Below is a list of currently available topics. Check back regularly to see updates to this selection. If you have any questions regarding these presentations, please contact me at karen@karenfortin.com.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Dead Men Do Tell Tales: Recreating Life in a Community Using Death Certificates
Death certificates can tell us a lot about how our ancestors lived and died. When looked at as a group they can also tell us
about life and death in their communities. This presentation focuses on an analysis of death certificates from Attleboro, Massachusetts over a five-year period, and shows how they can provide us with a window into the lives of the people who lived there.
King Philip’s War, 1675-1676: Causes & Consequences
Although largely forgotten, King Philip’s War was a widespread conflict that had a significant and long-lasting impact on New England colonists and Native Americans. The class will look at causes leading up to this brutal war, analyze the course of the war, outline the consequences that helped shape the future of the United States, and direct you to resources for researching ancestors who fought in this conflict.
Orphan Trains and the Children Who Rode Them
The story of the Orphan Trains, which relocated children from the eastern cities to rural farmlands, has become a part of American popular culture. This presentation explores the facts behind the legends, follows a group of children “placed-out” in 1880, and, provides information on resources available to learn more about the orphan trains and their riders.
The Story of the Mayflower
We all learned about the voyage of the Mayflower in 1620 and the founding of Plymouth Colony in school but who were these people, what did they believe, why did they come to New England, what was the voyage like, and what happened when they arrived? This presentation explores these topics and more. [This program is designed for a general audience.]
Was Your Ancestor Accused of Being a Witch?: Exploring the Colonial New England Witchcraft Trials
We have been fascinated by the stories of the New England witchcraft trials, particularly those in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, for hundreds of years. This presentation will explore what happened and what our ancestors believed, and try to explain why these events took place.
Who Were the Passengers of the Mayflower?
We’ve all heard the story of the Mayflower and the founding of Plymouth Colony in 1620 but who were these intrepid souls, what did they believe, why did they come to New England, and who left descendants? This presentation explores these topics and provides information on resources available for learning more about our Pilgrim ancestors. [This program is designed for a genealogical society audience.]
GENEALOGICAL RESOURCES, METHODS & MORE
AmericanAncestors.org: Searching the Online Databases
American Ancestors, the website for the New England Historic Genealogical Society, provides more than 1 billion records in over 470 databases online. Although
much of the collection focuses on New England, records from around the U.S. and even some from other countries are available. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the basics of searching these valuable databases.
Ancestry.com: Searching the Databases
Ancestry is one of the most popular and extensive genealogical websites. This presentation provides a demonstration and explanation of the various options for searching the website's many databases, and suggestions on how to search more effectively.
Bringing Your Ancestors to Life: Going Beyond the Facts
Using a case study approach, this presentation will explore how you can use traditional resources such as vital records, census records, land records, newspapers, and more to uncover the lives, experiences, and even personalities of our ancestors.
Buried Treasure: Exploring Your Family History Collection
Every family has a unique story to tell. Discover items to look for in your own family’s collection of photographs, documents, and more that will help bring that story to life.
Creating Google Earth Tours
Google Earth tours can be a fun way to share your genealogical research with relatives. This class will show you the basics of how to create, save, and share a tour that can visually illustrate the life and travels of your ancestors using the web-based Google Earth projects feature.
Exploring the Library of Congress Digital Collections NEW
The Library of Congress website includes more than 500 digitized collections of manuscripts, maps, prints, audio recordings, and much more. This presentation will introduce you to the wide range of resources available in these collections and show you how they can help you in your own family history research.
Family History Activities and Storytelling with Children and Grandchildren
Passing on family stories and traditions can help strengthen family bonds and the self-identity and well-being of the children. This presentation looks at the importance of telling family stories and provides activity ideas that parents and grandparents can use to make learning family history fun.
Grow a Family Tree: Introducing Genealogy
This presentation provides a general introduction to genealogical concepts, resources, and methods for those wishing to get started in personal family history research.
Grow a Family Tree!
This presentation provides school-age children with a brief introduction to genealogy using basic concepts, audience participation, and handouts that emphasize the unique and special character of their own families.
Identifying Female Ancestors NEW
The names and parentage of our female ancestors can sometimes be elusive in comparison to our male ancestors. This presentation will look at various types of records that might hold clues to female identities, strategies for finding the answers, and a case study showing how one such mystery was solved.
