March 2026

Lead by Paula Davis

Notes created by AI (Lucy) Assistance

Meeting Summary

The meeting centered on Irish genealogical research, with members sharing resources, strategies, and personal progress. Discussion included the use of Irishgenealogy.ie, townland records, DNA testing, obituaries, and subscription databases such as Grenham and American Ancestors. Members also exchanged research challenges, including variant name spellings, limited parish records, and difficulty locating specific immigration or military documents. Upcoming events, including the April seminar and spring book sale, were noted.

Discussion Highlights

Irish Genealogy Resources

• Members reviewed Irish place name tools, handouts, and databases.

• Paula described using Brian Mitchell’s book, the Grenham database, and Green Room services.

• Dick shared promising but inconclusive findings for Freeman and Griffin ancestors in County Clare.

• Interest was expressed in visiting the American Ancestors library for its Catholic parish collections.

Research Progress Updates

• Paula located her great great grandfather’s baptism through Rhonda McClure’s work.

• Janice used Ancestry’s keyword search to find Boston Pilot newspaper references.

• Dick found immigration papers for his great grandfather but not the 1854 ship record.

• Dianne visited Croom, County Limerick, and confirmed her great grandmother’s birth record; earlier records were unavailable.

• Pat continued Irish and Scotch Irish research, focusing on townlands. Research Strategies

• Members emphasized Irishgenealogy.ie, baptism indexes, obituaries, and Irish funeral home listings on Facebook.

• Marge discussed DNA based Irish ancestry discoveries.

• Janice noted limited records for a German ancestor who died in Scotland.

• The group discussed Ancestry’s new features and subscription upgrades.

• Gail expressed interest in joining the Irish SIG after seeing an Inlander presentation.

• Sharon received guidance on wildcard searches and census strategies for Patrick Doney.

• Dianne identified a possible 1855 New York State Census match despite spelling variations.

Irish Revolutionary War Seminar Planning

• Planning continued for the April 13 seminar on the Revolutionary War and Irish involvement.

• Paula will review guides for the April 18 release of the 1926 Irish Census.

• Members discussed Irish military participation, including the high proportion of Irish soldiers in the 1850s British Army.

Birth Mother Reconnection Efforts

• Paula shared updates on reconnecting with her 96 year old birth mother and her plans to visit again this summer.

• She is considering contacting her brother in law and hopes to obtain a marriage certificate to help frame a positive family narrative.

Next Steps

1. Dianne – Bring prior Irish Genealogy Group handouts for review.

2. Paula – Compile and share resources on the 1926 Irish Census before the April meeting.

3. Paula – Locate guides or videos on Irish involvement in the American Revolution.

4. EWGS – Send Gail information and contact details for the DNA Detectives SIG.

5. EWGS – Update the website to reflect the correct meeting time (2:30–4:00).

6. Paula – Collect and coordinate book donations for the spring seminar sale.

7. Paula – Remind members to bring book donations by March.

9 April 2026 TAG Meeting Notes

NOTE: These meeting notes include some of Zoom's summary info and notes, edited by Janice Moerschel. They will be posted at the EWGS website.

IMPORTANT NOTE AND REMINDER: If, by chance, you do not receive the Zoom meeting link, visit the EWGS website where you'll find the link posted in "Events" area, for The Ancestry Group (TAG): https://ewgsi.org/events. 

Special thanks to Susan Harms for her contributions to our Revolutionary War conversation and info she shared on the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

Summary At this meeting we focused on sharing insights from the RootsTech genealogy conference, particularly Crista Cowan's presentation on new Ancestry features and updates. Key announcements included improved date range searching, the addition of 10 million records daily, full-text search capabilities on Fold3, and the new Ancestry Preserve service for digitizing family memories. Several members, including Susan Harms and Julie Rosenoff, shared their Revolutionary War ancestors, with Susan explaining how to research patriots through the DAR website and Julie describing her ancestor Major General David Cobb who served as George Washington's aide-de-camp. The group discussed various genealogy tools and resources, including the card catalog for finding new records and the importance of proper documentation in family trees.

RootsTech 2026: Key Announcements: https://www.ancestry.com/c/discover/education/rootstech-recap or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-S9Nw7LiJo&t=184s Ancestry is now adding an average of 10 million new records daily, supported by a $450 million investment in content over the past 15 years. 10M+Records added daily. $450M Content investment.

• $20 Ancestry's "Preserve" service allows users to send physical items for digitization. Initial cost of $20. Ancestry sends a box for you to fill with video, slides, documents, etc. Then will tell you the full cost to have them processed and uploaded to the Ancestry website.

