Family History Conference Photos

1. Presenter Keith Pyeatt talks with guests about planning a genealogical trip.
2. Maddie Newell, Mitchell Stephenson, Maddie Smith, and Rachel Hansen came to help people use FamilySearch.org.
3. Erika Howes from Sandy examines the stitching pattern on a quilt block.
4. Shirley Briggs from West Linn, and Ruth Smith from Hillsboro, look at the family history items on display in between classes.
5. Vancouver resident Carol Dowell stops to look at the heirlooms on display.
6. Hosts Bryce Stevenson and Elder Fontaine help a conference guest find a class.
7. Family History Director Lincoln Koga helps conference visitors navigate FamilySearch.org.
8. Mount Hood Stake President Crismon Lewis introduces the keynote speaker and award-winning genealogist Stephen P. Morse.

An Unexpected Surprise at the Conference

Mount Hood Family History Conference Presenter Susan LeBlanc had a wonderful, unexpected surprise at the event. She writes about her experience on her blog, Gopher Genealogy. Read her latest post titled, "Mount Hood Family History Conference and Serendipity."

Susan taught classes at the Conference on improving cemetery research strategies, enhancing genealogical research efforts, and accessing immigration and naturalization records. She is an accredited genealogist through the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists. She is an expert genealogist with more than 35 years experience and a member of multiple genealogical associations in Oregon and Washington.

Last-Minute Reminders

The two-day Mount Hood Family History Conference begins tomorrow (Friday, March 8. Saturday, March 9.). Here are some brief reminders before you hit the road. Click on the links for more information.

Schedule
Check-in begins at 9 a.m. Keynote address by award-winning genealogist Stephen P. Morse begins at 10 a.m., followed by classes.

A Celebration of Family History
On Friday night, beginning at 6:30 p.m., we will host a screening of “A Celebration of Family History.” This special video presentation features the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, true-life stories of people who discovered their own family history, and a presentation by award-winning historian and author David McCullough.

Directions
The Mount Hood Family History Conference will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mount Hood Stake Center), 12300 S.E. 312th Ave. in Boring, Ore., 97009.

Class Handouts
Handouts for classes are available on the Mount Hood Family History blog. Print your own and bring with you, or access the blog after the Conference to get these resources created by the presenters.

Lunch
Cookies and punch will be provided at the Conference, but you’ll want to make plans for lunch. We will have a designated eating area at the Conference. Click here for a map to local restaurants and food options.

Get Help With Your Family History
Trained family history consultants will be on-site throughout the Conference to help you with your own family history. Sign up for a free 30-minute session at the Conference. For best results, bring the name of a deceased family member with their birth or death date to get started.

See you at the conference.
www.DiscoverYourFamily.org

Class Handouts Available

We've added some of the handouts prepared by presenters for the Mount Hood Family History Conference to our blog. See Class Handouts on the right hand side of the page. Check out this growing list of resources for tips, ideas, and a sneek-peek at what you'll learn at the Conference. Print your own copy and bring it with you.

Gresham resident traces family tree back 2,000-plus years

Gresham resident Veraun Chipman looks
through the 3,000-plus names of his own
family history he has discovered through
years of genealogical research. His
massive pedigree chart will be on
displacy at the Mount Hood Family
History  Conference on March 8-9
in Boring.

When longtime Gresham resident Veraun Chipman was 12 years old, he once took a trip to the Lakeview Cemetery near Seattle, Wash. He spent the day cutting grass, trimming bushes, and cleaning headstones with other volunteers. And when the work was done, he wandered the cemetery looking for tombstones of famous people.

In his search, he discovered the gravesite of Chief Sealth, also known as Chief Seattle. Chipman pulled a piece of charcoal and paper from his pocket and carefully made a copy of the headstone of this American Indian leader.

That was almost 57 years ago for the retired school teacher who has lived in Gresham for the last 36 years. But it was the beginning of a lifelong interest in genealogy and a tireless quest to discover his own family history.

One Billion Names...

That's how many records are available at www.FamilySearch.org. The site gets 10 million hits per day from people trying to track down their own family history. And the number of records available grows every day. Learn more about your own family history at the Mount Hood Family History Conference March 8-9.

Like a Good Mystery?

If you like a good mystery and the thrill of looking for clues like a detective, then you'll love the Mount Hood Family History Conference on March 8-9 at the Mount Hood Stake Center. You'll learn how to look for clues to discover your own family history, mine sources for information, and put the pieces together. Learn more at www.DiscoverYourFamily.org.