Jamboree 2015 - Meet the Speaker: John P. Schmal

John Schmal is an historian, genealogist and lecturer. He has published several books on Mexican history and culture, including Mexican-American Genealogical Research: Following the Paper Trail to Mexico.  Mr. Schmal specializes in researching families in the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Zacatecas, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, and Guanajuato. In addition, he has studied and written numerous short stories on the indigenous peoples of several Mexican states, which can be viewed at the following links: www.houstonculture.org/mexico/states.html and www.somosprimos.com/schmal.htm.

John has B.A. degrees in History (Loyola-Marymount University) and Geography (St. Cloud State University) and is a board member of the Society of Hispanic Historical Ancestral Research (SHHAR). Mr. Schmal also conducts research on German-American families and gives lectures on German history and its influence on emigration to America.

SA013 Saturday June 6, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Indigenous Peoples of Western and Northern Mexico
The presentation will focus on the indigenous peoples of Western and Northern Mexico, which is the ancestral home of many Angelinos and Californians. The presentation will discuss many of the tribal groups living in these areas of Mexico, both in the past and in the present day. Maps will be included in the presentation to show the areas that were inhabited by these groups, some of which are culturally extinct.

SU012 Sunday June 7, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Finding Your Roots in Mexico
The first half of the presentation discusses general Mexican research and is directed towards the newcomers and middle-range researchers. The second half of the presentation will discuss the tremendous amount of resources available online and through FamilySearch.org.