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Traffic report for Nov. 2

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Comeback fit for a king

<p>If you&#8217;ve ever wondered whether DNA testing could help you in your genealogy pursuits, here&#8217;s a handy way to find out.</p><p>On Nov. 14 the Northeast Pennsylvania Genealogical Society will offer a two-hour question-and-answer round table for anyone who&#8217;d like to learn more about the subject. It will be held 1-3 p.m. at the society&#8217;s research library, in the caretaker building at the Hanover Green Cemetery, Main Road, Hanover Township.</p><p>The free session will follow a 12:45 p.m. regular meeting at which the society will elect officers for 2016.</p><p>Basically, DNA testing &#8211; which involves saliva &#8211; can help determine probability of blood relationship of two people. Even one&#8217;s relationship to a deceased person can be learned if a known blood relative of that deceased person is available for testing.</p><p>DNA testing can also indicate ancestral origins and give insight into ethnic migrations and breeding.</p><p>In addition, the society has been conducting regular workshops to show people how to buy and use the kits, which may be purchased from a testing company. The next sessions are scheduled for Nov. 4 and Dec. 2, both at 6 p.m. The Nov. 14 round table session should provide a good overview of the subject. Some DNA testing kits will be available for purchase.</p><p>If you&#8217;re driving north on the Sans Souci Parkway, turn left at the Hanover Area school complex to reach Main Road. If you&#8217;re driving south, turn right at that point.</p><p>Speaking of DNA testing, the October/November issue of &#8220;Family Tree Magazine&#8221; offers a fascinating introduction to the use of DNA in genealogy. Also, the magazine publishes a free e-book on genealogy and DNA. Find out about it at www.familytreemagazne.com.</p><p>The Genealogical Society&#8217;s annual holiday open house will be held 1-4 p.m. on Dec. 12 at the research library. It&#8217;s meant for those who want to get started in genealogy as well as those looking for help with research problems. The open house is also a good way to see the large collection of useful genealogical materials the society has.</p><p>Holiday Rituals: Many people recall with nostalgia the once-popular local Thanksgiving custom of building the big dinner around attending a high school football game. Actually that tradition began early on in the 20th century and lasted into the 1970s.</p><p>If you want to research the custom to learn more about your comparatively recent ancestors, or simply for your own nostalgia purposes, there are plenty of materials to look at.</p><p>Local libraries often have good collections of the local high school yearbooks, with posed and action photos of teams, bands and cheerleaders. Wilkes-Barre Record Almanacs (at the Luzerne County Historical Society and the Osterhout Free Library) contain football records and scores. And of course the two libraries just mentioned have microfilms of local newspapers going back many years. The Osterhout also has scrapbooks of local football history.</p><p>News Notes: Once again this holiday season the Luzerne County Historical Society will offer guided visits into our community&#8217;s past. The Swetland Home candle light Christmas tours on Dec. 3-6 and the Denison House afternoons of colonial hospitality on Dec. 5-6 are always a treat. For details, go to www.luzernehistory.org. Notices will also appear in &#8220;The Guide,&#8221; included with your Times Leader on Fridays.</p><p>Here&#8217;s a huge bargain for anyone researching Irish ancestors or Irish immigration to America. Go to www.irishlivesremembered.com and subscribe &#8211; completely free &#8211; to &#8220;Irish Lives Remembered,&#8221; a monthly online magazine of Irish genealogy, tailored to the needs of American researchers.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Tom Mooney Out on a Limb </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_TOM_MOONEY1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Tom Mooney Out on a Limb </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Tom Mooney</p><p>Out on a Limb</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Tom Mooney is a Times Leader genealogy columnist. Reach him at tmooney2@ptd.net.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Out on a limb: Northeast Pennsylvania Genealogical Society to host round table on ancestry research through DNA