[Genealib] FWD -- New England Regional Genealogical Conference E-zine 15

Wed Apr 11 09:37:12 EDT 2007

FYI
---------------------------------

New England CONNECTions

Ninth New England Regional Genealogical Conference

April 26-29 2007

Connecticut Convention Center

and Hartford Marriott Downtown

www.nergc.org 

Hartford 2007 e-zine #15

This and earlier issues of the E-zine are available at www.nergc.org. 
Please feel free to share them (and the information they contain) with
others.  Permission to email, copy, and print it in part or whole is
granted.  And don’t forget to check out our NERGC 2007 blog at
http://nergchartford2007.blogspot.com. The blog will help you to get
the most out of the conference and your research trip.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION UPDATE

HOTEL UPDATE

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

MORE CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS TO IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS

LIBRARIANS’ DAY

CONFERENCE FINISHERS: SATURDAY NIGHT & SUNDAY MORNING

DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THE ENTIRE CONFERENCE?

UPS SHIPPING AVAILABLE AT CONFERENCE

NERGC VOLUNTEERS:  A TRADITION OF “HELPING”

ATTENTION PRE-SCHEDULED VOLUNTEERS

DO YOU WANT TO HELP?

MORE ON THE HOTEL/CONVENTION CENTER GARAGE

HOSPITALITY LOOKS AT COMMUTER PARKING LOTS IN CONNECTICUT
TRAVEL ALERT FOR THOSE FROM OUTSIDE THE U.S.

HARTFORD’S ANCIENT BURYING GROUND CEMETERY TOURS

OTHER THINGS TO DO IN AND NEAR HARTFORD

STILL MORE ON WHAT TO DO AND WHERE

MAINE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY ANNOUNCES 2007 CONFERENCE

ABOUT THIS E-ZINE

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION UPDATE

Registration Chair Mary Choppa reports that nearly 600 have already
registered for New England CONNECTions, exclusive of speakers and
exhibitors.  Although pre-registrations for the conference after 1 April
are considered walk-ins, if you have yet to register, we anticipate no
problems in registering for the conference, meals, or workshops if you
act right away.  However, it is possible you will not receive a printed
syllabus, conference pin, or bag if you delay much longer.  For
registration information, go to
http://www.nergc.org/2007/program2007.htm.

Also a reminder that cancellations postmarked before 10 April are
subject to a $15.00 processing fee.  No refunds are available after 10
April 2007.

HOTEL UPDATE

Some rooms at the Marriott are available but not at conference
discounts.  Other hotels mentioned in E zines 11 and 12 are located in
and around Hartford. 

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

In the past two E-zines, we’ve highlighted two of our three featured
National speakers.  In E-zine 13, we provided information on Hank Jones,
known for his research on Palatine families and his book Psychic Roots,
and in E-Zine 14, we featured Cyndi Howells, owner and webmaster of
Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet.  

Our third featured speaker, Patricia Law Hatcher, FASG, is a
professional genealogist specializing in problem solving, whose articles
have appeared in over a dozen publications.  She is the editor of the
New York Genealogical & Biographical Record, 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.  Pat is the author of Researching Your Colonial
New England Ancestor, Locating Your Roots: Discover Your Ancestors Using
Land Records, and Producing a Quality Family History.  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.

At New England CONNECTions, Pat will do presentations on Friday
morning, Session F-202 (8:30 A.M. - 9:30 A.M.), on The Language of Land
and Saturday morning, Session S-309 (10:00 A.M. -11:00 A.M.), on
Producing a Quality Family History.  At the Friday evening’s banquet,
F-230, sponsored by the New England Historic Genealogical Society, she
presents Pat Tells All: Who Did What for Whom, sharing the hidden
secrets of genealogical successes. 

MORE CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

New England CONNECTions features something for everyone, with eight
separate lecture tracks available during the Conference:

o       Ethnic Genealogy 

o       Federal Records at the National Archives 

o       Genealogical Techniques 

o       New England Research

o       Records & Sources 

o       Skills & Methodology

o       Technology

o       Writing & Documents

See the full conference brochure at
http://www.nergc.org/2007/program2007.htm.

HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS TO IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS

In addition to the lecture sessions, a variety of special workshops are
being offered at the Conference.  Each workshop is 2-3 hours in length
and requires an additional fee. Please read the descriptions to
understand additional requirements. Workshop space is limited. Make your
choices on the NERGC registration form.

Family History 101

On Thursday, April 26, Marcia Melnyk will present Family History 101, a
Beginner’s Primer to Genealogy.  After outlining ways to get started,
she’ll provide information on recording data, separating fact from
fiction, and accessing places to locate records.  Cost of the workshop
is $35 and includes a copy of Marcia’s book, Family History 101. 

