My NY Genealogy Journey

My NY genealogy journey began as a youngster while sitting with my aunt asking her about her mother’s photographs, “Who is that?” “Are we related to that one?” “How?” “When was that taken?” I was persistent. In 1998 to begin my family research I  interviewed older relatives. Mom and I visited the nearby National Archives facility, Albany County Hall of Records and Family History Center reviewing microfilm, researching and learning. It was exciting to find my grandparents’ original Naturalization Papers and Ship Manifest records. I saw my grandfather’s signature on his actual Oath of Allegiance papers.

My husband’s family has deep roots in the U.S. His Civil War veteran great-grandfather, Peter Hopper Post was the subject of my article, “Peter Hopper Post, A Cane, A Letter and a War,” published February 2016 in the Genealogical Society of Bergen County, New Jersey’s The Archivist. 

I have a Masters in Public Administration from Rockefeller College and a BA in Psychology from the University of Albany, State University of New York. Moving forward on my NY genealogy journey, I studied more and received a Boston University Certificate in Genealogical Research. I bring many research, organization and detail skills to my work. Additionally  I’ve completed 

• Writing to Discover 
• ProGen Study Group 56 in December 2022 
• Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) 2023 
• Jill Morelli’s Certification Discussion Group in the Winter of 2023
• Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) courses: Following Your Ancestors In Time and Place, Women and Children First and Tools for Solving Tough Research Problems
• Institute for Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) For Land’s Sake – Advanced Analysis and Platting in 2023
• National Genealogical Society’s (NGS) Researching Your Revolutionary War Ancestors; War of 1812 Records; Transcribing, Extracting, and Abstracting Documents; and Reading Old Handwriting. 
• National Genealogical Society Conferences  
• New York Genealogical and Biographical Society’s New York State Family History Conferences
• New England Regional Genealogical Conference.
• Lisa Louise Cooke’s Google Earth for Genealogists and 
• Genealogical organizations’ online webinars. 
• I co-chaired the Capital District Genealogical Society’s (NYCDGS) 40th Anniversary Virtual Conference.
•  I served two years as a Trustee-at-large for the Genealogical Society of Bergen County, NJ.