Texas State Genealogical Society

"The Legacy of Forced Removal: Finding Formerly Enslaved & Indigenous Kin" with Nicka Sewell-Smith
2024-07-27 | Dallas Public Library and Virtual, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, United States
Dallas Genealogical Society is proud to present Nicka Sewell Smith as our speaker at the Summer Seminar on July 27, 2024.
Her topic will be The Legacy of Forced Removal: Finding Formerly Enslaved & Indigenous Kin. It will be a hybrid event.
Early Bird registration for this seminar ends on July 8.
For more info, visit the DGS website at dallasgenealogy.org/

"Autosomal Analysis: Tools for Finding Your Ancestors" with Blaine Bettinger
2024-09-28 | Dallas Public Library and Virtual, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, United States
Dallas Genealogical Society is proud to present Blaine Bettinger as our speaker at the Fall Seminar on September 28, 2024.
His topic will be Autosomal Analysis: Tools for Finding Your Ancestors. It will be a hybrid event.
Early Bird rates in effect through September 8. For more info, visit the DGS website at dallasgenealogy.org/

22nd Annual Family History Fair
2024-10-12 | W. T. Brookshire Conference Center, 2000 W

"A Salute to Our Veterans Past and Present"
2024-11-02 | Caldwell Civic & Visitor Center, 103 Presidential Corridor, Caldwell, Texas, United States
The Texas Czech Genealogical Society (TCGS) invites you to attend the November 2, 2024, in person event “A Salute to Our Veterans Past and Present” at the Caldwell Civic and Visitor Center. You do not have to be a TCGS member or of Czech heritage to attend. Everyone is welcome.
Saturday, November 2, 2024 – 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (registration begins at 8:00 AM), Caldwell Civic Center, 103 W. Texas Highway 21, Caldwell, TX 77836.
Speakers:
Colonel Thomas J. (Jerry) Curtis – Seven and a Half Year Captivity in North Vietnam
Joe Rychlik – Recalling Military Experiences
Patrick Janis – U.S. Navy Lt. Arthur F. Anders: The Czech Texan Who Was the Hero of the
First U.S. Battle of WWII
Kimary and Garry Marble – How Are We Related to Veterans?
C. David Stasny, JD – Estate Planning Trusts, and Medical Powers of Attorney, and the Challenges of Preserving Family Land
Download PDF Flyer and Speaker Information
Registration includes kolache and coffee or juice, a catered lunch, silent auction and sales tables with our newest 2024 Christmas Ornaments. Detailed information and registration forms are attached and on the TCGS website at https://www.txczgs.org under “Events” https://txczgs.org/eventListings.php?nm=38.
To register by credit card go to: https://txczgs.square.site/product/registration/122 OR Mail check made payable to TCGS and send with Registration form to: Kimary Marble, 14106 Pawnee Trails Dr., Cypress, TX 77429. For further information, Kimary can be reached at 832-906-0986 and at kimary12@gmail.com.
If postmarked on/before October 25, 2024, TCGS members $40.00 and non-TCGS members $45.00; if post-marked after October 25, 2024, TCGS members $45.00 and non-TCGS members $50.00; and at the door (All) – $60.00. The Texas Czech Genealogical Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

2025 CAPROCK Genealogy Conference
2025-04-12 | Plainview Country Club, 2902 4th Street, Plainview, TX, 79072, United States
Download flyer and registration form
Featured Speaker for the 2025 Caprock Genealogy Conference is John A. Sellers, a fifth generation native to Hopkins County, Texas. A graduate of Texas Tech University, he has been doing genealogical research since 1985. His favorite area of research is in the courthouse.
Topics for the four interactive sessions he will be conducting at the Caprock Genealogy Conference in Plainview this year are:

Your Ancestor’s Own Cousin, other Relations, and their Value to Your Research
What’s Hidden in Courthouse Records?
On The Road Again – Finding Genealogical Gems at Your Ancestral Home
Was Grandpa His Brother’s Keeper?

More complete description of the sessions is available at the Caprock Genealogy Conference website, https://caprockconference.org/info/
Registration Open until February 25 is $55 (early bird); February 25 through April 7 is $60.
https://www.caprockconference.org/register

Discovering New Paths with Thomas MacEntee
2025-08-16 | Virtual Event via Zoom
Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries Presents:
http://www.genealogyfriends.org/all-day-seminars.html

Zoom
Recorded

Thomas MacEntee is a Baby Boomer guy with a love of punk rock music but also art history who somehow “fell” into the technology industry almost 40 years ago and then left a lucrative IT career to pursue his love of family history and genealogy. Technology and historical research are opposites, but “tech people” like Thomas are needed to guide today’s genealogists through the maze of options so they can deploy the best apps and devices to break down research brick walls. Thomas MacEntee: author, educator, advocate, entrepreneur, and that “genealogy guy” who helps you accomplish your family history goals.

For more information and registration go to http://www.genealogyfriends.org/all-day-seminars.html

Fall 2025 Genealogy Seminar with Diana Elder, AG, AGL
2025-09-06 09:30 - 15:30 (America/Chicago) | Ridglea Country Club, 3700 Bernie Anderson Ave., Fort Worth, Texa, 76116
9:30 am to 3:30 pm
Ridglea Country Club, 3700 Bernie Anderson Ave., Fort Worth, TX 76116

The Fall Seminar with Diana Elder includes sessions on
*Understanding AI in Genealogy: Foundations & Tools
*Navigating the Unique Texas Land Grant System
*Undering Evidence Analysis in a Timeline to Separate Individuals of the Same Name
*Burned Courthoouses and Flooded Churches

Download: 2025 Fall Seminar

Strategies for DNA Breakthroughs
2025-10-25 | Dallas Public Library and Virtual, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, United States
October 25, 2025
Our Speaker: Kelli Jo Bergheimer
Kelli is a writer, teacher, editor, author, and international genealogical speaker. Kelli holds a Bachelor’s in Biology, a Master’s in Education: Curriculum and Instruction, and a Master’s in Business Management. Kelli is the Director of Education for Your DNA Guide. Kelli runs a small business—Mess on the Desk, a genealogical organization company with a YouTube channel. Kelli is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.
Session Information

Successful Sleuthing, Not Stalking, for DNA Matches – Have you tried to figure out who some of your DNA matches are but struggle to make progress? Learn to use some free websites, newspapers, and social media to identify some of those people you don’t know in your match list.
Ancestry Pro Tools: Increase Your DNA Analysis – Ancestry’s new Pro Tools can increase your ability to analyze your DNA matches. New filters have been added to enhance your DNA sorting. Colored dots have expanded. And the Enhanced shared matches tool is giving us another level of insight into our matches by showing us how our matches share DNA with each other. Learn strategies to apply this tool to your genetic networks.
The Power of Ancestry Clusters and Inferred Matching – Learn how to use clusters in a strategic way to identify your DNA matches and their shared ancestral line. Ancestry’s new Cluster Tool is a powerful visual way to group matches. Broaden your genetic network for an ancestral line by including inferred matching in your analysis.
The Tale of Two Grandfathers and an Adoption – Privacy and Ethical Concerns with DNA – Come hear privacy and ethical considerations within three DNA case studies–a case of grey adoption in the 1950s, a surprise grandfather, and a decades-long hunt for an unknown grandfather. What should you consider? How can you or should you document findings? And who’s story is it to tell?

Location & Recordings
Join Kelli live at the Dallas Public Library or online on Zoom.

Free parking is available under the library (enter the parking garage from Wood Street).
A link to the syllabus (in PDF format) will be provided when you register.

The Syllabus materials will not be finalized until Sunday, October 5.
We will not be providing a printed version at the event.

A link (and the password required to access it) to the Session recordings page will be provided when you register.

Recordings will be available from Sunday October 26 through Sunday November 9, 2025.

A link to register with Zoom will be provided when you register if you prefer to participate virtually.

