Presentation Descriptions

Each presentation is 45 minutes followed by 15 minute Q&A, with a 15 minute break between presentations.

Reminder: Syllabus will be provided in digital format. Printed syllabus is $10 (purchase during registration).

1A: Using Autosomal DNA for 18th and 19th Century Mysteries

Blaine Bettinger

Even though our 18th and 19th century ancestors have been dead for decades, their DNA still survives in their descendants. Learn how to use autosomal DNA to attack and potentially solve genealogical mysteries and brick walls for ancestors who were born or lived in the 1800’s, 1700’s, and beyond.

2A: Are You Doing Everything to Identify Your DNA Matches?

Blaine Bettinger

In this lecture, we will examine numerous ways you can use a match’s profile to identify who they might be. We will also examine ways to use the In Common With tool and the Shared Matches tool to estimate how that elusive match is related to you.

3A: The Danger of Distant Matches

Blaine Bettinger

Those distant genetic matches are exciting, but they can be dangerous! Evidence shows that distant matches sharing a small amount of DNA are often false positives and fail to match either of our parents. Together will examine the problems that can arise when reviewing distant genetic matches at your testing company. We will also examine ways to evaluate these matches and use them in ways that avoid these potential issues.

4A: The Helen Marley Story

Blaine Bettinger

A case study identifying the mother of my adopted great-grandmother, born Helen Marley Johnson. Although no single record identifies her mother, indirect evidence and DNA testing makes the case.

1B: The Miracles and Sins of Church and Cemetery Records

Sydney F. Cruice

Church and cemetery records are the top resource for vital record information for family research. They exceed state and municipal records, since churches and cemeteries started collecting this information long before our government agencies. However, trying to access these records can be difficult and very frustrating. We will discuss how you can examine many of these records without involving their religious creators, and we will explore the best strategies when you do have to go through the religious organizations to examine these valuable materials.

2B: Using Probate and Estate Records to Raise the Dead

Sydney F. Cruice

Probate and Estate records are one of the most important record groups when conducting family research. They often reveal clues to the previous generations, and they include names of the current heirs. They can provide the names of married daughters, as well as siblings and nieces and nephews. A full investigation of probate records can lead to other valuable genealogy sources like land records, guardianship records and tax records. We will explore where to find these records and how to interpret all of their valuable clues. We will discuss how to use these records with other record groups and solve your most difficult family mysteries.

3B: Learn How to Find and Plat Your Ancestor’s Land

Sydney F. Cruice

Land records are one of the most valuable record groups for genealogy research. We will explore where to find them and go through the different parts of a deed with special attention to the land description. We will also learn how to plat a Metes and Bounds land description and discuss ways of anchoring the land plat to historic maps.

4B: Finding Treasures in Military Records

Sydney F. Cruice

In this course you will learn the who, what, where, when, why and how of researching your ancestor’s military service and histories. The lecture covers and explains the benefits, and how to navigate some of the difficulties of researching at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Blaine Bettinger

Blaine Bettinger, Ph.D., J.D., is a professional genealogist specializing in DNA evidence. In 2007 he started The Genetic Genealogist (www.thegeneticgenealogist.com), one of the earliest blogs on the topic. Blaine is the author of The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy, and co-author with Debbie Parker Wayne of the award-winning Genetic Genealogy in Practice, the world’s first genetic genealogy workbook. He also co-authored “Genetics for Genealogy” with Judy Russell in 2018’s Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards (ProGen PPS) (Elizabeth Shown Mills, Author and Editor).

Blaine is or has been an instructor for genetic genealogy courses at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research, Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), and Virtual Institute of Genealogical Research. Blaine is a graduate of ProGen Study Group 21, and a trustee for the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society Board of Trustees.

Sydney F. Cruice

Sydney is a professional genealogy researcher, educator and international lecturer with over 25 years of experience. She has served as a faculty member for the Salt Lake City Genealogy Institute of the Utah Genealogical Society, the International Association of Jewish Genealogy Societies Conference, the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research of the Georgia Genealogy Society and the Researching Family in Pennsylvania Institute of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. For the past seven years, she developed the curriculum and taught the Foundations of Genealogy courses at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. She also served as the President of the Association of Professional Genealogists for the Greater Philadelphia Area Chapter for the past 6 years.

Directions & Parking

Use the directions below to the Mercer County Community College Conference Center or enter “Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, NJ” in your GPS.

Parking

Free parking is available in the Conference Center Lots and Lots 1 & 2.

Directions

From North or South via U.S. 1

• Exit onto Quakerbridge Road / South 533.
• After 2 miles (through 4 traffic lights), turn left at the Youngs Road traffic light.
• At the end of Youngs Road, turn right onto Hughes Drive and follow past Mercer County Park entrance.
• MCCC campus entrance is on the left.
• Make second right run. 1^st right is a parking lot. Follow the road around the curve. The Conference Center and parking are on the left.

From Route 206 North or South

• From 206 South, turn left onto Province Line Road (at traffic light).
• From 206 North, turn right onto Province Line Road.
• Follow Province Line Road through the next traffic light (Princeton Pike), continue to the next traffic light and turn right onto Quakerbridge Road / South 533.
• On Quakerbridge Road, follow directions from Route 1 (see above).

From North or South via Interstate 95/295

• Take Interstate 95 (which becomes Interstate 295) to Exit 65A: Sloan Ave. East
• Continue straight on Sloan Ave. East (becomes Flock Road) to the end.
• Turn left at traffic light, onto Edinburg Road
• Continue straight through one traffic light (becomes Old Trenton Road).
• Take right jug handle that leads to the MCCC campus entrance.
• Turn left at the stop sign. The Conference Center and parking are on the right.

From East

• Follow Route 33 West until you see signs for Route 133 West (the new bypass route).
• Turn right onto Route 133 West.
• Take Route 133 West to the end and exit immediately onto Route 571 West (Princeton-Hightstown Road).
• Move immediately to the far-left turning lane and turn left onto Route 535 / Old Trenton Road.
• Follow Route 535 / Old Trenton Rd for approximately 5 miles.
• MCCC campus entrance is on the right.
• Turn left at the stop sign. The Conference Center and parking are on the right.

From North via NJ Turnpike

• Take Turnpike Exit 8 at Hightstown onto Route 33 West.
• Follow signs onto Route 133 West (the new bypass).
• Turn right onto Route 571 West (Princeton-Hightstown Road).
• Move immediately to the far-left turning lane and turn left onto Route 535 / Old Trenton Road.
• Follow Route 535 / Old Trenton Road for approximately 5 miles.
• MCCC campus entrance is on the right.
• Turn left at the stop sign. The Conference Center and parking are on the right.

From South via NJ Turnpike

• Take Turnpike Exit 7A.
• Go West on I-195 to Exit 5B (first exit off I-195).
• North on Route 130, proceed to the second traffic light and turn left onto Robbinsville-Allentown Road (526 West).
• Go through traffic light and make immediate right onto Robbinsville-Edinburg Road (526 West).
• At the end of Robbinsville-Edinburg Road (526 West), turn left onto Old Trenton Road (535).
• Follow Old Trenton Road for 2 miles to campus entrance on right, after Mercer County Park.
• Turn left at the stop sign. The Conference Center and parking are on the right.