May 6
Requested Donation: $5
Program: Stephen S Barthel, a retired accredited genealogist specializing in German research, was employed for twenty-one years as a European Reference Consultant for the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Stephen grew up in Rice Lake, WI. During the last five years at the Family History Library, he worked in the Public Affairs Unit with the national media, hosting VIPs, researching and preparing genealogies for presidents, celebrities, and other VIPs. Privately, he has published about 27 family history books. He is a presenter at German and Polish genealogical conferences and historical societies throughout the United States and Canada. He currently resides in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
The Basics of German Research (50 to 60 minutes)
Learn where to find the tools and websites necessary for researching your German Genealogy, plus research strategies. This topic focuses on using FamilySearch.org basic genealogical website. Degree of difficulty – Beginning to Intermediate researcher
Maps and Gazetteers of the Former German Empire (50 to 60 minutes)
Since the Family History Library catalogs the various church and civil (vital) records only under the name of the place where the records were once kept, and many places were NOT record keeping localities, you will learn how to use these essential tools (maps with gazetteers) to determine the locality of the records. Several sites will be introduced. Degree of difficulty – Seasoned researcher.
June 11
Join us on June 11th at 6 PM to photograph and document Lakeview Cemetery in the Town of Almena. Lakeview (also known locally as Perley Cemetery), was the local cemetery for the former town of Perley and later for rural families between Turtle Lake and Almena, many of whom have been buried near their ancestors since the early days of Barron County.
Please make sure to wear good walking shoes! All cemeteries tend to require good foot support, due to the thick lawns. Lakeview/Perley is also comprised of hilly, uneven terrain, so please be aware of this if you need walking aids or are bringing wheeled walkers/strollers. Other must-haves include a camera/cameraphone, pencil/pen and notebook, and a soft-to-medium bristled brush (NO WIRE). Be ready to “meet” some Barron County pioneers and help family researchers connect to passed loved ones and ancestors!
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