October is family history month, and this week is NYG&B Week!
NYG&B Week, which happens twice a year, is a week packed with genealogy events at our offices in New York City and webinars that allow anyone around the world to tune in and learn from our experts. Our first webinar, "Mapping Your New York Ancestors" kicked off last night, and we have several more this week.
We're also hosting a Digitization Day at our offices in New York City, where volunteers will be working hard all day to capture images of some never-before digitized genealogy collections from our physical collections. If you're interested in helping out but can't come in this week, email aking@nygbs.org and we can arrange a time that works better with your schedule.
The live broadcasts of our webinars are free and open to the public, so take a look at what's coming up later this week and sign up for some great NY genealogy research tips:
Finding Ancestors in New York City Vital Records in the 1800s and Early 1900s
Tuesday, October 16, 7:00 pm ET
Presented by Susan R. Miller, NYG&B Director of Programs and Outreach
Vital records - birth, marriage, and death records - are some of the most important documents that we can find on our ancestors, and being able to find vital records is a foundational skill that the successful genealogist must develop.
Researchers who are looking for ancestors and families in New York City need to be particularly well-versed in this skill, because where and how to look will differ greatly depending on the time period and exact location you're zeroing in on. Our Guide to Finding Birth, Marriage, and Death Records in New York State is a great place for a comprehensive overview of the subject no matter when and where in New York State you're researching.
This webinar focuses on the 1800s and early 1900s, and will help researchers with ancestors in New York City improve their knowledge of the many available resources that will make your search more efficient and successful.
Attendees will explain the origins of the indexes to vital records at the New York City Municipal Archives, cover which indexes contain what years and record groups, and demonstrate best practices on how to use them.
Western NY Land Records
Thursday, October 18, 7:00 pm ET
Presented by D. Joshua Taylor, NYG&B President
Before 1840 thousands of settlers from New England, new immigrants to the United States, and others settled more than 3.2 million acres of land in Western New York.
Tracing these settlers requires a thorough search of numerous records, including business accounts, surveys, deeds, mortgages, and other records.
This webinar will explore the history and records of the Phelps and Gorham purchase, the Holland Land Company, and other large land transactions alongside other contextual sources necessary to trace individuals who acquired (or attempted to acquire) Western New York land before 1840.
Using the NYG&B Website for Family History Research
Friday, October 19, 3:00 pm ET
Presented by Frederick Wertz, NYG&B Director of Digital Services
Our website, newyorkfamilyhistory.org, has many resources that can help you discover your New York family history. In this webinar, we take a tour of the website and demonstrate how members and non-members can take advantage of our expertise. This is the perfect webinar for anyone new to the site, whether you are a brand new member, or someone just getting started researching your New York story.
If you're interested in reading an article on the same subject, our blog Eleven ways to use the NYG&B website to improve your skills and find more ancestors is definitely worth reading.
At the end of the webinar, you will know how to:
- Find and use the many free resources available to members and non-members
- Browse and search the digital record sets in our eLibrary
- Find expert-authored articles in our New York Knowledge Base
- View webinars, use the forum, and use the events calendar
About the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society
a registered 501(c)(3) organization devoted to
preserving, documenting, and sharing the history of
New York State families. Read more about our mission.
Since 1869, our mission has been to help our thousands of worldwide members discover their family's New York story, and there has never been a better time to join.
The cost of an Individual Annual Membership is less than six dollars a month, and includes the following benefits:
- Access to over 50 exclusive digital record sets covering the entire state of New York, including the fully searchable archives of The Record.
- A complimentary subscription to all of Findmypast's North American records, as well as U.K. and Irish Census records.
- Access to hundreds of expert-authored Knowledge Base articles and webinars to help you navigate the tricky New York research landscape.
- Exclusive discounts and advanced access to conferences, seminars, workshops and lectures to learn more about researching people and places across New York State.
To learn more or join us, please visit our member benefits page.