Ted Gostin
Professional Genealogist
Welcome to the home page of Ted Gostin! I am a professional genealogist with
40
years experience. Regardless of whether you are a beginner or an experienced
genealogist, I may be able to help you reach your research goals. I am available
for research on families from all geographic regions, but my specialties include Jewish
genealogy, Central and Eastern European research, and Southern California resources.
I am also the the owner of Generations Press, and the heir search firm Gostin
Research Associates. I am a longtime member of the Association of Professional
Genealogists. This site provides some details about my
services, as well as some examples of the types of records I work with and can obtain for
clients. It also contains links to other parts of my business, including my publishing
company, Generations Press.
View a "Who Do You Think You Are"
segment featuring Ted Gostin.
Have you ever wanted to trace your Jewish roots, but weren't sure where to
start? It is possible! As a professional Jewish genealogist, I can help you:
- Document your family's arrival and early years in the U.S.
- Learn where your family came from in the "Old Country"
- Trace your family back through foreign records
Check out my Jewish Genealogy page for more information about how a
professional genealogist can help you trace your family history.
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Since I live in Southern California, I naturally specialize in
genealogical research in this region. I can help clients research their family
histories in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura Counties.
Check out this section for more information on what to expect from genealogical research
here in Southern California. |
My publishing company, Generations Press, publishes books on
Jewish genealogy, Southern California resources, and immigration research. We also
sell new and used books from other publishers in the same subject areas.
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Click here for information on current research rates, minimum charges,
reimbursable expenses, billing procedures, etc. |
2020 Speaking Engagements
Ted Gostin lectures frequently throughout Southern
California. His lecture schedule is listed below. Information on
his lectures and lecture topics can also be found on the website of the
Genealogical Speakers Guild.
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Wednesday, January 29, 2020, 6:30 p.m., Los Angeles Public Library -
Sherman Oaks Branch. "Tracing Your Roots at the Los Angeles
Public Library."
This lecture reviews the various genealogical databases available to
LAPL card holders through the library’s website, as well as the
additional resources available at the Central Library in downtown Los
Angeles. Some of these databases can be used from any computer with an
internet connection; others have to accessed on a library computer at
any branch of the library; and still others can only be accessed from
the Central Library’s computers. In addition to the online resources
(which include Ancestry.com, HeritageQuest.com, FindMyPast.com, American
Ancestors, JewishData.com, AccessNewspaperArchives.com, and others), the
wealth of genealogical books, journals, newsletters, microfilm and
microfiche at the Central Library make LAPL one of the largest
genealogical libraries in California.
Los Angeles Public Library - Sherman Oaks Branch, 14245 Moorpark Street,
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423. Free Admission.
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Saturday,
February 15, 2020, 10:30 a.m., Santa Barbara County Genealogical
Society, "What To Do When There Are No Vital Records."
This lecture reviews the available sources where one might find a
record of births, marriages and deaths when public vital records are not
available. Sources reviewed include early published newspapers; probate
and divorce records; church & synagogue records; cemetery records; local
city and county histories and personal memoirs; census records; and
voter registration records. Many examples focus on California as a case
study, since the public recording of vital records did not begin right
away when California became a state in 1850. First Presbyterian
Church, 21 East Constance Ave., Santa Barbara, CA 93105. Free
Admission.
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Tuesday, March
17, 2020, 7:00 p.m., Los Angeles Westside Genealogical Society,
"Effective Online Search Strategies - Tips & Tricks."
While all genealogists use online databases these days, poor searching
techniques result in many researchers missing things that are actually
available in these databases. This lecture focuses on improving search
techniques, such as using wildcards, phonetic matching options,
searching selected fields only, etc. Many examples from Ancestry.com and
FamilySearch.org are used, with scattered examples from other databases,
as well. Los Angeles FamilySearch Library, 1631 East Temple Way,
Los Angeles, California 90024. Free Admission.
Cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions.
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Saturday,
May 16, 2020, 1:00 p.m., Ventura County
Genealogical Society. "Effective Online Search Strategies -
Tips & Tricks."
