Follow Us

Menu
Log in

      

TENNESSEE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

Log in

Member Log In

All events are listed in Central time. If you have any questions concerning our events, please feel free to contact our Programs Manager

Upcoming events

    • Saturday, September 30, 2023
    • 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    • GoToWebinar
    • 234
    Register

    Tennessee Research

    by Nancy Walczyk

    THIS WILL BE A HYBRID PRESENTATION

    Join us for our bi-annual presentation on researching your ancestors with Tennessee connections.  Our presenter will be Nancy Walczyk, TNGS Research Director. This presentation will cover the early history, maps, sources for researching vital, court, probate records and other tips for investigating the "Volunteer State".

    Nancy Walczyk is the Director of Research for the Tennessee Genealogical Society, a position she has held since 2016. She has been researching her own family (which, sadly, contains no Tennessee ancestors) for over twenty years.

    This will be  a hybrid presentation. Nancy will present in-person at Tn Genealogical Society at 7779 Poplar Pike Germantown, TN and online via GoToWebinar.

    Access will be through GoToWebinar & In-person. Instructions and Connectivity Link will be forwarded via email to all registrants upon registration, six days prior and again 1 hour prior to the event. Making the connection is quick and easy only requiring a computer and Internet connectivity from wherever you chose to watch the event. Your questions help drive the meetings, and we will be there to help each other.





    • Wednesday, October 04, 2023
    • 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    • GoToWebinar
    • 207
    Register

      10 Must Haves for Genealogy and Family History Success

    by Thomas MacEntee

    Whether you’re just “dabbling” in genealogy and researching your roots, or you’ve become a “hard core lifer” obsessed with “the hunt,” there are basic skills that family historians of all levels have in common. We’ll review those skills that can help you find success researching online or in-person.

    Thomas MacEntee is a professional genealogist specializing in the use of technology and social media to improve genealogical research and as a means of interacting with others in the family history community.



    • Saturday, October 14, 2023
    • 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    • GoToWebinar
    • 254
    Register

    RESCHEDULED

    Mining the Census:  Are You Finding Every Clue?

    by Robyn Smith

    Can’t find some of your ancestors in the census?

    This webinar is for you. The census records are where it all starts for most of us. Finding our families in the census during their lifetimes serves as the foundation for much of our research.

    But in this age of Ancestry and other digital databases, we cede far too much power to the search box.

    In this webinar, Robyn provides an overview of all the reasons we miss our ancestors in these records and provides some strategies to assist in overcoming these pitfalls.

    And for those who believe they are skilled far beyond the basics of census records, this lecture will prove that there is always something new to learn. She also reviews all the valuable details hidden in those “other” census columns we routinely dismiss.

    Access will be through GoToWebinar. Instructions and Connectivity Link will be forwarded via email to all registrants upon registration, six days prior and again 1 hour prior to the event. Making the connection is quick and easy only requiring a computer and Internet connectivity from wherever you chose to watch the event. Your questions help drive the meetings, and we will be there to help each other.



    • Saturday, October 21, 2023
    • 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    • GoToWebinar
    • 406
    Register

    TNGS Quarterly Membership Meeting

    Please join us for the Fourth Quarterly Membership Meeting for the year open to members and non-members. We encourage everyone to attend this meeting in order to receive an update of the Society’s current status, upcoming programs and events.


    Moonshine and Stills:  Finding Archived Records for Your Moonshiner Ancestors

    by Melissa Barker

    Have you been told that our ancestors made moonshine? Have you ever wondered if there were records to help you verify those stories? Learn from an archivist who has found moonshine records in the archives about finding records for our moonshine ancestors.

    Melissa Barker, a.k.a. The Archive Lady, is a Certified Archives Manager in the Houston County, Tennessee Archives. She is a professional genealogist and lectures, teaches and writes about genealogy research, researching in archives and records preservation. Melissa blogs at agenealogistinthearchives.blogspot.com.

    Access will be through GoToWebinar. Instructions and Connectivity Link will be forwarded via email to all registrants upon registration, six days prior and again 1 hour prior to the event. Making the connection is quick and easy only requiring a computer and Internet connectivity from wherever you chose to watch the event. Your questions help drive the meetings, and we will be there to help each other.

    • Wednesday, October 25, 2023
    • 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    • GoToWebinar
    • 376
    Register

    Material Culture of Death

    by Gena Philibert-Ortega

    Most genealogy research stops at the search for an ancestor’s burial place, obituary, or death certificate but there is much more to understanding what those resources tell us about our ancestors' death. In this presentation we will take an up-close look at death in the 19th century, exploring what items were used to mourn and to mark the death of a person and what they can tell us about our ancestors' lives.

