The next meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Sunday, January 19, 2025. The meeting will take place virtually on Zoom.
We are trying something new for this meeting! We are using EventBrite for registration which will allow us a better way to send out reminders and our Zoom link to all attendees. We hope it will make it easier for you as well as for us! The link for registration is: https://bit.ly/RIGSJan25. The Zoom link to the meeting will be sent out via email the day before the meeting and again 2 hours prior to start.
We will open the meeting at 12pm for gathering and conversation and we will begin at 12:30 with news and announcements. Our first speaker will begin at 1pm. Grab some snacks and get yourself logged in by 12:30 (or by 12 pm for the earlier social gathering). Questions may be asked after each talk or can be typed into the chat box. There will be brief breaks between speakers.
The theme for the day is Researching from a Distance and Planning a Research Trip. Our meeting will host the following guest speakers and topics:
1pm: Getting to Know the RIGS Website - Deby Jecoy Nunes, RIGS Webmaster
As a member of RIGS, have you ever wondered exactly what you can do on our website? It's not just about your member profile! And if you are not a member, what are you waiting for? You are missing out on a lot of what comes along with a RIGS membership! Learn everything the RIGS website has to offer for research guidance, surname connections, information about upcoming events, access to videos of past events, digital access to program handouts and our publications; Rhode Island Roots journal and our quarterly newsletter RIGS Reporter, along with other things available in our Members Only Downloads area.
Deby Jecoy Nunes has been the RIGS Webmaster since January 2023 and is a professional genealogist specializing in Rhode Island research. She has a Master of Library and Information Studies and completed the Certificate in Genealogical Research, OL28, from Boston University. She co-authored the book, Graveyards of North Kingstown, RI with Althea H. McAleer and Beatrix Hoffius.
1:45pm Prepping Online for Rhode Island Research - Diane MacLean Boumenot, CG
Did you know a lot of valuable research can and should happen from home before making a research trip? Even if no research travel is coming up, there is more and more Rhode Island content coming online, on a wide array of websites. And while Rhode Island records on the major genealogy websites increase, they may be tricky to find. Let's check out specific sites and searching strategies to dig deep into Rhode Island's families from home.
And for those interested in seeking an ancestor's exact location in Rhode Island, several methods involving advanced planning will be offered, ranging from pretty easy to pretty complicated. Fingers crossed the easy stuff will work for you!
Diane MacLean Boumenot, CG, specializes in southern New England family history research. She has published articles in several journals and in 2018 she co-authored, with Maureen Taylor, the National Genealogical Society's Research in the States volume on Rhode Island. Diane currently serves as editor of the journal Rhode Island Roots. She holds a B.A. in American History and English from Wesleyan University. Diane serves as Mentor, ProGen 68 and is the Past President of the New England Chapter, Association of Professional Genealogists.
3pm: Planning a Research Trip - Michael J. Leclerc, CG
The most successful genealogists know that even in this age of technology and online access to records, many records are simply not available digitally and must be reviewed in their original format at repositories. Learn how to put together a research trip, whether near or far, alone or in a group. From before to during to after the trip, get ready for a great adventure to help you break down your brick walls.
Michael J. Leclerc, CG, is a well-known professional genealogist who teaches family historians around the world. He has authored countless articles for genealogical journals and popular magazines. He is co-editor, with Henry G. Hoff, FASG, of Genealogical Writing in the 21st Century: A guide to Register Style and More, Second Edition; editor of the fifth edition of the seminal guide book Genealogist's Handbook for New England Research; and author of the chapter on "Crafting Family Histories in Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice, and Standards. He is formerly managing editor of the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, contributing editor for American Ancestors, and consulting editor for the New England Historical and Genealogical Register.
