Genealogy Conference - The Berkshires - September - (What's Not To Like???)

It’s September. Listen. Those aren't crickets.

The clock’s ticking.

If you haven’t already done so, it’s still not too late to register for the seventh annual all-day genealogy conference called “Life in the Past Lane”, hosted by The Friends of the National Archives–Pittsfield, Silvio O. Conte National Records Center on Saturday, September 18th. As in recent years, the event will be held at the Williams Inn on the Green in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

This year, the Friends have lined up three great presenters: Leslie Albrecht Huber, Jean Nudd and Gregory Pomicter. Topics to be covered include “Get Organized! Get Control of Your Research Projects”, “Electronic Scrapbooking”, “Writing A Family History Your Family Will Want To Read” and “Using Footnote.com”.

Plus, the ever-popular “Ask the Experts” Roundtable will close out the day, with the panel fielding audience questions.

We’ll be there (as Jonathan Sheppard Books) with our tables laden with books, both new and out of print, along with lots of other businesses and societies that provide those things that genealogists just absolutely have to have.

Here’s the link for more info and a registration form for Life In The Past Lane VII.

If the speakers, topics and exhibitors weren’t enough to fully motivate you to action, here’s another big plus. It’ll be in mid-September and it will be (as I may have already said…) in WILLIAMSTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS. IN THE BERKSHIRES.

Those of us who live in these parts can attest to it being one of the best times of year to be in western Massachusetts, just down the road from Vermont and just over the line from “Upstate New Yawk”. Weather’s usually perfect, views are always great, natives are friendly and lots of the summer folk have gone home to the Big City.

When you come by for the conference, be sure to save a minute or two to check out the memorial stone on the green in front of the Williams Inn. It was erected in 1916 by the members of the Kappa Alpha Society from Williams College and is dedicated to the memory of the original settlers of the area and specifically to Sergeant William Chidester, his son James and Captain Elisha Chapin, who were ambushed and massacred at the West Hoosac blockhouse during the French and Indian War.

And, just in case you didn’t know, the Kappa Alpha Society is the oldest college social fraternity in North America, founded at Union College in Schenectady, New York in the fall of 1825.

See you there?