Schedule
South Carolina Genealogical Society
51st Annual Summer Workshop
July 11-12, 2025
Friday, July 11, 2025
8:30am – until
Patrons Lounge
Registration
Refreshments, Donuts and Coffee
9:00am – 9:30am
Auditorium
Welcome and Announcements
Mike Becknell – SCGS President
Shelby Hart Lollis – SCGS 1st Vice President; Workshop Chair
Dr. Eric Emerson, Director SCDAH
9:30am – 10:30am
Auditorium
Lisa Louise Cooke
Title: How to Reopen and Work a Genealogical Cold Case
10:30am – 10:45am
Break
10:45am – 11:00am
Auditorium
Announcements and Door Prizes
11:00am – 12:00pm
Auditorium
Lisa Louise Cooke
Title: How to Make AI Your Personal Genealogy Assistant
11:00am – 12:00pm
Archives
Wade Dorsey
Title: Introductory Tour of the Research Room for New Patrons
12:00pm – 1:15pm
Lunch – Wachovia Rooms 1, 2 and 3 Open for seating
1:15pm – 1:30pm
Auditorium
Announcements and Door Prizes
1:30pm – 2:30pm
Auditorium
Drew Smith
Title: AncestryDNA – Using Matches and ThruLines
2:30pm – 2:45pm
Break
2:45pm – 3:45pm
Auditorium
Cheri Hudson Passey
Title: Where in the World? Tackling a New Research Location
2:45pm – 3:45pm
Wachovia 1
Steve Tuttle
Title: Using Reconstruction Land Records, Tax Returns, and Teacher Reports for African American Genealogical Research in South Carolina
2:45pm – 3:45pm
Wachovia 2
Brent Holcomb
Title: Women In South Carolina Records
2:45pm – 3:45pm
Wachovia 3
John L. Andrews, Jr.
Title: Guidelines for Beginning Genealogy
3:45pm – 4:00pm
Break
4:00pm – 5:00pm
Auditorium
Drew Smith
Title: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Genealogy
4:00pm – 5:00pm
Wachovia 1
John Smith
Title: Revolutionary War Pension Records: Getting the Most from Abstracts and Originals
4:00pm – 5:00pm
Wachovia 2
Diane Richard
Title: Intro – The Genealogical Gems Found in Small Business Ledgers
4:00pm – 5:00pm
Wachovia 3
Cheri Hudson Passey
Title: Reeling ‘Em in with Cousin Bait-10 Ways to Connect with Family
5:00pm – 8:00pm
SC Archives – Open for Research!
5:00pm – until
Wachovia 3
SCGS Board Meeting
*All sessions are Eastern Daylight Time* Link to convert your time to EDT:
https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/
Saturday, July 12, 2025
8:30am – until
Patrons Lounge
Registration
Refreshments, Donuts and Coffee
9:00am – 9:30am
Auditorium
Welcome and Announcements
Mike Becknell – SCGS President
Shelby Hart Lollis – SCGS 1st Vice President; Workshop Chair
Patrick McCawley, Deputy Director, SCDAH
9:30am – 10:30am
Auditorium
Lisa Louise Cooke
Title: Using Google Earth for Research and Storytelling
10:30am – 10:45am
Break
10:45am – 11:00am
Auditorium
Announcements and Door Prizes
11:00am – 12:00pm
Auditorium
Lisa Louise Cooke
Title: Photo Identification Techniques: 3 Case Studies
12:00pm – 1:30pm
Wachovia 1, 2, and 3
Lunch: BBQ and all the trimmings
1:30pm
Silent Auction Ends
1:30pm – 2:15pm
Auditorium
Silent Auction Winners Announcement- Door Prizes
2:15pm – 3:15pm
Auditorium
Diane Richard
Title: Focus – Journey Through Ledgers – People of Color, Enslaved and Free!
2:15pm – 3:15pm
Wachovia 1
Cheri Hudson Passey
Title: Claiming Loyalty to the Union Cause: Finding Ancestors in Southern Claims Commission Records
2:15pm – 3:15pm
Wachovia 2
John Smith
Title: African American Family History: Selected Online Resources
2:15pm – 3:15pm
Wachovia 3
Drew Smith
Research Plan: Your Blueprint for Genealogical Success
2:15pm – 3:15pm
Archives
Patrick McCawley
Behind the Scenes Tour of the Records Collection
3:15pm – 3:30pm
Break
3:30pm – 4:30pm
Auditorium
Drew Smith
Title: Using FamilySearch.org to Find Genealogical Records
3:30pm – 4:30pm
Wachovia 1
Cheri Hudson Passey
Title: Discovering Buried Treasure: Miscellaneous Papers and Mixed Provenance
3:30pm – 4:30pm
Wachovia 2
Diane Richard
Title: Advanced – Let’s Take a Deep Dive into Ledgers!
3:30pm – 4:30pm
Wachovia 3
Charity Rouse
Title: DNA Basics for Genealogy
Thank you for coming!
See you in 2026!
*All sessions are Eastern Daylight Time* Link to convert your time to EDT:
https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/