People interested in gathering lost leaves from their family tree have an opportunity to learn new strategies at the upcoming annual Montana State Genealogical Conference.

Scheduled Sept. 22 to 24, the gathering at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kalispell features a full slate of experts, including Thomas Jones, the editor of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly.

Retired from a 33-year career in higher education, Jones now works full time as a genealogy researcher, writer, editor and educator.

Slated to present four lectures, Jones begins at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 23, with “Solving the Mystery of the Disappearing Ancestor.” He examines seven reasons why ancestors vanish and provides strategies to find them.

His other lectures take place at:

n 4:30 p.m. Sept. 23: “Five Proven Techniques for Finding Your Ancestor’s European Origins.”

n 9 a.m. Sept. 24: “Organizing Evidence to Overcome Record Shortages.”

n 1:15 p.m. Sept. 24: “How to Avoid Being Duped by the Internet.”

The conference also features local history authorities Gil Jordan and John Fraley with presentations on Sept. 23.

At 1:30 p.m., Jordan, executive director of the Museum at Central School, will talk about  the history of the Flathead Valley beginning about 10,000 years ago with the first native people.

He will continue with the first few white fur traders and mountain men in the early 1800s, then the settlers in the 1880s followed by slow, steady development with the coming of the railroad and various industries.

Jordan plans to bring a display and a number of interesting artifacts to enhance his lecture.

Fraley, a noted local author, will present an audio-visual program based on his book, “Wild River Pioneers” during the 6:30 p.m. Friday banquet. He promises to tell the “tall but true” tale of Josephine Doody, the “bootleg lady of Glacier Park.”

At 10:30 a.m. Sept. 23, Montana Historical Society representatives Chris Ehrman and Tina Kirkham will update genealogy buffs with “Digitized Primary Documents: New Access, New Clues.” 

These specialists will present new and expanded online resources for tracing Montana roots such as early newspapers, county history books and prisoner intake forms.

Shirley Penna-Oakes, an author and noted expert and lecturer on genealogy, will speak at 3 p.m. on resources available for people interested in doing research in Washington state.

Along with learning from speakers, participants at the conference may bid on annuals, city directories, histories, family histories, genealogy books, tapes and videos at the silent auction.

Registration for the full 22nd annual Montana State Genealogical Society Conference with three meals costs $95. People have the option of attending without meals for the full conference for $50, Sept. 23 only for $35 or Sept. 24 only for $25.

Those interested can find the complete schedule and registration form by clicking on the Kalispell conference link on the society’s web page, www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mtmsgs. For more information, contact Eleanor Benz at 257-2046.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at [email protected].