Lecture Hall - Become a Handwriting Expert in No Time - March 2026

March 5, 2026 7PM ET

Conquer the Cursive: Your Guide to Deciphering Ancestor's Handwriting

Are you stuck staring at a historic document, unable to read the vital clue hidden in its challenging script? You're not alone! Untangling the handwriting of generations past is one of the biggest hurdles in genealogy research. Every family historian is guaranteed to encounter documents with quirky lettering, faded ink, and confusing old styles.

It's time to stop guessing and start reading!

In this Session You'll Learn:

• Essential Tips & Tricks for instantly improving your ability to read difficult old handwriting.
• Breakdown of Handwriting Styles across key historical periods, so you can date and place documents just by the script.
• What to Expect: Key terminology and common words found in specific types of records (like wills, census, and deeds), giving you a head start on transcription.

About the instructor:

Colleen Aaronson-Stutz is a professional genealogist with a degree in Family History Research and an Accreditation® in Midwest Research through ICAPGen. She has been researching genealogy for over 25 years. She has taught genealogy seminars, worked as a professional researcher, and taught family history classes at BYU-I. Currently Colleen is a Family History Coach, working alongside clients to find genealogy answers together. She has solved many adoption cases and loves helping clients break down brick walls. Learn more at colleenstutz.com. Colleen has 6 children, 2 dogs, and lives in Utah with her husband.