| Introduction |
| |
You are invited to
attend the 2009 Genealogy Conference and "Land Cruise," 26-30
August 2009, sponsored by Wholly Genes, Inc.
This,
our fifth annual genealogy conference, continues our tradition of offering a unique
educational experience for family researchers in an extremely cost-effective format. Although
in the past our annual genealogy conference has been held on a cruise ship, economic
conditions warrant our doing something a little bit different this year. Our
2009 conference will be held at the Shrine Mont Conference Center in historic
Orkney Springs, Virginia. This rural setting provides a very inexpensive venue
for our genealogy presentations and its proximity to Washington D.C. offers us
the opportunity to follow those preparatory lectures with an all-day research
trip to the extraordinary research repositories of the nation's capital. Please
join us for great learning experience and the camaraderie of fellow researchers
while enjoying the pastoral beauty of the historic Shenandoah Valley. Note
that each of our previous four conferences has been sold out and this year's event
is expected to fill up quickly. Due to the venue, we're limited this year to just
200 people and when those reservations are taken, there will be no more. |
| The
Location | |
| The
Shrine Mont Conference Center is centered around a beautiful 19th-century hotel
in the Shenandoah Valley, nestled in the foothills of the Great North Mountain,
about 2 hours west of Washington D.C. The
town now known as Orkney Springs was founded about 1774 and, during the 1800s,
was a popular spa and resort, its waters having a reputation for medicinal qualities.
The sprawling hotel complex is now comprised of dozens of buildings, the oldest
of which was built in 1853 and was said to have been used by recuperating Confederate
soldiers. The
main hotel building, now called the Virginia House, is a grand, four-story, wooden
structure that was built in 1873 and is listed in the National Register of Historic
Places. Comprising some 96,000 square feet and three stories of wide, comfortable
porches, it is truly an impressive structure, especially given its remote location.
At its construction, its 500 square foot ballroom with an 18 foot ceiling was
the largest that was built without interior pillar support. This ballroom is the
main venue for our conference lectures. The
conference center and the town of Orkney Springs are also hosts to the annual
Shenandoah Valley Music Festival, now in its fourth decade of performances. |
| The
Speakers | |
As always, our first-class
speaker list includes some of the most respected and knowledgeable professional
genealogists in the world, including....
| |
John Philip Colletta, Ph.D. - a popular speaker, prolific author,
and expert on research at the Library of Congress, among many other topics. |
| |
Marie Varrelman Melchiori, CG, CGL - a full-time researcher for
30 years, an expert on the National Archives, military records, and other topics. |
| |
Patricia O'Brien
Shawker, CG - the Director of the National Institute on Genealogical
Research, author, and an expert on research at the DAR Library and National Archives,
among other topics. | | |
Craig Roberts Scott,
CG - publisher, professional researcher for more than 23 years, and an
expert on a wide variety of record types and resources, including colonial, Civil
War, federal records, migration,military, Quaker, and government publications. |
| Users
of The Master Genealogist (TMG) software will also have the opportunity to learn
from some of the most experienced TMG users, including: -
Bob Velke, President of Wholly Genes Software; -
Lee Hoffman, beta tester and compiler of "Getting the Most Out of The Master
Genealogist"; -
Terry Reigel, beta tester and author of "Primer for The Master Genealogist"
and; -
representatives of the Wholly Genes technical support staff. |
| |
Lectures
and Other Events | | |
The following presentations are scheduled:
| "Research
at the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library" by Patricia
O'Brien Shawker, CG (1 hour). | | Established
in 1896, the DAR Library has collections that can be accessed onsite and on the
web. The onsite collections include the analytical index; Bible records; county,
local, and state histories; family genealogies; and seven subscription based databases.
Researchers can access their library catalog and their Genealogical Records Committee
(GRC) reports index online. | |
| "One
Family's Footprint in the Federal Records" by Patricia O'Brien Shawker,
CG (1 hour). | | This
lecture will illustrate how a broad range of federal records can be used for genealogical
research. Record Groups covered, among others, will include: the General Land
Office, the Interior Department, the Post Office Department, the Bureau of Customs,
the Weather Bureau, and cartographic records. | |
|
"The Library of Congress - An Overview with Research Examples, Parts 1
and 2" by John Philip Colletta, Ph.D. (2 hours).
| | This
two-part lecture takes the mystery and trepidation out of using our huge national
library. Reading room by reading room-there are twenty of them-it explores the
institution's innumerable treasures. Rare published works, newspapers, cartographic
and manuscript materials, prints and photographs, the European Reading Room and
Law Library, as well as the extraordinary online collections are all examined.
Specific research cases illustrate how discoveries made at the LC may lead to
other repositories, such as the Historical Society of Washington, D.C., the Martin
Luther King, Jr., Public Library, and other local specialized collections. |
| |
"Using Original
and Derivative Sources: How to Evaluate Evidence" by John Philip Colletta,
Ph.D. (1 hours). | |
Finding the sources we need
to reconstruct the lives of our ancestors is just half the challenge; the other
half is making sense of them once we have found them. This lecture discusses original
and derivative sources and explores the assets and drawbacks of each. Using three
examples, it demonstrates how to derive the full informational content from a
source; the importance of knowing the origin and purpose of the source; how to
analyze and correlate information in order to resolve conflicting "facts;"
and how to test hypotheses to learn the true story of each ancestor. It all results
in an understanding of the Genealogical Proof Standard. | |
| "Using
Records in the National Archives: A Researcher's View" by Marie Varrelman
Melchiori, CG, CGL (1 hour). | | A
researcher‘s view at how and why records are arranged at the National Archives.
How to use the multitude of finding aids available both from home and "on
site.". Guide books, preliminary inventories and descriptive pamphlets are
discussed. | |
| "But
I Know He Got a Pension! Working the National Archives Pension Indexes"
by Marie Varrelman Melchiori, CG, CGL (1 hour).
| | Are
you missing your soldier on the pension index? A look at the variety of pension
index cards and what they mean. The arrangement of records at NARA is of great
importance. Because the Unindexed Bounty Land records do not appear on microfilm
or in published sources they are often over looked by researchers. |
| |
"Researching Your
Colonial Wars Ancestor" by Craig Roberts Scott, CG (1 hour).
| | Before
the Revolution, the French and the Indians, among others, made a point of trying
to wrest land away from the American Colonists. The result was the creation of
a strong militia system, muster rolls, payrolls, accounts and bounty land. All
records that can provide insight into our ancestors. | |
| "Researching
Your Military Ancestor" by Craig Roberts Scott, CG (1 hour).
| | From
the Revolution to the present the federal government has been generating records
on persons in the military. Both while in the military service records and later
in the form of pension records, pension ledgers and payment vouchers. The records
differ by time period and by branch of service. | |
There will
also be one-on-one opportunities with the speakers, hosted breakfasts (small group
meals with a speaker), as well as welcome and farewell mixers. For
spouses or others not interested in the research trip to D.C. on Friday, there
will be coordinated trips to local caverns, vineyards, orchards, museums, antique
shops, and/or other local attractions. The
speaker list is not expected to change but we reserve the right to make changes
to accommodate unforeseen circumstances. |
| The
Schedule | | |
The conference will start with a day and a half of lectures about
methodology, repositories, records, and finding aids in D.C. (including NARA,
the Library of Congress, and the DAR), followed by a full-day research trip to
Washington D.C. (the "land cruise" part), and then another day and a
half of presentations, among other activities. In
addition to those genealogical lectures of interest to all researchers, there
will be a number of presentations about The Master Genealogist (TMG) software.
