Church Hosts Family History Seminar

Buffalo, NY-[October 22, 2011]

It is time to put on those pith helmets, grab those binoculars, and head out on the adventure of discovering your ancestors.  The Buffalo Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be hosting a Family History Seminar with the theme “Explore your family tree.” The seminar held in Amherst on Saturday, October 22, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. The Seminar is geared toward the general public and all are welcome, admission and parking are free. It will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 1424 Maple Road, Williamsville, NY 14221 (between Youngs and Hopkins). 

The seminar will feature guided access to on-line genealogy resources and classes on topics such as Military Records, Land Records, Cemetery Resources, Local Resources, Secrets of Headstones, Canadian Research, Immigration and Passenger Records, Irish and Italian Research, and much more.  Interested in writing your personal history?  In this class you will learn to write your own personal history from beginning to present not only by using a basic outline but also incorporating some other fun ways, including a "Journaling Jar".  A favorite among local researchers, the “Cemetery Resources: I Can’t Find My Relatives!” will be back again this year. The class includes handouts on local cemeteries and information about headstone research.  Learn “What's New at FamilySearch.org” (live demonstration). You will learn about all the new additions to the FamilySearch.org website, like film images, research lessons, sharing information, and so much more.

The teachers include multiple family history consultants who have been involved in genealogy for over 20 years and some for 40 years; including Jim Lawson who has an emphasis on the Civil War years. He is a professional genealogist and a member of Western New York Genealogical Society and Niagara County Genealogical Society. Also, John Blest who is an officer of BIGS: Buffalo Irish Genealogy Society and is a very popular speaker. Near the end of the seminar there will be a Question and Answer Session where you will have the chance to ask questions about your own research problems or findings. Our panel is comprised of over 30 years of experienced researchers including Pam Edel who specializes in PA, KY, US and Italy records and Marilyn Hartmann who has done most of her research in Buffalo and Germany.

 Come enjoy the opportunity to continue your family history research or get started.  Classes will be for new researchers as well as experienced family historians.

The Church has a long tradition of genealogy.  “Our commitment to helping people connect with their ancestors is rooted in our beliefs,” said Buffalo Stake President Stephen Free, the ecclesiastical leader of the local unit comprising 8 congregations and over 3,000 members in Amherst, Orchard Park, Niagara Falls, Lancaster, Lockport, Buffalo, Freedom, and Cattaraugus. “We believe that all family members --those living, those past, and those future -- share an enduring bond that reaches across the generations. This is why we do family research ourselves, and why we encourage others to do it also.”

The Church has established over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries and operates one of the most popular genealogical services on the Internet free of charge at www.familysearch.org.  The site contains access to more than     a billion genealogical records from more than 110 counties and territories.

For more information and to register, please visit the Family History Seminar website: www.buffalofamilyhistoryseminar.blogspot.com  or “Like” them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Buffalo-New-York-Family-History-Seminar/251350500018 and find out more information about the seminar.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a worldwide religion whose central purpose is to help all people come unto Christ. Church membership is currently over 13 million, with over half of the members living outside the United States, and more than 50,000 missionaries actively serving in 162 countries.