2026 Genealogy Webinar Series – Your Roots Pursuits
The Your Roots Pursuits live virtual presentations are free and open to the public. Recordings of the presentations are available to GSNJ Members Only as a member benefit for a limited time.
Schedule
Each webinar is scheduled for the third Wednesday of each month at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard or Daylight Savings time (depending on the date) for approximately one hour.
All 2026 webinars will have the ability for attendees to utilize Zoom’s Closed Captioning feature. The webinar host will explain how to select this option at the beginning of each monthly webinar.
January 21 – Aimee Fernandez, American Revolutions: Rev 250 @ EPL — Discovering Ancestors Through Local History POSTPONED
In 2026, the Elizabeth Public Library (Elizabeth, NJ) commemorates the nation’s 250th anniversary with American Revolutions: Rev 250 @ EPL, a yearlong series designed especially for genealogists, family historians, and history enthusiasts seeking deeper connections to the past. This innovative program series highlights how local history informs family history, offering engaging presentations that illuminate the people, places, and events that shaped Elizabethtown and surrounding communities during the Revolutionary era and beyond. Participants will explore how broader historical moments influenced the lives of ancestors—both named and unnamed—and how community memory preserves those stories today. Featured topics include Lenape history, Elizabethtown’s role in the American Revolution, marine archaeology and New Jersey shipwrecks, and cultural identity through the history of tattoos—all presented with an eye toward genealogical research, context building, and source discovery. Complementary hands-on activities and music programs further enrich the learning experience, making history tangible and personal for researchers of all levels. Whether you are tracing Revolutionary-era ancestors, researching Indigenous and early settler communities, or seeking social and cultural context to strengthen your family narratives, American Revolutions: Rev 250 @ EPL invites you to explore the past through a genealogical lens and discover how history lives on in our families today.
February 18 – Gordon Bond – 9 Commerce Lane: Where Thomas Mundy Peterson Lived…and Why it Matters
On March 31, 1870, Thomas Mundy Peterson became the first African American in the nation to vote under the Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution when he cast a ballot in a Perth Amboy, NJ city charter election. He had been working in the stables of J. L. Kearny that morning when his employer suggested he exercise his right as a citizen, showing him a newspaper announcing the Amendment was the new law of the land. Peterson wasn’t sure about it—there would be a municipal election in a few weeks. Maybe he would wait until then. On the way home for lunch, he bumped into Marcus Spring, who also encouraged him to vote. Spring, with wife Rebecca, had founded the Raritan Bay Union in Perth Amboy, a progressive cross between a boarding school, artist colony, and utopian community that championed abolition and Negro suffrage. Peterson continued home and ate his lunch, mulling the matter over, perhaps discussing it with his wife, Daphne. On his way back to work, he stopped off at City Hall and made history.
The question is raised, where did Peterson call home? Where, exactly, did he make the decision that would make history? While researching his book about Peterson and his legacy, “To Cast a Freedman’s Vote,” historian and author Gordon Bond not only figured out where the family lived, but discovered the fascinating story of how they came by the house, and how there is an opportunity for an archeological investigation where it once stood.
March 18 – Pamela Ellis – The Brick Wall- Breaking Genealogy Barriers with AI
The talk is about thinking differently at genealogy research. Understanding and breaking down where the information we look for can be found. And how AI can help find it.
April 15 – Mark Nonestied – History and Historic Preservation in Middlesex County
This illustrated talk covers history and historic preservation endeavors in Middlesex County. It will highlight the preservation and restoration of historic structures, archaeology work,
including surveys of maritime resources, archival collections and recently acquired objects that tell Middlesex County’s story.
May 20 – Larry Kidder – Understanding American Revolutionary Ancestors
This talk focuses on life in New Jersey during the American Revolution War of Independence, especially for those with family members serving in the militia in the general region of today’s Mercer County. Because militia duty was part-time, as opposed to full-time Continental Army service, it had unique effects on daily life. This was especially true because of the very complex and prominent nature of the war in New Jersey. It will also touch on research methods to learn about specific individuals.
June 17 – Nicole Skalenko – Recapturing a Revolutionary Past: Pension Applications and Illuminating Personal Experiences During the War for Independence
The Battles of Connecticut Farms and Springfield occurred in June 1780 and were the last major military confrontations in New Jersey before the American Revolution shifted to the southern theatre. British and Hessian forces invaded New Jersey from Staten Island with the intent to capture Morristown, at the time General Washington’s headquarters and encampment of the Continental Army. Faced with fierce resistance from the New Jersey militia, the engagements resulted in victories for the Patriot movement. Through an examination of Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications, this project aims to document the experiences of those who witnessed these engagements first hand and to explore how these battles were remembered by subsequent generations. The Battles of Connecticut Farms and Springfield are understudied yet significant campaigns. The stories of the battles and their participants are compelling and invaluable, and offer a lens to view how different people experienced and understood the American Revolution.
July 15 – Theresa Martin McEwen – Unraveling a Family Mystery Using DNA
Multiple sources indicated George Derone Martin was born October 28, 1879 or 1880 in Omaha, Nebraska. According to the family and available documents, George was orphaned sometime during childhood. However, genetic genealogical research into his parentage took me to an unlikely place, Virginia, where I uncovered unfamiliar family names of multiple intermarried families tracing back to Colonial America. Further research revealed one of George’s biological parents was also adopted. This presentation will discuss leveraging clustering analysis, pattern recognition, and problem solving skills to unravel these branches and how it helped identify the most likely parents and grandparents of George Derone Martin.
August 19 – Jen Janofsky, Ph.D. – Lives in Conflict: Red Bank Battlefield and the Human Experience of Revolution
Red Bank Battlefield was more than a single day of fighting—it was a landscape shaped by layered and often conflicting lived experiences. This webinar explores the site through the story of the Quaker Whitall family, the material world of soldier John Burlingame’s powder horn, and the recovered remains of Hessian soldiers. Together, these perspectives reveal Red Bank as a complex Revolutionary landscape where faith, war, memory, and human loss intersected in powerful ways.
September 16 – Laura Cubbage-Draper – Genealogical Timelines for Organization, Analysis and Problem Solving
In researching our family, we gather extensive amounts of records and information to be compiled. Timelines are a tool that allows us to organize our data, and to visually identify patterns, gaps, themes, and relationships. This program will provide examples of genealogical timelines (migration patterns, research gaps, specific record type, historical perspective, etc.) as well as suggestions on creating timelines in Microsoft Word and Excel.
October 21 – TBD
November 18 – Derrick Johnstone – East Jersey Bound – From Scotland to New Jersey in the 1680s
Between 1683 and 1685 several hundred Scots embarked for East Jersey as part of a colonial venture. This was backed at the highest level and sought to ensure that Scotland had a stake in the development of the American colonies. It brought together Quakers, Episcopalians (Anglicans) and Presbyterians, a tense mix of religious affiliations. Many of the Presbyterians were transported Covenanters and the Quakers too had had their share of persecution.
This talk will set out the background to the venture and address the questions: Who were the immigrants? Why did they leave Scotland? What became of them? Derrick will also introduce his website, East Jersey Bound, which hosts a genealogical database containing details of 600 emigrants and over 2,000 of their kin and associates.
December 16 – Ask GSNJ
Note: The schedule and speakers are subject to change.
Registration and System Requirements
The Zoom platform will be used for the webinars. A working internet connection is required to access the webinars.
Click on the Click Here to Register button for each webinar to register. You may register for each webinar until the webinar ends.
Each attendee will receive an email with the webinar link. A reminder will be sent prior to the webinar. To cancel, click on the cancellation link provided in the email received at the time of registration.
Handouts
The handout for each webinar will be provided during the webinar.
Speaker Biographies
Gordon Bond is an independent historian, author, and lecturer. He is the founder and ePublisher of www.GardenStateLegacy.com, a resources website dedicated to New Jersey history. He is the author of six books focusing on aspects of New Jersey history and has written a large number of articles and reviews for Garden State Legacy. He is currently working on a new book about the Rev. Hannibal Goodwin and his invention of roll photographic film in Newark, New Jersey.
Gordon also has a freelance graphic design business, Gordon Bond Design. He designed and guest curated exhibits for the Middlesex County Office of Arts and History, County of Passaic Department of Cultural & Historic Affairs, the Abraham Staats House in South Bound Brook, and the Historical Association of Woodbridge Township.
Bond is a native of New Jersey living with his wife and cats in Newark’s historic Forest Hill neighborhood.
Laura Cubbage-Draper, CG®, is a genealogical researcher and lecturer based in Metuchen, New Jersey. A Garden State native with deep Pennsylvania and German roots, she began researching her family in 1999 and earned the Certified Genealogist credential in 2024. Laura holds a certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University, is a graduate of ProGen 40, and has completed many courses at genealogical research institutes. She has spoken for local, state and national organizations, societies and libraries where she enjoys teaching about genealogical methodology and resources.
Pamela Ellis is a seasoned genealogist of twenty-five years. She graduated from Boston University’s Genealogy Certification course. One of her first sources of education was taking the National Genealogy Society (NGS) courses on DVD, and the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution in-house genealogy course. She has additionally attended numerous genealogy courses ranging from basic genealogical research to advanced researching. In 2015 she began teaching courses on genealogy. She is a proud member of twelve lineage societies including Daughters of the American Revolution, Colonial Dames of the 17th Century, Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, National Society of New England Women, and more. She has held numerous executive positions within genealogical and lineage societies including Past Honorary Regent to being the current Chaplain for her local DAR chapter and is a Register for 3 other lineage societies. She is a consultant at NSDAR continental Congress each year. Pamela recently published her first book, The Brick Wall – Breaking Genealogy Barriers with AI.