Hands-On Workshops to Take Your Computer Skills to the Next Level

Digital images, whether of photographs or documents, are increasingly
useful and important to compiling and preserving any family history. 
Two workshops planned for this NERG conference should help a wide range
of computer-using genealogists take their skills to the next level.  

Capturing images worthy of archiving is the first step in the process. 
The first of these, Working with Digital Images from Scanning and
Storing to Basic Editing by Emery Roth on Thursday afternoon from 3:00
P.M. - 5:00 P.M. (Session T-113, $30) is designed to demystify issues
related to resolution, file format, and the scanning process so that
participants will be certain that the images they capture today will be
useful for their needs tomorrow.  Participants will work with their own
images and scanners so light and portable that they can easily become
part of every researcher's travel kit when they visit libraries or
relatives' homes.  After learning how to get the most from these
scanners, participants will take their scanned images into Photoshop
Elements for a bit of basic image editing. Finally, they will learn
about several software programs designed to help in organizing and
cataloging images.  

Once captured, there is much one can do to enhance the quality of old
(or new) images. The second workshop "Enhancing and Repairing Digital
Images in Photoshop Elements," presents Enhancing and Repairing Digital
Images in Photoshop Elements on Friday morning from 8:00 A.M. - 11:00
A.M. (Session F-201, $35). is designed to get you started in Photoshop
Elements or to take basic Photoshop skills to the next level.  Do you
have old photographs that have become badly faded? Are some of your
images disfigured by scratches, tears, folds, or mold? Do you have old
metal images or daguerreotypes with tones that look unnatural?  Is there
an insignia, locket, or other detail in an image that you want to see
more clearly?  Are those 1950s color photos looking a little too yellow?
Photoshop Elements is a powerful tool that can draw more out of an old
photo than you knew was there, and it can enable you to make repairs
that you might previously paid hundreds of dollars to have a
professional do.   You will practice using a wide range of Photoshop
tools of special value for genealogists.  Those who are already using
Photoshop but have not yet worked with "levels" will appreciate the
flexibility and control offered by this valuable feature of the
software.  Those who are new to Photoshop may benefit from the two-day
experience of taking both workshops.

Participants must bring their own USB equipped laptop with CD drive and
with a copy of Photoshop Elements installed.  Though the conference
program calls for participants to have Photoshop Elements version 4,
Photoshop Elements version 5 will also work.  

Identifying and Preserving Family Photographs

David Mishkin and Maureen Taylor's  Photography Workshop Identifying
and Preserving Family Photographs (Friday afternoon 27 April from
1:45-3:45 PM) is limited to 30 participants and is filling quickly. 
Learn to identify family photographs by researching photographers,
dating costume clues, and comparing facial characteristics.  Cost of the
workshop is $30. 

LIBRARIANS’ DAY

There is still room in our special pre-conference program for
librarians, library trustees, and friends of libraries on Wednesday, 25
April 2007, at the Hartford Marriott Downtown.  The cost is $35 and
includes lunch compliments of ProQuest Information and Learning. See the
schedule at http://nergc.org/2007/librariansday.htm for additional
information.

CONFERENCE FINISHERS: SATURDAY NIGHT & SUNDAY MORNING

If you're not already signed up, please note:  there is still room at
the Connecticut Society of Genealogists’ Banquet on Saturday evening,
with Henry "Hank" Jones as our speaker.   At the 9:00 A.M. program
Sunday morning, the Rev. Adam Söderberg portrays Rev. Jonathan Edwards
during the 1700's Great Awakening period in New England.  Staying for
these “conference finishers” allows you to begin your return home in
the daylight hours, having completed the full conference program.  As is
normal, please contact NERGC Registration for the Banquet, and your
choice of hotels directly for your room.

DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THE ENTIRE CONFERENCE?

If you (or a friend) don’t have time for the entire conference
($125), single day registrations are available at $85 per day.

Also, while admission to most conference activities requires a fee,
some activities will be open to the general public without charge.  On
Thursday, April 26 from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M., there will be a
“Society Fair” showcasing genealogical and historical
organizations from all over New England will provide information about
their organizations.  Participating societies include the Middlesex
Genealogical Society of Darien, the Jewish Genealogical Society of
Connecticut, and the Naugatuck Valley Genealogy Club among many others.

Open Thursday, April 26 from 6:00 to 7:00 P.M. and on Friday, April 27
and Saturday, April 28 from 8:20 A.M. until 5:00, the Exhibit Hall will
be open to the public without charge.  Exhibitors from across the U.S.
and Canada will offer a wide array of genealogical products and
services.  Folks will be able to purchase books and resources, chat with
exhibitors, including the Connecticut Ancestry Society, with expertise
they’re willing to share, and find out more about genealogical and
lineage societies.  To see a floor plan of the Exhibit Hall and a
complete list of exhibitors, go to:
http://www.nergc.org/2007/exhibithall.htm.  

UPS SHIPPING AVAILABLE AT CONFERENCE

Need a convenient way to get all your Conference purchases home?  The
UPS Store is located across from Starbucks coffee shop in the Marriott
hotel. Hours: M-F 7:00 A.M. - 6:30 PM and Saturday 8:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M.
 They offer packing, shipping, receiving, printing and more.  Telephone:
(203) 589-5571.

NERGC VOLUNTEERS:  A TRADITION OF “HELPING”

Every one of the participants at NERGC 2007 in Hartford is likely to
interact at some point with one of the over one hundred volunteers
scheduled to assist.  Volunteers will point the way to rooms, getting
you going in the right direction, greet you at luncheons and banquets,
help you mix and network during socials, host sessions including
introducing speakers, encourage your participation in session and
conference evaluations, get you efficiently through registration, help
you with local resources, answer your questions, and assist you in
multiple ways. So, watch for the NERGC 2007 Volunteers - we’ll be
there to help you!

ATTENTION PRE-SCHEDULED VOLUNTEERS

Are you one of the more than one hundred volunteers scheduled to help
make NERGC 2007 the best conference yet?  Don’t forget to stop by the
Volunteer Welcoming Table on Wednesday, located in the Marriott Meeting
Room hallway outside of the Capital 1, 2, and 3 space, and on Thursday
through Saturday on the “balcony” pre-function area outside the
Exhibit Hall on the Convention Center’s Ballroom Level.  Pick up your
volunteer packet with all the information needed to make your volunteer
time fun and easy.  As conference time nears, don’t hesitate to
contact Pam Roberts, Volunteer Committee, Pamela.roberts at uconn.edu or
860 429-8751 (evening best) with questions or concerns.  

DO YOU WANT TO HELP?

There are still some unmet needs for volunteers!  But it is not too
late for you to help us fill those needs.  The tasks are well defined,
with easy directions: some involve sitting, some involve standing, and
some involve walking to guide others or to deliver or collect things. 
Take a break, sit a spell, or fit into your schedule a walking break. 
Contact Pam Roberts (Pamela.roberts at uconn.edu) for up to date
information about ways you could help with general volunteering tasks or
contact Fred Hart (hartfc at aol.com)  to inquire about existing volunteer
needs for the Ancestors Road Show.  

MORE ON THE HOTEL/CONVENTION CENTER GARAGE

Driving directions to the Conference are included on page 2 of the
Registration Brochure, http://www.nergc.org/2007/program/page2.htm, and
parking options were included in E-zine 14.  

Note that one parking garage services both the Connecticut Convention
Center and the Hartford Marriott Downtown and that it has two
entrances.

The GROVE STREET ENTRANCE is closest to the Marriott, to the LEFT of
the hotel.  If you’re registered at the Marriott, you can pull into
the hotel registration area before proceeding to the garage.  Check-in
time is 4:00 P.M., but if you’re arriving earlier, you can ask that
bags be held for you until your room is available.  After dropping off
any bags, proceed to ticket gate and follow signs to the hotel end of
the parking garage.

If you’re not staying at the Marriott, look for the main entrance to
the parking garage, the COLUMBUS BOULEVARD ENTRANCE, (which is to the
RIGHT of the hotel). Proceed up the ramp to the ticket gate. 

The Convention Center’s main lobby is accessible from Level P1 of the
parking garage. Level P5 of the garage tower provides an alternate
entrance, along an outdoor walkway, to the Convention Center’s
riverside entrance.

HOSPITALITY LOOKS AT COMMUTER PARKING LOTS IN CONNECTICUT
Parking opportunities away from Hartford for NERGC attendees on a
day-by-day basis abound in Connecticut.  The Connecticut Department of
Transportation (DOT) has a system of 185 lots throughout the state.  

The Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Web page,
www.ct.gov/dot, includes a Guide to Connecticut Park and Ride
Locations at http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1390&Q=259406.  It
seems a little awkward to work with, but is worth your while if this
topic interests you.  It includes a list of all 185 lots in Connecticut,
alphabetical by town, a description as to type of each lot and its
connecting services, and interactive maps.  While some overnight parking
is permitted, “long-term” is not (they do not specify their meaning
of long-term) and certain vehicles are not permitted in the lot.

