Artificial Intelligence and Genealogy
If you haven’t started or are just beginning your AI for genealogy journey and would like to know more and try it out, then join us for one or both in-person hands-on work sessions. If you are more advanced, come and brainstorm with others. Â
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Both sessions will be in the Cranberry Public Library and led by Betty Steup and other club members. Plan to arrive 20-30 minutes before the session begins, to set up your laptop and log onto WIFI.
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Wed., September 30, 2026
5:30 - 7:30 PMÂ This will be a short work session to get familiar with and review the free versions of ChatGPT, Claude, GeminiNotebook (NotebookLM), and other AI companies as time permits.Â
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Saturday, October 10, 2026
10:30 AM - 1:30 PMÂ This will be a longer work session to continue exploring, learning, and brainstorming with others about using AIÂ for genealogy and family history.Â
Free Program:Â Wed., Sept. 23, 2026 @ 7 pM
Photo Detective Roadshow
Maureen Taylor really loves family photographs. All of them - from the mystery images you find in shoeboxes and albums to the pictures you snap with your digital devices. No mystery is too small. A simple question about an image can lead to new stories about your ancestors.
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If you don’t know who’s in a photo, don’t worry. Maureen has proven methods for putting names to the faces in those pictures, telling you more about when they were taken, who took them, and why. As a former curator at a historical society, she knows how to make sense of photographs and family history. Maureen’s skills live at the junction of history, genealogy and photography.
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Maureen has been a frequent keynote speaker on photo identification, photograph preservation, and family history at historical and genealogical societies, museums, conferences, libraries, and other organizations across the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.
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She’s the author of several books and hundreds of articles. We are happy to welcome her back to speak about our submitted photos!
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Everyone is welcome to join the meeting, but photo submissions to Maureen is limited to members only!
Blue-Collar Ancestry: Tracing Your Railroader Roots
September 29, 2026 (In-Person or Virtual)
6:15-8:30pm. $10 General Admission. $5 Members
Take a deep dive into the lives of your railroader ancestors. In the third session of the History Center’s new genealogy series, explore the lives of Western Pennsylvania railroaders and discover the often-overlooked records that reveal their fascinating stories
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Across generations, Western Pennsylvania’s railroad industry has provided a stunning array of job opportunities for immigrants, African Americans, and other Appalachian laborers. Hop in and come along for a tour of the historical sources that capture glimpses into the lives of these workers.
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Join professional genealogist Kate Townsend, CG® to uncover research strategies and materials unique to the railroad industry, including company newsletters, immigration records, newspaper clippings, employment records, accident reports, union records, maps, pension files, historic photographs, and more.
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Track your ancestors’ connections to rail lines and companies across Western Pennsylvania while exploring connections to railroad disasters and their lasting impact on families.
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Local archivists will also share lightning talks highlighting lesser-known railroad industry resources within their collections.
Free Program:Â Wed., Oct. 28, 2026 @ 7 pM
Teasing Out the Hidden Story Behind
the Genealogical FactsÂ
One of the biggest challenges we face when writing family histories is how to turn the bare facts into tales worthy of being read, but our ancestors were real people, not just names, dates and places.  We’ll explore four different approaches that can help us to understand them in the context of the time and place in which they lived, and search for unexpected clues in the information we’ve already gathered.  By digging deeply into the genealogical details, we can bring our ancestors' stories to life.
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We're pleased to welcome back one of our favorite presenters, Pam Vestal is a professional genealogist and speaker who turned her focus to her longtime love of genealogy after a 20-year writing career. Her articles have appeared in the National Genealogical Society Magazine and The Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, and her lectures take her from coast to coast. Â Pam specializes in conducting genealogical research and then transforming that information into illustrated stories that even non-genealogists can enjoy.Â
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Free Program:Â Wed., Nov. 18, 2026 @ 7 pM
What's New in Family TreeMaker?
Mark Olsen will present an interactive review of Family Tree Maker, including highlighting the newest features in FTM 2024. This talk will include demonstrating enhancements, updates, and a live Question and Answer session during this program.
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This discussion-style invites participation and is suitable for all users. Family Book Creator will also be showcased as a tool for producing professional, printed, family history outputs.
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Mark is the Family Tree Maker Ambassador to historical and genealogical societies around the world, working to support their members as they use Family Tree Maker. Mark is a graduate of Brigham Young University and holds a bachelor’s degree in Family History with a Spanish records emphasis. He has been working in the genealogy industry since 2007 and has been the Family Tree Maker Ambassador since 2016.
Special Interest Groups
Deepen your research expertise in specialized areas with our collaborative interest groups.
Brick Walls & Bagels
Grab a bagel or muffin! Brainstorm your genealogy challenges with Cranberry Genealogy Club friends! If you don't have any 'brick walls', come and help others solve theirs. We meet at Panera in the lower level of the Cranberry Mall.Â
Genea-Break
Relax at home and enjoy a casual session led by club president Sue Ennis. This year the focus is on a genealogy book and related website.
Gain valuable information, skills and insights.
Zelie Study Group
Just starting to build your family tree? Or, interested in group sharing and problem solving? We begin with a mini-lesson and go from there. Call the library if you have questions, Ph: 724-452-9330. Registration is not required.
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Coming Soon!
No experience? No problem! Free and open to all. Format: 20 minute lesson; 40 minutes hands-on practice. You must bring your own technology. First session October 6; then, every month in 2027.
Meet Our Team
Join us as we uncover our roots together.
Club Leadership
We share a love for family history and genealogy. Whether you are just getting started or have been digging into your roots for years, we are here to support you as you build your family tree.
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We are based in Cranberry Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania and our members research ancestors all over the United States, Canada, Europe, and around the world!
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Many of our meetings and special events are free and open to the public, but membership is encouraged to take advantage of our members-only offerings.
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The annual dues allow us to provide quality programs in support of our genealogical research.
President: Susan Ennis
Secretaries: Rita Romig & John Francis
Treasurer: Debbie Billiter
Programs: Judi Boren & Patricia Robison
Membership: Pat Purifoy