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Discover How Your Ancestors Connected: Introducing Communication Nation
Have you ever wondered whether your great-grandfather was among the first to install a telephone in his neighborhood? Or discovered that your ancestor worked as a telegraph operator during the Civil War? What if you could trace not just where your ancestors lived, but how they communicated and stayed connected to their world?
A Revolutionary Approach to Family History
Welcome to “Communication Nation: How Our Ancestors Connected and the Records They Left Behind (19th to mid-20th centuries)” – a groundbreaking course that offers an entirely new lens for genealogical research by exploring the communication methods that shaped our forebears’ daily experiences.
This innovative course dives deeply into the various modes of communication that became integral to our ancestors’ lives. Was your ancestor a Luddite who refused to buy a typewriter, or a maverick who embraced the newest gadgets? It’s no coincidence that telegraph and telephone lines ran parallel to railroad tracks—communication and transportation industries had close ties, creating the arteries of information flow that connected isolated communities to the broader world.
What Makes This Course Unique
Rather than following traditional family tree paths, we’ll trace the invisible networks that carried your ancestors’ voices, letters, and messages across vast distances. We examine communication through three fascinating dimensions:
- The creators and transmitters: Devices and machines that conveyed information
- The delivery methods: How messages traveled (written or oral)
- The communication workforce: People who sent, intercepted, or received messages
From letter writers to postmasters to telegram operators—there’s a fascinating record trail to explore. Was your ancestor a telegrapher, stenographer, or telephone operator? Sessions focus on recognizing artifacts and machines (telegraph devices, phonoautograph machines) plus the ephemera they produced (telegrams, wax cylinders).
You’ll become a detective of communication artifacts, exploring repositories filled with telegrams, postal records, and employment documents that could unlock new chapters of your family’s story.
Meet Your Course Cooridnator
Pamela Vittorio is a historian (M.A.) and professional genealogist with certificates from Boston University and the International Institute of Genealogical Studies. Her research interests include artifacts, DNA, and transportation history, with a specialization in ancestors associated with New York State canals and various ethnic groups.
Meet Your Expert Instructors
Michael Cassara is a professional genealogist and speaker based in New York City. He frequently speaks at genealogy conferences, including five years at RootsTech, APG PMC, FGS, and multiple New York State Family History Conferences.
Jeanette Sheliga has researched since 2002 and lectured since 2011 for societies worldwide. She’s President of the Virtual Genealogical Association, completed ProGen 49, and serves on the Association of Professional Genealogists Professional Development Committee.
Annette Burke Lyttle, CG®, owns Heritage Detective, LLC, and is a course coordinator for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. She’s the past president of the Association of Professional Genealogists and editor of The Florida Genealogist.
Ready to Begin Your Journey?
This isn’t just another genealogy course—it’s an adventure through the evolution of human connection, with your ancestors as the starring characters. Get ready to see your family history through an entirely new lens!