Evidence and Analysis, Timelines, and Vital Records Research Jim will provide a brief overview of Evidence and Analysis of genealogical records, how to create and utilize timelines in your ancestral research, and finish off this session with a look at Vital Records research. Fundamentals of Land and Probate Records for Genealogists The purpose of this program is to provide an overview of the land and probate record keeping systems used in the United States of America. Land and probate record systems were created for economic and legal purposes, so understanding why and how those systems work aids the genealogist’s search to determine who our ancestors were, what they did, where, and when. Class Instructor: Jim Shroads James L. Shroads is a retired attorney. A graduate of the University of Florida, Jim served in the U.S. Air Force as a Missile Combat Crew Commander in the Titan II ICBM systems. After leaving the military, he enrolled in the University of Miami School of Law, and upon graduation was employed by The Deltona Corporation as corporate counsel. A few years later he joined ITT Community Development Corporation, the developers of Palm Coast. In 1983, he was transferred to ITT Rayonier in Fernandina Beach, and remained with Rayonier after it was divested by ITT and became an independent company. From 2000 until his retirement, he maintained a private law practice focused primarily upon real estate matters. Jim is currently serving as Vice President of the Amelia Island Genealogical Society.

Introduction to Family History Marcia will start this session out with an introduction to the Amelia Island Genealogical Society membership benefits as well as providing a brief look at the AIGS website. Once this has been done she will introduce the class to getting started with genealogy in the right way. Building Your Family Tree Using Census Records Whether you are a seasoned genealogy researcher or a brand new researcher, understanding the basics of census research is essential to finding your ancestors. While the examples in this post are from U. S. census records, the tips and strategies apply to your census research for any country. Class Instructor: Marcia Pertuz Marcia Fleming Pertuz is a retired elementary school teacher and principal. She serves as the chair of the AIGS Library Committee, is currently the registrar for the Princess Amelia Chapter of Colonial Dames XVII Century and is an application reviewer for the Florida Pioneer program of the Florida State Genealogical Society. Marcia has been doing genealogy for over 40 years. She holds a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University and participated in the 18 month Professional Genealogy Online Study Group (ProGen). Her personal research areas of interest include Pennsylvania, Colonial New England, Columbia, Spain, France, Poland and Slovakia. Marcia is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Amelia Island Genealogical Society and is currently chairman of the Library Committee.