• Improved search functionality with the ability to add custom date ranges for more precise results

• Full-text search on Fold3 including Revolutionary War pension files, made searchable through handwriting recognition technology

• Enhanced Organize tab for identifying people and improved gallery filtering options

• AI-powered features providing descriptions of documents and images (transcription requires manual input)

• Newspapers.com integration providing insights into ancestors' lives through articles, visits, and other details

• Crista Cowan also highlighted the importance of using the card catalog feature to track new and updated record collections and recommended watching Lisa's presentation on new records and Ann Mitchell's demo on mastering Ancestry Pro Tools.

On the same topic, this is another video done by Crista Cowan (we didn't watch this one in our meeting) that may be of interest. She mentioned that source citations will be easier to add.

What's new at RootsTech2026: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6ogQeuxU88&t=6s

And for folks interested in Ancestry's Digital Preserve service, here are some videos:

Ancestry Education Center, Crista Cowan: The Importance of Professionally Digitizing your Memories - https://www.ancestry.com/c/discover/education/ancestrypreserve-boxing

Ancestry Preserve - Melissa Gilbert at RootsTech2026 - https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/preserve-your-legacy-digitizing-and-sharing-memories-with-ancestry

Save Your Stories/ Master Ancestry Tools for Preserving and Sharing Family Discoveries, Nicka Sewell-Smith at RootsTech2026 - https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/save-your-stories-master-ancestry-tools-for-preserving-and-sharing-family-discoveries Revolutionary War genealogy research discussion

Susan Harms recommended using the free DAR genealogy research tools for anyone interested in exploring Revolutionary War ancestors. Revolutionary War families often married within similar political circles due to the danger of associating with loyalists.

John Dexter: Served as a Minuteman and fought at Bunker Hill before becoming a sergeant in the Continental Army. Researched by Susan. 

Minuteman Bunker Hill Major General David Cobb: Served as George Washington's aide-de-camp. Ancestor of Julie. Washington's Aide Zachariah Fortune: DAR patriot discovered by Paula through family research. 

DAR Patriot Captain Thomas Eubank Fortune: Brother of Zachariah Fortune, also verified through DAR records. Captain Captain William Whedon: Ancestor of Janice, served during the Revolutionary War. 

Captain George Doolittle: Another ancestor of Janice who participated in the Revolutionary War. Patriot

Julie Rosenoff will send out information about free local resources for digitizing photos and documents (libraries and family history centers) to the group. The group discussed alternative free options for digitization available at local libraries and family history centers as an alternative to the paid Ancestry Preserve service. 

April TAG attendance (21):  Albert Calderon, Barbara Gumm, Carol Hsu, Charlotte Sullivan, Chris Murphy,  Dianne Bongarts, Don Walter,  Doug Floyd, Janice Moerschel, Juanita McBride, Judy Benson, Julie Rosenhoff,  Karen Lehfeldt (Clarkston), Lola McCreary, Marge Mero,  Patricia Robinson, Paula Davis, Ruth Halligan (Calif.), Susan Harms,  Terri Carstens, Virginia Omoto.

The next meeting of TAG will be on Thursday, May 14.

Janice Moerschel The Ancestry Group (TAG)

Meeting Overview

The Irish SIG meeting focused on discussing upcoming meeting times and exploring Irish genealogical resources. Paula announced that the next meeting would be held on March 9th at 2:30 PM and would run until 4:00 PM. The group then explored the Irish Genealogy website, with Paula demonstrating how to search for records and Janice sharing her success in finding a burial record for her ancestor Hugh Greg. They discussed various genealogical resources, including church records, civil registrations, and online databases. The conversation ended with a brief discussion about newspaper clippings and the challenges of researching ancestors who lived in different eras.

Meeting Time and Irish Programming

The group discussed changing their meeting time to March 9th at 2:30 PM, with Paula agreeing to send an email to confirm the new schedule. They also talked about a PBS series called "From That Small Island: The Story of the Irish," which Paula recommended watching. Janice shared information about Ancestry's heritage tours, which allow users to virtually visit ancestral locations. The group briefly discussed other PBS shows related to Ireland, including "Ridley" and "Ireland with Michael."

Irish Genealogy Research Resource

The group discussed the Townland Atlas book by Brian Mitchell, which Paula shared is a valuable resource for researching Irish ancestors in Ulster. Paula explained how the book provides detailed information about townlands, civil parishes, registration districts, and maps, which can help researchers navigate their genealogical searches more efficiently. The group agreed that the book's organization and content were well-structured and helpful, and Paula offered to lend it out to members who could benefit from its information.

