Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Memories...Halloween

Today is Halloween, a favorite of many kids. Have you told your children or grandchildren about what Halloween was like when you were young? Last night in between haunted houses and pumpkin carving we spent time talking about Halloweens past. Of course the kids thought we were weird but those are memories we have shared that they hopefully can repeat to their children or grandchildren one day.

What are my memories?


  • That being a hobo or a gypsy was my go to costume for many years.
copyright Gena Philibert-Ortega

copyright Gena Philibert-Ortega




  • Going to a haunted "house" when I was about 6 and being really, really scared.
  • Helping with a haunted maze at church when I was 12 and learning about the wonders of dry ice.
  • Traveling 20 minutes to my grandparent's house to trick or treat and surprising them.
What are your memories? Share those everyday memories with your family today. Don't forget to write them down somewhere as well.

Happy Halloween!

From http://vintageholidaycrafts.com/

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Church Record Sunday: Historic African American Church Histories


Finding Aids and guides are one way to find out about a collection housed at a particular archive or library. Today's Church Record Sunday is the guide African American Church Histories in the Library of Virginia.

According to this Guide,

"In its effort to collect materials relating to the culture and history of the commonwealth, the Library of Virginia has assembled a wide variety of materials about Virginia religious institutions, including many for African American churches"

Provided in this guide are resources in the categories: histories of congregations, associations and conventions, biographies of church leaders, denominational histories, manuscript resources, and images.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Join Me for a Webinar This Thursday



You are invited to attend our FREE online UGA Virtual Chapter Meeting

Speaker – Gena Philibert-Ortega

Topic – The Secret Lives of Women: Research Female Ancestors Using the Sources They Left Behind

Thursday, October 18, 2012, 7:00 pm MDT @ virtual.ugagenealogy.org

Women ancestors can be difficult to trace--but not impossible. How do you research female ancestors and how is that research different than searching for male ancestors? Sources discussed go beyond sparse government papers, and into libraries, archives, manuscript collections, and female specific resources.

Gena Philibert-Ortega holds Master’s degrees in Interdisciplinary Studies and Religion. She is the author of hundreds of articles published in genealogy newsletters and magazines. Her writings can be found on her blogs, Gena’s Genealogy and Food.Family.Ephemera. Her newest book is From the Family Kitchen (F + W Media 2012). She is a board member for UGA and editor of UGA's Crossroads.

The UGA Virtual Chapter meets online on the third Thursday of each month except December. These meetings are free to the public. To attend the presentation, go to virtual.ugagenealogy.org and, on the date and at the time of the meeting, click on the UGA logo. Enter the presentation as a guest. Archived copies of our monthly meetings are available to UGA members only. UGA Membership is only $35.00 per year. To join UGA, visit our website at ugagenealogy.org. Look down the blue panel and select the option to "Join UGA!" Follow the prompts.

Monday, October 01, 2012

Where in the World: My Presentations for October




October is Family History Month and it provides me the opportunity to speak on my favorite topics. Please join me at one of the following presentations.

October 5-8 2012. American Quilt Study Guild Seminar.
Topic: Fabric, Cigars and Murder: Reconstructing a Community of Women

October 17, 2012. Hi-Desert Genealogical Society. Topic: Death Records

October 18, 2012. Utah Genealogical Association Virtual Meeting
Topic: The Secret Lives of Women. Research Female Ancestors Using the Sources They Left Behind.

October 28, 2012. French Canadian Heritage Society of California
Topic: Catholic Church Records