Those lectures will start Saturday after lunch, however, giving those who are
not interested in the software presentations the option of registering for only
the first three days of the conference. None
of the lecture times overlap so you won't be required to make choices and miss
something. | |
Accommodations |
|
The main hotel building
(known as "Virginia House") will be the site of our conference events
and main dining room (see below). The
guest rooms are not in Virginia House itself but in the surrounding buildings
that are part of the hotel complex. Please consult the town
map for the locations of the various buildings. You will be assigned
a building/room based on the characteristics that you request. Contact us in
advance if your reservation depends on the availability of a certain building
or room. Note
that none of the guest rooms (nor the hotel itself) is air conditioned. However,
the town is 2300 ft above sea level and cool breezes coming down from the mountain
generally keep the temperature warm but very reasonable. For more than 135 years,
the staff has learned to very-effectively manage the temperature inside the hotel
through the judicious use of fans, shades, and shutters. For your own room, you
may want to bring a fan if you are driving (and an extra for another who is flying). Some
on the Wholly Genes staff have been attending this mountain retreat for more than
40 years and have rarely found the weather to be a deterrent. If you are especially
sensitive to warm weather, however, you may want to consider renting more modern
off-site accommodations as listed at the bottom
of this section. There
is no difference in price for the three types of on-site guest rooms listed below. View
a Map of the Town
| Guest room
options: | |
HOTEL:
We have reserved all of one of the hotel's side buildings ("Maryland House")
for our group. It is just across the street from the Virginia House's main lobby. Each
of these rooms has a private entrance and bath. Twin and double beds are available.
The second-floor rooms are only accessible by a staircase. There are a few handicapped-accessible
rooms on the lower level and a few with a view of an interior courtyard which
could also provide cross-ventilation. Maryland
House floor plan | |
SMALL
COTTAGES: We have also reserved three small two-story cottages with six double-occupancy
rooms each (two twin beds). They have a mixture of private and shared bathrooms
They are within 60 yards of the hotel lobby but none of these rooms are handicap-accessible. Like
the Maryland House, these cabins have no common living space so they are appropriate
for the less sociable crowd who don't expect to spend a lot of time in their room. Fairfax
floor plan
Arlington
floor plan
Norfolk floor
plan | |
LARGE
COTTAGES: As a third type of accommodation, we've reserved a number of larger
cottages with 2 to 9 rooms each (single, double, and triple occupancy). Some double
beds are available. Most have a common area or living room and some have a screened
porch. Some are equipped with a refrigerator (but no cooking facilities) and a
few are handicap-accessible. These
cabins are about two hundred yards from the main hotel and sometimes up a small
hill so they are recommended for those who don't mind a little exercise. Each
has a few parking spaces, however, so "commuting" to/from the hotel
is possible for conference events and meals. These
cabins are in a more private setting but the shared living rooms make them more
appropriate for small groups of friends (or soon-to-be friends).
FULL Atkeson
floor plan
FULL Derossi
floor plan
FULL Meade
floor plan
Miller
floor plan
FULL Peterkin
floor plan
FULL Portlock
floor plan
FULL Warner
floor plan
FULL Woodward
Director floor plan
Woodward
Staff floor plan | |
Interior:
All guest rooms are very basic and there is little variation in
this respect between the buildings. The beds are simple box springs and there
is a dresser and a bedside table. The rooms are reasonably comfortable but, again,
there is absolutely nothing that could be described as fancy about them. When
not sleeping or in meetings, you'll be most comfortable in hotel/cottage common
areas (which have couches and other comfortable seating), reading a book on a
porch, or enjoying the outdoors. There
is morning maid service. All rooms are non-smoking. |
|
Off-Site Accommodations: If
you think that you'll be uncomfortable with the reserved accommodations, then
there are some other options. The Shenandoah Valley is host to a long list of
bed-and-breakfasts and historic hotels. There are also modern hotels as well as
rental condos, town houses, and houses within a 20 minute drive. We've
listed some suggestions for you to contact below, although we do not necessarily
endorse them. All are subject to availability, of course, and exclude meals and
