Presentation Descriptions

Each presentation is forty-five (45) minutes followed by fifteen (15) minute Q&A, with a fifteen (15) minute break between presentations.

Session 1A: Finding a Father for Elizabeth; High Hopes & Shattered Dreams

Mary Szaro, CG®
Multiple vital records, including primary information on original birth certificates, provide conflicting direct evidence for the maiden name of Elizabeth Covell, as both Slattery and Carey. What evidence can offer convincing proof to explain why parents Edward and Elizabeth contradicted themselves when they provided information for their children’s birth records?

Session 1B: Exactly the Same—Totally Different: An Introduction to Jewish Research

Roger Lustig
Jewish genealogical research involves the same techniques and underlying questions as other projects. But the specifics are different. Surnames, given names, vital records, migration, and other geographical questions are a few of the areas where these differences are critical. This talk presents them within a general genealogical framework.

Session 2A: New Jersey’s Legal Treasures: The State Library’s Collections

Judy G. Russell, JD, CG®, CGL^SM
New Jersey’s State Library makes it easy, both online and offline, with its collections of state legal materials. Learn more about what’s there and how to access these legal treasures.

Session 2B: Discovering Your Family’s Story Through the U.S. Census

Daniel Horowitz
The U.S. Census is one of the most important resources you can use to track your family across time in the United States. Starting with the 1940s and going back one census at a time, you can trace your family back to the time they immigrated and gain an inside look at how your family grew, struggled, and survived. Discover why your relatives may not appear where you expect to find them in the U.S. Census and learn techniques and best practices to help you track them down.

Session 3A: Good Deeds: Lessons from the Land

Joe Grabas, MA, CTP, NTP
Land title records are an often-overlooked source for genealogical investigation. Due to NJ laws regarding property acquisition and transfer, land documents necessarily contain information revealing familial connections. This program will introduce the attendee to those records and how to use them effectively to support genealogical research.

Session 3B: Cite That Source When You Find It

Chris Tracy
Everyone says you need to cite your sources in research. Citing sources in genealogy doesn’t have to be complicated or cause anxiety. Learn the basic components of citations and some tips that will ensure you cover all the necessary information.  This presentation uses color coding for the parts of a citation and has NJ examples.

Session 4A: Murder in Woodbridge: The Untold Story of a 3rd Great-Grandfather’s Untimely Demise in Civil War Era New Jersey

Mark A.J. Szep
Set against the backdrop of Civil War Era New Jersey, an altercation on a sleepy street in Woodbridge, New Jersey would result in the murder of the Presenter’s 3rd great-grandfather, Robert Gillis. This lecture will recount the unearthed tale, unknown to descendants for almost 150 years, and discuss the genealogy records and collections that revealed the circumstances of Robert’s death and its lasting effect on his family.

Session 4B: Using Social History and Underused Records to Tell Our Female Ancestors’ Stories

Pam Vestal
For most of recorded time, women didn’t leave much of a paper trail, but they still have wonderful stories to tell. We’ll look at ways in which local history, laws, politics, cataclysmic events, military records, probate inventories, and other resources can help.

The syllabus will include all handouts.

Speaker Biographies

Joseph Grabas, MA, CTP, NTP

Joseph Grabas is a professional educator and 44-year veteran of the land title industry. He is recognized by ALTA as a National Title Professional. Joe has provided over 10,000 hours of Continuing Education and serves as a Monmouth County Historical Commissioner. He holds a Master’s degree in History from Monmouth University and is the author of the award-winning book, Owning New Jersey.

Lecture

• Good Deeds: Lessons from the Land

Daniel Horowitz

Daniel Horowitz, dedicated to Genealogy since 1986, is involved in several crowdsource digitization and transcription projects, and holds a board-level position at The Israel Genealogy Research Association. Since 2006 he has been working at MyHeritage liaising with genealogy societies, bloggers, and media, as well as lecturing.

Lecture

• Discovering Your Family’s Story Through the U.S. Census

Roger Lustig

Roger Lustig is a genealogist based in Princeton, New Jersey. Since 2002 he has specialized in the Jewish families of Prussian Poland, especially Upper Silesia and West Prussia. He has researched in US, Germany and Poland archives.

Lecture

• Exactly the Same—Totally Different: An Introduction to Jewish Research

Judy G. Russell, JD, CG®, CGL^SM

Judy G. Russell, The Legal Genealogist®, is a genealogist with a law degree who provides expert guidance through the murky territory where law and family history intersect. An internationally known lecturer, award-winning writer, and board-certified genealogist, her blog is at https://www.legalgenealogist.com.

Lecture

• New Jersey’s Legal Treasures: The State Library’s Collections

Mary Szaro, CG®

Mary Szaro, has been conducting research for over 20 years across her native state of New Jersey as well as New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. A Daughter of the American Revolution, she is Vice-President of the Association of Professional Genealogists New Jersey Chapter and President of the Historical Society of South Amboy.

Lecture

• Finding a Father for Elizabeth; High Hopes & Shattered Dreams

Mark A.J. Szep

Mark A.J. Szep is a New Jersey-based professional genealogist and co-founder of DiscoverURhistory, a genealogy, family history and house history research firm. His previous presentations focus on burial and death records in New Jersey. His article, “All Genealogied Up with No Place to Go: Lessons Learned Running a Genealogy Business in the Age of COVID-19,” was published in the March 2021 issue of Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly.

Lecture

• Murder in Woodbridge: The Untold Story of a 3rd Great-Grandfather’s Untimely Demise in Civil War Era New Jersey

Chris Tracy

Chris Tracy has been conducting research for over 25 years, researching primarily in NJ/NY/PA areas.  He holds a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University and is Vice President of the Central Jersey Genealogical Club. His family roots include Irish, Scottish, English, and Eastern Carpathia (Lemko/Carpatho-Rusyn).

Lecture

• Cite That Source When You Find It

Pam Vestal

Pam Vestal became a professional genealogist and speaker after a 20-year writing career. Her articles have appeared in the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly and FGS’s Forum. She specializes in conducting genealogical research and then turning that information into illustrated stories that even non-genealogists can enjoy.

Lecture

• Using Social History and Underused Records to Tell Our Female Ancestors’ Stories

Registration

Registration is Closed. See below for instructions for late registration.

Online Registration

Online Registration is Closed as we prepare for the event. Email sales@njgenealogy.com to register..

Mail In Registration Form

Mail In Registration is Closed as we prepare for the event. Email sales@njgenealogy.com to register.

Mail to:

GSNJ 2022 Spring Conference 
c/o Joan E. Betancourt, GSNJ Treasurer
10 Lincoln Place, Freehold, NJ 07728

Complete separate form for each registration. Additional forms may be printed from the Registration Form button on this page or from www.gsnj.org.