Michelle Spencer - We Are Cousins Virtual Genealogy Conference

Professional genealogist Michelle Spencer will be a speaker for the 8th We Are Cousins Virtual Genealogy Conference this September 17-19, 2025. In this post you can read more about her and what she will be presenting.

About Michelle Spencer

Michelle L. Spencer, owner of RomaMaryGrace, specializes in family business research, material culture, pandemics, and historic preservation. Michelle has more than thirty years of speaking, research, and writing experience. She loves traveling, researching, and collecting old things. Website: RomaMaryGrace.com. YouTube: @romamarygrace1909.

Scheduled Presentation for 8th WACCON

Title: Build a Better Family Tree with Brick & Mortar Research

Summary: Have you researched a family business or your ancestor’s occupation? Examining the "professional" life is an overlooked but promising avenue for research. This lecture covers resources you may be familiar with but from a different perspective, as well as introducing some new ones to add to your genealogical toolbox.

Title: Don’t Forget to Misspell! Getting the Most from Online Newspaper Research

Summary: Do you feel like you are missing something from online newspapers? Some databases focus almost exclusively on birth, marriage, and deaths, leaving out many events that shaped our ancestors' lives. This session provides tips for researching the lives of our elusive kin in the digital world.

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: A Genealogist's Guide to Sanborn Maps (Presented at the 7th WAC Conference)

Summary: Sanborn maps not only help you locate your family — their greatest utility lies in decoding your ancestors lives. This session will help you to get the most out of these unique maps that cover over 12,000 towns and cities across the U.S. from the 1880s to the 1950s. Watch Presentation