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Making the Jump: Finding Your Polish Village in U.S. Records
2026-06-17 13:00:00 2026-06-17 14:30:00 America/New_York Making the Jump: Finding Your Polish Village in U.S. Records Join special speaker Claire Gene Esker as she demonstrates how to identify the exact village of your ancestors in Poland. Using American records—you will learn how to zero in on their place of origin. Online - Virtual Room - West Oaks

Wednesday, June 17
1:00pm - 2:30pm

Add to Calendar 2026-06-17 13:00:00 2026-06-17 14:30:00 America/New_York Making the Jump: Finding Your Polish Village in U.S. Records Join special speaker Claire Gene Esker as she demonstrates how to identify the exact village of your ancestors in Poland. Using American records—you will learn how to zero in on their place of origin. Online - Virtual Room - West Oaks

Online

Virtual Room - West Oaks

Join special speaker Claire Gene Esker as she demonstrates how to identify the exact village of your ancestors in Poland. Using American records—you will learn how to zero in on their place of origin.

Finding your ancestral village is half the battle of Polish genealogy, but with changes in geography, jurisdiction, and even mistakes in records or linguistic challenges, it can be one of the most frustrating hurdles to overcome. In this presentation, the use of easily accessible American records to locate your ancestral village will be discussed. Documentation from what you may have in your home, to what is available on subscription sites, to more obscure religious, immigration and naturalization, and military records will be covered. Plus, challenges with language, historical jurisdiction, and naming practices will be covered to give you the greatest chance of success in your research.

Claire Gene Esker, MSc, PLCGS, QG is a Polish American and Polish family history specialist and owner of the genealogical research firm Past Forward Family History based in Highwood, Illinois. She graduated with merit from the University of Strathclyde with a Master of Science in Genealogical, Paleographic, and Heraldic Studies, and earned a Professional Learning Certificate in Genealogical Studies in Methodology and American Records from the International Institute of Genealogical Studies.

Claire is currently serving as Secretary-Vice President of the Polish Genealogical Society of America, where she has also spoken on Polish heraldry and volunteered as a researcher and transcription project lead on the St. Hedwig’s Orphanage Census database. Additionally, she is also a member of the Governing Board of the Illinois State Genealogical Society, serving as Education Chairperson. She is member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, a graduate of ProGen, as well as a member of the Register of Qualified Genealogists, a society for family historians who hold advanced degrees in genealogy and oral and family history.

AGE GROUP: | Adults |

EVENT TYPE: | History - Culture - Genealogy |

TAGS: | westoaks | bb-genealogy |

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