The Georgia Genealogical Society's fall seminar will feature professional genealogist-author Paul K. Graham, now with ProGenealogists in Utah.
He will lecture on five topics related to Georgia's land records: headright and bounty land, the land lotteries (about which he has written three books), militia districts, tax digests and county land records found in courthouses.
The Oct. 1 seminar will run from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the National Archives in Morrow. Cost is $25 for GGS members and $35 for nonmembers. Send checks payable to the Georgia Genealogical Society to P.O. Box 550247, Atlanta, GA 30355-2747 by Sept. 23; there is a surcharge for late registration. Lunch is on your own. For further information or to register via PayPal go to www.gagensociety.org.
The society was founded in 1964 and publishes a quarterly journal and a newsletter, as well as a members-only section on the above website. The next seminar is scheduled for Dec. 3.
20th century interiors
The Sept. 20 DeKalb History Center lunch and learn lecture will feature David Ramsey and Beth Shorthouse of Lord, Aeck and Sargent architects speaking on "20th Century Interiors: From Arts & Crafts to Ranch Revolution."
The lecture will be at 12 noon at the Old Courthouse on the square in Decatur. It's free; bring your own lunch.
The speakers will begin with an overview of 20th century house types and styles, then focus on the history of interiors in the 20th century and the various influences. They will answer questions, and attendees may bring photos of their own houses to get advice on restoration.
For more information, see www.dekalbhistory.org or call 404-373-1088, Ext. 23.
Wrong name can derail research
Many times you're searching for a name you think you heard, and if you don't get the real name, you may find yourself climbing the wrong branch of the family tree.
When I first started out, my relatives mentioned a distant cousin and I thought they said Fess Parker, just like the actor who played Davy Crockett on TV. Turned out it was "Vess" for Sylvester.
Another tale revolved around friends living in "Cee-Ville," Ga., or that is how I heard it. Later I learned it was Seville, like in Spain, but not pronounced that way.
Initials can throw you off, too, if you assume too much. One cousin is called Ric King, or so I thought; turns out it's for his initials, RIK, and his real name is Ralph.
So if your clues don't pan out, go back to the source and see if you made a mistaken assumption. It is always important to record any nicknames your family used, as those add a great deal of flavor to your tree.
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