Workshop descriptions
DIGGING YOUR ROOTS
GENEALOGY CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS
SATURDAY OCTOBER 17, 2026
SESSION 1
9:30-10:30
A: Using the Wiki and Catalogue Searches on FamilySearch
FamilySearch.org has various ways to search for genealogical records, both on FamilySearch and on other
sites. However, by not using the Wiki and Catalogue search functions, you may never know how many records
there actually are. This talk will use live examples to introduce you to using both the Wiki and Catalogue to
expand your searches in order to make sure you are not missing much in building out your family history.
Eileen Swanberg, Volunteer Terryville FamilySearch Center, Genealogist, MS Ed
Eileen Swanberg has been researching her family histories for over 30 years in places such as New York City,
New Jersey, and abroad. Her years of experience has led her to volunteer at, first, the Plainview FamilySearch
(then Family History) Center and now at the Terryville FamilySearch Center. She currently assists patrons with
their research, whether they are just starting out or trying to break down that brick wall. She also teaches
workshops at libraries and organizations on how to use FamilySearch. She is an active member of the German
Genealogy Group and the Hudson County (NJ) Genealogical and Historical Society, where she helps edit their
respective newsletters and is a mentor for US research for the German Genealogy Group. She writes a
monthly article for her website, Steps Back In Time Genealogy and shares those articles in an early release to
Terryville FSC patrons on the appointment email list.
B: Newspapers Sites to Help in Your Research
Genealogist Jean King will discuss free and subscription newspaper sites for genealogy research, including
library databases and specialized New York resources.
Jean King, Genealogist and MLS
Jean is a part-time adult reference librarian in South Huntington where she also leads a
monthly Genealogy Drop-In program. She has over 30 years of experience researching
her own family and has taught a variety of genealogy classes at public libraries and for
local genealogy societies. Jean runs the free website, “New York Genealogy Links,” She is also a board
member of the German Genealogy Group, creates the monthly events calendar for the Genealogy Federation
of Long Island, and is a member of the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society.
C: Finding Where Your Family Fits into America’s Fight for Independence
Did your ancestors support the Revolution—or remain loyal to the Crown? Whether you're just getting started
or digging deeper into your family history, this introduction to researching Revolutionary War–era family history
will show how ordinary people left extraordinary paper trails and potentially open the doors for you to lineage-
based historical organizations like the Daughters/Sons of the American Revolution.
April Lynne Earle, Library Faculty, Genealogist
April Lynne Earle is a member of the Library Faculty at Farmingdale State College, a college of Technology in
the State University of New York (SUNY) system. In addition to her primary role as the cataloger, she provides
reference service and information literacy instruction. She received both her Masters in Library Science and
Master of Arts in Public History from St. John’s University where she now teaches as an adjunct in their Library
Science course on Genealogical Sources & Services. With over 40 years of genealogy research experience,
her real joy is helping others discover their family history.
D: Beginning Genealogy
Learn how to get started on your genealogy search for your family history.
Susan Jaycox, President Genealogy Federation of Long Island, Genealogist
Susan Jaycox is the President of the Genealogy Federation of Long Island as well as the Genealogist at the
Joysetta and Julius Pearse African American Museum in Uniondale NY. She has presented at regional and
local workshops and conferences.
SESSION 2
10:45-11:45
A: Germany in New York: Kleindeutschland on the Lower East Side
The talk Germany in New York: Kleindeutschland on the Lower East Side will present a fairly detailed history of
the development of both the German Community in New York City and its Lower East Side, within the larger
context of 19 th century German immigration as a whole. Various aspects of society and day-to-day life in the
first major German community in New York will be explored, providing insight into this particular immigrant
experience in the city, some physical remnants of which still remain well over a century after the community’s
gradual transition, displacement, and dispersion.
Richard Haberstroh, PhD, AG
Richard Haberstroh is a native New Yorker of mixed European ancestry, whose six German ancestral lines
arrived in the New York City between 1835 and 1852 and resided in the city’s Little Germany
(Kleindeutschland) in what is now called the Lower East Side. Richard is an accredited genealogist (AG), who
has been involved in German research both locally and abroad since 1984, and who regularly lectures on
topics in family and local history, including German immigration and settlement in New York City. He has
published a variety of genealogical material, including his own German line’s New York City genealogy in the
NYG&B Record, and he is also the author of the book, The German Churches of Metropolitan New York: a
Research Guide, also published by the NYG&B.
