news release

Join internationally recognized writer and genealogist Lisa Alzo for the Indian River Genealogical Society, December public program and learn how cluster genealogy can move your ancestor research forward. The virtual program is free and open to the public with the link beginning at 11 AM on Tuesday, December 13.

“My work as a genealogist (and writer) goes beyond the usual collecting of names, dates, and places. Using oral and social history, I take great care to explore who the people were rather than just “names without faces.” I strive to give a voice to the silences of those who have gone before,” explains Alzo.

There are a handful of “cluster” immigrant communities throughout the United States that blossomed during the immigration influx of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Exploring “cluster genealogy”—the process of researching those relatives, friends, and neighbors who lived near an ancestor—can often break down brick walls in the search for individual family lines and help to place our ancestors’ lives in historical context. For those descendants who’ve moved away from such traditional immigrant enclaves, 21st-century technology can be used to rebuild “cluster communities” in the virtual world. This lecture will cover: How to identify chain migrations/cluster communities using key records; ways to share and collaborate with other researchers, and the benefits, pitfalls, and obstacles associate with a shift to “virtual” cluster communities; and how to use tools such as social networking sites, Wikis, etc. to build online genealogical communities. 

The IRGS monthly programs are held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month beginning at 11 AM. and are free and open to genealogists of all ages. The link for the December program may be found by visiting the IRGS website. Membership information, resources, volunteer opportunities and many areas of special interest may be found the IRGS website: