MACY’s Genealogical Research

From Ulster to the Alleghenies: The Scots-Irish in Pennsylvania
2024-08-26 18:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Lawrence County Historical Society, 408 N Jefferson St., New Castle, PA, 16101, United States
Learn about the second-largest group of settlers in Pennsylvania who became known as the Scots-Irish. From the historical context and migration patterns that brought them to America, to their role in Pennsylvania’s settlement, we’ll discuss some of the unique challenges and learn effective research strategies to uncover records, including military, court, and church records. *This is an in-person event.

Ligonier Highland Games
2024-09-14 08:00 - 17:30 (America/New_York) | Idlewild Park, 2574 US Route 30, Ligonier, PA, 15658
Join genealogist Megan Clark Young in the Genealogy Booth for the 65th Ligonier Highland Games to learn more about Scottish genealogy and researching your Scottish ancestors.
The booth will be open during the games, from 8 AM-12:00 and 1-5:00 PM. Admission to the event is required.

WPGS Pennsylviania Virtual SIG - Lineage Societies
2025-09-10 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society
Our theme in September is the 250th Anniversary of the State of Pennsylvania within these United States of America in 2026. Pennsylvania was first a Colony before the War for Independence, and many records were created during these early years that can help you to locate your earliest Pennsylvania family members.
Join Megan Clark Young in Breakout Room 1 to learn more about the First Families of Western Pennsylvania lineage society and applying to lineage socities in general.
This event is for WPGS members only. Join Today!

Ligonier Highland Games
2025-09-13 09:30 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Idlewild Park, 2574 US Route 30, Ligonier, PA, 15658
Join us in the Genealogy Tent at the 66th Annual Ligonier Highland Games! Discount Tickets are available in advance.

Documenting Your Sources
2025-10-16 18:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Allen County Public Library
Join us for a FREE virtual program on October 16 at 6:30 p.m. ET at the Allen County Public Library!

Does the thought of documenting your sources seem daunting and tedious? Have you reviewed your own work, or someone else’s, and not been able to determine the origin of the information? Learn why documentation is necessary for all genealogists, and strategies and tools to simplify source citations that meet current genealogy standards.

Presbyterian Valley: How the Scots-Irish Populated Pennsylvania and Ohio
2026-01-21 18:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Hamilton East Public Library
Join Megan Clark Young and the Hamilton East Public Library virtually to learn about how the Scots-Irish rapidly settled in Pennsylvania and Ohio, causing the area to be nicknamed “The Presbyterian Valley.” Registration details coming soon.

Using Unindexed Records and the Full-Text Search at Family Search
2026-04-20 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Mt. Lebanon Public Library, 16 Castle Shannon Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA, 15228, United States
Using unindexed records and full-text search allows genealogists to access a broader range of historical documents that may not be categorized in traditional databases. This method can help uncover valuable information about ancestors that might otherwise be overlooked. Warning: You’ll probably break through some brick walls with the strategies you learn by digging deeper into the available, and often hidden, records at FamilySearch. This event is in person.

Using Unindexed Records and the Full-Text Search at FamilySearch
2026-05-12 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Indiana/Knox) | Tri-State Genealogical Society
Using unindexed records and full-text search allows genealogists to access a broader range of historical documents that may not be categorized in traditional databases. This method can help uncover valuable information about ancestors that might otherwise be overlooked. Megan Clark Young, a professional genealogist, will help us understand how to best use this feature.

Cousin America has Run Off with a Presbyterian Parson: How the Scots-Irish Influenced the Founding of a Nation
2026-05-28 11:00 - 2026-07-15 23:30 (America/New_York) | PA
Few groups who defined the revolutionary generation left as distinctive a mark as the Scots-Irish. This pre-recorded session for the 2026 National Genealogical Conference identifies a people who helped shape the nation. This session will be available to view on May 28, 2026 at
11:15 AM and will remain viewable to all NGS Conference attendees (virtual and in person) until 15 July, 2026.

Revolutionary War Genealogy in Pennsylvania
2026-06-10 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Lawrence County Historical Society, 408 N Jefferson St., New Castle, PA, 16101, United States
This session offers an overview of Revolutionary War records useful for Pennsylvania genealogical research, including militia and Continental Line service files, pension applications, and donation and depreciation land records. The land that now forms Lawrence County, PA, was originally designated as Donation Land reserved for Revolutionary War soldiers. Attendees will learn how to locate and interpret these sources to advance their own research.
This is an In Person Event.

67th Ligonier Highland Games
2026-07-18 09:30 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Idlewild Park, 2574 US Route 30, Ligonier, PA, 15658
Vitist the Genealogy Booth, hosted by Megan Clark Young of MACY’s Genelogical Research, at the Ligonier Highland Games.This year, the Games will be held in July at Idlewild Park. Preorder discounted tickets here.

Genealogy 101: Establish Deep Roots on Your Family Tree
2026-08-20 17:30 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | Cooper-Siegel Community Library, 403 Fox Chapel Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15238
This presentation introduces beginners to the essential skills, standards, and strategies needed to build a reliable family tree. This session covers how to start with what you know, evaluate evidence, organize research, and use key record groups such as census, vital, church, and probate records. Attendees will learn how to avoid common beginner pitfalls, apply the Genealogy Standards to ensure accuracy, and develop sound research habits that set the foundation for long-term success. This is an In Person Event.

Witchita Genealogical Society Annual Conference
2026-10-10 | Wichita Genealogical Society
Megan Clark Young will be the keynote speaker and give four presentations for the Witchita Genealogical Society, focusing on the the 250th Anniversary of the United States.

Beyond the Search Bar: Navigating Ancestry.com Effectively
2026-12-12 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | PA
This session introduces practical strategies for navigating Ancestry.com beyond the basic search bar. Attendees will learn how to use the Card Catalog to target specific record sets, apply effective search filters, interpret database details, and uncover collections that don’t surface in standard searches. Additional tips and tricks will help researchers get better results, avoid common pitfalls, and make the most of Ancestry’s powerful tools for genealogical discovery. This is a virtual event for the Jefferson Co. (WA) Genealogical Society.
