2017 Meetings
.January 25, 2017
Ryan Henrie is the new Director of the Cranberry Family History Center, which is located in the Cranberry Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS.) Ryan will give us two brief presentations: Ryan will give us two brief presentations, one for more experienced genealogists, and one for beginners.
February 22, 2017
March is Women's History Month and we're getting an early start with our celebration of women in history with our February 22 meeting.
Our topic will be "Strategies for Finding the Women in Your Family Tree" and we'll begin the program with a short video from Ancestry, followed by a discussion about finding maiden names and tips and handout for locating female ancestors.
We'll begin at 6:30 pm in the Library's Franklin Station Room. Please bring a friend. Although our meetings are free, we do have some expenses, so we'll be accepting annual dues payment of $10. Watch for some 'members only' events early in the summer.
Ryan Henri, who hosted our January meeting at the Cranberry Family History Center, generously shared his presentation powerpoint and the links he previewed for us at the meeting. He added that FHC staff would be happy to go over anything in the presentation again with individuals one-on-one during regular hours on Wednesdays at the Cranberry Family History Center from 9:30 am-3:30 pm and 7 to 9 pm.
March 22, 2017
“Moravian Trails and Records”
Eighteenth-century Moravians, originating in Pennsylvania, settled in North Carolina. Discover the records they left behind in both states. And it will surprise you: manumissions, diaries, letters, and journals reference not just church members but others who they often interacted with. The history of the Moravians is also the history of Bethlehem, Nazareth, and other Pennsylvania cities, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina which were all church settlements. Interactions with slaves and Native Americans are documented through their records. See how to access these unique documents.
Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL, is a western Pennsylvania researcher and co-director of the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). She is a past-president of the Board for Certification of Genealogists and coordinator of the IGHR “Professional Genealogy” course since 2007 She was an instructor for Boston University’s Genealogical Research Certificate course (2008-2016). She has also served as president of two local societies and has volunteered on society boards for over 25 years.
April 26, 2017
Video Presentation - Legacy Family Tree webinars
Tracing Immigrant Ancestors in New York Passenger Lists
Presented by: Lisa A. Alzo, M.F.A.
America is a nation of immigrants, comprised of people who left home to find a better life for themselves and their families. Tracking down your immigrant ancestors can often be a daunting task. The port of New York was the largest U.S. port of arrival. In this webinar you will learn about New York passenger lists, including:
May 24, 2017 - Writing Your Family History
You've done so much research - now, how do you tell the story in an organized and interesting manner? Debbie Billeter will share a variety of options and formats to get your creative juices flowing.
June 28, 2017 - Dual Meeting this month!
1) Field Trip to local cemeteries to assist other researchers by taking pictures of gravestones (upon request) to be followed by a stop at Young's Custard. A message will be sent asking for feedback on this event. Now that sunset is much later, we can do this at the normal meeting time, Wednesday at 6:30-8:00, or we can start earlier and end later (6-9PM)
2) We recommend that members attend one of three free evening sessions at the GRIP 2017 Conference at La Roche College. Send a message to our e-mail address if you're interested in carpooling.
Choose one or all of these free GRIP Public Programs - all sessions start at 7:00 PM:
Monday, June 26: Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL, “Moravian Trails and Records” sponsored by Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society (MAGS).
Tuesday, June 27: Allison Ryall, MA, of Orlando, Florida, “DNA + Paper Trail = Case Solved!” sponsored by the North Hills Genealogists.
Thursday, June 29: Karen Stanbary, CG, of Chicago, Illinois, “DNA: A Power Tool in the Genealogist’s Tool Box” sponsored by Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society.
July 2017 - Dual Meeting
1) We will follow up our successful Cemetery Walk with a second walk, as we didn't have time to get to St. John's Burry's Church.
2) Attend one of three free evening sessions at the GRIP 2017 Conference at La Roche College - all sessions start at 7:00 PM:
Monday, July 17: David Rencher, AG, CG, of Salt Lake City, Utah, “Using All the Features of FamilySearch” sponsored by FamilySearch.
Tuesday, July 18: Jay Fonkert, CG, of Minnesota, “Who’s on First? Merging and Separating Identities in Family History Research,” sponsored by the North Hills Genealogists.
Thursday, July 20: Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS, of New York, “The Jones Jinx: Tracing Common Surnames” sponsored by Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society.
Cemetery event notes:
We had such a great time on our first Cemetery Walk that we decided to plan another one on our regular July meeting date. Meet us at St. John's Burry's Church on Hartzell Road (Route 68) at 6:00 PM on July 26, to take pictures of headstones that have been requested by distant genealogists through the Find-A-Grave website. We will end our evening at Young’s Custard Stand, right across the street! If the weather doesn’t cooperate, check this website for a rain date.
