Genealogy for All: Essential Tools, Records and DNA Insights

Iowa PBS is partnering with the Iowa Genealogical Society to offer a beginner to intermediate genealogy workshop series, Genealogy for All: Essential Tools, Records and DNA Insights. This series will consist of four (4) two-hour sessions focused on the public records individuals can research in order to find more information about their ancestors.

Each session will feature a combination of lecture and discussion, question and answer time and a homework assignment relating to your family search. The Zoom webinars will be recorded and registrants can view the sessions later; however, because this workshop is interactive, we encourage all registrants to attend the live sessions in order to get the most out of the series.

These sessions will provide valuable information to guide researchers as they dive into genealogical pursuits and each session will use Iowa examples.

Registration is $100 and includes access to all four sessions, the recordings and any supplemental materials provided by the instructors. Registered attendees will receive each workshop recording within 48 hours after the workshop.

Organizing Your Research & Family Search

Thursday, February 13, 2025
Presenters: Dennis Allen and Stacy Weaver

Getting your family history research organized is essential to keeping track of your ancestors and building a strong family tree. This session will help you organize your paper and electronic files. In addition, it will make it easier to transfer your information to a new computer. Organizing your research is designed to help you get organized, stay organized, and be ready to research online or on location. We will also overview FamilySearch, one of the most extensive free resources for family history research. We'll cover an overview of the website's features, including creating an account, navigating the Family Tree and Wiki, and accessing the vast collection of records.

Ancestry and Military Records

Thursday, February 27, 2025
Presenter: Sheri Snodgrass & Theresa Liewer

Many know Ancestry from the television ads or their sponsorship of Finding Your Roots on Iowa PBS. For genealogists, they offer a wealth of tools to help us track and organize our research. This session will start with a look at how to compare the various account types – Free Guest accounts, Ancestry Library Edition and paid subscriptions. We will then look at the tools they offer for creating trees, following hints and searching the collections. This session will also explore American military records, ranging from the American Revolution through WW II. We'll cover service, pension, draft and militia records and the unique Iowa Veterans Bonus Records from both World Wars, what they contain and where to find them. There's an excellent chance that your ancestor is mentioned in one of those records. 

Immigration Research & Naturalization 

Thursday, March 13, 2025
Presenter: Kevin Spire & Theresa Liewer

Don’t drown in a sea of research about your immigrating ancestors! Discover methods that establish a good foundation with your research. Then sail forward to uncover clues about the people that came to make their home in the USA. Take a deeper look at record locations and search techniques to get the most out of your research. We'll also uncover the process that your ancestors navigated to become a citizen from 1776 into the 20th century and learn about the evolution of the laws concerning citizenship, the courts involved, the records created, and most importantly, where to locate those records.

Working With DNA & Discussion 

Thursday, March 27, 2025
Presenter: Kevin Spire 

This session will provide an overview of working with DNA to further your genealogy research. We’ll look at the different types of DNA tests, the companies that provide DNA testing services and how to work with your DNA data. Then we'll spend the last hour discussing your research. This is a time to share successes or identify roadblocks you found while using this class information.

Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to build your family tree and connect with your heritage.