This presentation will be joint with AAGS
Program Description: One of the biggest hurdles to overcome in genealogy is the seemingly illegible handwriting in our ancestors' records. Whether you struggle to navigate colonial penmanship that doesn't even look like English or wrestle with contemporary documents that are poorly written, a few good strategies can make all the difference. We'll look at more than 20 techniques to help you figure out what the chicken scratches on the page say as well as what the style of writing might reveal about our ancestors.
Speaker: Pam Vestal
She entered the field of genealogy after a twenty-year career as a professional writer. Her interest in family history began when her daughter grew curious about her father's side of the family. With little information to go on, she set off to discover what she could. Before long, she was hooked.
What started as a hobby became more serious when a woman who was recovering from a devastating family tragedy asked for her help. The woman hoped that learning more about her ancestors would be healing, and thankfully, it did turn out to be helpful.
Since embarking upon this career years ago, her ongoing genealogical training has taken her all over the United States for conferences, intensive classes and workshops, and for research. She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and belongs to many genealogical and historical organizations which enhance the quality of her work. She became a professional speaker in 2016, and since that time, she has given presentations to local genealogical societies, public libraries, and at regional and national conferences.
Although she lives in Portland, Oregon, she conducts research and lectures all over the United States. Her articles have been published in the National Genealogical Society Magazine, The Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, and FGS' Forum.
VISITORS ARE WELCOME
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