Directions From Zelienople, turn west on Beaver Street. That becomes Route 68. Google maps say it is about 7 minutes, and the church is at the top of a hill on the right.
From Cranberry, take Glen Eden Road toward the west. Look for Ziegler Road and turn right. When Ziegler ends, turn left and the church is just a short distance, on the right.
What to bring A camera, cell phone, or iPad. A spray bottle of plain water (or distilled water.) A gardening kneeling pad. A few people might want to bring: Flashlight or mirror to redirect light onto shaded stones. Gardening clippers / gloves, in case a stone is overgrown.
August 23, 2017
What's in the Butler Library's Weir Genealogy Room? Plus, an Overview of Heritage Quest
Margaret Hewitt, Special Collections Librarian at the Butler Area Public Library, will give updates on the collections in the Weir Genealogy Room. She will also provide an overview of Heritage Quest, a genealogy subscription site that is available free to Butler County library card holders.
September 27, 2017 - Productive Google Searches for Genealogists by Sue Ennis
Search engines have unique ways to insert words and phrases into the search bar. Knowing those hints will increase your success rate as you access the hundreds of websites available for learning more about your ancestors and family history. Sue Ennis, local genealogist and librarian, will present techniques for yielding more successful search results when conducting online genealogy research. Feel free to bring your own tablet or laptop to follow along during the presentation, if interested.
October 25, 2017 - Duplicates and Merging Family Trees in FamilySearch.org
Cranberry is fortunate to be home to a Family History Center, and this month, we’re going to visit. Center director Ryan Henrie will review new additions to the extensive Family Search databases and provide tips and strategies for searching your family tree.
November Special Event - Cranberry Public Library and Cranberry Genealogy Club co-host a Library Genealogy Lock-in
What is a lock-in? After the library is closed, we get to use the computers that have Ancestry.com Library Edition installed. No competition for computers or other resources, It's also a social event, where you can meet other genealogists, and get some help from more experienced researchers. A member of the library staff will be there to help with any technical issues, and hopefully do some research of her own!
December - No Meeting
Last updated 17 November 2017
Ryan Henrie is the new Director of the Cranberry Family History Center, which is located in the Cranberry Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS.) Ryan will give us two brief presentations: Ryan will give us two brief presentations, one for more experienced genealogists, and one for beginners.
- "Why even an expert needs someone else to help"
- "4 Reasons to Use Family Search" - beginners
February 22, 2017
March is Women's History Month and we're getting an early start with our celebration of women in history with our February 22 meeting.
Our topic will be "Strategies for Finding the Women in Your Family Tree" and we'll begin the program with a short video from Ancestry, followed by a discussion about finding maiden names and tips and handout for locating female ancestors.
We'll begin at 6:30 pm in the Library's Franklin Station Room. Please bring a friend. Although our meetings are free, we do have some expenses, so we'll be accepting annual dues payment of $10. Watch for some 'members only' events early in the summer.
Ryan Henri, who hosted our January meeting at the Cranberry Family History Center, generously shared his presentation powerpoint and the links he previewed for us at the meeting. He added that FHC staff would be happy to go over anything in the presentation again with individuals one-on-one during regular hours on Wednesdays at the Cranberry Family History Center from 9:30 am-3:30 pm and 7 to 9 pm.
March 22, 2017
“Moravian Trails and Records”
Eighteenth-century Moravians, originating in Pennsylvania, settled in North Carolina. Discover the records they left behind in both states. And it will surprise you: manumissions, diaries, letters, and journals reference not just church members but others who they often interacted with. The history of the Moravians is also the history of Bethlehem, Nazareth, and other Pennsylvania cities, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina which were all church settlements. Interactions with slaves and Native Americans are documented through their records. See how to access these unique documents.
Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL, is a western Pennsylvania researcher and co-director of the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). She is a past-president of the Board for Certification of Genealogists and coordinator of the IGHR “Professional Genealogy” course since 2007 She was an instructor for Boston University’s Genealogical Research Certificate course (2008-2016). She has also served as president of two local societies and has volunteered on society boards for over 25 years.
April 26, 2017
Video Presentation - Legacy Family Tree webinars
Tracing Immigrant Ancestors in New York Passenger Lists
Presented by: Lisa A. Alzo, M.F.A.
America is a nation of immigrants, comprised of people who left home to find a better life for themselves and their families. Tracking down your immigrant ancestors can often be a daunting task. The port of New York was the largest U.S. port of arrival. In this webinar you will learn about New York passenger lists, including:
- What are they?
