Thursday, March 30, 2017

NERGC Opening Session Features Speaker Mary Tedesco


The New England Regional Genealogical Consortium's 2017 Conference kicks off its regular session on Thursday Morning, April 27th with our opening speaker, Mary Tedesco. You are sure to recognize her from the PBS series Genealogy Roadshow. The opening session has been generously sponsored by the New England Historic Genealogical Society. 

Mary attended her first NERGC conference in 2011. She says, "We’re very fortunate here in New England to have such a high caliber conference so close to home." She is a New Englander, with Colonial roots that led her to join the Daughters of the American Revolution, something we have in common. Mary is currently serving as the Second Vice Regent of the Paul Revere Chapter, NSDAR.

I asked Mary about her opening presentation, “What Our Ancestors Can Teach Us About Genealogy.” She told me that it will provide a lighthearted, fresh look at genealogical innovation, technology, and the “tools of today” through the years. Historical sources such as genealogical journals, magazines, newspapers, and other resources will bring this story to life. It is important to understand where we come from to get where we’re going with these tools, as it is in any aspect of genealogical research. You won’t want to miss it!

Mary's specialty is Italian research. Her father’s  family comes from Calabria, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Tuscany. She is fluent in Italian and travels to Italy to conduct client genealogical research and visit family. She is the co-author of “Tracing Your Italian Ancestors,” an 84-page Italian research guide published by Moorshead Magazines. 

If you have Italian ancestry, you may want to sign up for the 2-hour workshop with Mary on Friday morning. She told me, "We’ll have the opportunity to go in-depth into Italian records and resources in a way that is not possible in a one-hour presentation. Caution: You may feel inclined to book a flight to Italy after this workshop! Just like in the USA, the vast majority (over 90%) of Italian genealogical records are not available online or on microfilm. Thus, onsite research in Italy is necessary for those who seek to put the meat on the bones of their family history through researching church records, military records, notary records, and other sources are not available online for most places in Italy."

There is no news to spill about the next season of "Genealogy Roadshow," or at least none that Mary was able to share. She says they have not yet heard about a schedule, but PBS is soliciting questions and family stories on the web site here.  

If you haven't yet registered for NERGC 2017, do it here. From Wednesday's special topics, to the 94 open sessions, society fair, special interest groups, vendor space, luncheons and dinner banquets, you are guaranteed a rewarding experience.  Join us in Springfield!  

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