‘Genealogy Guys’ podcaster speaks at Family History Seminar

Every February, The Genealogical Society of Kendall County offers a day-long seminar dedicated to helping family history enthusiasts become better researchers and have fun doing it.

Drew Smith, associate librarian emeritus at the University of South Florida Libraries in Tampa, entertained, informed and challenged seminar participants at the 21st annual Hill Country Family History Seminar on Feb. 15 at St. John Lutheran Church in Boerne.

Smith’s first session focused on how family history researchers can use newspapers to aid in their quest to identify ancestors.

Smith — who specializes in genealogical research and co-founder of the Genealogy Guys podcast — pointed out that before the postal service began offering rural free delivery in 1896, newspapers routinely published a list containing the names of people who had mail waiting at the post office.

Why is that important? Smith said a 1921 fire destroyed the 1890 census, so these lists of “mail waiting to be picked up” could help determine where someone’s ancestors lived in 1890.

Other sessions included tips for finding ancestors whose names are misspelled or mis-indexed on the census, and how to use your ancestor’s FAN Club (Family, Associates, Neighbors) to get around the brick walls all genealogists run into.

Smith’s session on organizing a research process challenged attendees to hold themselves accountable for making, executing and validating research plans.

He stressed the importance of setting measurable goals and then went on to demonstrate how to create projects and tasks to attain those goals.

Door prizes were given to the attendees at the beginning of each session, and the seminar ended with the awarding of raffle prizes.

The 22nd annual seminar is set for the third Saturday in February next year. Seminar proceeds provide operating funds for GSKC’s genealogical research center, The Family History Place, at 114 E. Blanco Road in Boerne.

The Family History Place is free and open to the public. Patrons can research their lineage using multiple online databases provided by the Boerne Texas Family Search Center which is located there, or browse through their collection of approximately 6,000 books, periodicals and microfilm/fiche.

Visitors also can use GSKC’s scanners to digitize their family photos and vital records. Volunteers from GSKC are on hand to assist visitors each weekday and the second Saturday of each month.