Local & County Histories
Local and county histories are often overlooked resources that can contain a wealth of resources on your ancestors and the places that they lived. This presentation explores the background of local and county history books, what information can be found in them, and where to find them, both in print and online.
Online Book Websites for Genealogy
A wealth of genealogical information has been published in books over the years. Luckily, many of these resources, especially those that have entered the public domain, have been made available in digital format on a variety of websites. This presentation will introduce you to some of the most popular online resources for digital books to broaden your genealogical research.
Searching Library Catalogs for Genealogical Resources
Libraries are a great place for finding genealogy resources. This class will show you how to find libraries and archives that can help you in your search, how to get
the most from catalog searches, and discover other helpful resources available through online catalogs.
Sharing Ancestor Stories: Writing Brief Biographical Sketches
We all have interesting relatives and ancestors whose lives tell the stories of our family’s past. This presentation takes a step-by-step approach to guide you through the process of planning and writing these stories in brief, informal biographical sketches that you can share with family and friends.
Skeletons in the Family Closet: Dealing with the Unexpected
We all find scandals, scalawags, and other surprises in the course of our genealogical research. This presentation explores some of the unexpected, and sometimes unsavory, facts that may arise and ethical considerations to keep in mind when deciding how to share them.
They Died of What?!: Understanding Historical Causes of Death
Death certificates are important resources when researching the lives of our ancestors. However, due to outdated terminology and the limits of medical knowledge in the past, it can be hard to interpret the causes of death given. This presentation examines these limitations and other factors and provides resources that can help you to better understand what your ancestors might have died from.
Using Historical Literature to Explore Your Ancestors’ Lives
Historical literature, both fiction and non-fiction, can help us to better understand the world in which our ancestors lived and the events that shaped their lives. This presentation looks at how to use historical literature to flesh out the stories of our ancestors and provides examples to show what can be learned.
Using U.S. Land Records in Genealogy
Land records are an important part of your genealogical toolkit. This presentation will provide an overview of common terms and concepts, explore how land records can help your research, and assist you in locating these valuable resources. The presentations will also share examples showing how to go from finding a deed to finding the land described in it on the modern landscape.
Walking in Their Footsteps: Locating Places Where Our Ancestors Lived and Worked
One of the fun things about genealogy is getting to know our ancestors as people, not just as names and dates on a chart. This presentation will help you to
identify sources that can assist you in locating the precise locations where your ancestors lived and worked.
WorldCat and ArchiveGrid: Finding Books, Manuscripts, and More
A treasure trove of genealogical material is available in books, manuscripts, and other print resources. However, much of this material is scattered in libraries and archives throughout the country. WorldCat and ArchiveGrid are online resources that allow you to search many of these repositories to identify and locate materials on the families and topics you are researching.
SHORT-TALKS
The following 20-30-minute presentations are designed for luncheons and similar venues.
Family History and Historical Literature
Historical literature, both fiction and non-fiction, can help us to better understand the world in which our ancestors lived and the events that shaped their lives.
Family History Fun with the Grandkids!
Looking for something fun to do with the grandkids? Want to find ways to get your grandchildren interested in your family’s history? This presentation offers a variety of activities that you can do with your grandchildren to help inspire them and develop a love of your family’s unique story.
Florida Snowbirds: From Vagabonds to Visitors
In the early 1900s you probably would not want to have been called a “snowbird.” The term snowbirds, which is now commonly used to refer to people who come south for part of the year to escape northern winters, was used very differently in the past. This presentation will use Florida newspaper articles to show the evolution of the term from early 1900s to the 1970s.
Salem, 1692
Everyone has heard about the witchcraft trials that happened in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, but what really happened? This presentation includes a short overview of the events that took place and examines some of the reasons why they occurred.
They Died of What?!
There is one thing that all our ancestors have in common – they died. This presentation includes a brief discussion on historic causes of death, looks at some interesting and humorous examples from death records, and challenges the audience to a game of Name That Cause of Death.
