27 January 2021

BU Certificate in Genealogy Online Program : Week 1 Review

 Although lately my posts have been spotty and not regular, for the next 14 weeks I will attempt to give a very brief synopsis for the week's events being enrolled in the BU program. Actual assignments will not be discussed.

Week One is down. Overall reading was relatively light. An original discussion topic was required to be posted by each student and the students were also required to respond to other students' posts. A semi lengthy research assignment where you needed to utilize genealogical research and thinking skills was also due.

After week one, take-a-ways to pass on to any genealogists who may be considering taking this online course are:

  • Before enrolling, think hard whether or not if you have the time to invest on reading and completing assignments. The course is expensive. An estimation of mine is that I spent close to twenty hours' worth of time on this week's experience.
  • Set up a schedule to do the above. Make a plan and then work the plan. I will re-iterate the words of a former college professor that I had years ago, "No one plans to fail. They simply fail to plan."
  • When working on assignments. Make sure to read ALL of the directions and instructions that are provided. 
  • Students do independent work. Assignments are due weekly by a set date and time. 
  • Take your time and read. Read slowly. Ingest and then digest the material that you read. If you skim read, you will miss something important. 
  • If you have questions, contact the instructors. They are very willing to help. They want you to succeed!
  • Most importantly, have fun! I need to get back to reading...

11 January 2021

Genealogy & History Programs at HVCC

The following was cut and pasted from the web site of Hudson Valley Community College's Office of Community and Professional Education.


Below are upcoming inexpensive non-credit programs for anyone interested in local history and genealogy. Contact the Hudson Valley office for further information:


Office of Community and Professional Education
Phone: (518) 629-7339
Fax: (518) 629-8103
Email: communityed@hvcc.edu
Location: Guenther Enrollment Services Center, Room 252


Registration begins 14 January 2021.





Back to Basics - Beginning Genealogy

Get back to basics with professional genealogist Lisa Dougherty!  Whether you are just starting out, or want to sharpen your genealogy skills, this is the program for you. Learn how to begin your genealogy experience with suggestions for research you can do close to home, then learn about the basic records that all family historians use to fill in their family tree. Starting out with a solid foundation is the key to a successful journey into your family’s history!

Lisa Dougherty, Instructor

Location: Williams Hall, Room 112

Date & Time: Tuesday, 23 March 2021 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Cost: $15


Back to Basics - Using Ancestry.com for Your Family History

Get back to basics with professional genealogist Lisa Dougherty!  Ancestry.com is the internet’s largest genealogy website, with 15 million+ DNA testers and over 3 million subscribers worldwide as of 2017.  Its many features can be a great advantage to those researching their family history, but all that information can also be confusing and intimidating.  Lisa, an experienced Ancestry user,  will help you find out what exactly Ancestry.com has to offer, how to perform effective searches, how to find the information you are looking for, and how to create an online family tree that is both accurate and interesting enough to share!

Lisa Dougherty, Instructor

Location: Williams Hall, Room 112

Date & Time: Tuesday, 20 April 2021 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Cost: $15


The United States Colored Troops In The Civil War

This will be a two-part presentation. The first section will be an overview of the role that African Americans played in the armed forces from the early days of the country up to the Civil War.  The second portion will cover the United States Colored Troops (official name), or "USCT", in the Civil War, focusing on some battles, including the Battle of New Market Heights. 

Jim Cochran, Instructor

Location: Williams Hall, Room 112

Date & Time: Thursdfay, 29 April 2021 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Cost: $12


Ther German Community in Rensselaer County

Join Rensselaer County and Troy City Historian Kathryn Sheehan for this illustrated lecture about the history of the German community. From the Palatine Germans settling in Brunswick in the 18th century to the founding of Germania Hall in Troy, to the impact of the German born Jewish immigrant farmers who settled in Nassau, we will explore this varied and important history of the German residents of the county.

Kathryn Sheehan, Instructor

Location: Williams Hall, Room 112 

Date & Time: Tuesday, 27 April 2021 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Cost: $15


The Erie Canal: Part of Our History

This presentation with Tom Ragosta, president of the Watervliet Historical Society, curator of the Society’s museum, and city of Watervliet historian, will answer any questions you may have about the Erie Canal. Learn about what it was, what its purpose was, why it was built in New York State, and the statistics on both the original canal and the enlarged version of the canal. You’ll learn about the canal’s impact on the city of Watervliet through pictures and documentation, and a six-foot model of an Erie Canal boat and associated artifacts will be on display.

Tom Ragosta, Instructor

Location: Williams Hall, Room 112

Date & Time: Tuesday, 4 May 2021 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Cost: $20


Susan B. Anthony: The Suffrage Struggle and the 19th Amendment

Susan B. Anthony returns from a long hiatus to relate the story of the struggle for women to earn the right to vote – from her era up to the successful ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1919. In 1920, 14 years after her death, women across America had full voting rights. Susan adds to her story of the early years of the fight for women’s rights: the right to own property, equal access to education and the professions – and full citizenship, including the right to vote. After the pioneers of the movement had passed, new voices: Carrie Chapman Catt, Frances Willard, Ida B. Wells, Harriot Stanton Blatch, and Alice Paul – made the last great push to the finish line, enduring hardships, including imprisonment. Their final efforts and determination led to the passage of the 19th Amendment, known as “The Susan B. Anthony Amendment.”

Phyllis Chapman, Instructor

Location: Williams Hall, Room 110

Date & Time: 24 March 2021 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Cost: $37



10 January 2021

TIGR 2021 Registration

The Texas State Genealogical Society has opened registration for its upcoming week-long Texas Institute for Genealogical Research (TIGR). This year the Institute will be held virtually on June 13-18, 2021. Attendees will learn from nationally known genealogical experts in a classroom-like atmosphere.

Four courses are available to choose from!