Roots, Routes, and Recipes
2026-01-24 | Caldwell Civic & Visitor Center, 103 Presidential Corridor, Caldwell, Texas, United States
Texas Czech Genealogical Society Presents: “Roots, Routes, and Recipes”
Saturday, January 24, 2026
Caldwell Civic and Visitor Center, 103 Texas Hwy. 21 West, Caldwell, TX 77836https://goo.gl/maps/SXikBLkG6mo
TCGS will be celebrating its 25th Anniversary during 2026 andthe celebration will kick off at this event.
Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. Program with Speakers begins at 9:00 a.m. Silent Auction, 55 inch TV Raffle, and Gift Shop will be available all day. Download Flyer.
Registration fee INCLUDES catered lunch; kolache, coffee & orange juice

Speakers: Patti Huff Williams: “Between the Lines: Unlocking Family Mysteries with DNA”; Anna Ashton: “Coming to America from Slovakia”; Bruno and Christine Olsovsky Shimek: “Making Generational Czech Heritage Lye Soap: A Demonstration and Discussion”

PLEASE REGISTER IN ADVANCE: Postmarked on/before 01/12/26 TCGS Members-$40; Non-Members-$45; Postmarked after 01/12/26 TCGS Members-$45; Non-Members-$50; At the door (All) – $60.
Detailed information and registration forms are available at the TCGS website at https://www.txczgs.org under “Events” https://txczgs.org/eventListings.php?nm=38. To register by credit card please go to txczgs.square.site OR mail check, payable to TCGS to Kimary Marble, Trails Dr., Cypress, TX 77429. For further information, Kimary may be reached at 832-906-0986 or at kimary12@gmail.com. Cancellations are accepted up to a week prior to event.

Notice: For anyone who cannot be in attendance on Saturday, January 24, please note that our Czech gift shop will be open on Friday, January 23, 2026 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM in the Caldwell Civic and Visitor Center. You will have the opportunity of shopping for unique gifts such as Czech crystal, Bohemian glass, jewelry, textiles, caps and bumper stickers, children’s toys, genealogy books published by TCGS and much more. We look forward to meeting you. There is no entrance fee on Friday.

Everyone is welcome. Membership in Texas Czech Genealogical Society (TCGS)is not required to attend. TCGS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

Mastering the Search: German Genealogical Research Strategies
2026-03-28 | Dallas Public Library and Virtual, 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX, United States
Speaker: Michael D Lacopo, D.V.M.
Dr. Michael D. Lacopo is a retired small-animal veterinarian born and raised in northern Indiana. He takes a scientific approach to his research as he does to his profession. Researching genealogy since 1980, he has lectured internationally and written for numerous periodicals and journals. A self-described “all-American mutt,” his research skills cover a broad range, although he is often called upon for his German genealogical knowledge.
Session Information

Overcoming the Language Barrier in German Genealogy – Many American genealogists hesitate to dive into German records, worried that the language will be too difficult to navigate. This session will introduce you to powerful tools — from AI and crowdsourcing to German word lists, online dictionaries, and practical home study techniques — that make understanding German records accessible, even if you don’t speak the language. Don’t let unfamiliar words stand between you and incredible discoveries!
German Genealogy on the Internet: Beyond the Basics – The Internet age has brought genealogy to our fingertips over the last two decades, and subsequently we can find our German ancestors easier. This lecture will discuss some online sites that all German genealogists should be aware of. American sites will be covered, but a strong concentration on “Must Use” German sites will be discussed, as we are missing vital clues by not being truly “international” in our Internet research endeavors.
Finding and Using German Church Records – Many of us have German-speaking European ancestors but are afraid to tackle the next step across the Atlantic. Finding the proper parish that holds the records of interest, as well as accessing those records, can seem daunting. It does not have to be. You will be shown how to find record repositories both online and off. Through examples of German church records, even beginners can learn how to decipher them and how to overcome the fear of German script.
Telling Their Story: Adding Character to Your German-American Genealogical Narrative – Your German immigrant ancestors were more than just names and dates- they lived complex lives shaped by the world around them. This lecture explores how to go beyond birth, marriage, and death dates to uncover the social history that brings your family story to life. You will learn how to apply the 5W/1H questions (who, what, when, where, why, how) to your genealogy. Through following the case of one German family’s immigration, you can learn to put common genealogical sources in a broader historical and cultural context that will help you understand your ancestors’ story.
