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Tracing families in the United States can feel familiar at first, then unexpectedly challenging once the main websites stop delivering clear answers. This presentation offers practical strategies for following families across state lines and extending your research beyond what is readily available online.
We’ll discuss how American record-keeping developed differently from U.K. systems, with changing jurisdictions, migration, and laws that shaped what was recorded and what survives today.
18 July 2026
Katherine R. Willson (Dexter, Michigan) discovered her passion for family history at age eight while earning the “My Heritage” Girl Scout badge, and that early spark has grown into a lifelong pursuit. Today, she is a dynamic genealogy educator who presents at regional, national, and international events and is widely regarded for her engaging presentations.
Katherine has held leadership positions in numerous local, national, and professional genealogical organizations. She serves on the faculty of both the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the GRIP Genealogy Institute, teaching courses that explore the social, cultural, and economic forces shaping the lives and decisions of our ancestors.
As a full-time researcher for private clients, she specializes in Michigan’s pre-statehood families, the early pioneers of the Northwest Territory, and those who journeyed west during America’s expansion from 1787 to 1890, using historical context to build a fuller picture of their lives.
Through her website, SocialMediaGenealogy.com, Katherine shares free resources for family historians, including genealogy forms, oral history interview questions, and curated directories of genealogy-focused Facebook groups, YouTube channels, and podcasts.
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