Irish Genealogy Resources Discussion

Janice shared her experience with a $75 virtual tour of Ireland and mentioned that she would receive a recording of it. Paula inquired about accessing the Education Center on Ancestry, and Janice agreed to provide the link. They discussed new genealogical resources, including access to Irish genealogy records and upcoming Zoom classes from Irish by Ancestry. Julie was thanked for her outstanding research plan, which others planned to follow and improve upon.

Irish Genealogy Research Challenges

Paula explored Irish genealogy resources, specifically church and civil records, but encountered difficulties finding specific records. She discovered that IrishGenealogy.ie appears to focus on records from the Republic of Ireland, rather than the whole island. Paula expressed uncertainty about the coverage of the site and discussed the complexity of accessing records across both the Republic and Northern Ireland. She suggested that Janice, who is in Dublin, might be able to assist further by looking up her own information. The group successfully located a burial record for Janice's ancestor Hugh Greg in Dublin from 1787 using an online database. They discussed various Irish genealogy resources, including church records, civil registrations, and online databases like Roots Ireland and the National Library of Ireland. Janice shared her experience with newspaper clippings from America mentioning Irish ancestors, and the group explored the challenges of researching Irish genealogy compared to other countries. Paula announced she would send an email next week to continue the discussion and share any new resources or information.

Next Steps

1. Paula: Send an email to the group next week about the proposed March meeting time (2:30 PM on March 9th) and solicit feedback on day/time preferences 

2. EWGS (Julie): Send out a link to the edited recording of this meeting, cutting out the initial discussion about hours

3. Paula: Text Ron a picture of the potential Boyd connection 

4. Janice: Attempt to get a recording of the Ancestry heritage tour video  

5. Janice: Put the link to Ancestry's Education Center in the chat

Group led by Janice Moerschel

Welcome and Announcements

We watched the following video done by Connie Knox (on YouTube). Below the link I have highlighted some key points. Click here

Connie Knox "Maximizing Ancestry 3 Secrets the Pros Use (updated Sep 2025)  (about 35 minutes) Some key points:

• don't select all trees when reviewing tree hints • check out the trees with sources

• check the member tree's gallery

• view images

• don't select 'all trees' unless doing a q&d tree, adding a 'floating tree,' or doing descendant research

• open records - check each name to make sure the record is attached to right person

• tell Ancestry why, i.e., give feedback, when you are saving/accepting a record or hint (or not) as it helps the algorithyms

• check your ethnicity estimates to see where your common ancestor may appear in their branch (Connie explains)

• Avoid duplicating people in your tree. (I always check my tree after I've saved a record)

• Compare your info to member trees. If yours is more accurate/better, don't choose their tree info. 

Edit info - if - and as needed.

For our next meeting, we may discuss Networks (a ProTools feature). 

I am open to additional suggestions and volunteers to present a topic.

*** I meant to mention that Ancestry.com is offering tours - some group tours are virtual. I attended one shown in Dublin (Leinster area), Ireland last week. (Other countries are offered.) The tours involving actual travel, well, those would cost the most, of course. Then there is the virtual travel, which can be tailored to suit - this costs more as well - but not as much as traveling there. I did the virtual group tour (on Zoom, at home) for $75. Watch Crista Cowan's video (which is posted at the "Education Center.". https://www.ancestry.com/c/discover/education. Look down through the selections in the Education Center for the video on "Heritage Travel."***

Our next TAG meeting is Thursday, March 12. Topic - possibly the "Networks" feature available with a ProTools subscription. Other ideas or volunteers to present on a topic are welcomed.

Attendance (19): Ruth Anne Halligan, Chris Murphy, Ardis Storms, Virginia Omoto, May Cotton, Juanita McBride, Barbara Gumm, Karen Lehfeldt, Sandi Gaffney, Lynda Keenan, Dianne Bongarts, Cindy Peterson (new to our group), Patricia Robinson, Albert Calderon, Ron Martin, Kelly Taylor, Carol  Hsu, Judy Benson, Janice Moerschel

IRISH GROUP SIG MEETING JANUARY 2026 Lead by  Paula Davis

Meeting Overview The EWGS (Eastern Washington Genealogical Society) Irish Special Interest Group held a comprehensive Zoom meeting focused on genealogy research strategies, organizational methods, and educational resources. 

The session brought together genealogy enthusiasts to share experiences, tools, and best practices for Irish ancestry research.