B: Hidden Gems In Newspapers
Newspapers offer a unique insight into your family stories and histories. This workshop will look at using
newspapers for family history work; best search practices when researching newspapers; and what makes
GenealogyBank different from other newspaper websites.
Melony Young, Sr. Director of Consumer Support, NewsBank, inc. / GenealogyBank.com
Melony Young is an experienced Customer Experience Expert and Corporate Trainer across many industries.
She joined NewsBank / GenealogyBank in 2020. Melony’s love of Genealogy and Family History comes from a
strong appreciation for the family research done by her grandmother who was dedicated to preserving her
family stories. Melony has been a RootsTech speaker for the past two years and presents regularly to
Genealogical Societies across the nation.
C: Using Full Text Search and Simple Search on FamilySearch
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making large strides in the genealogy world, and it is no different on
FamilySearch.org. What started out in the “FamilySearch Labs” as a trial using AI in searching unindexed
records, Full Text soon became a permanent fixture on the Search function tab. The available records on Full
Text continues to grow greatly on a regular basis, allowing users to find those pesky unindexed and sometimes
handwritten records easier than scrolling page by page. The next logical step was for FamilySearch to add
Simple Search to their FamilySearch Labs, allowing users to search using a more user-friendly method.
Knowing how to do the searches in these AI driven search functions helps the user to save time and find
records with relative ease.
Eileen Swanberg, Volunteer Terryville FamilySearch Center, Genealogist, MS Ed
Eileen Swanberg has been researching her family histories for over 30 years in places such as New York City,
New Jersey, and abroad. Her years of experience has led her to volunteer at, first, the Plainview FamilySearch
(then Family History) Center and now at the Terryville FamilySearch Center. She currently assists patrons with
their research, whether they are just starting out or trying to break down that brick wall. She also teaches
workshops at libraries and organizations on how to use FamilySearch. She is an active member of the German
Genealogy Group and the Hudson County (NJ) Genealogical and Historical Society, where she helps edit their
respective newsletters and is a mentor for US research for the German Genealogy Group. She writes a
monthly article for her website, Steps Back In Time Genealogy and shares those articles in an early release to
Terryville FSC patrons on the appointment email list.
D: Jewish Genealogy
Learn the resources and ins and outs of Jewish genealogy.
Chuck Weinstein, Director JewishGen Ukraine Research Division
Chuck Weinstein is a genealogist and researcher who specializes in Jewish research as well as Shoah related
research.
SESSION 3
1:15-2:15
A: Irish Genealogy Records
A look at US records will help track down where your Irish family may have lived in Ireland. Learn about
naming patterns to help you figure out ancestors. Them, jump “across the pond” to find out why so many older
censuses and other records may or may not exist anymore. Hear about Griffiths Primary Valuation and Tithe
Applotment Books. Hear about all the websites dedicated to your Irish research. Who knows…maybe you will
find your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!
Eileen Swanberg, Member Irish Family History Forum, Genealogist, MS Ed
Eileen Swanberg has been researching her family histories for over 30 years in places such as New York City,
New Jersey, Ireland, and other places abroad. Her love of genealogy and teaching led her to start her own
business, Steps Back In Time, where she teaches workshops in local libraries to help others in their journey to
find their family stories. Eileen is a member of various genealogy societies, including the Irish Family History
Forum, the German Genealogy Group, the Hudson County (NJ) Genealogical and Historical Society, the New
York Genealogical and Biographical Society, and the National Genealogical Society.
B: African American Genealogy: Records for the Enslaved and Previously Enslaved Person
Records of those enslaved and previously enslaved persons in the US can be broken down into three time
frames: 1) Post-war: the Early Years - 1864-1880; 2) Pre-end of war – Antebellum; and 3) Beyond Post-war -
after 1880. The workshop will look at how to find the family histories during each of these time periods in hard-
to- find, newly discovered and/or forgotten records.