    Gena Philibert-Ortega is an author, researcher, and instructor whose focus is genealogy, social and women's history. She holds a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Psychology and Women's Studies) and a Master’s degree in Religion. Her published works include two books, numerous articles published in magazines and online, as well as six editions of the Tracing Your Ancestors series from Moorshead Publishing. Her writings can be found on her blogs, Gena’s Genealogy and Food, Family.Ephemera as well as the GenealogyBank and Legacy Webinars blogs. She has presented to diverse groups worldwide including the Legacy Family Tree Webinar series. Her current research includes women's repatriation and citizenship in the 20th century, foodways and community in fundraising cookbooks, and women's material culture.

    Access will be through GoToWebinar. Instructions and Connectivity Link will be forwarded via email to all registrants upon registration, six days prior and again 1 hour prior to the event. Making the connection is quick and easy only requiring a computer and Internet connectivity from wherever you chose to watch the event. Your questions help drive the meetings, and we will be there to help each other.




    • Saturday, October 28, 2023
    • 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    • GoToWebinar
    • 449
    Register

                     Let's Discuss It!                                 

     Join our popular discussion group and learn what is trending   in Genealogy. John Ware will examine the latest websites, software programs, technologies and tools.

    County Corner:

                                                       Hardin County & Weakley County

    Access will be through GoToWebinar. Instructions and Connectivity Link will be forwarded via email to all registrants upon registration, six days prior and again 1 hour prior to the event. Making the connection is quick and easy only requiring a computer and Internet connectivity from wherever you chose to watch the event. Your questions help drive the meetings, and we will be there to help each other


    • Wednesday, November 01, 2023
    • 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    • GoToWebinar
    • 444
    Register

    Genealogy with Moravian Church Records

    by Tom McCullough

    The Moravian Church is one of the oldest Protestant denominations and is often recognized for its unique and thorough recordkeeping. This program explores the wide variety of records preserved in archives of the Moravian Church and demonstrates how such records are resourceful for genealogists and family historians. Using records from the Moravian Archives in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, assistant archivist Tom McCullough will take participants on a personal tour of the collections, from baptismal records to church diaries to memoirs to photographs, among other items.

    Access will be through GoToWebinar. Instructions and Connectivity Link will be forwarded via email to all registrants upon registration, six days prior and again 1 hour prior to the event. Making the connection is quick and easy only requiring a computer and Internet connectivity from wherever you chose to watch the event. Your questions help drive the meetings, and we will be there to help each other.

     


    • Saturday, November 04, 2023
    • 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
    • Pickering Center 7771 Poplar Pike Germantown, TN and via GoToWebinar
    • 459
    Register

    Tennessee Genealogical Society

    2023 Fall Seminar

    Jason Terrell

    and

    Chuck Sherrill

       This event will be held at the Pickering Center and broadcast via GoToWebinar

    For those attending in person, a box lunch from Firehouse Subs will be included with your registration

    Refund Policy: Full refund if request is received on or before November 2, 2023. A refund of the registration fee less $20 will be given for requests received after November 2, 2023. No refunds for requests received the day of the seminar or later. 

    Session Schedule

    8:30 a.m. - Webinar Opens

    9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. - Opening Remarks & Introduction

    9:15 – 10:15 a.m. - The Role of Rolls: The Final Roll of the Five Civilized Tribes  (Jason Terrell)

    10:15-10:30 a.m. - Break

    10:30-11:30 a.m. The Role of Rolls: The Guion Miller Rolls  (Jason Terrell)

    11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Lunch

    12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. -   From the Web to the Archives - How to Find the Good Stuff in TN Court Records (Chuck Sherrill)

    1:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m. - Break

    1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. -  Manuscript Collections and Other Genealogy Resources (Chuck Sherrill)

    2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. - Q&A & Wrap-up

    The Role of Rolls: The Final Roll of the Five Civilized Tribes (Jason Terrell)

    When researching Native American family history, the role of various types of rolls can be both critical and confusing. In this session, we will look in depth at one of the most consulted and most misunderstood of those rolls, the Final Roll of the Five Civilized Tribes also known as the Dawes Roll. We'll look at the history of the roll, who was included and who was not (and why), as well as places we can do research into this important source. This roll will apply to those with potential ancestry in one of the so-called Five Civilized Tribes: Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muskogee Creek, and Seminole.

    The Role of Rolls: The Guion Miller Rolls (Jason Terrell)

    When researching Native American family history, the role of various types of rolls can be both critical and confusing. In this session, we will look in depth at a roll created as a result of a lawsuit filed by Cherokee citizens and descendants. When looking into Cherokee heritage, the information contained in the applications for this roll will provide a great deal of information that can't be found anywhere else including extended family, Cherokee names, letters from people who knew the family, etc. Also, applicants for this roll came from a number of areas outside of Oklahoma, so even rejected applications can contain great information for the family historian for those with no ancestors in Oklahoma. Details contained in the applications for this roll will apply to those with potential Cherokee heritage.

