Event to offer insight on unlocking family lineage

A day-long event is heading to Pahrump where area residents can explore their family’s past generations, unlocking the pieces of the past, as well as enjoy food and expert speakers on various topics.

More than 200 people are expected at the Second Annual Roots, Boots &Barbecue Family History Seminar at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 5461 Manse Road in Pahrump. The event, presented by the Las Vegas Nevada Blue Diamond Stake, runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday with registration beginning at 8 a.m.

Caroll Zerkle, volunteer family history consultant, said this is the second annual event, but this is the inaugural event for Pahrump. Zerkle volunteers at the family history center at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 921 W. Wilson Road, where she helps area residents research their lineage.

The annual event has no fee to attend and will include adult classes and children’s activities. Lunch will be provided and all are welcome to attend the day-long venue where they can learn about connecting with their family history from experts.

“This is just to introduce people who don’t know how to start their family histories, or don’t know how to research their family histories, or would just like to learn about their family histories,” Zerkle said.

The keynote speaker, Lee Nishimoto, director of the Las Vegas FamilySearch Genealogy Library, is set to take the stage at 9 a.m., according to Zerkle.

For those who can’t attend the event or are interested in learning more about their family history, contact Zerkle at 702-245-1630 or head to the family history center at 921 W. Wilson Road from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Zerkle, who has been researching and helping others research their own family trees for the past several decades, said volunteers are there to help community members find out about their family history. The center has computers for use and volunteers to help with how to research.

“You can go back a good four generations or even 34 generations,” Zerkle said. “It depends on what records you can get into. We teach them about what to look for and how to connect their families.”

Zerkle said that once you get “back three or four generations, you don’t really know those folks.”

Several record types are used to find out information an individual’s lineage: Census records, birth certificates, death certificates and newspaper articles and other resources, she added.

“There’s no service charges here at all,” she said. “We’re all free volunteers. We all just help each other and help the community.”

More information on the upcoming event can be found on Facebook by searching Roots Boots &Barbecue in the social media platform.

Contact reporter Jeffrey Meehan at jmeehan@pvtimes.com