A free class on getting started in family history research will be offered Saturday, February 20, by the Genealogical Society of Kendall County. This class is a pre-requisite to take the seven-week advanced genealogy course, which will be given by Harry and Mary Alice Dell, starting March 18. The Beginning Genealogy session will follow a short business meeting, which starts at 10 a.m. at St. John’s Anglican Church, 7 Sisterdale Rd.

The Beginner’s Introduction to Research discusses building an ancestor chart, family group sheets, home sources of information, sending for vital records, and finding clues on the Internet among other topics.

The advanced course, Genealogical Research, Traditional and Beyond, will help researchers understand how to find and use the many records such as census, deeds, immigration and naturalization, probate, and military records that were left by their ancestors. It evens touches on the use of DNA in research.

“Today’s successful family historian must know how to use both traditional sources of information as well as the ever-improving internet.” said Mary Alice Dell. “As more and more original documents and genealogical materials are being digitized and placed on-line, today’s researcher needs to know how to find this information. As Dr. Seuss might say: “To find the What and the When of the Who, you need the Where.”

The Dells, who are members of the Association of Professional Genealogists, have been teaching genealogy for the past 12 years as well as speaking at seminars and other genealogical meetings.

Pre-Registration Required for Course

The Advanced course is also open to anyone who attended the free Beginning Workshop offered in 2009, or who has taken the course previously. Cost of the seven-week course is $60.00 for non-members and $45.00 for GSKC members. A second member of the family may attend for $10.00 less. The cost includes a 175-page notebook and free subscription to Harry’s Gems, a genealogical newsletter. The course will be given on Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Boerne Community Center from March 18 through April 29.

Pre-registration is required and ends Friday, March 8. Space is limited, so early registration is recommended. Forms are available at the Boerne Public Library, or can be downloaded from the Society’s website at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txgskc. For more information, email Registrar Stephen Bishop at stb@yahoo.com or Harry Dell at mahdell@gvtc.com.