Historical Genealogy

HISTORICAL GENEALOGY PRESENTATIONS

SCHEDULE

October 3, 2009 - SAILING TO AMERICA - German Research Association (San Diego, CA)

October 3, 2009 - CASTLE GARDEN IMMIGRATION CENTER - German Research Association (San Diego, CA)

October 22, 2009 - SAILING TO AMERICA - St. Clair Community Center (St. Clair, MI)

October 22, 2009 - CASTLE GARDEN IMMIGRATION CENTER - St. Clair Community Center (St. Clair, MI)

April 28, 2010 - SAILING TO AMERICA - St. Clair County Family History Group (Port Huron, MI)

April 28, 2010 - CASTLE GARDEN 1855-1890 - St. Clair County Family History Group (Port Huron, MI)

May 5, 2010 - SAILING TO AMERICA - Algonac-Clay Library (Algonac, MI)

June 12, 2010 - SAILING TO AMERICA - San Diego Genealogical Society (San Diego, CA)

June 12, 2010 - CASTLE GARDEN 1855-1890 - San Diego Genealogical Society (San Diego, CA)

July 17, 2010 - SAILING TO AMERICA - International House of Port Huron (Port Huron, MI)

July 17, 2010 - CASTLE GARDEN 1855-1890 - International House of Port Huron (Port Huron, MI)

October 12, 2010 - CASTLE GARDEN 1855-1890 - Algonac-Clay Library (Algonac, MI)

Here's How You Can Arrange a Presentation for Your Group
To arrange a Sailing to America or Castle Garden digital slide presentation for your own group, club or association, contact Robert Brenner, an experienced professional speaker and historical genealogist at the e-mail address shown below. (See bottom of page.)

A third presentation The Forces That Drove the Greatest Mass Migration in History is also available.

Each of the three presentations can be designed to cover a subject in 25 to 60 minutes including time for questions and answers. (Many groups opt to have Sailing to America and Castle Garden 1855-1890 presented back-to-back.)

HERE'S WHAT THESE PRESENTATIONS COVER Using slides, and photographs Professor Brenner discusses the political, economic, technological, social, and religious conditions that caused hundreds of thousands of Germans, Irish, and others to abandon their homelands in the Old World and seek better lives in the New World.

He also explains how technology directly influenced European lives in the 1800s. Learn about the affect of railroads, factories, mass production, the steam engine, and even asphalt roads on life in Europe. Learn how much it cost to travel to America in the mid 1800s, how much typical laborers earned, and how much they paid for rent. Learn what food costs in Europe and in America and how much land cost in the New World. Learn what innovations supported the rapid growth of American and European industries.

Hear how long travel took by sailing ship and by steam propulsion. And see how ships actually navigated from Europe and England to the east coast of North America. Learn the immigration process and follow ancestors from their homes and villages to the active seaports. Visually ride with them as they endured the difficult conditions and rough seas to finally arrive at their new homeland.

Then follow along as they disembarked in New York harbor and processed through Castle Garden Immigration Center, a facility organized and operated by prior immigrants for new arrivals in America. See how the process was able to actually get immigrants from first stepping ashore to legal acceptance as Americans and on their way to their final destination within a single day. See how they communicated with family in the Old World or there in America. Learn how they got from Castle Garden to towns and cities all across America. See how much it cost and how long it took to travel by coach, inland waterway, or train. Learn more about your own roots through an active and lively historical genealogy presentation by published author and national speaker Robert Brenner of Brenner Information Group.

TESTIMONIALS
"I really, really enjoyed the discussion. I found all of the details were really fascinating...since all of my relatives came from Germany ...and quite a few came through Castle Garden . It really meant a lot to hear about what their experiences were like. "
— Diane Walters, San Marcos, CA

"Thank you for presenting your 'Sailing to America' program at the St. Clair Museum. We received many compliments to pass along to you. The audience found the program interesting, informative, and inspiring. The Museum was proud to host your presentation."
— JoAn Kindsvater, St. Clair Historical Museum, St. Clair, MI

"... enjoyed your wonderful time line. It is nice to take a 'class' from an organized engineer. "
— Betty Baak, San Diego, CA

"Your presentation was very helpful to me to better understand the history and phases of the immigration process, and how my own ancestors came to the USA."
— Peter Pensel, San Diego, CA

"This past weekend my wife and I attended presentations on “Sailing to America” and “Castle Garden 1855-1890”. We went fully expecting to witness another bit of history in a vacuum. We could not have been more wrong.
    As we sat waiting for the presentation to start we were given a history timeline to familiarize ourselves with what was going on in the world for the 60 year period of 1830 to 1890. This summary consisted of 8 pages of single spaced type! We only got through about half the material before the presentation started. As Professor Brenner began, we expected it would take a couple of slides before he would get into the swing of things. We had never encountered any of his presentations until this occasion. He hit the ground running and the next thing we knew we were taking a 20 minute break an hour into the presentation. That break gave us just enough time to review the last half of the history timeline handout. The second half of the presentation moved by just as quickly as the first half. He kept us and the rest of the group totally engrossed the entire time.
    My wife and I love history; not the history from text books, but rather the cause and effect history you encounter through extensive research. Professor Brenner did the research and kept the entire audience captivated as he explained immigration to America during the 19th Century. He explained the “whys” and even the “hows” of coming to America. We spent time with those aboard ships crowded 5 deep to a rack in steerage, learned what food they ate, the costs they incurred and even the sailing tools and equipment used for the crossing. We spent time with the immigrants as they went through the process of becoming Americans and saw how they traveled from the port of arrival to destinations throughout America of the 1800’s.
    His wealth of knowledge, extensive research and ease of delivery made for a truly enjoyable experience, too soon ended. It was not history in a vacuum. You felt like you really understood why so many made that perilous journey knowing they would most likely never see their homes in the Old Country again. If you get a chance to catch one of his presentations, don’t hesitate."
— Harry and Janne Majewski, San Diego, CA

HISTORICAL GENEALOGY WRITING SUPPORT
Now you can get personal assistance in organizing your genealogical records into a living document that describes the historical events and technological breakthroughs that occurred during the lives of your ancestors. Make genealogy and history come to life. Let Brenner Information Group explain and describe the world as your ancestor(s) saw it.

The historical genealogy that Brenner will create is based on genealogical information that you provide. Essentially, he will write a document about your family and the times in which they lived. Besides the narrative, he'll provide photos of the times and places and integrate vintage photos that you may have into the document. If you need help with genealogical research, he has several professional genealogists available to locate information that is missing or needed. Then he will write a document/book for you following your family through time. He can have the book bound any way you wish using any material you desire, including leather, cloth, hard or soft cover.

Robert Brenner has been a historical genealogist for over 11 years. He's found his roots and actually visited the family homesteads on both his father's and his mother's side. He's walked on the same streets that his great grandfather used back in 1870. He stood on the original log cabin floor where his grandfather played as a child. He learned what his ancestors put up with and what conditions pushed them into leaving their siblings, parents, and grandparents to seek a new life in America. Brenner has followed their paths from a castle near Heidelberg, Germany and a family home in a Bavarian village near the Austrian Alps all the way to America and Canada. He's been there. He's done it. And he's confident that he can assist you with your own historical genealogy project. He can even add audio and video to your family's historical genealogy. Create a dynamic, living history that you and all of your family can enjoy and appreciate. NOW is the time to start creating your own family's genealogical history.

Robert Brenner, MSEE, MSSM
Brenner Information Group

Information Line: (858) 538-0093

E-mail: brenner @ brennerbooks . com