Roxanne Moore Saucier, who authored the genealogical column “Family Ties” in the Bangor Daily News for so many years, once famously referred to Joe Anderson as the “bee’s knees.” For those of you who don’t know, that was a 1920s term for a super cool person. We might also say Joe is the “cat’s pajamas” as well.
Joe is the editor of the Maine Genealogical Society’s The Maine Genealogist as well as co-editor of the American Genealogist, a highly respected journal. He has authored or edited 18 books on genealogical subjects and written articles for many genealogical journals and edits the series, Maine Families in 1790. Joe is one of only 50 Fellows of the American Society of Genealogists, a great honor. He truly is the bee’s knees when it comes to genealogical writing.
On April 21, the Maine Genealogical Society will bring Joe to Maine as keynote speaker for a daylong workshop on writing genealogical materials. If you’ve ever thought of turning your research into a book, a journal article, a blog, a family newsletter, or you just want to write your research and family history for future generations, this is a don’t-miss workshop. It will be held at the Elks Club in Augusta. Registration fees are $45 for members of MGS and $55 for non-members and the fee includes lunch and snacks. As genealogical workshops go this is a great deal.
You can find pre-registration information on the MGS website, maineroots.org or by writing to Deb Nowers, 72 Achorn Road, Belfast, ME 04915. Registrations must be received by April 2, so don’t delay. You might consider joining MGS to receive discounts on workshops, conferences, and the purchase of their transcribed vital records.
Another daylong workshop is being given by the Wassebec Genealogical Society in Dover-Foxcroft. This workshop features Judy Reitze, former director of the Family History Center in Bangor, speaking and demonstrating how to use the LDS website FamilySearch.org. In the afternoon Nina Brawn, author of the former award-winning genealogical column Family Searcher, will guide attendees through using Ancestry.com.
This workshop is free and includes lunch and snacks but is limited to 45 people due to fire regulations. It will be held at Mayo Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft on May 19 and pre-registration is required. You can pre-register starting April 1 by writing to me at 308 Foxcroft Center Road in Dover-Foxcroft 04426 or e-mailing me at nbattick@roadrunner.com. Be sure to give me your contact information in case something unexpected happens and I need to let you know. I hope to see many readers of this column there.
I urge all genealogists and would-be genealogists to take advantage of one or both workshops. Genealogists should never stop learning so I urge you to mark your calendar for one or both of these great opportunities.
Columnist Nancy Battick of Dover-Foxcroft has researched genealogy for over 30 years. She is past president of the Maine Genealogical Society. Reader emails are welcome at nbattick@roadrunner.com. Her semimonthly column is sponsored by the Aroostook County Genealogical Society which meets the fourth Monday of the month except in July and December at the Caribou Library at 6:30 p.m. Guests are always welcome. FMI contact Edwin “J” Bullard at 492-5501.
