genealogy and science! In Part 1, she will explain the types of DNA, the tests available, comparison of labs and how to use the DNA for family history research.
- Wednesday, April 10, 6:30 pm: "DNA Part 1 of 3 - Intro to the Basics of DNA" with Sue Severson. This is a repeat of the informative class given in November. Sue Severson, OFSC volunteer, has had a lifelong passion for genealogy and science! In Part 1 she will explain the types of DNA, the tests available, comparison of labs and how to use the DNA for family history research.
- Wednesday, April 17, 11:00 am: "DNA Part 2 of 3 - Making Sense of Your DNA Matches to Expand Your Tree" with Sue Severson. Part 2 provides information that is especially helpful for adoptees and lost fathers. Connect with unknown cousins. Learn more about your extended family and more.
- Wednesday, April 17, 6:30 pm: "DNA Part 2 of 3 - Making Sense of Your DNA Matches to Expand Your Tree" with Sue Severson. Part 2 provides information that is especially helpful for adoptees and lost fathers. Connect with unknown cousins. Learn more about your extended family and more.
- Tuesday, April 23, 11:00 am: "How to Series-Navigating My Heritage" with Bruce McLeod. The MyHeritage website is a treasure-trove of genealogy resources. From their "Deep Story" and photo enhancements to DNA analysis to tree consistency checkers to over 19 billion historical records, there is much to use on this site. Learn how to navigate the MyHeritage Library Edition which is available at the Center and also get some tips on using a MyHeritage personal subscription in this hands-on presentation." Bruce worked 38 years as a trial attorney that prepared him well for many of the aspects of doing genealogical research. He got very interested in doing family history about 12 years ago and has been at it in a variety of different ways ever since. In addition to scouting out his own family, he has worked as a world-wide Family History Consultant for FamilySearch, an Area Family History Advisor for the area covering the mid-Bay area down to Monterey and most recently completed service as the Director of the Oakland FamilySearch Center.
- Wednesday, April 24, 11:00 am: "DNA Part 3 of 3 - Breaking Through Genealogy Brick Walls: How to Focus Your DNA Matches to Solve Family History Mysteries" with Sue Severson. This session will show you how to focus your DNA matches to solve specific family history mysteries. Where the paper trail ends, genetic genealogy begins to shed new light on your pedigree.
- Wednesday, April 24, 6:30 pm: "DNA Part 3 of 3 - Breaking Through Genealogy Brick Walls: How to Focus Your DNA Matches to Solve Family History Mysteries" with Sue Severson. This session will show you how to focus your DNA matches to solve specific family history mysteries. Where the paper trail ends, genetic genealogy begins to shed new light on your pedigree.
- Tuesday, April 30, 11:00 am: "HistoryGeo" with Debbie Hunt. (This was originally scheduled for Wednesday, March 20th). This class focuses on linking old U.S. public land maps and land records to your ancestors. It contains three collections: First Landowners Project, Place-Finder plus Topographical Maps, and the Antique Maps Collection. Debbie is a volunteer at OFSC and has always known she was 100% Italian, but it wasn't until she was in her 20s that she set out to find her ancestors and their stories. In 2013, she fulfilled a lifelong dream to visit the two small Italian towns from which her grandparents emigrated to the United States. She is passionate about helping others find their ancestors and their stories. She is fluent in Spanish and needs to brush up on her Italian!
May Topics:
- Wednesday, May 1, 11:00 am: "Exploring Hawaiian Records for Genealogical Research" with Cindy Thomson. Cindy will share with you the records available for Hawaiian research and where to find them both online and in Hawaii. Cindy is a CGS member and has been actively researching her Asian ancestry for years. Born in Hawaii, Cindy makes frequent trips there and also enjoys assisting others to help advance their family history.
- Wednesday, May 1, 6:30 pm: "Using American Ancestors.org" with Matt Berry. This talk will give an overview of the AmericanAncestors.org website including its extensive educational material and many databases. While the site used to have a predominantly New England focus, it now offers databases covering all fifty states and many countries. Matthew Blaine Berry, CG, is a director of the California Genealogical Society and a trustee of the Board for Certification of Genealogists. His passions are genealogy and the Camino de Santiago.
- Tuesday, May 7, 11:00 am: "How to Series: Using Linkpendium" with Denise Plaskett. What is Linkpendium? Per their website "Linkpendium is a 10,000,000+ resource directory to everything on the Web about families worldwide and genealogically-relevant information about U.S. states and counties." This hands-on presentation will have you navigating Linkpendium with ease, tracking down those records and valuable information you need to find your ancestors and their stories. Denise dabbled in family history research beginning in the 1980's, again in the 1990's, some in the early 2000's, but then more earnestly and continuously since 2013! She loves building her family tree but especially loves the technology and helping others grow their trees. She currently serves as an Associate Director at the Oakland FamilySearch Center and lives in Fairfield.
- Wednesday, May 8, 6:30 pm: "Contacting Cousins: How? Why? (DNA, Photos, Family History and more)" with Jane Lindsey. We all begin our research by finding our ancestors . But cousins, close or distant, may have family information that provides clues to enhancing your research. A long time CGS member, Jane also volunteers at the OFSC. She loves helping patrons and hopes to get more CGS members to come to OFSC for a visit in 2024.
- Wednesday, May 15, 11:00 am: "Expand Your Family Tree: Hands on Help from OFSC Volunteers in the Computer Lab" with Jane Lindsey and others. Come with questions and plan to stay to get assistance finding information to expand your tree with tips for more productive searches and finding new records to use. Jane has been researching her family for forty years and has done client research and enjoys helping friends and visitors to the Center advance their research.
- Wednesday, May 15, 6:30 pm: "Sharing Family History with Children" with Marisa Louie Lee. Inspire an interest in family history with the children in your family! We'll discuss the importance of rituals and storytelling to children and explore some practical family history activities for busy families. Marisa Louie Lee is a freelance researcher and workshop speaker who specializes in federal government records and Asian American history and genealogy. She previously worked for the National Archives at San Francisco and the Chinese Historical Society of America. Marisa is a proud alumna of the “Friends of Roots” program and enjoys sharing family history with her daughters, ages 5 and 8.
- Tuesday, May 21, 11:00 am: "How to Series: Indexing and Other FamilySearch Projects" with Bruce Dearden. We are all very appreciative of the ability to put an ancestor's name into a search field and discover historical records that define that ancestor's life. This type of searching is available because the records have been indexed. On FamilySearch this indexing has largely been done by volunteers and is an activity that you can do as well. This session will show you how to do this. Besides indexing, there are other activities like "Name Review" in which you can get involved. These activities are a way to give back and improve the user experience on FamilySearch. Bruce Dearden serves as a full-time missionary at the Oakland FamilySearch Center. He and his wife Annie are from Huntsville, Alabama. Having lost his father at a young age, he has always been interested in discovering and connecting with family and researching his roots. Bruce has been indexing for the past ten years with a focus on 19th century Flemish birth, marriage, and death records. He recently participated in the 1950 U.S. Census project.
The Oakland FamilySearch Center is located at 4766 Lincoln Avenue. OFSC Directions and Parking
For more information, call 510-531-3905 or email fhcoakland@gmail.com.
Note: Separate registration required for each session.
