Megan Clark Young genealogy presentation

Is your genealogy society or historical organization looking for an informative and engaging speaker?

Megan Clark Young is a nationally recognized presenter on a variety of genealogy topics. She is a member of the Genealogical Speakers Guild and has previously presented for the National Genealogical Society Family History Conference, the Allen County Public Library, the Pennsylvania Historical Society, the Virginia Genealogical Society, the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society, and numerous regional and local groups.

“Megan was our most popular speaker and it is easy to see why: she’s extremely knowledgeable about a difficult topic while keeping her lectures engaging. We would have her back any time.”

Katy Bodenhorn Barnes, Director of Genealogical Programs and Services,
Historical Society of Pennsylvania

Megan presents virtually using a variety of platforms and is also happy to conduct a live presentation if scheduling permits. If you are interested in a topic not listed below, feel free to reach out.

If you would like to view Megan’s presentation style, please check out MACY’s Genealogy YouTube Channel.

New!

Muskets and Manuscripts: Revolutionary-era Militia, Military, Pension, and Bounty Land Records

Revolutionary War service varied widely — militia records, Continental Army records, pension files, and bounty land warrants each tell a different part of the story, and knowing where to look can make or break your research. This presentation untangles the distinctions between militia and military service and guides you through the pension and bounty land collections that often contain rich family details. You’ll leave with a clear strategy for locating and interpreting these records whether your ancestor fought under state or federal command (or both).

Reading Between the Lines: Historical Context as a Genealogical Research Tool

Genealogical research often stalls not because records are missing, but because researchers lack the historical and social context to interpret the records they’re finding. This presentation shows how factors like religion, migration, and inheritance laws can point to overlooked sources to reconstruct the world in which your ancestor lived — revealing why families moved, why records were created or destroyed, and how to distinguish your ancestor from everyone else with the same name. You’ll leave with a sharper eye for the story hiding between the lines of every document.

Dirt, Dollars, and Disputes: Tracing Early American Families Through Land, Tax, and Court Records

Before vital records and census schedules, there were land, tax, and court records. These records are essential for researching early American families. Using a detailed case study to identify a woman’s maiden name, this presentation shows how these sources work together when no direct evidence exists. You’ll leave with a hands-on methodology and case study examples for connecting with the founding generation through the records they left behind.

Trust, but Verify: Using DAR and SAR Resources in Your Genealogical Research

The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) maintain extensive genealogical resources for colonial-era research — searchable databases, application files, compiled lineages, and library collections — that are valuable to any researcher, whether or not lineage society membership is on your radar. This presentation introduces the types of records these organizations hold, how to access them, and how to use them effectively to document colonial ancestors. You’ll also learn why a trust-but-verify approach is essential: many early applications were based on limited evidence and contained errors, and those errors have been compounding ever since. You’ll learn how to get the most from these resources without inheriting the mistakes.

Currently offered genealogy presentations:

Genealogy 101: Establish Deep Roots on Your Family Tree

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. Handout

Genealogy 201: Using Catalogs to Escape the Rabbint Hole and Find the Relevant Records

Take your genealogy research to the next level by identifying what records will most efficiently help you answer your research question, and how to locate those records. We will also discuss the “best” genealogy websites.

Using Unindexed Records and the Full-Text Search at FamilySearch

In addition to family tree software, FamilySearch is a digital repository for billions of records. Billions with a B! Many of these records, however, are not indexed or searchable by name. Participants will learn how to find and use these unindexed records and learn best practices for using the full-text search to access a broader range of historical documents. This method can help genealogists discover valuable information about ancestors that might otherwise be overlooked.

Pennsylvana-focused Presentations

Finding Your Revolutionary War Relatives in Pennsylvania

In celebration of America 250, “Finding Your Revolutionary War Relatives” provides an overview of the types of records useful for genealogical research in Pennsylvania during the Revolutionary War-era, and where to find those records today. Megan will discuss the difference between service in a local militia and the Continental Line, and the types of records each generated. She’ll also examine pension application files and bounty land records, focusing especially on the donation and depreciation lands within the bounds of western Pennsylvania.

From Ulster to the Alleghenies: The Scots-Irish in Pennsylvania

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. Handout

The Presbyterian Valley: How the Scots-Irish Populated Pennsylvania and Ohio

Learn how the settlement of the Scots-Irish in western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio established the largest geographic concentration of Presbyterianism, earning the area the nickname, “The Presbyterian Valley.” We will discuss the impact of this settlement and how to find and use Presbyterian records in your genealogy research.

Squatters on George Washington’s Land—Pennsylvania and Virginia’s Overlapping Colonial Land Disputes

Learn the history of the colonial land dispute between Pennsylvania and Virginia, including an ejectment suit in Washington Co., PA, by the most famous man in America. Handout

Methodology-focused Presentations

Using Land Records to Solve Tough Cases

Land records often provide the names, dates, and locations necessary to answer tough genealogical questions. But finding the records isn’t always a simple task. Learn what types of land records were created in a particular place and time, and where to find them today. Also, learn strategies to use these records to solve tough cases. Handout

Cluster Research: Identify the FAN Club

Expanding your research beyond your ancestors and collateral relatives to include Friends, Associates, and Neighbors can provide valuable information. Learn how to identify this network and how researching the FAN Club can lead to breakthroughs in your genealogy research.

He Wasn’t A Captain! Correcting Myths and Mistakes Using Modern Methods.

Avoid the pitfalls of accepting incorrect information as fact. Learn how to identify myths and mistakes, and how to correct them and share the information with others using a variety of modern methods. Handout

Joining a Lineage Society: How to Trace Your Roots and Preserve Your Family Legacy

Learn what information constitutes genealogical “proof” and how to submit a successful lineage society application.

Documenting Your Sources: The Key to Credible Genealogy

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.

So You Took a DNA Test . . . Now What?

Millions of people across the world have taken a commercial DNA test. Many, overwhelmed with their thousands and thousands of matches, don’t know what to do after they get their results. Learn best practices to get the most out of your DNA results and match list. Handout

Making Sense of Your DNA Matches

Move past the overwhelm of your match list, and learn how to view your matches in terms of a research question. Sort and identify the matches that will help you systematically identify a genetic ancestor.