While all genealogists use online databases these days, poor searching
techniques result in many researchers missing things that are actually
available in these databases. This lecture focuses on improving search
techniques, such as using wildcards, phonetic matching options,
searching selected fields only, etc. Many examples from Ancestry.com and
FamilySearch.org are used, with scattered examples from other databases,
as well. Camarillo Public Library Community Room, 4101 E. Las
Posas Rd., Camarillo, CA. Free Admission.
Cancelled due to coronovirus restrictions.
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Saturday,
June 20, 2020, 10:00 a.m., South Orange County
California Genealogical Society. "Using Maps and Gazetteers for Genealogy."
All genealogists want to see where their families came from on maps, but
often look in the wrong places or on the wrong type of maps. This
lecture discusses three ways of finding your ancestral homes: 1)
locating the place in gazetteers or similar sources; 2) finding it on
maps of the appropriate scale using the gazetteer information; and 3)
searching for the town on maps of appropriate scale if it can’t be found
in gazetteers. Map scales and levels of detail are discussed, along with
historical border changes and the history of map-making itself. Sources
for useful maps and gazetteers are summarized. LDS Church, 27978
Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, CA. Free Admission.
Cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions.
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Saturday, October
17, 2020, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Fresno County Genealogical Society
Annual Seminar. Four lectures:
1) "Finding Vital Records Online - Beyond Ancestry and FamilySearch."
While many genealogists will stop their search for online vital records
after reviewing the commercial site Ancestry.com and the Mormons’ FamilySearch
website, there are a multitude of other places on the internet where one
might find birth, marriage and death information. This lecture reviews
and illustrates the breadth of other vital records sources available,
including other online genealogy sites; local, county, and state level
public agencies; and from public, university and college libraries, and
historical and genealogical societies.
2) "Finding Your Immigrant Ancestor Online." This lecture presents
an overview of American passenger arrival records. It outlines four
basic periods of arrival records: the Colonial/Early National Period,
1607 - 1819; the Customs Lists Period, 1820 to about 1891; the
Immigrations Lists Period, about 1891 - post WWII; and the Post WWII
period. The types of arrival records available from each period are
discussed, as well as available finding aids. A short bibliography is
provided of key works on passenger arrival records.
3) "Effective Database Searching." While all genealogists use
online databases these days, poor searching techniques result in many
researchers missing things that are actually available in these
databases. This lecture focuses on improving search techniques, such as
using wildcards, phonetic matching options, searching selected fields
only, etc. Many examples from Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org are
used, with scattered examples from other databases, as well.
4) "Breaking Down Brick Walls: Three Case Studies." All
genealogists eventually run up against a “brick wall” in their research;
that is, a research problem that they just can’t seem to solve. This
lecture reviews three cases studies where brick walls were successfully
overcome, and from those experiences draws out a series of research
strategies that might be applied to your own tough research problems.
The three case studies involved 1) trying to determine the parents of an
early, post-revolutionary American ancestor in New York State (Metcalf);
2) trying to determine Juaneño Indian ancestry (from Mission San Juan
Capistrano) in a California Latino family (Mireles); and 3) trying to
find any trace of a Polish-Jewish immigrant tailor in England in the
mid-1800s (Stargatt/Stargratt). The cases are both informative and
entertaining, with surprising results. Cancelled due
to coronavirus restrictions.
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Tuesday,
October 27, 2020, 10:00 a.m.,
North San Diego County Genealogical Society, "Finding Vital Records
Online - Beyond Ancestry and FamilySearch."
While
many genealogists will stop their search for online vital records after
reviewing the commercial site Ancestry.com and the Mormons’ FamilySearch
website, there are a multitude of other places on the internet where one
might find birth, marriage and death information. This lecture reviews
and illustrates the breadth of other vital records sources available,
including other online genealogy sites; local, county, and state level
public agencies; and from public, university and college libraries, and
historical and genealogical societies.
Carlsbad City Council Chambers, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive,
Carlsbad, CA
92008. Changed to webinar through "Go To Webinar."
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If you'd like to know more about my research services, please send me an
e-mail by clicking on the link above. Include a description of type of research
you're interested in, as much background about your family as possible, and the details of
research you've already done. I'll put together a research proposal letting you know
what my fees are and how I might be able to help. Please be sure to include your
full name (I don't generally respond to people who don't sign their correspondence) and
let me know where you are located. Because my work load may prevent me from getting
back to you immediately, please allow 1-2 weeks for a response to your inquiry.
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