Genealogist Offering Free Public Lecture at Woodstown Friends Village Sept. 10

WOODSTOWN, N.J. — The Genealogical Society of Salem County will host a program entitled, “Become a Probate Detective: Rejoicing in the Probate Files of Our Ancestors,” presented by Dawn Carson on Tuesday, September 10, at 7:00 pm in the Friends Village Auditorium in Woodstown.

The probate files left behind by past generations not only served their immediate families and relations, but also help contemporary family historians. For those who are unfamiliar, probate files are court records created after an individual’s death that pertain to a court’s decisions regarding the distribution of the estate to the heirs or creditors, as well as the care of dependents. In this lecture, attendees will learn how to locate the probate files of their ancestors, examine the bounty of information they may contain, and what other documents may be consulted to further their research.

Dawn Carson is a professional genealogist and has been involved in genealogical research since 2000. Her research is focused in the Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey areas. She is a member of the National Genealogical Society and the Association of Professional Genealogists. She also holds a certificate in genealogical research from Boston University and is a member of ProGen 24, a study group for professional genealogists.

The program will be free and open to the public. Anyone interested in learning more can visit www.gsscnj.org, email: genealogicalsocietysalemcounty@gmail.com, or call: 609-670-0407.