Wednesday, June 9, 2010

SDGS Meeting on Saturday, 12 June

...
The next San Diego Genealogical Society (SDGS) meeting is Saturday, 12 June at 12 noon at St. Andrews Lutheran Church (8375 Lake Murray Blvd, near Jackson Drive).

The featured speaker for the two sessions is Robert Brenner, who will present “Sailing to America” and “Castle Garden (1855-1890)”

In his presentation “Sailing to America,” Professor Brenner will describe what caused families to leave their homeland to seek a new life in America. Learn how immigrants sailed across the Atlantic under wind and steam power, how they determined location, direction, speed, and the typical number of passengers and crew on board. In his presentation, Brenner will identify primary departure/arrival ports and explain how emigrants traveled from inland villages and farms to the sea ports. Brenner will discuss voyage costs, what they brought with them, how they endured shipboard life, what they ate, where they slept, how long a voyage took, and what happened to them once entering the new land. Photos and drawings will show shipboard life.


In the “Castle Garden 1855-1890” presentation, Professor Brenner will explain the immigration process at Castle Garden, New York and follow new arrivals as they disembarked, registered and were accepted as Americans. See the new world as they saw it in 1855 through 1890. Learn how new arrivals entered and moved through the different stations at Castle Garden and went on to their new homes in America. Numerous photos and drawings show the Castle Garden Immigration Center through the eyes of the emigrants. Experience through sight and sound the greatest trans-Atlantic emigration movement in history.

Robert Brenner is an engineer, consultant, college professor, historical genealogist, and professional speaker with experience in research and information publishing. As a genealogical
researcher, he located and visited the Brenner home in Trochtelfingen, Bavaria. He has been a guest speaker at national conferences and symposiums and is a consultant on pricing and desktop service.

He is the author of 51 books and written over 275 articles on business and computer applications/technical manuals, user manuals, and product line literature. He has taught at the high school, community college, university, and graduate school levels. A futurist, he enjoys the challenge of research and is currently sharing his work on German and Irish immigration to America in the mid 1800s. Professor Brenner can be reached at brenner@brennerbooks.com.

This sounds like a really interesting program. I look forward to hearing from colleagues about it (since I will be at the SCGS Jamboree this weekend).

No comments: