All classes will be held at the Randolph County Historical Society Museum library at 6:30pm. All classes are open to the public a free of charge, though donations are appreciated.

January 26, 2016 “New Year’s Resolutions for Family Researchers”
This will be a fun class, full of tips and reminders for researchers as they begin their genealogical research anew in 2016. We will check out the latest new websites, review important steps in the research process and check out recently released books, webinars and other helps for researchers. And, since you should always start the New Year with a party, there will be some pretty awesome door prizes!

February 23, 2016 “Introduction to Quaker Genealogy”
Greg Hinshaw, thirteenth-generation Friend (Quaker) and state-appointed county historian of Randolph County, will give an overview of the Society of Friends (also known as the Friends Church and Quakers) and describe their organizational structure.  He will also show how to use both original records and abstracts of records to trace Quaker families.  He will also introduce Quaker records available on Ancestry.com

March 29, 2016 “Dead Men Do Tell Tales”
Karen Brown-Good is a member of the Delaware County Historical Society’s Pioneer Cemetery Preservation Committee. She became interested in the symbolism found on Victorian gravestones as she was working to restore pioneer cemeteries. This class will look at the meaning behind the symbols on the cemetery stones and what to look for in cemeteries when doing your family history research.

April 26, 2016 “I Wish I Had Known That!
Real-Life Tips & Hints When Doing Courthouse Research
Amanda Clark, President of the newly formed East Central Indiana Genealogy Alliance will be teaching this class. Says Amanda “Too many times, I’ve found myself in a situation saying, “I wish I had known that!” This lecture will pass along some of the challenges I’ve faced when researching in a courthouse, as well as successes, using local courthouses in my examples.”

May 24, 2016  Find a Grave
Jennifer Lewis grew up doing genealogy with her mother. Courthouses, libraries, cemeteries, they did it all! Jennifer is an expert on using cemeteries for research, and she is going to talk to us about how to use Find A Grave to further your genealogy research.

September 20, 2016   Family History Treasure in Newspapers
This class will look at the genealogy information that can be found in local newspapers. Where to look for vital records as well as contextual information about the lives of our ancestors within the pages of the papers will be discussed.   Best websites for historic newspapers will be surveyed, as well as where to access local historic papers.

October 18, 2016 “Tracing your family roots: Understanding maps and land descriptions”
Andrea Long, one of Randolph County’s most experienced genealogists, will share tips and techniques for using maps in your family history research. What kind of information can be gathered, how to read old maps, how to understand land descriptions as well as other guidance on using maps will be presented.

November 15, 2016 “Crowd Sourcing Your Family History Research”
How would you like to have hundreds or even thousands of people helping you solve your family history problems? Do you have a document in another language that needs to be translated? Would you like to collaborate your research with cousins near and far? This class will focus on using Facebook and other social media outlets to engage with distant relatives, ask for research help, and find ways to move your research forward.

June 21, July 26, Aug 23rd and December 6, 2016 will be work nights in the library. Come on in, take a break from the garden or whatever other project you are working on and see what you can dig up in the library! Hours will be extended from 1:30 to 9pm, genealogists available for consultation, and even a few refreshments on the side!