Marietta seminar set on DNA and genealogy

The Genealogy Society of Cobb County will play host to the Oct. 29 meeting of the Atlanta Area chapter of the International Society of Genetic Genealogy.

The free seminar begins at 1 p.m. with registration; the lectures run from 1:30 until 4:30 p.m. at the Cobb County Main Library, 266 Roswell Street, Marietta.

Peter Roberts will present "Using Genetics to Help Your Genealogy," followed by Terry Barton speaking on "I've Been Y-DNA Tested, Now What?" The presentations will be followed by a panel discussion. You can submit your DNA-related questions in advance to terry@worldfamilies.net.

Both speakers are local experts in the DNA and genealogy field and work regularly with various family associations. Roberts also coordinates the Bahamas DNA project and Barton's company, WorldFamilies.net, provides an array of services to the genetic genealogy community.

This is a great opportunity if you are interested in learning how DNA can help you in your genealogy.

Union Civil War prisons

The Friends of Georgia Archives and History holds its annual meeting Oct. 22 at the Georgia Archives in Morrow. Registration and refreshments begin at 9:30 a.m., followed at 10 by the business meeting, in which new trustees will be nominated.

At 10:30 a.m. noted Civil War historian Roger Pickenpaugh will speak on his latest book, "Captives in Gray: The Civil War Prisons of the Union," published in 2009 by the University of Alabama Press. For more on the author and his other books, see www.pickenpaughbooks.com.

The meeting is free; annual membership is $20. For further details about the organization, see www.fogah.org. The site also contains information on how you can support increased funding for the Georgia Archives.

New system for microfilm

The system of Family History Centers operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) has been a boon to genealogists, and there are numerous locations in the metro Atlanta area. To locate the center nearest you, see www.FamilySearch.org and then at the top go to "FamilySearch Centers."

Now a new procedure is being implemented where you can go online and order and pay for the microfilms you wish to use and have them sent to your center of choice. This will speed up the ordering process. The center will notify you by email that the film has arrived. To learn more about this procedure, go to www.familysearch.org/films.