Tennessee Genealogical Society Spring Seminar
Guest Speaker Lisa Louise Cooke: 9:00 am to 3:15 pm — Saturday, May 04, 2013
Registration Form and Seminar Schedule available as download: PDF  
Registration: $20.00 TNGS members — $25.00 nonmembers 
See Lectures and Schedule details below: (1) Common Surname Google Search (2) Google Earth for Genealogy, (3) Newspapers, and (4) Finding Living Relatives.  

Registration at door begins at 8:30 am, Pickering Center, 7771 Poplar Pike, Germantown, TN (See map below) (Next to the Germantown Regional History and Genealogy Center, 7779 Poplar Pike, Germantown, TN)

Lisa Louise Cooke is the owner of Genealogy Gems, a genealogy and family history multimedia company.  She is producer and host of the Genealogy Gems Podcast, the popular online genealogy audio show, as well as the Family History: Genealogy Made Easy podcast. Both are available at http://lisalouisecooke.com/, in iTunes, and through the free Genealogy Gems app and free browser toolbar. Her podcasts bring genealogy news, research strategies, expert interviews and inspiration to genealogists in 75 countries around the world.

Cooke is the author of a variety of multimedia materials including the Genealogy Gems Premium website subscription; four books: Turn Your iPad into a Genealogy Powerhouse, How to Find Your Family History in Newspapers, The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox, and Genealogy Gems: Ultimate Research Strategies; and the video series Google Earth for Genealogy. Cooke will have books for sale during the seminar breaks.

Lectures and Schedule

1) 9:00 am-10:00 am - Common Surname Google Search: Discover Google tips and tricks to find your ancestors with common surnames and surnames that double as common words in the English language.

10:00 am-10:30 am - Break (books for sale and refreshments)

2) 10:30 am-11:30 am - Google Earth for Genealogy: Google Earth is a 360 degree three-dimensional way to view your ancestor’s world!  Google Earth has the power to geographically document your ancestor’s lives and lends itself very well to collaboration with other researchers.  It’s one of the best online genealogical tools available, and best of all, it’s FREE! 

11:30 am-1:00 pm—Lunch Break  You can enjoy lunch at one of the nearby restaurants or you may bring a bag lunch.  Drinks will be furnished on site.

3) 1:00 pm-2:00 pm - Newspapers: Yearning to “read all about it?” Newspapers are a fantastic source of research leads, information and historical context for your family history. Learn the specialized approach that is required to achieve success in locating the news on your ancestors. 

2:00 pm-2:15 pm - Break (books for sale and refreshments)

4) 2:15 pm-3:15 pm - Finding Living Relatives: Learn the techniques that private investigators use to track down missing people.  These strategies will help you find those elusive living relatives who may hold the key to your brick wall or possess that treasured photo you’ve been seeking.

Registration Form and Seminar Schedule available as download: PDF / Registration: $20.00 TNGS members — $25.00 nonmembers. For additional information, call 901-413-7995 or email Tina Sansone: [email protected]

April 2013 Events:
Mark your calendar and participate in these learning experiences with other family researchers. Unless otherwise noted, all classes and programs are: 1) free and open to the public, and 2) held in the Tennessee Genealogical Society lecture room in the Germantown Regional History and Genealogy Center, 7779 Poplar Pike, Germantown, TN 38138. For details call 901-413-7995 or email Tina Sansone: [email protected]

Spring Lecture Series: Each Thursday @ 7:00 pm, April 04 – May 02
Thursday, April 04 ~ 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (50 minute lecture per speaker with a 10 minute break) ~ TnGenSoc Lecture Room 
Guest speakers Carol Perel and Therese Fisher:

Carol Perel will discuss how "Cotton" defined the culture of the South and changed the nation's history. Perel is the past Director of Operations for the Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange and is currently the Executive Director of the West Tennessee Historical Society. Perel's presentation will include interesting information about cotton affecting the lives of our ancestors and our lives today. 

Therese Fisher will discuss "How to Evaluate Published and Online Genealogies." Fisher is the principal genealogist in Fisher Associates, a firm specializing in heir search services and genealogical work. Fisher is an accredited genealogist by the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists, the oldest company in the U.S. offering credentials in genealogy.  

Genealogy Help 
Thursday, April 11 ~ 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm  ~ TnGenSoc Lecture Room 
Bring your brick walls or genealogy questions. Join us for a brainstorming session to help attendees in their genealogical endeavors. We will review databases, online websites and provide some individual help. We occasionally will do online lookups for attendees.  For details call 901-413-7995 or email Tina Sansone: [email protected]

Spring Lecture Series: Each Thursday @ 7:00 pm, April 04 – May 02
Thursday, April 11 ~ 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (50 minute lecture per speaker with a 10 minute break) ~ TnGenSoc Lecture Room 
Guest speakers Andy Pouncey and Carol Maynard:

Andy Pouncey will speak on “World War I: What’s Left Today of the Western Front Battlefields.” Pouncey is the Economic and Development Services Director for Germantown, TN and is also involved in the development of the Germantown Tennessee Museum.

Carol Maynard will speak on “The Elusive Female.” She will provide tips for finding a woman’s last name and ancestry. For years, Maynard has helped Mid-Southerners trace their roots at Family History Centers across the Mid-South. 