    From the Web to the Archives - How to Find the Good Stuff in TN Court Records (Chuck Sherrill)

    Online research is a great way to start, but to find the most detailed information about your ancestors in court records a trip to the courthouse or archives is needed. In this program former State Librarian & Archivist Chuck Sherrill will talk about the 15-year effort it has taken to put an index to the Tennessee Supreme Court records online, how to use that index, and how to follow up on the information you find there and get the "good stuff" from the original records.

    Manuscript Collections, and Other Genealogy Resources (Chuck Sherrill)

    Until recently, manuscript collections were mostly hidden treasures that few genealogists found. With the advent of web-based finding aids that has changed. In this program you'll find out what manuscript collections are and how to find and search online for collections that will help in your research. The lecture will also describe how to use those online finding aids to gain access to the originals, and will provide examples that demonstrate why the search is worth the effort. 


    • Wednesday, November 08, 2023
    • 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    • GoToWebinar
    • 460
    Register

    Making the Movie "Casablanca"

    by Mike Ellicott

    The classic movie Casablanca, now acknowledged as one of the top five films of all time, was not an obvious success.  It was based on an unpublished play by two unknown authors. Early in the filming, two of its biggest stars, Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, seriously discussed how to get out of the movie.  They found the dialog ridiculous and the situations unbelievable. Finally, filming began before the script was completed. No one knew how the story ended. In spite of these, and other, problems the movie earned three Academy Awards and became one of the greatest love stories of all time. This presentation will discuss the making of the movie and how its international cast, world affairs, and the US Government helped make it a success. 

    The speaker recommends everyone watch the movie, Casablanca, prior to the program to fully benefit from the presentation.

    Mike Ellicott retired as a Colonel after a 26-year career in the Army Corps of Engineers and he retired again 16 years later as the Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning and Construction for the Texas Tech University System.  He now focuses on his love of WWII and Civil War history and leads, with his wife Marilyn, tours of the Normandy and Gettysburg Battlefields.  Marilyn and Mike live in Collierville, he is the Past President of the Friends of the Morton Museum in Collierville. 

    Access will be through GoToWebinar. Instructions and Connectivity Link will be forwarded via email to all registrants upon registration, six days prior and again 1 hour prior to the event. Making the connection is quick and easy only requiring a computer and Internet connectivity from wherever you chose to watch the event. Your questions help drive the meetings, and we will be there to help each other.



    • Thursday, November 16, 2023
    • 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    • GoToMeeting
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    Writing Your Family History SIG

    Facilitator - Carla Maitland

    Join us for four workshops this year in our GoToMeeting platform as we meet together, face-to-face, and discuss, share, and critique each other’s family history writing. Whether you choose journals, blogs, newsletters, books, or some other form of writing, we can all use the input of others. These sessions will be led by a facilitator, who will not directly teach, but who will guide the discussions, ensuring the involvement of everyone. Bring your pen, pencil, computer or whatever you use to write, and join the sessions with ideas to share with others as well!



    • Wednesday, November 29, 2023
    • 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    • GoToWebinar
    • 490
    Register

    Special Presidential Pardons of Tennesseans

    by James Douthat

    When the Civil War ended, many in the North wanted to exact punishment on the South.  However, Abraham Lincoln’s plan was to restore the south to brotherhood with the north.  His death came so sudden that he did not get to enact amnesty fully.  There were exclusions forced on the south that prevent many of the leaders of the south to obtain pardon for their actions during the war.  There was a General Amnesty given for the average soldier in the trenches, but many of the officers could not be pardoned.  For example, Civil or Diplomatic agents who were official of the Confederacy or judicial post converted to the South.  Included were members of the U. S. Congress who left to aid the rebellion.  In all there were thirteen exclusions that kept a person from getting a pardon.  In this we will look into the records of those who received Special Presidential Pardons, and what they had to do to acquire this pardon.

    Jim Douthat is a retired Methodist minister, founder of Mountain Press Publishing Company, and an awarded historian.  Mountain Press was formed in 1983 by James L. Douthat for the purpose of presenting primary research material for the historian and genealogist. Mountain Press has over 2,000 volumes of genealogy materials such as census, marriage, birth, death, and will records. 

    Access will be through GoToWebinar. Instructions and Connectivity Link will be forwarded via email to all registrants upon registration, six days prior and again 1 hour prior to the event. Making the connection is quick and easy only requiring a computer and Internet connectivity from wherever you chose to watch the event. Your questions help drive the meetings, and we will be there to help each other.



