Social history examines the lived experiences of everyday people, uncovering how societal forces shaped their lives. In this course, we will focus on one pivotal dimension of our family histories: the 20th century. The social, cultural, and economic currents of our ancestors’ time profoundly influenced their lives. While genealogical records and documents provide invaluable insights, they capture only part of the story. To truly understand the world our ancestors inhabited, we must delve into the events, challenges, and changes that shaped their experiences. This course explores life in the 20th century through the lens of individual and family experiences, addressing themes such as adoption, economic hardship, unemployment, violence, labor, and more. Students will examine how broader societal trends—like shifts in family structures, occupational roles, and community dynamics—impacted everyday life. Through lectures, case studies, and guided research, participants will learn to find historical records, uncover the nuances of their ancestors’ lives, and build a complete understanding of family histories. By the end of the course, students will have gained a deeper appreciation of 20th-century history and the tools to enrich their genealogical research.

This course dives deeply into the various modes of communication that became an integral part of our ancestors’ daily lives. Was your ancestor a luddite who refused to buy a typewriter or have a telephone or a maverick who embraced the newest gadgets or devices? It’s no coincidence that old telegraph lines and later, telephone lines ran parallel to railroad tracks. Methods of communication and the transportation industry had close ties. Waterways, railways, and trails were the conduits for communication. Mail was carried via vessels on the water, railroad cars, or hand-delivered by couriers on horseback. In this course, we will examine communication from the perspective of the “creators” of messages and transmitters used to convey information (devices and machines); the manner by which the messages were delivered (written or oral), and the occupations of the people who sent, intercepted, or received the messages. From the letter writer to the postmaster to the postman– there is a fascinating record trail to explore in various repositories. Was your ancestor a telegrapher or a military communications specialist, a stenographer, typist, secretary, or operator? Sessions in this course will be devoted to recognizing artifacts, machines, and devices that produced or allowed a person to create and send messages (like telegraph machines or phonoautograph machines), as well as the ephemera and records that were produced (like telegrams or wax cylinders).

Genealogy is so much more than names, dates, and locations. Family history can come alive when the lives of those named ancestors are put into the full context of their times and places. This course will use a variety of case studies to focus on methods to add depth, breadth, and richness to our family stories by examining economic, ethnic, legal, religious, social, and other contexts impacting our ancestors.

This course offers advanced insights into Scandinavian genealogical research, covering key historical elements, church records, local websites, and major genealogical platforms. Students will explore census, farm, probate, and military records, supplemented by real-life case studies, equipping them with the skills to navigate complex research challenges and uncover their Scandinavian ancestry.

“The major fortunes in America have been made in land,” is a quote attributed to John D. Rockefeller. The major economy of the nation from the colonial period through the 1860s was agriculture. The acquisition of land was a promise of a better life, and a major draw to immigrants from other nations. In this course, we explore land development, law, and acquisition across the nation’s history. State and federal land records are discussed as well as maps and land platting. Genealogically-rich, deeds and other types of land records are full of relationships, community, and context for the savvy researcher.

We all have family archives, whether we think of them that way or not, and as family historians, we often end up as the “keepers of the stuff.” We have papers, digital files, photos, and family keepsakes that need organizing and preserving. We also need ways to collaborate with family members who have items that can be included in our archive and ways to share our family treasures with others. We need a plan for what will happen to it all when we’re gone. Our team of expert instructors will help us think like archivists and give us practical advice on how to organize, preserve, safely store, and share our family archives. We aim for this to be an engaging and interactive course, and students will each have the opportunity for a one-on-one consultation with a faculty member.

Tracing families as they “moved west” can be a daunting task. As our ancestors explored the wilderness in front of them, fewer detailed records were created, leaving large gaps in the resources needed to reconstruct a complete family record. Further, rapid economic, social, and territorial expansions throughout the Federal period caused massive waves of migration and other movements of our ancestors. The development of the Northwest Territory, New York’s land companies, the Louisiana Purchase, the Second Great Awakening, and the War of 1812 are just a few of the dynamic events that shaped the lives of our ancestors from 1780 to 1850.

Bridging the Gap focuses on strategies and records for tracing families from New England to the Midwest between 1780 and 1850, grounded in the historical context of this vibrant period in American history. Specific topics will explore key New England and Midwestern sources, migration patterns, manuscript materials, historical overviews, military records, land and property acquisition, and a series of case studies, which document various techniques to trace Midwestern families to their New England roots. Specific focus is placed upon tracing families who passed through New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio (though other states are also included in the various course activities and sessions).

Students in Advanced Genealogical Methods will learn how to assemble and use evidence to rediscover ancestral origins, identities, and relationships that have been forgotten over the passage of time. The course will address advanced use of evidence derived from a variety of genealogical sources and will explore research techniques for populations for which the usual records are in short supply. Students will also learn how to document their research and develop written proof summaries to reach accurate conclusions and create a credible record of their findings for present and future generations of family historians.

Experience the power of having your own personal guide for an entire week as you research both online and in the Family History Library. Students will review progress and findings in regular group meetings and one-on-one consultations throughout the week as they work on their own personal research projects. Assistance will be available as needed during specific research hours.