Day 3 of the Ohio Genealogical Society Conference is officially in the books. I am writing this recap one day late, because last night I did not have the energy to form coherent sentences, let alone publish a blog post.
Saturday delivered five solid sessions, one final pass through the exhibit hall with Tina, a magnet I will treasure forever, and a 15-minute drive home that I followed up with an hour-long nap. By the end of OGS 2026 I had walked roughly three times as much as I do on a normal day. The legs knew. The legs still know.
Here is how Day 3 unfolded.
Session 1: The Most Curious Case of a Confidence Man
Speaker: Kate Penney Howard Title: The Most Curious Case of a Confidence Man: The Self-Made Man Who Never Was
This was the kind of session that makes you sit a little straighter in your chair. Kate Penney Howard walked the room through a case study that combined genetic genealogy with traditional document research to take apart an ancestor whose self-told life story did not survive scrutiny.
Howard used the case to illustrate research considerations every genealogist should keep in mind:
- Working with multiple identities in your tree
- Verifying professional claims
- Looking at military, prison, and criminal records
- Doing thorough newspaper research
A fascinating start to the day.
Session 2: Analyzing Your Research
Speaker: Maureen Brady Title: Analyzing Your Research
Maureen Brady delivered one of my favorite sessions of the entire conference. She is an excellent speaker. Clear, organized, and generous with practical examples.
The session focused on the analysis step that so many of us shortcut. We collect records, we attach sources, and we move on. Brady made the case that analysis is the work, not an optional follow-up step. Her framework gave me a structure I can use right away on my Sven Svensson research and on the Mysterious Mr. Max project.
I came out of this one with pages of notes.
Session 3: Effective Search Strategies on FamilySearch
Speaker: Dana Palmer Title: Effective Search Strategies on FamilySearch
Dana Palmer delivered ten practical tips for searching FamilySearch more effectively. She covered surname and given name searching, the use of wildcards, direct record searches, and several other strategies that go well beyond the basic name-and-place query.
I already own Palmer’s book, but I have not read it yet. After this session it moved up the stack. I plan to get to it later this month.
Session 4: Beyond Ohio: Researching Your Ancestors Across the United States
Speaker: Andrew Koch Title: Beyond Ohio: Researching Your Ancestors Across the United States
Andrew Koch covered a wide range of state-by-state research considerations for Ohio researchers whose families also lived elsewhere. The information was solid and the resources he pointed to were useful.
The presentation ran shorter than I expected. I would happily have spent another twenty minutes with this material. For a topic this broad, even a strong introduction leaves you wanting more.
A good session that left me with a list of jurisdictions to research more thoroughly on my own.
Session 5: Organize a Family Group with Timelines and Spreadsheets
Speaker: Kelli Jo Bergheimer Title: Organize a Family Group with Timelines and Spreadsheets
Kelli Jo Bergheimer closed out my conference with one of the most immediately practical sessions of the week. She walked through Ancestry Pro Tools, Family Group Charts, Census worksheets, and timelines as an integrated organization system.
This is my second time hearing Bergheimer present this year. Her workshop on Day 1 covered Ancestry Pro Tools at length, and she is just as effective in a regular session slot. What I appreciate about her teaching is that nothing is theoretical. She shows real worksheets, real timelines, and real examples of how the pieces fit together when you are working a complicated family group.
The Exhibit Hall, One More Time
After Bergheimer’s session, Tina and I made one more pass through the exhibit hall. By Day 3 the energy in the hall is different. Vendors are more relaxed, conversations stretch a little longer, and I found myself circling back to a couple of booths I had walked past on Day 1.
I picked up a few funny genealogy magnets. My favorite one sums up my entire life philosophy:
“I only research genealogy on days that end in ‘y.’”
It is going on the file cabinet next to my desk.
The Drive Home
I was lucky this year. The Sharonville Convention Center is fifteen minutes from my house, which made the drive home one of the best parts of attending OGS in person. In past years I have logged 3.5 hours on the road getting home from this conference. This year I unlocked my front door, set down my conference bag, and took an hour-long nap before I did anything else.
The nap was non-negotiable.
Final Thoughts on OGS 2026
This was a very good conference. The speakers were strong, the sessions delivered, the exhibit hall held its own, and the OGS volunteer team kept everything running smoothly. Attending in person reminded me what virtual attendance cannot replicate. The hallway conversations. Catching up with the friends I see at this conference year after year. The energy of being in a room full of people who get excited about the same things I do.
OGS 2026 is now my closing event of the year for in-person conferences. Five sessions, one magnet, and one long nap to wrap it up. I am tired in the best possible way.
YOUR TURN!
Did you attend OGS 2026? Which session is still rattling around in your head a few days later? Drop a comment below or find me on Facebook. I would love to compare notes.
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