The DOT Web page also includes links to Express Bus Service,
http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1390&q=305320 and Local Bus
Service, http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1390&q=305318.  Contact
the state Department of Transportation (2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington
CT) at 860-594-2141 for additional information, including bus fares and
your “landing place” in Hartford, in relation to the Convention
Center (you may have to tie in with the free Star Shuttle in downtown
Hartford).

And another reminder that the “Star Shuttle”, a free bus that
connects several points within the city, runs every 12 minutes, from 7am
to 11pm.  This provides ready access from NERGC conference area to
nearly all of the highlights in town, without moving your car or trying
to hail a cab.

TRAVEL ALERT FOR THOSE FROM OUTSIDE THE U.S.

Don’t get stuck halfway to NERGC!  Conference attendees traveling by
air to/from United States to attend NERGC are advised to double check
what documentation they must carry to be admitted into U.S. under the
new passport regulations, effective 23 January 2007.  Please check with
your travel agent, or the U. S. Dept. of State.

HARTFORD’S ANCIENT BURYING GROUND CEMETERY TOURS

NERGC is pleased to announce that Ruth Shapleigh Brown, Executive
Director of the Connecticut Gravestone Network, has generously offered
to lead early NERGC attendees on two informal guided tours of
Hartford’s Ancient Burying Ground.  This venerable cemetery is the
oldest landmark left in Hartford.  It is the center of where the first
settlers gathered to plan their community, build their church and bury
their dead.  A connection with practically all colonial families that
lived in or came to Connecticut can be found in the history of this
oldest burial ground.  Ruth’s tour will acquaint you with some
highlights of Hartford’s history, the people and their genealogies as
well as introducing some of the colonial stone carvers.  If you are
wondering why there are no gravestones for people who died in 1632, you
need to join one of the tours!

The first tour will be on Wednesday, April 25 at 4:30 P.M., just after
the Librarian’s Day closes, the second on Thursday, April 26 at 10:00
A.M.  The Cemetery is located just a couple of blocks from the
Convention Center at the corner of Gold and Main Streets.  Tours will
gather at the front gate of the cemetery near the statue of Rev. Stone. 
Maps and directions will be available at the Hospitality table Wednesday
(at the Marriott) and Thursday (at the Convention Center).  Persons
interested in these tours should email Ruth at shapbrown at cox.net (please
insert NERGC Cem. Tour on the subject line) indicating which tour they
wish to join. Ruth’s knowledge and expertise should not be missed. 
For more information about the Ancient Burying Ground (Gold Street and
Main Street) see www.theancientburyingground.org.

OTHER THINGS TO DO IN AND NEAR HARTFORD

A visit to Connecticut would be incomplete without exploring the
historic sites that it has to offer.  In the last E-zine we featured
sites within walking distance of the Convention Center and Marriott
Hotel.  Here is a sampling of other institutions and activities you can
“CONNECT” to in and near of Hartford. 

STORYCORPS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT IS IN HARTFORD
At Hartford’s historic Old State House, just one block away from our
conference site, you will find a most appropriate event being held. A
nationwide oral history project called StoryCorps will be holding
personal interviews where participants tell about important personal
events in their lives April 5 through Saturday, April 28. You can be a
part of America’s largest oral history project ever. Interview a
relative, a co-worker, a mentor - and capture voices, memories, and
stories. StoryCorps facilitators work with you to record your
conversation for the Library of Congress and future generations, for
public radio, and for yourself. Reservations are being accepted on a
first come, first-serve basis starting March 22.

At the end of this project, all sessions will be archived and housed at
the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. For further
details, please visit www.courant.com for the April 4th article, page
D-1 (or search StoryCorps to see several recent articles). For booth
hours and more information, go to http://www.wnpr.org/storycorps.asp.

SIGHTSEEING TOUR COMPANY ALTERNATIVE

Besides the Connecticut River Cruise tentatively scheduled for Friday
April 27 (See the last E-zine for details) NERGC visitors might be
interested in a tour run by the Heritage Trails Sightseeing Tours
Company.  Each of their tours has a historical theme and folks with
ancestors in the Hartford/Farmington area might find a tour a wonderful
addition to their NERGC experience and family research activities. 
Those interested should visit the company website
http://www.charteroaktree.com and make arrangements directly with
them.

