Family History Day Conference

Celebrating Your Hallowed and Haunted History

Participants must register to receive the virtual link, handouts, and other important information.

10:00 - Victorian Mourning Customs: Lifting the Veil off Morbid Genealogical Treasures

Deb Dudek

Glimpse into the customs and rituals of death in Victorian Britain and North America.  Genealogists can thank the Victorians for the 'cult of mourning' which generated a fantastic assortment of keepsakes, mementos, and paperwork.  Discover how these materials and the cultural attitudes toward grief can be researched with the help of modern tools and new resources.

11:15 - Day of the Dead: A Celebration of Family History

Jessica Carapia

Day of the dead is a celebration of life! Learn about the history of the Day of the Dead and how ofrendas serve as genealogy markers. Explore the cultural significance of Día de Muertos though photographs, and see some of the elements that make up an ofrenda. 

1:30 - Family Tree Dx: Adding Health Information to Your Family Tree

Laura Kovarik

Genealogists are continually collecting information about their families. Do you include health information as part of your research? Health information can be more than just the cause of death from a death certificate. Let’s look at how to add health histories to your genealogy so you can share it with your family.

This presentation will NOT be recorded.

2:45 - Sensational Deaths and How to Find Them

Tina Beaird

Whether your ancestor died from a pandemic, accident, natural disaster or personal tragedy; each of these types of events created their own set of records. Tina will help you 'dig deeper' into your ancestor’s untimely demise by using print resources, media accounts and government records to uncover the story.