NGS 2015: Day 2

Day 2 of NGS 2015 didn't get off to a good start when I got up later than I had planned, but I made it to the St. Charles Convention Center in time for the second lecture period, and heard Baerbel K. Johnson speak about German marriage records, laws, and customs. I learned so much from this session! Next, I heard Teresa Steinkamp McMillin speak about German farm names. I have not yet come across any German ancestors who used farm names, but it is possible that someday I will. At the Palatines to America luncheon, Warren Bittner spoke about the Palatines, German history, and German territorial pride. After lunch, I attended Patti Hobbs' lecture "Opening the Ozarks: The Legacy of Marsha Hoffman Rising." Marsha Hoffman Rising's book The Family Tree Problem Solver taught me so much about genealogical research; I began to consider things that I might not have thought about otherwise. Marsha helped to make me the researcher that I am today, so I wanted to hear more about her work. I then heard Sean Visintainer talk about steamboats in the nineteenth century. My 3rd-great-grandfather John Bennet Winters was a fireman on boats, and was also a watchman (probably on boats as well). This session gave me so much insight into his experiences. Finally, I heard Bryan McGraw talk about the military and civilian personnel records at the National Archives at St. Louis. It turned out to be a fabulous day!