Family History for Beginners: the Joy of Finding Skeletons in the Family Closet
2:00-3:30
Why do family history? We will explore why people get
interested in family history, discover the joy of finding
some “skeletons” in the family closet, and learn about
computer software and library resources. Along the way,
we will learn about some of the more helpful resources
for doing family history in northern Ind., including the
Mennonite Historical Library in Goshen and the Allen
County Public Library in Fort Wayne. A day trip to
the ACPL for genealogical research is an optional addon.
Loren Johns has been personally involved in family
history as a hobby for 18 years. His database contains
over 625,000 names, mostly Mennonite and Amish,
which is the second largest in the Swiss Anabaptist
Genealogical Association, of which he is the secretary.