Quaker Research 
Monday, April 15 ~ 11:00 am to 12:00 n  ~ TnGenSoc Lecture Room 
Resources for researching your Quaker Ancestry.  For details call 901-413-7995 or email Tina Sansone: [email protected]

Spring Lecture Series: Each Thursday @ 7:00 pm, April 04 – May 02
Thursday, April 18 ~ 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (50 minute lecture per speaker with a 10 minute break) ~ TnGenSoc Lecture Room 
Guest speakers Willy Bearden and Tina Sansone:

Willy Bearden will discuss "Telling Our Story." Bearden is President of the Willy Bearden Company, Inc., a production company specializing in live events, documentary film production, writing and museum exhibit production. As a filmmaker, Bearden is known for his popular "Memphis Memoirs" programs about local history.

Tina Sansone will discuss “Disasters that May Have Influenced Our Ancestors; Protecting our Research."  
Through personal experience, Sansone understands the importance of protecting genealogical research and will share helpful tips. As Vice President of the Tennessee Genealogical Society, Sansone schedules the programs for the society. She is also the Genealogy Editor for BellaOnline. 

Spring Lecture Series: Each Thursday @ 7:00 pm, April 04 – May 02
Thursday, April 25 ~ 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (50 minute lecture per speaker with a 10 minute break) ~ TnGenSoc Lecture Room 
Guest speakers Darlene Hooker Sawyer and Dr. Jane Howles Hooker:

Darlene Hooker Sawyer and Dr. Jane Howles Hooker will discuss "Cordova Museum" and "Early Settlers of the 8th and 9th Civil Districts." Darlene Hooker Sawyer, a lifelong resident of the area, is a descendant of the Hooker family from Virginia, which settled in the area in 1836. She attended the Cordova School that now houses the Cordova Museum; Sawyer is the curator and executive director of the museum. Dr. Jane Howles Hooker is an associate professor emeritus at the University of Memphis, where she served 40 years in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences. Her English American heritage and her marriage into the Hooker family sparked her interest in the history and genealogy of the area.

Field Trip: Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library
Friday, April 26 ~ 10:00 am to 12:00 n ~ The Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library is located at 3030 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38111 (between Poplar Ave, Walnut Grove Rd, Holmes St, and Tillman St ~ next to Chickasaw Oaks Plaza/Village). 

Bring your research and meet us at the library: Genealogy Collection, History Department, 4th Floor. "The Genealogy Collection is one of the library’s most frequently used resources. The collection’s strongest area is in microfilmed and indexed Memphis and Shelby County records. There are also United States census records for 1790-1920 on microfilm with indexes or Soundex, as well as genealogical source books, published family histories and magazines with an emphasis on 18th and 19th century southern United States, especially Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas." 

If you need transportation, contact Tina Sansone at 901-413-7955 or email [email protected]. No registration is required for this field trip.

Let's Discuss It (genealogy/computer discussion group)
Saturday, April 27 ~ 10:00 am to 12:00 n ~ TnGenSoc Lecture Room 
Participate in a genealogy/computer discussion group led by Debbie Atchley. Bring up your topic of interest and/or soak up the knowledge from the round table. No registration is required for this program. "Let's Discuss It" handouts available for download.

May 2013 Events:

Spring Lecture Series: Each Thursday @ 7:00 pm, April 04 – May 02
Thursday, May 02 ~ 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (50 minute lecture per speaker with a 10 minute break) ~ TnGenSoc Lecture Room 
Guest speakers Dr. John E. Harkins and Alan Hall:

Dr. John E. Harkins will speak on "Milestones and Myths in Memphis History." Dr. Harkins is President of the West Tennessee Historical Society, an archivist, and author of  Historic Shelby County, an Illustrated History.

Alan Hall will speak on “European Naming Practices: Surnames and Given.” Hall has been a researcher and Family History Consultant for many years. His lectures convey his passion for history and his flair for storytelling. 

2013 Spring Seminar ~ Lisa Louise Cooke ~ Host of The Genealogy Gems Podcast
Saturday, May 4 ~ 9:00 am to 3:15 pm 
Registration Form and Seminar Schedule available as download: PDF 
Registration: $20.00 TGS members — $25.00 nonmembers 
See Lectures and Schedule for details: 1) Common Surname Google Search (2) Google Earth for Genealogy, (3) Newspapers, and (4) Finding Living Relatives.  

Lisa Louise Cooke ~ Producer/Host of The Genealogy Gems Podcast ~ a free online genealogy audio show. Episodes feature research strategies, expert interviews and much more. Featured speaker Lisa Louise Cooke has an impressive bio and website. 

Registration at door begins at 8:30 am, Pickering Center, 7771 Poplar Pike, Germantown, TN (Next to the Germantown Regional History and Genealogy Center, 7779 Poplar Pike, Germantown, TN)

Genealogy Help 
Thursday, May 09 ~ 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm  ~ TnGenSoc Lecture Room 
Bring your brick walls or genealogy questions. Join us for a brainstorming session to help attendees in their genealogical endeavors. We will review databases, online websites and provide some individual help. We occasionally will do online lookups for attendees.  For details call 901-413-7995 or email Tina Sansone: [email protected]

CANCELLED: Let's Discuss It (genealogy/computer discussion group)
Saturday, May 25 ~ 10:00 am to 12:00 n ~ TnGenSoc Lecture Room 

Enrich Your Life with Family History Research 
Saturday, May 25 ~ 10:00 am to 12:00 n ~ Germantown Community Library
Author Linda Reaves and Sharon Kelso will discuss how their lives have been enriched by researching their own family histories.