conference events. Conference
attendance is $160 per person for those staying off-site. If you like, you can
also eat with our group. The conference center will provide three meals
for $34.50 per day per person, although that can be broken down (breakfast=$9.50,
lunch=$11.50, dinner=$13.50). They'd just need a few days notice about when
to expect you. |
| |
Food |
| |
The
food is good old-style country cookin' (meat,
potatoes, salads, fresh vegetables, canned fruit, homemade biscuits, etc.). They
are planned meals with little, if any, choice of entrees. Some
special diets can be accommodated but please contact
us in advance. Meals
are served buffet-style in a large dining room on the third floor of Virginia
House. Some seating may also be available in Tucker Hall where the food is served
family style. There
is a restaurant at Bryce Resort (http://www.bryceresort.com)
and little country store with a limited food selection, both within 10 minutes
drive. There is a full grocery store and wide variety of restaurants, including
fast food, in Mt. Jackson, Virginia (20 minutes). Remember, however, that the
price of your registration already includes meals. |
| Conference
Facilities | | |
Our principal meeting
space is in the 5000 sq. ft. ballroom, on the third floor of the Virginia House. The
building is handicapped-accessible and there is one elevator. Free wireless internet
access is available from the lobby and throughout most of this building. |
| Local
Transportation | | |
Unfortunately, there
is no public transportation to/from this little country town so a car is the only
practical alternative for getting around the countryside. Rental cars are available
from area airports and there is ample free parking in town. There
is a motor coach/bus (http://www.shenvalleycommuters.com)
for $25.00 from Washington D.C. area airports, Metrorail, and Amtrak stations
to Woodstock, Virginia which is itself about 30 minutes from our conference location.
We are investigating chartering a shuttle service directly to our conference location
but we will also encourage and help to coordinate car-pooling by our conference
attendees. More on that as more information becomes available. For
those attending the Washington D.C. research trip on Friday, there will be a modest
fee for the roundtrip motor coach. Those details too will be forthcoming. (Or
you could drive yourself, of course). For
Friday excursions to local vineyards, etc., we expect to be able to coordinate
carpools from our within our group. A small gas-sharing fee may be appropriate. |
| On-Site
Amenities/Activities | |
|
Free wireless
internet access is available from Virginia House and Tucker Hall but is typically
out of the range of guest rooms and cottages. There is a modern swimming pool,
basketball, tennis, hiking trails, volleyball, shuffleboard, horseshoes, ping
pong, etc. The
resort is designed as a place to relax, read a book, take a walk in the woods,
and get away from it all (when you aren't learning about how to be a better researcher).
There are deliberately no televisions and only one public telephone in the whole
resort. Newspaper delivery can be arranged during your stay. Cell phone service
is spotty, although we've had good luck with AT&T. Reliable cell service requires
about a 15 minute drive. | | Off-Site
Amenities/Activities | | |
The conference facility
is within 10 minutes of a more modern resort, including an 18-hole golf course
(with driving range and putt-putt), fishing, boating, and a variety of pasttimes
for the younger crowd, including a zip-line, climbing wall, bungee jump, and tubing. Within
a 30-60 minute drive, there are dozens of historic attractions, including caverns,
the Manassas and New Market battlefields, museums, orchards, and a variety of
folk art and antique shops. There
is an outdoor and an indoor Episcopal chapel on the grounds and a variety of other
churches within a 30-minute drive. | | Cost
& Registration | | |
The cost per person
is just $379 (4 days) or $309 (3 days), double occupancy, including meals
and all conference events. (The General
Schedule Outline explains the 2- or 3-day options.) These
are EARLY BIRD prices
and will increase by about 5% per person after 6 Feb 2009 (if it is not sold out
by then). This
price does not include travel, taxes, and costs associated with optional area
excursions. There will be an additional fee for the shuttle bus for those who
join us on the D.C. research trip. All
reservations require a non-refundable deposit of $125.00 (balance due by 1 June
2009). A specific cottage/room assignment requires payment in full at the time
of registration. Roommates
may be available through our Roommate
Finder forum. Click
to place
your reservation now!
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