- Where do I find them?
- What information can they provide?
- Search Tips and Tricks
May 24, 2017 - Writing Your Family History
You've done so much research - now, how do you tell the story in an organized and interesting manner? Debbie Billeter will share a variety of options and formats to get your creative juices flowing.
June 28, 2017 - Dual Meeting this month!
1) Field Trip to local cemeteries to assist other researchers by taking pictures of gravestones (upon request) to be followed by a stop at Young's Custard. A message will be sent asking for feedback on this event. Now that sunset is much later, we can do this at the normal meeting time, Wednesday at 6:30-8:00, or we can start earlier and end later (6-9PM)
2) We recommend that members attend one of three free evening sessions at the GRIP 2017 Conference at La Roche College. Send a message to our e-mail address if you're interested in carpooling.
Choose one or all of these free GRIP Public Programs - all sessions start at 7:00 PM:
Monday, June 26: Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL, “Moravian Trails and Records” sponsored by Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society (MAGS).
Tuesday, June 27: Allison Ryall, MA, of Orlando, Florida, “DNA + Paper Trail = Case Solved!” sponsored by the North Hills Genealogists.
Thursday, June 29: Karen Stanbary, CG, of Chicago, Illinois, “DNA: A Power Tool in the Genealogist’s Tool Box” sponsored by Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society.
July 2017 - Dual Meeting
1) We will follow up our successful Cemetery Walk with a second walk, as we didn't have time to get to St. John's Burry's Church.
2) Attend one of three free evening sessions at the GRIP 2017 Conference at La Roche College - all sessions start at 7:00 PM:
Monday, July 17: David Rencher, AG, CG, of Salt Lake City, Utah, “Using All the Features of FamilySearch” sponsored by FamilySearch.
Tuesday, July 18: Jay Fonkert, CG, of Minnesota, “Who’s on First? Merging and Separating Identities in Family History Research,” sponsored by the North Hills Genealogists.
Thursday, July 20: Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS, of New York, “The Jones Jinx: Tracing Common Surnames” sponsored by Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society.
Cemetery event notes:
We had such a great time on our first Cemetery Walk that we decided to plan another one on our regular July meeting date. Meet us at St. John's Burry's Church on Hartzell Road (Route 68) at 6:00 PM on July 26, to take pictures of headstones that have been requested by distant genealogists through the Find-A-Grave website. We will end our evening at Young’s Custard Stand, right across the street! If the weather doesn’t cooperate, check this website for a rain date.
Directions From Zelienople, turn west on Beaver Street. That becomes Route 68. Google maps say it is about 7 minutes, and the church is at the top of a hill on the right.
From Cranberry, take Glen Eden Road toward the west. Look for Ziegler Road and turn right. When Ziegler ends, turn left and the church is just a short distance, on the right.
What to bring A camera, cell phone, or iPad. A spray bottle of plain water (or distilled water.) A gardening kneeling pad. A few people might want to bring: Flashlight or mirror to redirect light onto shaded stones. Gardening clippers / gloves, in case a stone is overgrown.
August 23, 2017
What's in the Butler Library's Weir Genealogy Room? Plus, an Overview of Heritage Quest
Margaret Hewitt, Special Collections Librarian at the Butler Area Public Library, will give updates on the collections in the Weir Genealogy Room. She will also provide an overview of Heritage Quest, a genealogy subscription site that is available free to Butler County library card holders.
September 27, 2017 - Productive Google Searches for Genealogists by Sue Ennis
Search engines have unique ways to insert words and phrases into the search bar. Knowing those hints will increase your success rate as you access the hundreds of websites available for learning more about your ancestors and family history. Sue Ennis, local genealogist and librarian, will present techniques for yielding more successful search results when conducting online genealogy research. Feel free to bring your own tablet or laptop to follow along during the presentation, if interested.
October 25, 2017 - Duplicates and Merging Family Trees in FamilySearch.org
Cranberry is fortunate to be home to a Family History Center, and this month, we’re going to visit. Center director Ryan Henrie will review new additions to the extensive Family Search databases and provide tips and strategies for searching your family tree.
November Special Event - Cranberry Public Library and Cranberry Genealogy Club co-host a Library Genealogy Lock-in
What is a lock-in? After the library is closed, we get to use the computers that have Ancestry.com Library Edition installed. No competition for computers or other resources, It's also a social event, where you can meet other genealogists, and get some help from more experienced researchers. A member of the library staff will be there to help with any technical issues, and hopefully do some research of her own!
December - No Meeting
Last updated 17 November 2017