Marie Varrelman Melchiori, CG, CGL

Using Records in the National Archives: A Researcher’s View	How and why records are arranged at the Archives, including an explanation of terms and how to use guide books, Preliminary Inventories and Descriptive Pamphlets.
Artifacts Not Ancestors: Documenting the Owners of Historical Items	Research of identified items, e.g. guns, swords, knives, letters, photographs, statues, using genealogical techniques.
If Grandpa Wore Blue; Union Records at the National Archives	A look at common and uncommon compiled military service and pension records available for Union soldiers. Both Regular Army & Volunteers covered.
If Grandpa Wore Grey; Confederate Records at the National Archives	A look at the War Department Collection of Confederate Records. Union records sometimes used for Confederate research also included.
But Grandma Never Carried a Gun; Locating Women Using Records Created by the Military	This overview of records created by the military will help the researcher locate information on the women who were the mothers, wives and sisters of soldiers.
Records of the United States and Mexican Claims Commission at the National Archives	These are property claims not land claims, and cover a time frame from 1839 to 1942.
Old War and War of 1812 Records at the National Archives	A look at the more commonly used compiled military service and pension records, as well as the unindexed bounty land, prisoner of war and miscellaneous files.
Military Records at the National Archives; an Overview	This overview covers all wars from the Revolutionary War to the Spanish American War. A look at the general types of records created by the military to help locate information on a soldier.
Letters, Journals & Order Books in the National Archives; What Surprises They Hold	Log books and military order books may hold the key to finding your ancestor at the Archives. Civilians as well as soldiers wrote to the U.S. government for many reasons.
Medical Records in the National Archives for Soldiers and Civilians	Was your ancestor a medical doctor? Medical Records in the National Archives may include births, deaths, and marriages that took place on a regular Army post. Women serving as matrons and laundresses were Army employees.
Revolutionary War Records at the National Archives	A look at the more commonly used service and pension records, and the lesser used special manuscript collection and the Papers of the Continental Congress.
Overlooked Revolutionary War Records at the National Archives	Record Group 93, the War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records, contains more than just the Compiled Military Service Records for Revolutionary War service. Additional information might also be found in Treasury Records, Records of the Supreme Court, and the Adjutant General’s Office. These overlooked records may help you locate information on a soldier.
Investigative Records of the Department of Justice, 1909-1922	These records are an example of similar records in different Record Groups. Because of the variety of subjects investigated, these files include aliens as well as citizens.
Underused & Little Known Military Records at the National Archives	Records at the National Archives that will help locate additional information on a military ancestor after the basics have been covered.
Can You Put a Head on My Grandma?	Photographically speaking, is enhanced and altered the same thing? A look at the ethics of computer altered documents and photographs, with warnings on some of the possible affects of such alterations.
Family History for the Non-Genealogist	What you can do to preserve your family history. A lighthearted look at the do's and don'ts of document collection for the non-genealogist.

Speaking Highlights

National Institute on Genealogical Research (1987-)
National Archives (1997- )
Beginning Irish Research in U.S. Sources (2000)
If Grandpa Wore Blue: Union Records at the National Archives (1998, 1999, 2000)
If Grandpa Wore Grey: Confederate Records at the National Archives (1998, 1999, 2000)
Union and Confederate Records at the National Archives (1997)
National Genealogical Society conferences (1988-)
Federation of Genealogical Societies conferences (1988-)
Samford University's Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research
on military records for Level VI (1991, 1997, 2000)
Conference on Women and the Civil War (1997- )
2-hour Workshop:
Using Medical Records at the National Archives to Research Women in the Civil War (2000)
Panel Workshop:
Looking for Tiny Davis: Researching Women of the Civil War (1999)
But Grandma Didn't Carry a Gun: Researching Women at the National Archives (1997)
Society for Military History (1999)
Locating Women Using Confederate Correspondence Records
Third Irish Genealogical Congress, Maynooth, Ireland (1997)

Memberships

Association of Professional Genealogists
Member since 1983
Executive Vice President (1990-93)
Trustee for Region 3 (1994-99)
Board for Certification of Genealogists
Associate
Genealogical Speakers Guild
Charter Member
Vice President (1995-97)
National Genealogical Society
Co-Director, NGS Research Trip to Dublin (1999, 2000)

Affiliations

National Institute on Genealogical Research
Assistant Director (1987-)
National Archives’ Civil War Conservation Pilot Project
Senior Volunteer Staff Aide
Special Military Indexing Projects
National Archives Volunteer
Malcolm H. Stern NARA Gift Fund
Chair, Filming Advisory Committee
Conference on Women and the Civil War
Advisory Board Member
Irish Genealogical Congress (1997, 2001)
Co-North American Representative

The Bottom Line

Graphics by Jelane

CG and CGL are servicemarks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG),
used under license after periodic evaluations by the Board.
BCG grants certification to qualified applicants in six categories.
A CG is a Certified Genealogist; a CGL is a Certified Genealogical Lecturer.