Aimee Fernandez-Puente is an experienced library professional with over two decades of service in diverse roles across public and academic libraries. Currently serving as the manager for Local History and Special Collections at the Free Public Library of Elizabeth, she oversees the management, reorganization, and preservation of the Local History Collection, while also providing in-depth genealogical and research assistance to patrons. Aimee brings a strong background in customer service, project management, and digital literacy education, having worked extensively across various departments. She holds a Bachelors in Liberal Arts from Thomas Edison State College and is currently working towards her Masters in Library and Information Science with a concentration in Library Management and Archives at Valdosta State University. She has presented on the topics of Local History Collection creation and genealogical resources at NJLA Conferences and through outreach to various organizations. Aimee is dedicated to fostering access to community heritage and enhancing the library experience through thoughtful service and innovative outreach.
Jen Janofsky, Ph.D. is the Giordano Fellow in Public History at Rowan University and Director of Red Bank Battlefield Park. She co-directs the Red Bank Archaeology Project, which gained international attention in 2022 with the discovery of a Hessian mass burial. Janofsky earned her Ph.D. from Temple University and is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the McNeil Center for Early American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She teaches Public History, American Material Culture, and Early American History at Rowan, where she also directs the History Department Internship Program. A public historian for over twenty years, she specializes in community-engaged interpretation. Her work has been recognized by the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Sons of the American Revolution, the New Jersey Historical Commission, and Rowan University.
Derrick Johnstone is a Research Affiliate in the Department of History at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, having completed his postgraduate dissertation on the Scots emigrants in 2025. The topic was inspired by genealogical curiosity, about his DNA matches in the USA and the frequency with which the Scots colonial venture to East Jersey appeared in their trees. This uncovered an episode little-known to Scots and an opportunity to join up the histories of both Scotland and New Jersey. He is also Secretary of the Old Edinburgh Club, the city’s history society. He is a member of the Scottish Genealogical Society, the Genealogical Society of New Jersey and other family history societies. He is an honours graduate of the University of Edinburgh in Economics and Economic History.
William L. (Larry) Kidder received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania and is a retired high school history teacher who taught for forty years in both public and private schools. He served four years of active duty in the U.S. Navy and was assigned to the U.S. Navy Research and Development Unit, Vietnam and then the destroyer USS Brownson (DD868) home ported in Newport, Rhode Island.
For more than thirty-five years, Larry has been a volunteer at the Howell Living History Farm, part of the Mercer County Park System, in Hopewell, New Jersey where he has served as an historian, interpreter, and draft horse teamster. It was investigating the Revolutionary War activities of the residents of that 18th century farm and its immediate area that drew Larry into his research and writing on the Revolution.
Active in historical societies in Ewing (past president) and Hopewell (also a past president), Larry has given many talks to a variety of groups in New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. He continues to be a consultant to various historic sites in central New Jersey including The William Trent House, the Old Barracks, Washington Crossing Historic Park (PA), and Washington Crossing State Park (NJ). He is also a consultant and battlefield tour guide for the Princeton Battlefield Society. As a founding member of the non-profit TenCrucialDays.org he helps narrate full-day bus tours of Ten Crucial Days sites.
Theresa McEwen has 4 years of genetic genealogy experience and is actively working towards her BCG certification. She specializes in using genetic genealogy to solve U.S. great grandparent to 3rd great grandparent misattributed parentage (MPE)/brick wall cases where multiple relationship and/or pedigree collapse are evident. She brings a detail oriented and methodical approach to her genealogical research with her pro bono clients. She is the developer of the McEwen Tree Navigator (MTN). She is a member of the National Genealogical Society, Virginia Genealogical Society, Genealogical Society of New Jersey, Advanced DNA Special Interest Group, associate member of The Meriwether Society, and the AAAS.
Mark Nonestied is the Middlesex County Historian and a Division Head with the Middlesex County Division of History and Historic Preservation. He oversees both East Jersey Old Town Village and the Cornelius Low House Middlesex County Museum in Piscataway, NJ. Mr. Nonestied has lectured and written on a number of topics related to New Jersey and Middlesex County history. He is the co-author of New Jersey Cemeteries and Tombstones: History in the Landscape, published by Rutgers University Press and the recipient of the 2010 New Jersey Studies Academic Alliance Award, non-fiction scholarly category and has received an Award of Recognition by the New Jersey Historical Commission for outstanding service to public knowledge and preservation of the history of New Jersey.
Nicole Skalenko is a historian of the American Revolution with a specialization in military history, women’s history, and eighteenth-century print culture. She holds a Master’s Degree in American History from Rutgers University, Camden and a Bachelor’s Degree in Honors History from Kean University. Nicole has contributed to a number of public history projects including the American Philosophical Society’s The Revolutionary City: A Portal to the Nation’s Founding and Kean University’s William Livingston’s World. Currently, Nicole serves as an Architectural Historian at Hunter Research, Inc. and a Historical Researcher on a project titled “Investigating the Battles of Connecticut Farms and Springfield.”
Contact
If you have questions, please contact GSNJ at programs@gsnj.org.
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