Thank you for joining us for this year’s genealogy event! Depending on your host location, this event may be offered onsite, virtually, or both.

All of the programs listed below are available to view online today (Friday, October 16, 2026) from 12:00 AM until 11:59 PM. Online participants may watch any program at any time during that period. If your host location is offering an onsite event, you may also join other participants there to view the programs together at the scheduled times.

Below you will find today’s program schedule, including descriptions of each presentation and information about our speakers. The programs will not be viewable after the event ends at midnight.

If you have questions about today’s event or have trouble accessing a video, please contact the Walker County Genealogical Society by calling (936) 291-5472.

    
Time:
10:30 AM

Length: 80 Minutes 		Unlocking Your Roots: Starting Your Genealogy Journey, Difficulty: Beginner
Barbara Coakley, Genealogy Researcher, Speaker, Author
Learn how to start your genealogy journey or update your skills using a repeatable research process. Begin with what you already know, frame your research question, explore essential records, and organize your discoveries.
     
Time:
1:00 PM

Length: 50 Minutes 		Researching Your Revolutionary War Soldier: A Case Study, Difficulty: Intermediate
Craig R. Scott, CG, FUGA, President and CEO of Heritage Books, Inc.
A Revolutionary War ancestor can be a goldmine of information if you know where to look. This lecture aims to examine types of service, compiled military service records, pension applications, settled accounts, and where other documents can be found using a step-by-step methodology in a case study.
     
Time:
1:50 PM

Length: 50 Minutes 		Cluster Research, or Discovering You’re Related to the Whole Block, Difficulty: Intermediate
Jessica M. Trotter, Genealogy Presenter and Researcher
As Aristotle noted, “Man is by nature a social animal” -he has family, society, and throughout history he has moved with them. This session includes tips, tricks, and examples of how researching the neighborhood and other associates of your ancestors can further your own research.
     
Time:
3:00 PM

Length: 50 Minutes 		Gen Z + Genealogy: Getting the Younger Generation Interested in Genealogy Research, Difficulty: Beginner
Carl Smith, MLIS, Manager of the Family History Research Center at the Clayton Library Campus
Do you have a passion for family history but are worried about who carries the genealogical torch after you? Join in for a special presentation on Gen Z + Genealogy- where we’ll discuss tips and tricks on how to foster understanding, communication, and participation with the younger generations, and ideas to better market genealogy to different age groups in ways that can increase interest in the topic all around.
     
Time:
3:50 PM

Length: 50 Minutes 		Researching Your Scottish Ancestors, Difficulty: Intermediate
Erika A. Ward, PGCERT (Genealogical, Palaeographic & Heraldic Studies)
Do you have ancestors who emigrated from Scotland? Are you unsure of which records exist, how to use them, or where to find them? This class explores the rich landscape of Scottish historical sources- including census, church, civil, and immigration/emigration records- to help you uncover the stories hidden in your Scottish heritage.
     
This event was cosponsored by: