This month’s membership meeting brought back a member favorite: Research Night: Breaking Through Our Members’ Brick Walls.
Panelists Valerie Baginski, Sandra Porter, and Julie Szczepankiewicz worked through real brick wall questions submitted by members in advance, walking through each one step-by-step to show exactly how they approached that specific research problem — the resources they checked, the strategies they tried, and the reasoning behind each step. Topics covered included:
- How to request a copy of a will from Erie County Surrogate’s Court
- How to locate U.S. passport application records
- How to trace a missing ancestor using limited records, family stories, and conflicting clues
- Where to find vital records when digital images aren’t available through Geneteka, and how to mine Geneteka for every last bit of information about one’s family
No two questions were alike, but every strategy was hands-on and one members could take home and use — and more than one member left with a new lead to chase.
If you missed the session — or would like to revisit the strategies discussed — the recording and handout are now available exclusively for members on our Meeting Recordings & Handouts page.
Not a member yet? Join the Polish Genealogical Society of New York State to access this and our full library of recorded presentations — including future Research Nights.