Events

Presenter John Liepa  John Liepa will help us trace who we are as Iowans, beginning with the Ioway, one of 17 distinctive indigenous tribal groups. From Spanish explorers and French trappers, traders and priests; to the dominant English, Germans and Irish; to Scandinavians, Dutch and Czechs, we’ll explore why they left their homelands and how they ended up in Iowa. African-Americans, Eastern Europeans and Hispanics have different stories to share along with other “newer” Iowans. This talk is personal and interactive and we’ll work together to discover who we are, and who we are becoming as Iowans.

Presented in partnership with Ames Public Library and Story County Genealogical Society. Program funded by Humanities Iowa, a private, non-profit state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the State Historical Society of Iowa.

John Liepa is Professor Emeritus of History and Political Science at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC.) He taught courses in Political Science, U.S., and Iowa History from 1972-2010. He has a B.S in History and an M.A. in Political Science from Iowa State University. He received an “Excellence in Education” award in 2001 and was honored as DMACC’s “Educator of the Year” in 2004. He served five terms on the State Historical Society of Iowa’s Board of Trustees from 1998 – 2113, having served both as Chair and Vice-Chair; and, on the Iowa Historical Foundation, the fundraising arm of the State Historical Society of Iowa. He is a Speaker with Humanities Iowa.

Presenter Sue Schlichting Many of us have years of research tucked away in binders and boxes. We’ve dedicated time and energy to studying our family tree. How can we use today’s tools to help us bring our research to life and share the stories of our ancestors? AI can help us organize, transcribe, and create engaging stories that our family will want to read. You don’t have to be a tech wizard to use these tools. We’ll provide you the basic rules and tools to help you get started turning your family history research into cherished family stories.

Sue is a genealogist, speaker, teacher and mentor with the organization Pursuing Your Past. Sue Schlichting grew up on a farm in Eastern Nebraska. She has over 30 years of research experience. Sue has expertise in Midwestern research with an emphasis in Homestead records, Quaker, Swedish and German records.

Presenter Jill Morelli  Author of Journeys of the Forgotten The Orphans of Hamilton County, Iowa.

In the fall of 1890, 46 orphans from New York City arrived in Webster City, Iowa. The newspapers never revealed their names. Jill Morelli spent 2.5 years trying to identify them, and their biological parents with mixed results. The children were rarely adopted, rarely included in the family’s generational wealth and most carried their childhood trauma into their adult years.  In spite of limited access to information a total of 36 orphans were initially identified. The Orphan Train Movement, as it is now called, is often described as a program that rescued children from the despair of the big city, but was it as successful as the stories would imply?. Jill will share the development of the book, the research techniques used to accomplish the goals. Journeys of the Forgotten is available at lulu.com, Amazon and from your favorite independent bookstore.

Jill Morelli, CG, CGL, writes and lectures nationally, and is the founder of the award-winning Certification Discussion Group, an online class which demystifies BCG certification. She self-publishes and is working on her third book. Jill is program chair of the Puget Sound-Association of Professional Genealogists and a past president of the Seattle Genealogical Society.