Genealogy 101: Where to Start?

 

Historic Mesquite is offering a moderated panel discussion on how to get started with your family history. 

Thursday July 23, 2026 Doors Open at 6:30

$20 per person, proceeds go towards preserving Mesquite history. 

Need Help With Your Research? Join us at Haggard Library

 

When: Saturday, July 11, 2026 10:15 to 1 CT

Where: W.O. Haggard Library, 2501 Coit Rd, Plano, TX

Program: 10:15-11:15 "The Other Census - U.S. State and Territorial Censuses," by Thomas MacEntee.  Handout is available for members. 

Frequently genealogists focus strictly on U.S. Census records and forget that many of the U.S. states and territories conducted their own census at some point. Learn which states and territories have these amazing records, how to access them, and how to incorporate them into your genealogy research. Participants will learn how to determine if a specific state or territory conducted their own census and when. In addition, we'll cover how to access these records both online and in-person at various repositories. Finally, we'll review how to take state and territorial census data and incorporate it into your current genealogy research. 

Research Help 11:15 -1:00 Experienced Researchers will be on hand to help. Here's just a few ideas:

• Getting Started on Family History Research - bring what you know about your family. Create a free account on the National Genealogical Society website and download the free Pedigree Chart and Family Group Sheet. Fill in what you know and bring them to the library. https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/free-resources/charts/
• Brick Wall - bring your research question and research log/report. 
• Start a New Research Project - bring what you know about the research subject. We'll help you develop a research question, provide tips on researching the location, and starting your research. 
• Research in Restricted Records on FamilySearch.org. The Plano Libraries are Affiliate Libraries so you can access records you can't see from home. 
  
  

Beginning DNA Class Cancelled

The instructor, Kathy Bartera, has a family issue so there will be no Beginning DNA class on July 7th. Please keep Kathy and her family in your thoughts and prayers. 

Banyan Update

BayanDna is a software tool for building, visualizing, and analyzing complex genealogies. 

They released a new update:

• Import DNA match data into your project
• Export Calculation results to CSV files

Release Notes

Newspapers - A Great Source for "4th of July" News

 Historic and Current Newspapers are a gold mine!  Think of key years and locations, and start searching.

Old Newspapers (such as 1820 and 1876)

(1) Using nyshistoricnewspapers.org as an example, I filtered on Otsego County and searched on "Revolutionary War Pension".  I filtered on the year 1820.

The result?  I found a front-page article in The Otsego Herald on 03 April 1820 about the House of Representatives discussing a military pension bill .  

Try it.  Then, adapt your search to your ancestors and locations, along with relevant newspapers.

(2) Again, using nyshistoricnewspapers.org as an example, I filtered on Ontario County and searched on "Centennial Sketches". I filtered on the year 1876.

The result?  I found The Geneva Daily Gazette from 21 April 1876 with one in a series of sketches from 1776 (Revolutionary War).  

Current Newpapers

For this example, I did a Google search using the name of a newspaper (Finger Lakes Times) and "Bicentennial 1976".

The result?  I found relevant articles dated both in 1976 and 2026 ("looking back").

Enjoy your searches!  Don't forget to keep track of your search terms, sources, and downloads.

Germanology Unlocked Webinar - Archion Unlocked: Find More Ancestors, Faster

 

Webinar Link: Archion Unlocked: Find More Ancestors, Faster Dates: July 7, 8, or 9 Description:  200,000 German church books. Thousands of records with your ancestors' information. But do you know how to find YOUR family's records? Archion is an amazing online database for German church records, but that website can be confusing! If you get overwhelmed trying to use it - or have never tried before - this is the webinar for you. In this free training, learn from internationally-known genealogy expert Katherine Schober how to use Archion to discover your German ancestors. Discover how to: Navigate the website with confidence Find the records you need - even with no index  Identify key information within handwritten church books Avoid common mistakes that can waste hours of research time Whether you're brand new to Archion or are ready for more expert-level secrets, you'll leave with a clear roadmap for finding more records and making meaningful discoveries in your family tree. Sign up to save your spot now! Save your spot here! Save my Spot for Archion Unlocked!

July Saturday Seminar - "Organizing and Identifying Photograph Collections" by Ari Wilkins

 Join Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries in person at Haggard Library, 2501 Coit Road, Plano, TX or via Zoom for our next free Saturday Seminar. Email newsletter@genealogyfriends.org to join our email list for Zoom information. 

Organizing and Identifying Photograph Collections by Ari Wilkins

We all have mounds of old unidentified family photos sitting in boxes. This lecture will offer step-by-step direction in organizing, preserving, and cataloging these precious collections for future generations. Learn how to identify, digitize, and share collections using family trees and social media. 

Ari Wilkins is a graduate of Louisiana State University. Ms. Wilkins has been actively researching family history since 1998, specializing in African American research. She speaks nationally and locally. She has had the honor to speak at the National Genealogical Society, Federation of Genealogical Societies, Texas State Genealogical Society, Ohio Genealogical Society, Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research, Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, American Library Association, RootsTech, and a multitude of local societies. 

Library Doors open at 10:00 am, Zoom Room opens at 10:15 am. (All Times are CDT) 

Networking and Goodies are served from 10:15-10:40 am.

Welcome and Announcements 10:40 am

Lecture Begins 10:45 am