MILTON — The Rock County Genealogical Society will host its seventh annual scholarship conference from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4, attend in person at the Milton House Museum, 18 South Janesville Street, Milton, or via Zoom Simulcast.

For program brochure, directions, and registration go to www.rcgswi.org/events-speakers.html.

Featured speakers include David Bradford, Keighton Klos and Jennifer Motzko.

David Bradford, RCGS Chair-Webmaster 

Bradford will present Genealogy 101: Researching one’s family history is the second hottest hobby in the US and UK. While there are a few professional genealogists, the majority of family history buffs are self-taught. This program is designed to help both new and experienced hobbyists become more effective and systematic researchers. Begin with living relatives and household photos & papers, and progress to online services and local courthouse records. Participants will learn how to evaluate evidence, cite sources, connect and collaborate with “cousins”, and, importantly, avoid the 10 most common genealogical mistakes. 

Bradford will also present 50 Fun Genealogy Activities. He will demonstrate examples of the entertaining side of family research in six categories: (1) What’s in a Name? — interesting insights into given names, surnames and more, (2) How to Find Famous Kin & Celebrity Look-a-likes, (3) Miscellaneous Curiosities to explore, (4) Photo Frolics — using A.I. and photo-enhancing technologies to tickle your fancy, (5) Family Fun — Recipe collections and genealogical family games for the whole family, and (6) Shop ‘til you Drop — a variety of customizable genealogical products.

Keighton Klos, Milton House Museum Director

Klos will present Goodrich- Davis Families in the Records describing how the Milton House staff built the narrative of the Goodrich-Davis families coming west, building communities, assisting Freedom Seekers, and sharing their faith, through records preserved on site, in church archives, in the newspapers, in court records, and found in family collections. It is a story of self-reliance, perseverance, and ideals.

Jennifer Motzko, UW-W Archivist 

Motzko will present University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Archives holdings. Learn about the rich collections at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Archives, including university records, photographs, and local history resources. We’ll explore how these materials can support genealogical research and how to access them both in person and online.