Every year the Archives of Michigan and the Michigan Genealogical Council host a seminar to promote family history awareness and teach genealogy research skills. The event is generously supported by the Abrams Foundation in loving memory of Barbara J. Brown. We are delighted to be hosting Kelvin L. Meyers, who will be joining us onsite in Lansing and via Zoom.
The Archives of Michigan is pleased to continue offering this flagship annual gathering as a hybrid event. In addition, the Archives of Michigan will offer the following additions to this year’s seminar:
Register for a free pre-seminar session on military records!
Interested in learning more about military records at the Archives of Michigan? Join us for this free pre-seminar offering. This presentation will be open to the public as well as seminar attendees.
Register now for the 2025 Barbara J. Brown Family History Seminar!
Registration Fee: $55
The Archives of Michigan is excited to welcome Kelvin L. Meyers as this year's featured speaker! Kelvin Meyers is a fifth generation Texan and professional forensic genealogist since 1996.
Kelvin is a frequent speaker to genealogical societies and family associations throughout the United States. Kelvin works with several mineral companies in Texas researching heirs throughout the US and the world to holding in Texas and specializes in southern brick wall problems for clients.
Kelvin currently serves as the President of the Forensic Genealogy Special Interest Group of the Association of Professional Genealogists, and in 2016, published Research in Texas for the National Genealogical Society’s Research in the States series.
The Dallas Genealogical Society awarded Kelvin the Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck Distinguished Service Award in December of 2018. Kelvin is also a fellow of the Texas State Genealogical Society.
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Continental breakfast (onsite only)
Join us early for a complimentary continental breakfast. Stay for the pre-seminar or get in a few extra hours of research before the seminar starts.
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Extended open hours at the Archives of Michigan (onsite only)
The Archives of Michigan's reading room will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dive into research before and after the seminar.
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Pre-seminar Session: Military Records at the Archives of Michigan (separate registration, hybrid)
Interested in learning more about military records at the Archives of Michigan? Join us for this pre-seminar offering. The presentation will be open to the public as well as seminar attendees.
12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Seminar Registration
Lunch provided by the Archives of Michigan (onsite only)
1:00 p.m. - 1:20 p.m.
Session 1. Welcome and Remarks
Mark Harvey, State Archivist and Judy Nimer Muhn, Genealogical Council
1:40 p.m. - 2:40 p.m.
Session 2. Seeking A Higher Source: The Resources of Faith Communities (hybrid)
Judy Nimer Muhn, Michigan Genealogical Council
Key events in our ancestors’ lives were often documented in the faith communities in which they worshipped. Exploring the records and their importance across faith communities, Judy will provide information on the types of records, locations of archives and access to records, and the key ways that these records can enrich your family’s history.
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Session 3. Dealing with Record Loss: Fire, Flood, or Theft, Strategies to Overcome the Loss (hybrid)
Kelvin L. Meyers, Featured speaker
We all face it: record loss. Whether the courthouse burned, the clerk tossed them, the relative, autograph hunter, lawyer or surveyor took them, they succumbed to heat, humidity, insects or fading ink or war or distance from the courthouse which was a barrier to their creation – the records that we want – the records that could answer our questions aren’t there. The solution: In many cases it’s possible to overcome the problem, but it requires diligence, perseverance, and willingness to look beyond the obvious.
4:20 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Session 4a. New Updates to Michiganology (hybrid)
There are many exciting changes on Michiganology! Archives of Michigan staff will highlight these updates and share information about future improvements coming this summer.
Session 4b. Behind-the-scenes tour of the Archives of Michigan (onsite only)
Are you curious about where records are kept in the archives? Join staff at the Archives of Michigan for a behind-the-scenes look of the archives and its holdings.
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Seminar registration and continental breakfast (onsite only)
8:50 a.m. - 9:50 a.m.
Session 5. Digitizing Michigan’s Probate Records (hybrid)
Kris Rzepczynski, Archives of Michigan
This session will explore the Archives of Michigan’s efforts to digitize historic probate records from across the state, including a project overview, current status, future counties, and an exciting update on Wayne County records. Attendees will also see how to navigate the FamilySearch web site and search in the online collections there.
10:10 a.m. - 11:10 a.m.
Session 6. The Hand That Rocked the Cradle Could Rule the World (hybrid)
Kelvin L. Meyers, Featured speaker
Half the people on your pedigree chart are female and may be the most difficult to identify. Identifying female ancestors is a challenge for all genealogists. She changes her name when she gets married and identifying her parents may become time-consuming. With the basic knowledge of sources created about and by women, and how to locate these sources, finding the females in your family may not be so hard after all.
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Session 7. “City Directory Under the Counter”: Exploring an Underutilized Resource (hybrid)
Jessica Trotter, Researcher & blogger
City directories are an amazing resource to track urban dwellers between the Census years, but many researchers do not realize the fabulous range of information about communities that can potentially be gleaned from them.
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch provided by the Archives of Michigan (onsite only)
1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Session 8. My Ancestor in Court (hybrid)
Kelvin L. Meyers, Featured speaker
From the County Court to the Supreme Court, court records may hold clues and answers to questions that you have about your ancestor. Suits in equity, trespass to try title, a suit brought by next friend, what do these terms mean and what can you learn from these suits? Case studies will be used to illustrate the types of records found and their use in solving problems.
2:50 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.
Session 9. Resources for Researching Michigan’s Roots (hybrid)
Matt Pacer, Library of Michigan
The roots of Michigan’s heritage often intersect with the migration of people coming from other states and foreign countries. Explore the origin points for the settlers that transitioned Michigan through the founding of the United States, the acquisition of the Northwest Territory, the organization of the Michigan Territory, and the decades following statehood. Discover online resources that retrace Michigan’s story back to its earlier roots.
4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Extended open hours at the Archives of Michigan (onsite only)
The reading room will remain open until 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Rachel Clark is an archivist with the Archives of Michigan. Prior to joining the archives, she taught middle school for over 11 years and was the education specialist for the Michigan History Center for 12 years. Rachel works on the Reference Team at the archives and has experience working in state and local records.
A fifth generation Texan and professional forensic genealogist since 1996, Kelvin is a frequent speaker to genealogical societies and family associations throughout the United States. Kelvin works with several mineral companies in Texas researching heirs throughout the US and the world to holding in Texas. He also specializes in southern brick wall problems for clients.
He is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogist, a past board member, and past President of the Lone Star Chapter of APG, He currently serves as the President of Forensic special interest group of APG.
The Dallas Genealogical Society awarded Kelvin the Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck Distinguished Service Award in December of 2018.
In 2016 Kelvin published Research in Texas for NGS (National Genealogical Society) Research in the States series. Kelvin is also the immediate past director of the Texas Institute of Genealogical Research (TIGR) sponsored by the Texas State Genealogical Society.
The Texas State Genealogical Society made Kelvin a fellow of the society in 2023.
Author, presenter, researcher and traveler, Judy specializes in French-Canadian, Acadian, Native American and Michigan research. Owner of Lineage Journeys, Judy is a board member and chair of the Awards Committee of the National Genealogical Society, the President for the Oakland County Genealogical Society, President and Social Media co-chair for the Michigan Genealogical Council, and a founder of the English-Speaking Genealogists of Europe, NATO Chapter.
Matt Pacer serves as a Reference Librarian, Donation Coordinator, and coordinator of the Michigan and Rare Collections for the Library of Michigan. Matt holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Wright State University, a Master of Arts in Military History from Kansas State University, and a Master of Library and Information Science from Wayne State University.
A Senior Archivist at the Archives of Michigan, where he specializes in family history and Michigan research, Kris has worked in the genealogical community for 25 years. He is a former Vice President of Membership for the Federation of Genealogical Societies and a Past President of the Mid-Michigan Genealogical Society.
Jessica Trotter is an archivist by education—but works in public libraries by day. She has presented regionally for the past twelve years including annually for the Archives of Michigan Barbara J. Brown / Abrams Foundation Family History Seminar, for the Genealogy Center at Allen County Public Library, at the Ohio Genealogical Society Conference and Fall Retreat in 2022, and at the NGS Conference in 2018 as well as part of their Virtual On Demand Lectures in 2020. Her genealogy research areas include Midwest, African American, British Isles, Canadian, and Early American research. She also maintains a genealogy research related blog called Genie Road Trip at genieroadtrip.com.
