Texas State Genealogical Society 52nd Annual Conference
“Probate, More Than a Will”
By Kelvin Meyers
Kelvin Meyers will lecture on “Probate, More than a Will” – Mr. Meyers is a popular speaker to many genealogical societies and family associations throughout Texas and brings a real knowledge of social sciences, history, genealogy, and “P.I.” techniques to his work as a forensic genealogist. His genealogical research includes that of one family, an entire surname or a direct line of descent or ascent.
“Most persons in America, who lived to adulthood, left some type of an estate to be administered. Some left wills, some did not, either way if there was land or large amounts of personal property, this estate had to be disposed of. The records of probate can be some of the most fruitful for the genealogist. Wills, distrubutions, administrations, inventories, are all vital parts of the probate process and full of genealogical information; these are the things that will be discussed.”
“Rats in the Family”
By Barbara Wylie.
“Every family has a few shady characters, the kind who get hauled into court, chased out of town, thrown out of church and written about in the newsparer. Use the trail these rats leave to gather information about them and your more respectable ancestors as well.”
Barbara Wylie is a long-time member of the Association of Professional Genealogists at various times as an officer. She is a member of several metro-plex genealogical societies, but she considers the Grand Prairie Genealogical Society her “home base” and has served it in several capacities. Barb’s speaking experiences includes from national conferences to Boy Scouts earning the genealogy merit badge.
She is the recipient of four Texas State Genealogical Society writing awards, her articles have been published in several genealogical magazines, numerous genealogical journals and on the Family Tree Maker website. Her special interest is gathering the details that tell each ancestor’s story.