Walking in Their Footsteps: Visiting Places Where Your Ancestors Lived and Worked
Visiting places where your ancestors lived and worked can help you to get closer to them. This presentation will explain some of the sources that can be used to
find your ancestors’ locations and will show examples of actual sites visited.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Dead Men Do Tell Tales: Recreating Life in a Community Using Death Certificates
Death certificates can tell us a lot about how our ancestors lived and died. When looked at as a group they can also tell us
about life and death in their communities. This presentation focuses on an analysis of death certificates from Attleboro, Massachusetts over a five-year period, and shows how they can provide us with a window into the lives of the people who lived there.
King Philip’s War, 1675-1676: Causes & Consequences
Although largely forgotten, King Philip’s War was a widespread conflict that had a significant and long-lasting impact on New England colonists and Native Americans. The class will look at causes leading up to this brutal war, analyze the course of the war, outline the consequences that helped shape the future of the United States, and direct you to resources for researching ancestors who fought in this conflict.
Orphan Trains and the Children Who Rode Them
The story of the Orphan Trains, which relocated children from the eastern cities to rural farmlands, has become a part of American popular culture. This presentation explores the facts behind the legends, follows a group of children “placed-out” in 1880, and, provides information on resources available to learn more about the orphan trains and their riders.
The Story of the Mayflower
We all learned about the voyage of the Mayflower in 1620 and the founding of Plymouth Colony in school but who were these people, what did they believe, why did they come to New England, what was the voyage like, and what happened when they arrived? This presentation explores these topics and more. [This program is designed for a general audience.]
Was Your Ancestor Accused of Being a Witch?: Exploring the Colonial New England Witchcraft Trials
We have been fascinated by the stories of the New England witchcraft trials, particularly those in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, for hundreds of years. This presentation will explore what happened and what our ancestors believed, and try to explain why these events took place.
Who Were the Passengers of the Mayflower?
We’ve all heard the story of the Mayflower and the founding of Plymouth Colony in 1620 but who were these intrepid souls, what did they believe, why did they come to New England, and who left descendants? This presentation explores these topics and provides information on resources available for learning more about our Pilgrim ancestors. [This program is designed for a genealogical society audience.]
GENEALOGICAL RESOURCES, METHODS & MORE
AmericanAncestors.org: Searching the Online Databases
American Ancestors, the website for the New England Historic Genealogical Society, provides more than 1 billion records in over 470 databases online. Although
much of the collection focuses on New England, records from around the U.S. and even some from other countries are available. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the basics of searching these valuable databases.
Ancestry.com: Searching the Databases
Ancestry is one of the most popular and extensive genealogical websites. This presentation provides a demonstration and explanation of the various options for searching the website's many databases, and suggestions on how to search more effectively.
Bringing Your Ancestors to Life: Going Beyond the Facts
Using a case study approach, this presentation will explore how you can use traditional resources such as vital records, census records, land records, newspapers, and more to uncover the lives, experiences, and even personalities of our ancestors.
Buried Treasure: Exploring Your Family History Collection
Every family has a unique story to tell. Discover items to look for in your own family’s collection of photographs, documents, and more that will help bring that story to life.
Creating Google Earth Tours
Google Earth tours can be a fun way to share your genealogical research with relatives. This class will show you the basics of how to create, save, and share a tour that can visually illustrate the life and travels of your ancestors using the web-based Google Earth projects feature.
Exploring the Library of Congress Digital Collections NEW
The Library of Congress website includes more than 500 digitized collections of manuscripts, maps, prints, audio recordings, and much more. This presentation will introduce you to the wide range of resources available in these collections and show you how they can help you in your own family history research.
Family History Activities and Storytelling with Children and Grandchildren
Passing on family stories and traditions can help strengthen family bonds and the self-identity and well-being of the children. This presentation looks at the importance of telling family stories and provides activity ideas that parents and grandparents can use to make learning family history fun.
Grow a Family Tree: Introducing Genealogy
This presentation provides a general introduction to genealogical concepts, resources, and methods for those wishing to get started in personal family history research.
Grow a Family Tree!
This presentation provides school-age children with a brief introduction to genealogy using basic concepts, audience participation, and handouts that emphasize the unique and special character of their own families.
Identifying Female Ancestors NEW
The names and parentage of our female ancestors can sometimes be elusive in comparison to our male ancestors. This presentation will look at various types of records that might hold clues to female identities, strategies for finding the answers, and a case study showing how one such mystery was solved.
