Nebraska Genealogy Events - February 2012

My Genealogy Events in Nebraska page has been updated as of January 27, 2012. Included in the new listing are classes at the Family History Library in Lincoln, Nebraska, as well as the Family History Expo in Kearney on September 7 - 8, 2012, and the fall conference sponsored by the Lincoln-Lancaster Genealogical Society and Southeast Community College on October 12 - 13, 2012 in Lincoln.

If you have a Nebraska genealogy event to add, please email me. I also invite you to hang out with the Nebraska Genea-Peeps group on Facebook, where we share information about Nebraska events and resources.

Date & Location	Description
January 28 – March 3, 2012 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Home Economics Building University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus 1650 N. 35th St Room 121 Lincoln, NE	Climbing Your Family Tree: How To Get Started With Your Family History Osher Life Long Learning Institute (OLLI) Presented by Phyllis Erickson and Rayma Shrader Contact Judi Cook for more information.
February 3, 2012 Family History Center 11027 Martha St Omaha, NE	GO-PAF Meeting Program to be announced
February 12, 2012 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Walt Branch Library 6701 S. 14th St Lincoln, NE	Lincoln Lancaster County Genealogical Society monthly program: Ethnic Dances and Clues to Ancestry Presented by Eva Bachman and Folk Dancers Enjoy the fun and tradition of folk dances as you learn about clues to ethnic ancestry in music, lyrics, colors, clothing designs and portrayals of historic events.
February 15, 2012 7:00 p.m. Crown Pointe Retirement Center 2820 S. 80th St Omaha, NE	Greater Omaha Genealogical Society meeting: George Custer’s 24 Hours in Omaha; presented by Jeff Barnes, author of The Great Plains Guide to Custer.
February 18, 2012 9:00 a.m. – Noon Mormon Trail Center 3215 State St Omaha, NE	Greater Omaha Genealogical Society free class: Vital Records for the Vital Events of Their Lives: Birth, Marriage and Death Records.

Family History Expos coming to Kearney, Nebraska

The Midwest Family History Expo for 2012 will be held September 7 - 8, 2012 in Kearney, Nebraska.

Great Platte River Road Archway Museum, Kearney, NE
copyright 2003-2012 Susan Petersen

It will be at the Holiday Inn Convention Center, 110 South Second Avenue.

While visiting Kearney, be sure to include time to visit the Great Platte River Road Archway Museum - which just happens to be located ACROSS Interstate 80.

Early Bird Registration (by August 14) is only $39.

For more information, visit Family History Expos.

Hope to see you there!

Lincoln-Lancaster County Genealogical Society unveils new web site

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Genealogical Society (LLCGS) web site has had a makeover this month!

Under the direction of webmaster Al Harlow, the new site was revealed in early January.

My favorite feature for searching my Lancaster county ancestors and other family members remains the outstanding database of marriages and cemetery information. Soon to be added will be the Naturalization database.

LLCGS also has a page on Facebook. Up-to-the-minute information about upcoming meetings and events is posted on the Society's Facebook page as well as on the web site.

This is a very active genealogy society and I'm very pleased that "we" are expanding our social media presence on the internet. As publicity chair for 2012, I'm looking forward to getting our information disseminated to the public and genealogists not only by traditional media, and now by Facebook, and soon, Google Plus and our society blog. It looks to be an exciting year.

Disclaimer: I serve as the publicity chair for LLCGS for 2012.

Follow the Stars of Who Do You Think You Are

If you want to learn a little bit more about the subjects of Who Do You Think You Are (Season 3) and Finding Your Roots, here's some web sites and social networking locations where you can follow the celebrities.

Reba McEntire

• Reba.com - official site
• Facebook - official
• Twitter - official @reba

Rob Lowe

• Rob Lowe - official site
• Twitter - official @roblowe
• Facebook - official
• Fan Club site - official

Helen Hunt

• Twitter - official @HelenHunt

Rita Wilson

• Twitter - official @ritawilson

Blair Underwood

• Twitter - official @blairunderwood
• Facebook - official page

Marisa Tomei

• Twitter - official @marisatomei

Kevin Bacon

• Twitter - official @kevinbacon

Kyra Sedgwick

• Twitter - official @kyrasedgwick

Paula Deen

• PaulaDeen.com - official site
• Twitter - official @paula_deen
• Facebook - official

Barbara Walters

• Twitter - official @barbarajwalters
• Facebook - official page
• The View - ABC

Robert Downey, Jr.