Participant Introductions

• Charlotte joined from Honolulu as a visitor

• Sharon, Janet, and others participated from the Hayden Lake Library study room

• Dick was welcomed as a new EWGS member

• Paula hosted the meeting with assistance from Ron and Julie

Genealogy Resources and Tools FamilyTreeWebinars.com

• Many webinars are free to watch live

• Free resources available in their library

Legacy Family Tree

• Online platform offering genealogy courses • Annual subscription: $50

• Janice shared positive experiences with this platform

American Ancestors

• Dick completed a 5-week genealogy course focusing on New England research ($125)

• Offers valuable resources and free consulting hours

• Particularly useful for tracing Irish and Jewish ancestors

• Features an impressive library in Boston that both Paula and Dick admired

• Paula utilized their resources for a research trip to Ireland

Ancestry Heritage Travel

• Krista Cowan's video about virtual travel options was discussed

• Janice agreed to send out the link to the group

• Paula considering booking a virtual heritage tour

YouTube Educational Content

• Ron uses YouTube to learn from genealogy experts

• Recommended experts: Krista Cowan and Connie Knox

Ancestral Findings Podcast

• Paula shared her positive experience with this resource

• Emphasizes planning and budgeting for genealogical research

Software and Analysis Tools

Family Tree Maker

• Can sync with Ancestry for backup purposes

• standalone database program not dependent on online services

• Dick uses it in conjunction with Ancestry, maintaining individual folders for 32 direct ancestors

• Marge recommended it as a reliable backup solution

Mac Family Tree 11

• Syncs with FamilySearch but not with Ancestry

• Janice shared her experience using this software

Family Tree Analyzer

• Ron uses this tool to identify and correct errors in family trees

• Helps find duplicates and incorrect dates

Ancestry Pro Tools

• Currently on sale

• Ron uses these tools to identify and correct tree errors

My Heritage

• Offers a free tree checker

• Features "My Stories" platform for creating family narratives

• Janice uses this for writing family histories

Organization Methods and Strategies

Digital Filing Systems

Janice's Method

• Uses folders organized by name and record type

• Digital filing system for easy retrieval

Ron's Approach

• Creates surname folders with individual subfolders for each person

• Includes all related documents in each person's folder

• Uses maiden names for women's files

• Relies on Ancestry to track connections between spouses

• Photographs old albums and creates detailed file systems

• Uses detailed naming system for digitized photos

• Stores files in cloud storage

Dick's System

• Syncs Ancestry with Family Tree Maker

• Maintains individual folders for 32 direct ancestors

File Naming Conventions

Julie recommended Thomas McKinty's file naming convention:

• Last name

• First name

• Birth and death dates

• Document type

Research Philosophy

• Ron emphasized focusing on one person at a time to build comprehensive family history

• Paula stressed the importance of creating research plans

• Maintaining organized locality records was highlighted as crucial

Irish Genealogy Specific Resources

Understanding Irish Records

Land Divisions and Record-Keeping

• Paula emphasized the importance of understanding Irish land divisions

• Identifying townlands is crucial for ancestral research

• Paula found her great-grandfather's townland through a baptism index

Townland Atlas of Ulster

• Paula uses this book extensively for genealogical research

• Softcover version will be available in March

• Valuable resource for understanding Irish geography and records

Research Assistance

• Paula offered to assist others in researching their Irish ancestry

• Group agreed to focus on Irish genealogy research in the next meeting

Special Projects and Writing Family Narrative Creation

• Janice uses My Heritage's My Stories platform for creating family narratives

• She researched Dublin during the potato famine for a writing project

Photo Digitization

• Ron described his comprehensive method of digitizing family photos

• Uses detailed naming system for organization

• Stores digitized photos in cloud storage for preservation and accessibility

Upcoming Events and Opportunities RootsTech

• Pam suggested waiting for the event to find discounts

• Offered to collect discount codes for interested members

Research Like a Pro Program

• 14-day mini-challenge available

• Members encouraged to participate and share results at next meeting

Action Items and Next Steps

Individual Assignments

Janice

• Send out link to Ancestry Heritage Travel video by Krista Cowan

Paula

• Inform group if she books a virtual heritage tour

• Select useful resource links from recent email for next meeting discussion

• Organize and facilitate next meeting's agenda including live research examples, resource reviews, and member presentations

Julie

• Share discount code and ordering information for FamilyTreeWebinars.com

• Share group's contact spreadsheet (names and emails) for collaborative research

Group Activities

• All interested members: Consider participating in "Research Like a Pro" 14-day mini-challenge

• All interested members: Prepare 4-5 minute presentation or specific research question for next meeting

• Monthly feature implemented: members can present specific research challenges for group input