Bringing our ancestors to life means going beyond their names and dates for births, marriages, and deaths. What were their lives really like? Occupations are often included in census records, but how can we flesh out details about our ancestors’ work lives? Please join the NYG&B for an online two-day seminar on ancestral occupations. Experts will lead sessions about professions ranging from apprenticeships to blacksmithing to the performing arts. Dive into eight different professional paths, and learn about available resources and how to locate and interpret key records.
This is an online event only. All sessions will be recorded and made available to registrants for on-demand viewing through July 16, 2026.
Seminar Schedule (Subject to Change)
Friday, May 15
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10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. |
Opening Remarks Presented by D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS, FUGA, President, NYG&B |
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10:45 a.m. – 11:45 p.m. |
My Ancestor Was a Farmer: Telling Their Stories Presented by D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS, FUGA, President, NYG&B |
Many ancestors lived humble lives that rarely appear in written histories. This session highlights key resources for researching farming ancestors, including agricultural censuses, land and tax records, maps, and local histories. Learn techniques to uncover details of their daily lives and methods for shaping those findings into meaningful family stories. |
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12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. |
Research in Railroad Records and History: Methods for Tracking Workers Presented by Paula Stuart-Warren, Certified Genealogist®, FMGS, FUGA |
Which family members traversed New York and across the United States as they worked for railroads? For which railroads did they work and where did these railways run? This session will share details from some records and where to locate those that often provide work and personal details. |
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1:00 – 2:00 p.m. |
Lunch |
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2:00 – 3:00 p.m. |
Using Apprentice Records to Trace Free People of Color Presented by Ari Wilkins |
Learn about the institution of apprenticeship, the governing laws, and how it affected free people of color. This session will analyze contracts and use additional resources to follow free people of color. |
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3:15 – 4:15 p.m. |
Faith as a Profession: Ministers, Circuit Riders, and Their Records Presented by J. Mark Lowe, FUGA |
Ministers, clergy, and those called circuit riders lived lives defined by both their spiritual calling and demanding labor. This session explores their efforts through the lens of genealogical research. Attendees will learn how to identify and interpret the unique records created by religious professionals, including training and appointments, church registers, denominational archives, conference minutes, and community documents. |
Saturday, May 16
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10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. |
Reconstructing the Lives of Our Blacksmithing Ancestors Presented by Annette Burke Lyttle, CG® |
For centuries blacksmiths, who worked with iron and other metals, were indispensable community members. They made a huge variety of products, including swords and armor; cooking pots and hinges; nails, tools, and farm implements; horseshoes; wagon axles; fire tongs; and more. Every community in America used to have its own blacksmith. Learn what life was like for our ancestors who followed this trade. |
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11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. |
Records of Invention: Unlocking the Secrets of the United States Patent Office Presented by Michael Strauss, MA, AG®, AGL™ |
The right to protect inventions is guaranteed by law under the U.S. Constitution. The records of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) are often overlooked by genealogists as a source of new information. Patents historically have been both legal and scientific and contain information about everyday persons within this group of records. In addition to the USPTO, patents of the Confederate States of America (1861–1865) during the Civil War are examined. This session focuses on ordering patent case files, assignment docket books, lawsuits arising from patents, and records of the Official Register of the United States. |
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12:45 – 1:45 p.m. |
Lunch |
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1:45 – 2:45 p.m. |
Putting America to Work: The Records of the Works Progress Administration Presented by Peggy Lynn Clemens Lauritzen, AG, AGL, FOGS |
The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was founded in 1935 as part of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. Providing jobs for more than 8.5 million people, it was instrumental in compiling many records that are valuable to genealogists today. Many of the indexes and records we use today were compiled by the WPA, and they offer insights into the unemployed professionals who found work over the course of the Great Depression. |
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3:00 – 4:00 p.m. |
Spotlights and Sawdust: Researching Ancestors of the Stage and Circus Presented by D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS, FUGA, President, NYG&B |
Discover the captivating world of ancestors who built their lives in the performing arts. This session explores strategies for tracing individuals who worked in the circus, vaudeville, theater, dance, opera, music, traveling shows, and other live entertainment. Learn how to locate and interpret programs, route books, trade publications, newspapers, and specialized archival collections that document these often-mobile ancestors. |
Pricing
- NYG&B Member Early Registration: $189 (ends April 13, 2026; after that registration rate for members is $215)
- General Registration: $259
The NYG&B is awarding scholarships for people to attend this seminar who would otherwise be unable to participate.