STATE LIBRARY ANNOUNCES SPECIAL HOURS

For coming to Hartford early for the New England Regional Genealogical
Conference (April 26-29 at the Connecticut Convention Center and the
Marriott Hartford Downtown) and others wanting extra research time, the
State Library’s History and Genealogy Unit will remain open until 8:00
P.M. on Wednesday, April 25th. There will be an extra retrieval of
archival and special collections material at 6:00 P.M. And to sustain
researchers in their endeavors, light refreshments will be served from
5:30 -6:30 P.M. in Memorial Hall of the Museum of Connecticut History.
For those not familiar with the History and Genealogy Unit, orientation
tours will be held on the same day at 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 and 5:30 P.M.

The Library will be open regular hours Thursday and Friday, April 26th
and 27th from 9:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. and on Saturday, April 28th from
9:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M.

For more information about the History and Genealogy Unit’s resources
and services, see the History and Genealogy Web page
www.cslib.org/handg.htm and the State Library’s Research Resources
page www.cslib.org/faq.htm.

SPECIAL HOURS AT GODFREY LIBRARY IN MIDDLETOWN

We are happy to inform you that Godfrey Memorial Library will also have
extended hours for researchers! The library will be open from 9:00 A.M.
to 8:00 P.M. on April 25, 26, and 27 and from 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. on
April 28th. Please stop by and visit! For more information about
Godfrey, including directions, visit Booth 1 and 20 in the exhibit hall
or go to www.godfrey.org.

OPEN HOUSE AT WINDSOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY APRIL 29

The Windsor Historical Society will hold a special Open House on Sunday
April 29, 2007 from 1 until 4 pm. The Society is particularly inviting
the attendees of the NERGC Conference to visit and become acquainted
with the resources in the research library. The collections include
books, manuscript collections, cemetery records, regional and state
histories, town reports, local newspapers, school yearbooks, city
directories, and maps which relate to the town of Windsor and its
people. Visit Connecticut’s oldest English settlement, tour two
historic homes, and explore the exhibition gallery.  The Windsor
Historical Society, located at 96 Palisado Ave., Windsor, CT, preserves
and interprets over 370 years of Windsor’s history. For more
information and directions please visit the WHS website at
http://windsorhistoricalsociety.org or stop by their table at the
Society Fair between 5:00 and 7:00 on Thursday, April 26. 

A CELEBRATION AT THE OLIVER ELLSWORTH HOMESTEAD APRIL 29

The Abigail Wolcott Ellsworth Chapter, NSDAR invites you to visit the
home of one of Windsor’s notable 18th century sons, Oliver Ellsworth
and his wife Abigail Wolcott.  Elmwood, built for Ellsworth by Samuel
Denslow and later expanded by Thomas Hayden, has furnishings from the
Ellsworth and Wolcott families as well as wonderful antiques period to
Oliver’s life there.  Located at 778 Palisado Avenue in Windsor,
Connecticut, it will be open on Sunday, April 29, 2007 to celebrate the
262nd anniversary of Oliver Ellsworth’s birth.  Tours, special
exhibits, and refreshments will be available from 10:00 A.M. until 3:00
P.M.  All are welcome to celebrate the life of this remarkable American.
 For additional information and directions, stop by the CT DAR booth,
Booth 6, in the Exhibit Hall.

STILL MORE ON WHAT TO DO AND WHERE

For a “what to do, and where” during your non-conference hours,
please visit the web site of GREATER HARTFORD CONVENTION AND VISITORS
BUREAU  (GHCVB).  Here you will also find opportunities for exploration
by those who are in Hartford with you, yet not attending the conference.
 Their Web site has a myriad of things to consider.  

MAINE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY ANNOUNCES 2007 CONFERENCE

“Footprints in Time:  Discovering Your Ancestors’ Lives” will be
held on Saturday, September 22, 2007, at the Bangor Civic Center,
Bangor, Maine.  This one-day conference features nationally-acclaimed
speakers:  author and “Genealogy Guys” podcaster George G. Morgan
and photo expert Maureen A. Taylor.  The day includes a wide variety of
sessions for all levels of experience, as well as a research room with a
wide variety of resources.  For all the details, check out the
conference website at www.maineroots.org or stop by Booth 20 and pick up
a brochure at Maine Genealogical Society’s table in the Exhibit Hall.

ABOUT THIS E-ZINE

This e-zine is sent to you at your request or because of your
involvement in NERGC 2007.We welcome your thoughts and suggestions for
items to appear in future issues. Please send them to Michael Spellmon,
at rootsearcher at email.com.

Please feel free to share this newsletter with others.  Permission to
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Richard C. Roberts
Unit Head, History & Genealogy
Connecticut State Library
231 Capitol Ave.
Hartford, CT  06106-1537
(860) 757-6580
FAX (860) 757-6677
http://www.cslib.org/handg.htm