Local & County Histories
Local and county histories are often overlooked resources that can contain a wealth of resources on your ancestors and the places that they lived. This presentation explores the background of local and county history books, what information can be found in them, and where to find them, both in print and online.
Online Book Websites for Genealogy
A wealth of genealogical information has been published in books over the years. Luckily, many of these resources, especially those that have entered the public domain, have been made available in digital format on a variety of websites. This presentation will introduce you to some of the most popular online resources for digital books to broaden your genealogical research.
Searching Library Catalogs for Genealogical Resources
Libraries are a great place for finding genealogy resources. This class will show you how to find libraries and archives that can help you in your search, how to get
the most from catalog searches, and discover other helpful resources available through online catalogs.
Sharing Ancestor Stories: Writing Brief Biographical Sketches
We all have interesting relatives and ancestors whose lives tell the stories of our family’s past. This presentation takes a step-by-step approach to guide you through the process of planning and writing these stories in brief, informal biographical sketches that you can share with family and friends.
Skeletons in the Family Closet: Dealing with the Unexpected
We all find scandals, scalawags, and other surprises in the course of our genealogical research. This presentation explores some of the unexpected, and sometimes unsavory, facts that may arise and ethical considerations to keep in mind when deciding how to share them.
They Died of What?!: Understanding Historical Causes of Death
Death certificates are important resources when researching the lives of our ancestors. However, due to outdated terminology and the limits of medical knowledge in the past, it can be hard to interpret the causes of death given. This presentation examines these limitations and other factors and provides resources that can help you to better understand what your ancestors might have died from.
Using Historical Literature to Explore Your Ancestors’ Lives
Historical literature, both fiction and non-fiction, can help us to better understand the world in which our ancestors lived and the events that shaped their lives. This presentation looks at how to use historical literature to flesh out the stories of our ancestors and provides examples to show what can be learned.
Using U.S. Land Records in Genealogy
Land records are an important part of your genealogical toolkit. This presentation will provide an overview of common terms and concepts, explore how land records can help your research, and assist you in locating these valuable resources. The presentations will also share examples showing how to go from finding a deed to finding the land described in it on the modern landscape.
Walking in Their Footsteps: Locating Places Where Our Ancestors Lived and Worked
One of the fun things about genealogy is getting to know our ancestors as people, not just as names and dates on a chart. This presentation will help you to
identify sources that can assist you in locating the precise locations where your ancestors lived and worked.
WorldCat and ArchiveGrid: Finding Books, Manuscripts, and More
A treasure trove of genealogical material is available in books, manuscripts, and other print resources. However, much of this material is scattered in libraries and archives throughout the country. WorldCat and ArchiveGrid are online resources that allow you to search many of these repositories to identify and locate materials on the families and topics you are researching.
SHORT-TALKS
The following 20-30-minute presentations are designed for luncheons and similar venues.
Family History and Historical Literature
Historical literature, both fiction and non-fiction, can help us to better understand the world in which our ancestors lived and the events that shaped their lives.
Family History Fun with the Grandkids!
Looking for something fun to do with the grandkids? Want to find ways to get your grandchildren interested in your family’s history? This presentation offers a variety of activities that you can do with your grandchildren to help inspire them and develop a love of your family’s unique story.
Florida Snowbirds: From Vagabonds to Visitors
In the early 1900s you probably would not want to have been called a “snowbird.” The term snowbirds, which is now commonly used to refer to people who come south for part of the year to escape northern winters, was used very differently in the past. This presentation will use Florida newspaper articles to show the evolution of the term from early 1900s to the 1970s.
Salem, 1692
Everyone has heard about the witchcraft trials that happened in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, but what really happened? This presentation includes a short overview of the events that took place and examines some of the reasons why they occurred.
They Died of What?!
There is one thing that all our ancestors have in common – they died. This presentation includes a brief discussion on historic causes of death, looks at some interesting and humorous examples from death records, and challenges the audience to a game of Name That Cause of Death.
Walking in Their Footsteps: Visiting Places Where Your Ancestors Lived and Worked
Visiting places where your ancestors lived and worked can help you to get closer to them. This presentation will explain some of the sources that can be used to
find your ancestors’ locations and will show examples of actual sites visited.