• Downey Unlimited - fan site
• Internet Movie Database

Branford Marsalis

• Branford Marsalis - official site
• Facebook - official
• Twitter - official record label @marsalismusic

John Legend

• Twitter - official @johnlegend
• JohnLegend.com - official site
• Facebook - official
• Google Plus - official

Martha Stewart

• Facebook - official @marthastewart
• MarthaStewart.com - official web site
• Google Plus - official
• Facebook - official

Rick Warren

• RickWarren.com - official web site
• Twitter - official @rickwarren
• Facebook - official

Jason Sudeikis

• Internet Movie Database

Jerome Bettis

• Official Web Site
• Facebook - official
• Twitter - official

Martin Sheen

• MartinSheen.net - unofficial
• Internet Movie Database

Edie Falco

• Internet Movie Database

Rashida Jones

• RashidaJonesWeb - fan site
• Internet Movie Database

If you have a link to add, please post in the Comments section below and I'll keep the links updated.

Other Ways to Honor Your Ancestors

Many of us spend quite a bit of our family history research time tracking down obituaries, death certificates and  walking through cemeteries. Perhaps your ancestors lived and died hundreds or thousands of miles away from where you live. Maybe they don't have a grave marker. There are other ways you can honor their memory without erecting a tombstone.

A few years ago, one of my favorite arts organizations, Friends of the Lied (supporters of the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska) sponsored a fundraising activity where patrons could purchase a commemorative brick which would then be placed on the grounds of the Lied Center. It was a tax deductible charitable contribution.

Maybe it was my ego, maybe I thought I would disappear into oblivion after my demise - whatever the reason at the time, I decided to contribute and purchased a brick. The inscription was just to denote the year of my graduation from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. It seemed appropriate since the Lied Center is housed on the University campus.

I've heard from a few genealogists who have done something similar to honor their parents, grandparents or other family member. It's especially nice if the location or organization is a good match for one of your ancestor's favorite interests or charities. And it helps out a worthwhile cause at the same time.

With some of the horror stories we keep reading about the destruction and vandalism of cemeteries, this might be an inexpensive way for families to still have something concrete (pardon the pun) that will honor their life.

If you have done something similar, I'd like to hear about it. Please leave a comment below.

Who Do You Think You Are Returns to NBC - Finding Your Roots on PBS

For those who can't get enough of celebrities and genealogy,  the coming weeks will be a blockbuster on your television screen.

NBC's Who Do You Think You Are returns for its third season on U.S. television on February 3, 2012. The popularity of the broadcast is evident since NBC has expanded the series about family history hunts to 12 episodes this season.

Among those featured:

• Martin Sheen, actor, known for The West Wing, Apocalypse Now and hundreds of other stellar performances, and as being father of Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez
• Marisa Tomei, actor, Oscar winner
• Blair Underwood, actor, L.A. Law, most recently, The Event. I remember him from One Life to Live circa 1985.
• Reba McEntire, former rodeo barrel racer turned country music superstar turned sit-com actor.
• Rob Lowe, actor, also on The West Wing, member of the "Brat Pack" and author of the memoir, Stories I Only Tell My Friends
• Helen Hunt, actor known for TV's Mad About You, went on to win the Oscar.
• Rita Wilson, actor and producer known for "best friend" roles, driving force behind My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Oh, yeah, she's married to Tom Hanks.
• Edie Falco, actor, The Sopranos, Nurse Jackie
• Rashida Jones, actor, The Office, Parks and Recreation
• Jerome Bettis, former NFL halfback with the Rams and the Steelers
• Jason Sudeikis, known for Saturday Night Live, Horrible Bosses, 30 Rock
• Paula Deen, celebrity chef

Martin Sheen with my friend and
fellow genealogy blogger, Jan Eloise Morris
Los Angeles, 1996
used with permission of Jan Eloise Morris

Reba McEntire
Omaha, Nebraska 1982
copyright Susan Petersen

Read the NBC Press Release

Finding Your Roots

Henry Louis Gates of the Faces of America series is back to host Finding Your Roots on PBS. The 10 part series premieres on PBS stations on March 25, 2012. Celebrities named for this program thus far include:

• Kevin Bacon and wife (cousin?) Kyra Sedgwick, actors; he is probably best known for the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon 'game', his credits include Footloose, Apollo 13, A Few Good Men, Diner. Sedgwick is best known for The Closer.
• Robert Downey, Jr., actor; I'm a bit prejudiced as, in my eyes, he's one of the most gifted actors of our time. Known most recently for Sherlock Holmes, Ally McBeal, Wonder Boys (one of my favorite films), Chaplin, and several stints in jail and rehab.
• Branford Marsalis, musician - saxophonist; in addition to a remarkable solo career, he toured with Sting for two years and was musical director of The Tonight Show when Jay Leno first took over the late night spot.
• John Legend, singer, songwriter, actor, recipient of nine Grammy awards.
• Martha Stewart, television personality and magazine publisher, merchandiser of her own product line. Served five months in federal prison after lying to investigators about a stock sale.
• Barbara Walters, longtime broadcaster and interviewer, her credits include The Today Show, 20/20, The Barbara Walters Special and The View. She was the first woman to co-anchor a network news show and her $1 million salary really pissed off Harry Reasoner, who never got over it. I noticed she was in a photograph as a guest at Paul McCartney's London wedding to Nancy Shevell last year; I later read that Barbara and Nancy are cousins. So I'm curious about that family relationship.
• Rick Warren, evangelical minister and author of The Purpose Driven Life.

As the names of other subjects on Finding Your Roots are announced, they will be posted on this blog.

With at least 12 weeks of network genealogy programming coming up, it's going to make getting through winter a lot more fun!

2012 Genealogy Events in Nebraska

Nebraska genealogists have a lot in store in 2012 with classes, workshops, meetings and conferences. The toughest decision for me is choosing between Beth Santore's workshop in Lincoln on gravestone symbolism and the Spring Conference of the Greater Omaha Genealogical Society. Both are scheduled for April 28 and I want to attend both!

If your Nebraska society has an event to add to this list, please email me. Hope to see you around the state this year!

Date & Location	Description
January 8, 2012 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Walt Branch Library 6701 S. 14th St Lincoln, NE	Lincoln Lancaster County Genealogical Society Monthly Program -Exploring Our LLCGS Website Presented by Al Harlow Come see the unveiling of the new LLCGS web site. Informal gathering for members to share information between 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
January 15, 2012 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Walt Branch Library 6701 S. 14th St Lincoln, NE	Lincoln Lancaster County Genealogical Society – education opportunity Providing Information for Surname Research – another Genealogical Tool, presented by LLCGS members. There will be an opportunity to post on the LLCGS web site the surnames you are researching, location where ancestors lived and the dates they were there.
January 18, 2012 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Great Room Chatelaine, 6201 Normal Blvd Lincoln, NE	Genealogy Discussion Group: The Best Genealogical Research Advice I Ever Got Presented by Lila Garner Opportunity to meet with new and experienced researchers and exchange questions, ideas and discoveries.
January 18, 2012 7:00 p.m. Crown Pointe Retirement Center 2820 S. 80th St Omaha, NE	Greater Omaha Genealogical Society meeting Program to be announced.
January 21, 2012 9:00 a.m. – Noon Mormon Trail Center 3215 State St Omaha, NE	Greater Omaha Genealogical Society class: Tell Me About My Family: Getting Started With Family History – discussion of forms organization, first places to find the essentials to track a family, the whys and wherefores of a documented family history. Free class.
January 22, 2012 Walt Branch Library 6701 S. 14th St Lincoln, NE	Lincoln City Libraries Learning More About DNA as a Genealogical Tool Using DVDs and other resources to learn more about scientific discoveries regarding DNA helpful in our genealogical research.
January 28 – March 3, 2012 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Home Economics Building University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus 1650 N. 35th St Room 121 Lincoln, NE	Climbing Your Family Tree: How To Get Started With Your Family History Osher Life Long Learning Institute (OLLI) Presented by Phyllis Erickson and Rayma Shrader Contact Judi Cook for more information.
January 29, 2012 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Walt Branch Library 6701 S. 14th St Lincoln, NE	Features of the Lincoln Lancaster County Genealogical Society web site Learn about resources, practice locating information in databases, review records; make the web site work for you.
February 3, 2012 Family History Center 11027 Martha St Omaha, NE	GO-PAF Meeting Program to be announced
February 12, 2012 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Walt Branch Library 6701 S. 14th St Lincoln, NE	Lincoln Lancaster County Genealogical Society monthly program: Ethnic Dances and Clues to Ancestry Presented by Eva Bachman and Folk Dancers Enjoy the fun and tradition of folk dances as you learn about clues to ethnic ancestry in music, lyrics, colors, clothing designs and portrayals of historic events.
February 15, 2012 7:00 p.m. Crown Pointe Retirement Center 2820 S. 80th St Omaha, NE	Greater Omaha Genealogical Society meeting: George Custer’s 24 Hours in Omaha; presented by Jeff Barnes, author of The Great Plains Guide to Custer.
February 18, 2012 9:00 a.m. – Noon Mormon Trail Center 3215 State St Omaha, NE	Greater Omaha Genealogical Society free class: Vital Records for the Vital Events of Their Lives: Birth, Marriage and Death Records.
March 2, 2012 7:00 p.m. LDS Family History Center 11027 Martha St Omaha, NE	GO-PAF Meeting Program to be announced
March 11, 2012 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Walt Branch Library 6701 S. 14th St Lincoln, NE	Lincoln Lancaster County Genealogical Society Monthly program: Blogs as a Genealogical Tool Presented by Susan Petersen Learn how blogging can help with genealogical research.
March 17, 2012 9:00 a.m. – Noon Mormon Trail Center 3215 State St Omaha, NE	Greater Omaha Genealogical Society free class: Making Sense of the Census.
March 21, 2012 7:00 p.m. Crown Pointe Retirement Center 2820 S. 80th St Omaha, NE	Greater Omaha Genealogical Society meeting: program to be announced
April 6, 2012 7:00 p.m. LDS Family History Center 11027 Martha St Omaha, NE	GO-PAF Meeting Program to be announced
April 10, 2012 7:15 p.m. Dick Administration Building Union College 3800 S. 48th St Lincoln, NE	Lincoln Lancaster County Genealogical Society monthly program Tracing Custer’s Men: Finding Michael Madden and Other Survivors of the Battle of the Little Bighorn Presented by Douglas Scott
April 18, 2012 7:00 p.m. Crown Pointe Retirement Center 2820 S. 80th St Omaha, NE	Greater Omaha Genealogical Society meeting: program to be announced
April 21, 2012 9:00 a.m. – Noon Mormon Trail Center 3215 State St Omaha, NE	Greater Omaha Genealogical Society free class: Searching the World’s Records Without Leaving Omaha
April 28, 2012 Sponsored by Southeast Community College Lincoln, Nebraska	Gravestone Symbolism by Beth Santore Lecture by Beth Santore of Grave Addiction; $40 fee includes continental breakfast, lecture, materials and tour of Wyuka Cemetery.
April 28, 2012 All day Omaha, NE	Greater Omaha Genealogical Society Spring Conference; speaker to be announced
May 4, 2012 7:00 p.m. LDS Family History Center 11027 Martha St Omaha, NE	GO-PAF Meeting Program to be announced
May 5-6, 2012 Mid-Town Holiday Inn Grand Island, Nebraska	Nebraska State Genealogical Society Conference
May 8, 2012 7:15 p.m. Dick Administration Building Union College 3800 S. 48th St Lincoln, NE	Lincoln Lancaster County Genealogical Society monthly program: Genealogical Research Related to Cemeteries Presented by Gail Blankenau Pointers for genealogical research related to cemeteries encourage providing data and photos to help other genealogists.
May 16, 2012 7:00 p.m. Crown Pointe Retirement Center 2820 S. 80th St Omaha, NE	Greater Omaha Genealogical Society meeting: program to be announced
May 19, 2012 9:00 a.m. – Noon Mormon Trail Center 3215 State St Omaha, NE	Greater Omaha Genealogical Society free class: Where’s the Dirt? An Overview of Land Records; Uncle Sam Wants You: Using Military Records
May 20, 2012 Homestead National Monument of America 8523 West State Highway 4 Beatrice, Nebraska	150th Anniversary of the Homestead Act The Homestead Story covers 270 million acres, is tied to 93 million Americans, spanned 123 years and is directly tied to the development of the largest agricultural superpower in the history of the World! Furthermore, this law attracted the imaginations of citizens of the world as it offered free land to most anyone willing to move to our Nation in search of an opportunity at the American Dream! May 20, 2012 our Nation will observe the 150th Anniversary, in what has been said is one of our most significant laws ever created in the history of the United States; the Homestead Act of 1862! A program marking this historic event will be held at Homestead National Monument of America. President Obama along with other dignitaries and special groups have been invited to attend this Anniversary.
June 1, 2012 7:00 p.m. LDS Family History Center 11027 Martha St Omaha, NE	GO-PAF Meeting Program to be announced
June 16, 2012 9:00 a.m. – Noon Mormon Trail Center 3215 State St Omaha, NE	Greater Omaha Genealogical Society free class: Finding Family on the Internet: Is It Accurate?; There’s More in the Courthouse than Vital Records
	List compiled and maintained by Susan Petersen, LongLostRelatives.net. To add or update your listing, please email me sooznebr@gmail.com