Hartford 2007 e-zine #1

Welcome from Hartford 2007 Co-Chairs
Conference Co-Chairs Biographies
Conference Program Co-chairs Biographies
Featured Speakers Hartford 2007
Call for Papers Hartford 2007
Winner of Free Registration for Hartford 2007
About this e-zine

WELCOME FROM HARTFORD 2007 CO-CHAIRMEN

Welcome to the first New England Connections 2007 e-zine! Between now and April 2007, we’ll be updating the genealogical community on what's happening with the ninth New England Regional Genealogical Conference through periodic e-zines like this one. Please share them with your friends and associates – and anyone else you feel may be interested in attending the Conference.

New England Connections, to be held April 26-29 2007 in Hartford, Connecticut, will be the ninth New England Regional Genealogical Conference and promises to build on NERGC’s tradition of excellence in providing genealogical lectures; seminars and workshops; the Ancestors Road Show; a Society Fair; and banquets and luncheons for new and established genealogists alike at minimal cost.

In keeping with the Conference theme, Patricia Law Hatcher, Cyndi Howells, Hank Jones, and over 40 other speakers will help genealogists “connect” to:

In addition to connecting with expert genealogists, there will be opportunities to connect to vendors in the Exhibit Hall as well as with other attendees who share your love for genealogy.  A "Librarians Day" pre-conference is also in the works. 

Conference activities will take place in the new Connecticut Convention Center and the Marriott Hartford Downtown, in the heart of the exciting new Adrien's Landing redevelopment.  There will be lots of space in the lecture rooms and exhibit areas and plenty of secure parking.  Beyond the conference itself, Hartford is a genealogical and historical haven, home of the Connecticut State Library and Connecticut Historical Society Museum and historic sites such as the homes of Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe.  The Godfrey Library in Middletown and Connecticut Society of Genealogists library in East Hartford are not far away.

The excitement for New England Connections 2007 is already building, and we thank the Committee Chairs and many Participating Societies that are making this Conference possible.  Watch our Website: www.NERGC.org for developing information, and be sure to get your Conference and hotel registrations in early.  We look forward to “connecting” with you there!

Thomas F. Howard and Richard C. Roberts, Conference Co-Chairs

CONFERENCE CO-CHAIR BIOGRAPHIES

Tom Howard, Hartford 2007 Conference Co–Chairman

Tom Howard have been active in NERGC conferences since the Providence Conference in 2000 and also worked on the Gentech Conference in Boston 2002. He is a professional genealogist, lecturer, writer, teacher and conference planner. He has taught genealogy classes, including NARA workshops and  lectured at regional and national conferences on innovative teaching strategies and genealogical topics including class yearbooks, hidden town hall treasures and New England World War I records. He has presented talks to the DAR, Westchester Genealogical Society, South Shore Genealogical Society, Descendants of the Founders of Ancient Windsor, the Connecticut Society of Genealgists and others. He is Chairman of the Connecticut Genealogical Coalition, founding member of the Town Clerks and Genealogists Action Group, President of the Connecticut Professional Genealogists Council, on the Board of Directors of NERGC and the Connecticut Society of Genealogists. He is a member of APG, NEHGS, Connecticut Ancestry Society and numerous other genealogical or historical organizations. He is former president of the East Granby Historical Society and currently is president of the East Granby Land Trust. He and his wife Virginia, a fellow genealogist, are co-owners of a genealogical services company, Search: Skeletons and Heirs. They reside in East Granby, Connecticut and have two married children and four grandchildren.

Richard C. Roberts, Hartford 2007 Conference Co-Chairman

Richard C. Roberts is Unit Head, History and Genealogy, at the Connecticut State Library, and has presented many talks on Connecticut genealogical research and the resources of the State Library. He is President and Newsletter Editor of the Descendants of the Founders of Ancient Windsor and a member of the Connecticut Professional Genealogists Council, Connecticut Society of Genealogists, New England Historic Genealogical Society, New Hampshire Society of Genealogists, and the St. Andrew’s Society of Connecticut. He is also Connecticut Convener for Clan MacBean, hosting the Clan tent at Scottish highland games. He is President of the Roberts Reunion Association, which holds its 125th Annual Reunion in August 2006, and is author of the Genealogy of the Family of William Watson and Nancy Hoyt (Bean) Roberts. He serves on the Board of the New England Regional Genealogical Conference, served on the A/V Signage Committee for the Providence and Falmouth Conferences, and was Co-Chair, with his wife Pam, of the Signage Committee for the 2005 Conference in Portland, Maine.

PROGRAM CO-CHAIR BIOGRAPHIES

Allison Ryall, Hartford 2007 Program Co-Chairperson

Allison Ryall has a strong professional background in events marketing, promotions and planning. She recently moved to the Portland, Maine area from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Allison has spent 7 years of her career as the Senior Director of Marketing and Promotions for a cluster of six radio stations in Pittsburgh and previously worked as the Special Event Coordinator for a large community event in Pittsburgh. She has extensive experience in her own genealogical pursuits and has worked on friends and families ancestry. She has completed the NGS Home Study Course (with honors) and is currently enrolled in the Family History Certificate Program from Brigham Young University. She has also started the process for certification as a genealogist, a process that she will likely hold off on until she completes her university work at the University of Southern Maine.  Currently Allison is pursuing two undergraduate degrees, one in History with a minor in Sociology and the other in Russian Studies.  Following completion of her undergraduate studies, Allison plans on working towards her Ph.D. in History.

Christine Sweet-Hart, Hartford 2007 Program Co-Chairperson

Christine Sweet-Hart, Certified Genealogist, is a New England native.  She has been a professional genealogist since 1992, specializing in New England area research from colonial to present times.  She is the current Chapter Representative for the Greater Boston Association of professional Genealogists and the Newsletter Editor for the Massachusetts Genealogical Council.  Christine is also a volunteer for the New England Historic Genealogical Society where she has worked in Research Services, and transcribing parts of the Corbin Collection, Plymouth Church Records, and early Boston death records.

FEATURED SPEAKERS FOR HARTFORD 2007

         

Hartford 2007 is pleased to announce that the featured speakers for our conference will be nationally known Cyndi Howells, Patricia Law Hatcher and Henry Z. “Hank” Jones.

Cyndi Howells is the owner and webmaster of Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet, http://www.cyndislist.com, a
 categorized index to over 210,000 online resources. It has three times been voted the best genealogy site on the Web and
 receives more than 3.2 million visits each month. Cyndi, a genealogist for more than 24 years, is a member of the board of
 directors for the National Genealogical Society. She is the author of three books for genealogical research on the Internet-
 Netting Your Ancestors, Cyndi’s List and Planting Your Family Tree Online: How to Create Your Own Family History
 Web Site. Cyndi is an internationally known guest lecturer for various genealogical society meetings and seminars. She has lectured for
 the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, GENTECH, Brigham Young University, the Federation of Genealogical Societies, the
 Washington Library Association, the Florida Library Association, The American Library Association and numerous local
 genealogical societies in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Patricia Law Hatcher, FASG is a professional genealogist specializing in problem solving whose articles have appeared in over a dozen publications. She is the author of Finding Your Colonial New England Ancestor (forthcoming), Locating Your Roots—Discover Your Ancestors Using Land Records, and Producing a Quality Family History; editor of The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine; and consulting or contributing editor to Newbury Street Press, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, and the Maine Genealogist. She is a former trustee of the Association of Professional Genealogists and in 2000 was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists. A popular lecturer and instructor, she has spoken at many national conferences and institutes.

Henry Z. “Hank” Jones, FASG has been actively climbing family trees since the age of eight, and, since his graduation from Stanford, has specialized in tracing 18th century German immigrants. His books on the subject include The Palatine Families of Ireland, the two volume The Palatine Families of New York – 1710 (winner of the Donald Lines Jacobus Award as “Best Genealogical Work of the Year”), More Palatine Families, Westerwald to America, and his new three volume set Even More Palatine Families. Hank has written many articles over the years that have appeared in major genealogical publications. He recently received the NGS Award of Merit for “Distinguished Work in Genealogy” and has been elected a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists, of whom there are only fifty in the world. Hank has served on the national board of the Genealogical Speaker’s Guild and as a Trustee of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

CALL FOR PAPERS

Lecture proposals are now being accepted for the ninth New England Regional Genealogical Conference to be held April 26 to April 29, 2007 at the Connecticut Convention Center and adjoining Hartford Marriott Downtown Hotel in Hartford, Connecticut. The deadline for submission is no later than March 1, 2006.

Preference will be given to topics relating to Conference theme, “New England Connections:’ i.e., those that will provide guidance to genealogists wishing to “connect” to:
       -ancestors who immigrated to and migrated out of New England (including settlement and migration patterns.)
       -the wealth of information available in New England’s repositories (archives, libraries, historical societies, etc.)
       -specific types of source records (church, cemetery, vital, military records, newspapers, city directories, etc.), research strategies and methodologies.
       -resources and to one another through technology.

Each session will last one hour, including questions and answers. Camera-ready syllabus material, due November 1, 2006 is required for each presentation. The syllabus will be distributed at the Conference.

Any number of proposals may be submitted and more than one proposal may be selected. Each participating NERGC society must propose and have accepted one lecturer (who does not need to be a member of that society) for one session, who honorarium for that session will be determined and paid for by the sponsoring society. Proposals selected by the Program Chairs through this Call for Papers will receive an honorarium of $200 from NERGC. All speakers will receive complimentary conference registration for their first lecture and complimentary meal ticket for each additional lecture.

Please include the following information with each one-page proposal:
       -Title of the presentation with a brief, comprehensive outline or abstract
       -Short summary (50 words or less) for the Conference brochure.
       -Audience level- beginner, intermediate, advanced.
       -Audio/visual requirements.
       -Speaker’s full name, address, email, telephone and fax.
       -Society or organization sponsorship (if applicable.)
       -Brief speaker biography.
       -Resume of previous lecture experience.

Submissions may be mailed or emailed to the program chair at the following address:

Allison Ryall
NERGC 2007
32 Arundel Road
Raymond, ME 04071
allison@allisonryall.com (Please put NERGC 2007 in the subject line.)

WINNER OF HARTFORD 2007 REGISTRATION

The winner of the free registration for Hartford 2007 is Midge Hurtuk of Tolland, Connecticut. Midge’s survey was drawn from the survey’s submitted by participants of the NERGC Conference held in Portland 2005. The co-chairs of Portland 2005 appreciate the input regarding their efforts. Tom Howard and Richard Roberts, the co-chairs of Hartford 2007, also appreciate the input from conference participants. It will enable them to plan for a very enjoyable conference experience for everyone.

ABOUT THIS E-ZINE
 
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