Category Archives: State resources

Accreditation, Education, ICAPGen, Publications, Skillbuilding, State resources, Webinars

Announcing the ICAPGen Accreditation Webinar Series on Legacy Family Tree Webinars

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Image generated by Gemini 3 Flash, Nano Banana, 2025, Google AI.

For immediate release by the ICAPGenSM Presentation Committee.

ICAPGen is excited to announce a new educational initiative to support genealogists pursuing professional accreditation. Beginning in April 2026, Legacy Family Tree Webinars will host a four-part series dedicated to helping researchers understand the accreditation process and build the regional expertise required to earn the Accredited Genealogist® credential.

Each webinar is taught by an Accredited Genealogist® professional and focuses on key aspects of accreditation—from exam preparation to regional methodologies. Whether you are just starting to explore accreditation or are deep into building your Four Generation Project, these sessions will provide practical, actionable guidance rooted in ICAPGen standards and requirements.

Each webinar is free to watch live and for one week afterward. After that viewing period ends, a Legacy Family Tree Webinars subscription is required to access the recording.

Registration is now open through Legacy Family Tree Webinars.

The ICAPGen 2026 lineup:


Mastering the ICAPGen Accreditation Process: Your Path to Professional Success
29 April 2026 – 2:00 pm EST

Torhild Shirley, AG®, will discuss the accreditation process. This session walks through the major components of testing, including the Four Generation Project, Document Interpretation and General Knowledge Exams, and the Final Project. Attendees will learn what evaluators are looking for and how to prepare with confidence.

Details and registration for Mastering the ICAPGen Accreditation Process: Your Path to Professional Success.

Mastering Mid-Atlantic Research: Resources and Methodologies for ICAPGen Accreditation
29 July 2026 – 2:00 pm EST

Alice Childs, AG®, will guide attendees through the essential resources and methodologies needed for ICAPGen accreditation in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region. Successful research in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania demands an understanding of shifting boundaries, varied repositories, and location-specific record challenges. This webinar will help candidates build a strong regional foundation and suggest ideas for developing a Personal Reference Guide tailored to Mid-Atlantic research.

Details and registration for Mastering Mid-Atlantic Research: Resources and Methodologies for ICAPGen Accreditation.


U.S. Great Lakes Region ICAPGen Accreditation: A Genealogy Treasure Trove
4 September 2026 – 2:00 pm EST

Kaye Ford, AG®, will introduce attendees to the rich genealogical landscape of the U.S. Great Lakes region—Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. With diverse record groups, unique migration histories, and specialized land and maritime resources, this region offers both opportunities and challenges for accreditation candidates. This webinar will provide methodology strategies and practical tools to help researchers strengthen their skills and build an effective Personal Reference Guide for Great Lakes research.

Details and registration for U.S. Great Lakes Region ICAPGen Accreditation: A Genealogy Treasure Trove.

Navigating the New England Region: Strategies and Resources for ICAPGen Accreditation
6 November 2026 – 2:00 pm EST

Bonnie Wade Mucia, AG®, will explore the depth and complexity of New England research across Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Although the region is rich in genealogical records, success in accreditation depends on understanding where these records are held, how they function, and how to interpret them effectively. This webinar will guide researchers to key statewide resources and lesser-known town collections, while demonstrating strategies to evaluate evidence and showcase regional expertise throughout the accreditation process.

Details and registration for Navigating the New England Region: Strategies and Resources for ICAPGen Accreditation.

Looking Ahead: Expanded Opportunities for Regional Education

This series marks only the beginning! ICAPGen plans to expand educational offerings by inviting more Accredited Genealogist professionals to share their regional experience in future webinars. A call for proposals will be announced before the 2027 Legacy Family Tree Webinars submissions deadline, opening the door for additional regions and more ICAPGen methodology topics.

We are grateful to Legacy Family Tree Webinars for providing a platform to make high-quality, accreditation-focused education more accessible to genealogists everywhere. We look forward to supporting candidates across all regions as they build their skills and prepare to become Accredited Genealogist professionals.

Stay connected for additional updates, resources, and future webinar dates. We hope you will join us as we launch this exciting series!

Education, Family History, Genealogy, State resources, Websites

Mountain States Resources: New Mexico

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View_to_the_southwest_from_Sandia_Peak-NM
Photo by Fluzwup

Claire V. Brisson-Banks, BS, MLIS, AG®

The Sandia Mountains one can see when in Albuquerque, New Mexico are on the eastern edge of the Rio Grand Rift Valley. Click here to learn more about this set of mountains. Having lived in N.M. for a few years, the beauty of the mountains is often breath taking.

When searching for ancestors who lived here, it’s best to remember the state began recording births in 1920, yet the first ‘Spanish’ colony, San Juan, was established in 1598. Already occupied by the ‘Pueblo’ Indians, they revolted and drove out the Spanish, but, by the 1700s they reestablished control. The history provided in the FamilySearch Research wiki helps provide important dates needed when researching. The New Mexico History website also has a great section going back much further, however the sections from 1598 maybe far enough back for researchers.

In 1912, it became the 47st state in the United States. There are other records available going back to the 1600s in the manuscript resources and land grants at the State Records Center and Archives. Some of the earliest records are the Roman Catholic Church records covering 1694 to 1957 for the areas covered by the Archdioceses of Santa Fe and Las Cruces. Ancestry has some of the United Methodist Church records covering 1870-1970, includes places in Texas. FamilySearch.org has 9 collections with the earliest beginning in 1726.

There is a ‘Resident Index’ for 1790 with Ancestry and other early ‘territorial’ census records. Military records cover the major wars, plus the Indian Wars, Spanish-American War and a large collection of all the ‘forts’ located there during the various conflicts. Linkpendium adds some additional collections including oral histories, diaries, correspondence and more.

Cyndi’s List adds even more smaller collections depending on your area of research. When you combine these resources along with the vast online coverage chart and the Record Finder from FamilySearch, you’ll be able to aid your research even more.