Jean Wilcox Hibben

Dr. Jean Wilcox Hibben will be a speaker for the 8th We Are Cousins Virtual Genealogy Conference this coming September 17-19, 2025. In this post you can read more about her and her presentation.

About Jean Wilcox Hibben

Retired SoCal college professor (MA – Speech, PhD – Folklore), national speaker/author, with 45+ years of experience, Jean researched for 2 genealogy TV programs. Currently, she is 1st VP and webmaster for Corona Genealogical Society; consultant for Corona, California FamilySearch Center; and writer for Jefferson County NY Genealogical Society’s INFORMER.

Scheduled Presentation for 8th WAC Conference

Title: City Directories: More than Address Books

Summary: While many are familiar with researching ancestors via City Directories, the wealth within their pages can shed light on many additional bits of information about lives, occupations, memberships, final resting places, and much more. Learn about hidden treasures in these books and ways of searching and browsing their (electronic) pages!

Past and Archived Presentations

NOTE: The following presentations can only be viewed for 60 days after each conference if you purchase the Gold Pass. Or all year if you purchase the Platinum Pass.

Title: Farming in the States: Migrant Workers Kept America from Starving (Presented at the 7th WAC Conference)

Summary: Societies exist because people need to eat. At different times throughout history, agricultural communities suffered, which, in turn, negatively affected the nation and its citizens. Migrant workers, specifically, the Tejano laborers, kept North America eating. Farming means historical records, and they are the lifeblood to the genealogist. Watch Presentation

Title: Researching as We Age: Ways to Reboot the Brain (Presented at the 6th WAC Conference)

Summary: Our brains usually are not as efficient as we age: stamina to research long hours is nonexistent. Eyesight gets poor. Memory fades. Cognition is weak. But don’t quit researching! There are ways to continue, albeit a bit slower; learn how here. Watch Presentation

Title: Cross-Referencing Letters & Postcards with Documents & Photos (Presented at the 5th WAC Conference)

Summary: Many family historians, especially those considered “the person in the family to get it all,” find that family correspondence can be used to fill in the gaps in documents, photos, and other resources. How these are cross-referenced, including citing the ephemera, with other evidence is our target. Watch Presentation

Title: Seeing through Both Sides of the Eye: Critical Thinking about What is being Viewed (Presented at the 3rd WAC Conference)

Summary: When we typically examine evidence, we rely on what we physically see; but what are we really viewing? The need for critical evaluation and application involve the “other side” of the eye: the brain, and our objective thinking about, and perception of, what we see. Watch Presentation

Title: Applying the Principle of 3 to Genealogy Research (Presented at the 2nd WAC Conference)

Summary: Things seem to happen in groups of 3. Whether the 3 brothers are in a fairy tale or a family story, we like that number. Similarly, when 2 pieces of evidence are contradictory, a third piece may help break the tie. Good research requires more than one item of documentation. Watch Presentation