FGS National Conference

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FGS National Conference

by Janet Camarata and Michelle Lyons


 The Federation of Genealogical Societies national conference was August 21-24, 2019, in Washington DC.  SKCGS members Janet Camarata and Michelle Lyons attended and are sharing their highlights.

 Janet: “We arrived at the FGS conference one day early and spent Tuesday at NARA (National Archives and Records Administration).  I was able to locate two homestead applications for my husband's family--his grandmother and his great-grandfather--a cash-sale receipt for land for his 2-great-grandfather and the bounty land claim based on his 4-great-grandfather's service in the War of 1812 and claimed by his wife in Hickory County, MO.  While we were there, over the PA system an announcement was made that a thunderstorm was passing over the building and we were asked not to leave until it passed.  I then got on the computers and was able to collect all the military records, including pay and rank records of an uncle who later was a welder in Bremerton, WA.  We stayed until the reading room closed at 4:30 pm and didn't leave the lobby until the building finally closed for everyone at 6:00 pm. By then the rain had let up and we didn't get drenched. This is the first time a thunderstorm benefited my research time.”

 Michelle: “We stayed at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, a centralized hotel and where the Conference was held. Very pleasant hotel, conveniently located, especially with the help of Uber.  (Note: Being August, with Congress not in session and expected unbearable heat, we were able to obtain our room for $110 plus taxes!  An amazing rate for DC.) The Conference itself was packed with four days of amazing speakers and topics, many of which were centered around topics pertinent to the South as we were in Washington DC and Virginia.  A few speakers and topics I particularly enjoyed were: Linda Crichlow, MS,MLS, Passing: Crossing Racial Boundaries; Kenneth Heger, Ph.D, National Homes for the Disabled Volunteer Soldiers; Rev. Dr. David McDonald, The Second Great Awakening: Thawing the Frozen Chosen in the Early 19th Century.

Monticello

“All work and no play is not healthy, as we well know, and having brains overwhelmed with the immense amount of material ingested in those four days, we rented a car and drove to Monticello in nearby Virginia.  I cannot rave enough over the tour we took at the home of Thomas Jefferson, and Sally Hemmings cabin.  (There were several tours to choose from but as we were tight on time we selected just one.)  In the many, many tours I have taken over the years this tour ranked number one.  I would highly recommend this sight-seeing adventure for anyone travelling in the area.”



Janet: “Crista Cowen and Julianna Czucs, corporate genealogists from Ancestry were contacted last year by the Sundance Film Festival to do the research for a film on the underground railroad.  The result was entitled, Railroad Ties and there was a special viewing on Thursday night of the 2019 FGS Conference.  The film was stirring and clearly explained how the experience was for those who were escaping slavery.  The 30-minute film is available on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MdupcscFi0  At the special viewing we were able to ask questions of a descendant of one of the slaves who escaped to Canada and of Crista and Julianna's experience doing the research and locating and contacting the descendants for filming.”

Editor’s note:  I watched the film at the link above and was touched by the connection between the people in the film.  I was also very surprised to find my own connection to the people involved in the Underground Railroad.  MLS

Michelle Lyons

Janet Camarata

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