What are GenTalks?
GenTalks are less formal, genealogy-related presentations that take place at the GFO library several months per year, generally on the third Saturday at 2 p.m. GenTalks are free and open to the public (i.e., you do NOT have to be a GFO member to attend). And they are a great opportunity for us to learn about not only genealogy, but also historical and cultural topics that permit us to better understand our ancestors and the eras in which they lived. Check out our Calendar page, and come spend an hour or so with us on a Saturday afternoon!
Upcoming GenTalks:
Getting Ready to Check Out: End of Life Planning
Saturday, August 18 @ 2 p.m.
Presenter: Leslie Brinkley Lawson, FGC
As genealogists, we love end-of-life records: death certificates, probate/estate paperwork, cemetery records, obituaries, etc. But in our personal lives, maybe we're not so enthusiastic. Learn how to plan for the inevitable, for the sake of your genealogy research and for your loved ones. It doesn't have to be expensive, and it doesn't have to be difficult, let Leslie show you how.
Leslie Brinkley Lawson, FGC is a full-time professional genealogist, specializing in forensic genealogy (missing/unknown heirs, and probate research). She is credentialed by the Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy (CAFG), and is a past president (2010-2015). She is the president of the Oregon Chapter of the Assn. of Professional Genealogists (APG), and is a member of the GFO.
Analyze Your Ancestor's Handwriting
Saturday, September 15 @ 2 p.m.
Presenter: Joyce Brizendine
What personality traits may your ancestor's handwriting reveal? Do two signature samples belong to the same person? This presentation will use the handwriting of famous people to illustrate principles of handwriting analysis. Attendees are encouraged to bring samples of their own ancestors' handwriting for our expert's opinion.
Joyce Brizendine is a professional handwriting analyst, certified by the International Graphoanalysis Society and by the American Handwriting Analysis Foundation. She has taught and lectured about handwriting analysis, and appears periodically on AM Northwest.
Digging for Ancestral Gold
Saturday, October 20 @ 2 p.m.
Presenter: Laurence Overmire
Did you ever have the experience of going on a hunt for buried treasure? Or wish you were an archaeologist digging through the layers of the ancient past? Or maybe you've always wanted to be a detective who finds the clues and solves the mystery?
Now's your chance! Everyone has an amazing family history, but most have no clue how truly remarkable it is, because they have never investigated the generations going far back in time. Author and genealogist Laurence Overmire will inspire you to embark on a quest for your ancestral heritage and will guide you through the steps to get you started.
Laurence Overmire has had a multi-faceted career as a genealogist, poet, actor, director, educator and public speaker. He is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), and he graduated summa cum laude from Muskingum University, B.A., B.S., and the University of Minnesota, M.F.A. He now resides in West Linn with his wife Nancy McDonald.
Some of the GenTalks we have offered in the past:
July 2018
Voting Records: Genealogy's Best Kept Secret
Presented by: Pam Vestal
June 2018
The Pre-Digital Family Photo Collection & Its Uses in Visualizing Your Personal Family History
Presented by: Harold Hinds, Ph.D.
May 2018
My Cuban Cousins
Presented by: Janice Sellers
April 2018
Getting from Then to Now: Locating People in the Last Century
Presented by: Leslie Lawson, FCG
March 2018
Finding James: A WWII Repatriation Project
Presented by: Kate Eakman, MA
January 2018
Making the Most of Your DNA Holiday Gift
Presented by: Lisa McCullough
December 2017
Personal Archiving
Presented by: LauraDenise White, MARM, GFO Resident Archivist
November 2017
Paper & Spit: Making First Contact with a Match
Presented by: Don Anderson
October 2017
Write It Up!
Presented by: Marti Dell, Co-Editor, GFO Bulletin
September 2017
Switched at Birth: Unraveling a Century-Old Mystery with DNA
Presented by: Alice Collins Plebuch
June 2017
Capturing and Bringing to Life Your U.S. Farm Ancestor
Presented by: Harold Hinds, Ph.D.
May 2017
Vanport
Presented by: Zita Podany, author
March 2017
French Prairie Oregon Settlement & The GFO's French-Canadian Collection
Presented by: Gerry Lenzen and Susan LeBlanc, AG
January 2017
Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery
Presented by: Linda Werts, Board Member, Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery
November 2016
What the U.S. Census Tells Us about Your Potential Native American Ancestors
Presented by: Kate Eakman, MA
September 2016
Map Guides to German Parish Records
Presented by: Keith & Darlene Pyeatt
June 2016
Church Records: Their Location & Value for Family Historians
Presented by: Harold Hinds, Ph.D.
May 2016
Buttons, History...and Genealogy?
Presented by: Dorothy Krugner
April 2016
Beyond Names & Places: Filling in the Stories of Our Female Ancestors
Presented by: Pam Vestal
March 2016
From Native American to Scottish: The Journey to Find My First Parents
Presented by: Don Anderson
February 2016
Research in Eastern Canada
Presented by: Thomas Higgins
January 2016
Discover Your House History
Presented by: Connie Lenzen, CG
