Spring Seminar
May 18, 2024
Kelvin L. Meyers

Our Speaker: A fifth generation Texan and professional forensic genealogist since 1996, Kelvin L. Meyers is a frequent speaker to genealogical societies and family associations throughout the United States. Kelvin is a well-known speaker on land and Texas research. Kelvin was the founding director of the Texas Institute of Genealogical Research (TIGR) sponsored by the Texas State Genealogical Society (TxSGS) and has continued to speak each year at the TxSGS annual conference.
After being employed for ten years in the Genealogy Department of the Dallas Public Library, Kelvin now has a solo practice as a forensic genealogist serving clients that include probate attorneys, trust department of banks, the U.S. Immigration Service and energy companies. He also specializes in southern brick-wall problems for clients. In 2016, Kelvin co-coordinated with J. Mark Lowe, “A Swing Through the South,” at SLIG (Salt Lake Institute of Genealogical Research) and will be coordinating in 2024 the Southern Course “The Trans-Mississippi South” at IGHR (Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research) sponsored by the Georgia Genealogical Society.
Kelvin has recently published Research in Texas for NGS (National Genealogical Society) Research in the States series. In November of 2023 the Texas State Genealogical Society made Kelvin a Fellow of the society.

Seminar Topics:

• With or Without Land: Using Land Records to Find Your Texas Ancestor – Because Texas was allowed to keep her public lands upon joining the United States, there are a myriad of ways our ancestors could acquire land.
• Why did Scarlett Make a Dress of her Mother’s Drapes? – “Nothing is certain but death and taxes.” However, death happens only once, but taxes must be paid every year. This makes tax records an important resource for genealogist. These records can sometimes provide information about birth, death, and marriage and can help separate two men of the same name. Tax records may even help you identify the owner of your enslaved ancestor.
• Probate More Than a Will – Understanding the law in regard to inheritance, especially of land, is an important tool for interpreting records, especially in intestate estates. Knowing the law at the time our ancestor lived is paramount in understanding relationships based on inheritance of land.
• Are the Records Really Lost? – When you find you are dealing with a record loss, no matter the cause, you must look at the remaining records with fresh eyes and new angles.