Federal Depository Anniversary: Genealogy Workshop

February is our 70th anniversary of being a Federal Documents Depository Library. We are hosting a workshop on using Census materials for genealogical research to celebrate. The presenter will be Kelley Lear, member of the American Society of Genealogists. Kelley specializes in West Virginia genealogy and has some case studies specific to Kanawha County that she will present. Her presentation is titled "Beyond the Census' Surface: Mining Information and Evidence in the 1850 to 1870 Census Records."

Kelley Conner Lear is a professional genealogist specializing in research in her home state of West Virginia, adopted state of Virginia, and northern Appalachia. When she isn’t working for clients, she is researching and writing about her deep West Virginia roots. 

In addition to being a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, she is a member of the National Genealogical Society, the Virginia Genealogical Society, the Genealogical Research Institute of Virginia, KYOWVA Genealogical and Historical Society, Hackers Creek Pioneer Descendants, North Hills Genealogists of Pittsburgh, and the Utah Genealogical Association.

She is also member or past member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, Daughters of the War of 1812, and the South Carolina Huguenot Society. Kelley also served as the State Genealogical Committee Chairwoman for the South Carolina DAR, as well as a researcher for NSDAR's former 250 Task Force working to resolve complex applications.