Stephanie Caputo, Author
Stephanie Caputo, a computer programmer/systems analyst for 25 years, started to research her family lines
in 2012, learning new techniques and methods for uncovering not just the facts, but the stories behind her
ancestors. About 6 years ago, she used that knowledge to assist her father in researching the Scott Joplin
family for an article they wrote and published together about Robert Joplin, Scott's young brother who was also
in the music business. This led to a second article about Scott's parents, who had been enslaved. It was
through this research she learned about the African American genealogy of enslaved persons. She gave a
Symposium at the Scott Joplin Festival in Sedalia, Missouri in 2024. Stephanie has also appeared in a Podcast
about the tips and techniques to find the hard-to-find records.
C: Italian Genealogy
Learn how to start your Italian genealogy research, and what steps you need to be able to bring your research
to the next level.
Kelly Bodami, Italian Genealogy Group, APG accredited Genealogist
Kelly Bodami is a professional Italian genealogist, specializing in the Italian diaspora, Sicilian research, and
Italian Dual Citizenship. Her United States expertise is in New York research and records, but she is well
versed in other areas worldwide.
Session 4
2:30-3:30
A: Goldie May and Family Tree Validator : Two Free Extensions to Use with FamilySearch.org
Goldie May was developed by Richard Miller as a research log for genealogy specifically. With contractual
agreements with FamilySearch, he has been able to simplify your research on FamilySearch with Projects,
Research Logs, Screenshots, Citations, AI, and more! Learn how to use the basic functions and how to find
more help with Goldie May.
Family Tree Validator was developed my Robert Scott as a way to “clean up” the issues that arise on our
saved information on FamilySearch. With a few simple keystrokes you can fix up non-standardized locations
(such as the ever popular “Same Place” as a residence in 1935 on the 1940 Federal Census) on each person’s
page; add married surnames as an alternative name to married women; and standardize dates. You will also
be notified of date inconsistencies, multiples of the same sources, and more!
Eileen Swanberg, Volunteer Terryville FamilySearch Center, Genealogist, MS Ed
Eileen Swanberg has been researching her family histories for over 30 years in places such as New York City,
New Jersey, and abroad. Her years of experience has led her to volunteer at, first, the Plainview FamilySearch
(then Family History) Center and now at the Terryville FamilySearch Center. She currently assists patrons with
their research, whether they are just starting out or trying to break down that brick wall. She also teaches
workshops at libraries and organizations on how to use FamilySearch. She is an active member of the German
Genealogy Group and the Hudson County (NJ) Genealogical and Historical Society, where she helps edit their
respective newsletters and is a mentor for US research for the German Genealogy Group. She writes a
monthly article for her website, Steps Back In Time Genealogy and shares those articles in an early release to
Terryville FSC patrons on the appointment email list.
B: Ask the Experts
Bring your questions to this workshop and our experts will do their best to provide the answers. It could be
where to find particular records, how do you cite a source, or any other question you may have. Please keep in
mind that it is an hour-long workshop and others will have questions too. So, please be respectful of others in
the workshop so that we can answer as many as possible.
C: Newspapers for Family History: Beyond the Obituary
Obituaries are just the start. Newspapers document lives, not just events, recording the marriage license that
never became a wedding, the sheriff's sale, the perfect-attendance list, the one-line social mention that
unravels into a whole social network. This session covers 56 kinds of newspaper finds beyond the obituary, 15
ways your ancestor's name got misprinted, and a method for turning a single throwaway sentence into a scene
from a real life.
Heather Haunert, Associate Marketing Manager, Genealogist for Storied
Heather Haunert is on a mission to empower others to discover and preserve their family’s legacy through
storytelling. With a degree in education, she spent more than two decades creating and delivering content and
instruction to people of all ages. She understands the importance of connecting with one's past, and through
her work, she is committed to helping others embark on their genealogy journey and uncover their family
stories.
D: Software Programs for Genealogy
Learn about the different software programs available to you and what they each can offer in your genealogy
research.
Chuck Weinstein, Director JewishGen Ukraine Research Division
Chuck Weinstein is a genealogist and researcher who specializes in Jewish research as well as Shoah related
research.
We have lots of workshops to choose from, so make sure you read them all! We want to thank all of our presenters, who are graciously donating their time to be with us in October.