New Ipswich Historical Society Virtual Genealogy Series: SAVE THESE DATES!
Sponsored by the Stearns Burton Lecture Fund
Given the increasing interest in genealogy and local history among both longtime New Ipswich residents and newcomers, the New Ipswich Historical Society is hosting a four-part virtual series to sharpen sleuthing skills and efficiency. Each one-hour session is hosted by Erin Moulton, an experienced writer and researcher, who has over 12 years of experience tracking down interesting real-life questions at the reference desk as a librarian and genealogist. She holds a BA from Emerson College, an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and a certificate in genealogical research from Boston University. Sessions begin at 7:00 p.m. on March 30, April 27, May 11, and June 1. Short descriptions follow. Whether you participate in just one session or all of them, you will add valuable tools to your genealogy toolbox. Please join us!
Session I: History and Mystery: A Genealogy Starter Guide (March 30, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.)
Are you interested in family history? Do you have a family mystery? Do you spend a lot of time in graveyards wondering about the names behind the stones? Then you just might be a genealogy enthusiast! Genealogy is the exploration of ancestral lines and can be done through countless records, resources and artifacts. Join us as we discuss methods for research planning that will make you an active participant in your own ancestral journey.
Session 2: Newspaper Treasures: Beyond the Obit (April 27, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.)
How can newspapers help us with our genealogical research? What treasures do they hold beyond the standard obit? The truth is, historical local newspapers are equivalent to our current day social media. They often told of social calls, well-being and personal anecdotes of people around town. But where are these newspapers? How can we locate and access them and what strategies can we use to calibrate our search in digitized collections? Join us for a tour around the web as we peek into subscription and free newspaper collections.
Register Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kf--tqTMpEt2f8buTX9c8PXHGKUHkNfc8
Session 3: What’s the History of Your House? (May 11, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.)
The best thing about tracking down the history of a house is that your research subject usually stays in one place! And yet, house history projects give us the opportunity to access and explore records we also see in genealogical projects: newspapers, land deeds, city directories and more. Join us to delve into the history that is underfoot each day.
Session 4: A Beginner’s Guide to Cemetery Sleuthing (June 1, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.)
Cemeteries hold invaluable clues to genealogical research. Etched in stone are names, symbols and abbreviations that not only tell us more about our ancestors but also about their place in time. This program will cover strategies to help locate your ancestor’s burial place, how to make the most out of a visit and how to decipher a variety of symbols. Includes a list of Erin’s favorite cemetery resources. Note: Most of this content covers New England cemeteries, though many symbols can be seen nationwide.