Mark your calendar for Oct. 19-21. During those days, the Gregath Publishing Company will offer its annual Genealogy in the Woods Retreat at the Sky Ranch located east of Miami, Okla.

The retreat allows attendees to learn about new techniques, as well as meet other researchers in an informal, unique setting. As usual, the company has organized a retreat in which veteran researcher from throughout the Four-State Area will give helpful presentations.

Although the official check-in registration does not occur until Friday afternoon, Scrapbooking classes will be offered at now extra charge during that day. Those sessions will be led by Shirley Ratliff and Luretta Williams. Their family history projects include techniques such as stamping and the recycling of old cards, wallpaper and envelopes.

Sherrell Buchanan will give a program about recent DNA research and how those techniques can be helpful in family history research. Carrie Cook will discuss the use of the Microsoft PowerPoint program. Her second session is about the use of eBay to find resources. Steve King will give a talk about American migration patterns, and he will also show a video about the Steamboat Arabia, which capsized in 1856 during its trip up the Missouri River to provide supplies to the pioneers. The steamboat museum in Kansas City has thousands of items that were salvaged from the ship.

Sharolyn and Patrick McCoy will talk about layered history, a historical approach that they used during their research of the Pea Ridge community between 1850 and the War Between the States. Randy Scott will give a program on the genealogical proof standard, and his wife, Karen, will give a program about the use of vital records. They will also join together for a presentation about analysis of documents. Computer guru Debbie Sumner will talk about techniques for organizing your computer files and protecting your computer from spyware and viruses.

The registration fee includes the programs, meals and lodging. For more information call (800) 955-5232, visit www.gregathcompany.com, or contact Gregath Publishing Company, P.O. Box 505, Wyandotte, Okla. 74370.

Click here for Gregath Retreat Information

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New publication

James Reed has just completed "McDonald County History, Vol. III."

His book includes newspaper entries from the year 1885. The items were gleaned from the "Pineville News," which was published by his great-grandfather, Clairborne Duval. Entries are organized by community, the largest of which are Pineville, Rocky Comfort, Southwest City and Indian Springs. His book also includes entries about smaller communities such as Bethpage, Buffalo, Caverna, Elk Horn, Elk Mills, Powell, Twin Springs and Saratoga.

Among the highlights of 1885 were a murder, the murder trial, a lynching of two men, and attempts by the country to get a railroad. The book is rich with family history data that can easily be searched by use of the index.

For more information contact Reed at P.O. Box 33, Powell, Mo. 65730, call (419) 435-2241 or email Clairbornecastle@hotmail.com.

Click here for Gregath information on all of James Reed's books.

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