Learn more
About the Presenters
Peggy Lauritzen, AG, AGL, FOGS, is a favored speaker at conferences. She is a FamilySearch Center Director, and was named Fellow in the Ohio Genealogical Society, and received the Laura G. Prescott Award for Exemplary Service in Genealogy. A lifelong Ohioan, her ancestry is mostly south of the Ohio River.
With some awards granted to her recently, she still maintains her love of working with the common researcher who is doing their best to discover their ancestors.
J. Mark Lowe, FUGA, describes himself as "born to be curious.” He is a professional genealogist and educator who specializes in original records and manuscripts throughout the South. He coordinates “Research in the South” courses at Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR), Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), and Texas Institute of Genealogical Research (TIGR); worked on several TV series; has a YouTube channel; and does webinars.
Annette Burke Lyttle, CG®, owns Heritage Detective, LLC, providing professional genealogical services in research, education, and writing. She speaks on a variety of genealogical topics and loves helping people uncover and share their family stories. Annette is a course coordinator for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the British Institute. She is a published writer whose research interests include Quaker ancestors and ancestral migrations in the United States. She is past president of the Association of Professional Genealogists and editor of The Florida Genealogist.
Michael L. Strauss, MA, AG®, AGL™, is a military historian and professional genealogist. He holds a BA in history with a focus on the Civil War from Shepherd University and an MA in military history from the University of Massachusetts in Boston. His expertise is recognized in the judicial systems of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, where he testifies as an expert witness in forensic estate investigations. Strauss is a prolific writer and national speaker, contributing to books, peer-reviewed journal articles, popular history publications, and lectures at multiple universities, conferences, and institutes.
Paula Stuart-Warren, Certified Genealogist®, FMGS, FUGA, is long-time genealogical educator, researcher, and consultant focusing on unusual resources, manuscripts, methodology, and analyzing records with specialties in the WPA, railroad records, and Native American research. She has researched extensively at libraries, courthouses, state archives, historical societies, and various locations of the U.S. National Archives. She is currently a coordinator and instructor for the GRIP Genealogy Institute; has presented in courses for Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, Texas Institute of Genealogical Research, and Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research; and continues to present virtual seminars and webinars across the United States. She is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Genealogical Societies and of the Minnesota Genealogical Society; a former officer of the Association of Professional Genealogists; and is a Board-Certified Genealogist.
She is descended from eight ancestral countries and has her own educational website and blog at genealogybypaula.com. She is enthusiastic about sharing knowledge and continuing education.
D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS, FUGA, is the President and CEO of the NYG&B and a nationally known and recognized genealogist. Previously, Joshua held senior leadership positions with Findmypast and the New England Historic Genealogical Society and has volunteered in leadership positions for the Federation of Genealogical Societies and other organizations. A prolific author and popular speaker, Joshua has been a coordinator for courses at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) and is the recipient of RootsTech’s Distinguished Presenter Award. He has been a featured genealogist on Who Do You Think You Are? and was a host on the PBS series Genealogy Roadshow. Joshua holds a Master of Library Science degree in Archival Management and a Master of Arts degree in History from Simmons University.
Ari Wilkins is a coordinator and lecturer at Texas Institute of Genealogical Research (TIGR), Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), Genealogy Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), and Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR). She specializes in African American research and speaks on a variety of topics. Ms. Wilkins is a fellow of Texas State Genealogical Society and a recipient of the Lloyd Bockstruck Distinguished Service Award.