    • Saturday, December 02, 2023
    • 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    • GoToWebinar
    • 485
    Register

      Let's Discuss It!                                       

     Join our popular discussion group and learn what is trending   in Genealogy. John Ware will examine the latest websites, software programs, technologies and tools.


    County Corner - Montgomery County, Warren County, Blount County & Washington County

    Access will be through GoToWebinar. Instructions and Connectivity Link will be forwarded via email to all registrants upon registration, six days prior and again 1 hour prior to the event. Making the connection is quick and easy only requiring a computer and Internet connectivity from wherever you chose to watch the event. Your questions help drive the meetings, and we will be there to help each other


    • Tuesday, December 05, 2023
    • 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    • GoToWebinar
    • 479
    Register

    America Attacked:  Pearl Harbor Anniversary Program

    by Mike Ellicott

    The United States entered WWII on December 7, 1941, when the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked the US Pacific Fleet anchored in Pearl Harbor in the Territory of Hawaii.  While the place and date of the attack surprised the United States Military, the attack itself was not unexpected.  Intelligence officials had been predicting an attack somewhere in the Pacific, most likely the Philippines, for several months.  That the Japanese were able to launch the attack from carrier-based aircraft came as a complete shock.  This presentation will discuss the history of the attack, the Japanese plan, the attack itself, and the aftermath.  It will also compare America’s Day of Infamy to a more recent surprise, but not unexpected, attack on America that again used aircraft in an unexpected way.

    Mike Ellicott retired as a Colonel after a 26-year career in the Army Corps of Engineers and he retired again 16 years later as the Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning and Construction for the Texas Tech University System.  He now focuses on his love of WWII and Civil War history and leads, with his wife Marilyn, tours of the Normandy and Gettysburg Battlefields.  Marilyn and Mike live in Collierville, he is the Past President of the Friends of the Morton Museum in Collierville. 

    Access will be through GoToWebinar. Instructions and Connectivity Link will be forwarded via email to all registrants upon registration, six days prior and again 1 hour prior to the event. Making the connection is quick and easy only requiring a computer and Internet connectivity from wherever you chose to watch the event. Your questions help drive the meetings, and we will be there to help each other.



    • Saturday, December 09, 2023
    • 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    • GoToWebinar
    • 485
    Register

    Roots Magic 9 Ancestor Color Coding and Reports By Merle Ilgenfritz

    This presentation will show how to color code ancestors in Roots Magic 9 which is useful when doing DNA Chromosome matching and this presentation will examine the various reports the software can generate.


    Access will be through GoToWebinar. Instructions and Connectivity Link will be forwarded via email to all registrants upon registration, six days prior and again 1 hour prior to the event. Making the connection is quick and easy only requiring a computer and Internet connectivity from wherever you chose to watch the event. Your questions help drive the meetings, and we will be there to help each other.


    • Saturday, December 16, 2023
    • 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    • GoToWebinar
    • 482
    Register

    The Sons of Liberty & The Boston Tea Party

    by Linda Moss Mines

    Two hundred and fifty years ago, the Sons of Liberty, in the first major act of defiance against the British Empire, stole onto Griffin's Wharf in Boston and dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor - - moving the colonies into a new phase of protest against "taxation against representation."  During this exciting recounting of that evening and the subsequent reactions at home and abroad, we'll chart the course that led these somewhat ununited colonies into a unity that would issue a Declaration of Independence three years later. This session is a perfect way to kick off your AMERICA 250 COUNTDOWN!

    Linda Moss Mines is the official Chattanooga and Hamilton County Historian, a former member of the Tennessee Historical Commission, a founding member of the Tennessee Cemetery Commission by appointment, the Hamilton County 'America 250' Chairman, Honorary Regent, Chief John Ross Chapter, NSDAR [and former TN Historian] and Vice-Chairman of the Executive Board of the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center. She is a frequent guest speaker across the South and appears regularly on tv and radio - - talking history. Linda writes several weekly history columns and champions issues related to history and citizenship.

    Access will be through GoToWebinar. Instructions and Connectivity Link will be forwarded via email to all registrants upon registration, six days prior and again 1 hour prior to the event. Making the connection is quick and easy only requiring a computer and Internet connectivity from wherever you chose to watch the event. Your questions help drive the meetings, and we will be there to help each other.

               

Contact us :
Office: 901 754-4300
tngs@tngs.org

NORMAL SOCIETY OFFICE HOURS
Tuesday - 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Thursday - 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
 


LIBRARY HOURS HERE


Physical Address:
7779 Poplar Pike
Germantown, TN 38138

Mailing Address:
PO Box 381824
Germantown, TN 38183-1824

© 2021 Tennessee Genealogical Society
Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software