GenealogyKC: A Chat With Ashley & Lauri Jean

Hittin' the Bricks welcomes Lauri Jean Swett and Ashley Arnett to discuss the upcoming Genealogy KC conference on August 23, 2025.

Listen in as Lauri Jean and Ashley share topics and more about this free hybrid event. 

Registration: genealogykc.org 

Lauri Jean Swett
Genealogy by Lauri Jean

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials.

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.

Transcript

Introduction to Genealogy KC Conference

John Brandt 0:00

Ladies and gentlemen from the depths of flyover country in the heartland of America, the Kansas City, on the other side of the mighty Moe, welcome to Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen, the do-it-yourself genealogy podcast, with your questions and her answers. I am John, your humble hubby host, and today we'll be chatting Lauri

John Brandt 0:02

country in the heartland of America, the Kansas City, on the other side of the mighty Moe, welcome to Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen, the do-it-yourself genealogy podcast, with your questions and her answers. I am John, your humble hubby host, and today we'll be chatting Lauri Jean and Ashley Arnett about the upcoming Genealogy KC conference here in Kansas City. There's a lot to cover, so let's start hitting the bricks.

Kathleen Brandt 0:28

Hey baby, he's so silly. Don't laugh, ashley, don't encourage it.

John Brandt 0:32

So what are we doing today, Kathleen?

Kathleen Brandt 0:35

So, John, you've heard me talk quite a bit. Laurie Jean and I have known each other since 2008. At that, she was the first person.

John Brandt 0:48

I met in the genealogy world, oh wow.

Kathleen Brandt 0:49

And then Ashley Arnett is part of the genealogy KC. I haven't met you, Ashley.

John Brandt 0:57

Ashley, I feel like I have less information on you, so we'll start with you. Ashley, can you tell us a little bit about who you are, what you're representing, why you're here and all that fun stuff?

Ashley Arnett 1:06

OK, well, I'm Ashley. I well, I always have to introduce my family. I have four little children and a wonderful husband, and we live in the Blue Springs area near Kansas City. And I was able I had the privilege of teaching at Genealogy KC last year with my mother. We did a keynote part together, and then this year my husband and I have the privilege to help be co-chairs of the conference. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints help. They host the conference and so I'm a member of that church. So sometimes it changes who is in charge, and I have the privilege of doing that this year.

Kathleen Brandt 1:42

And Ashley. How long has it actually been going on Genealogy KC?

Ashley Arnett 1:47

I believe it's been going. Laura can correct me if I'm wrong, but it's been going on since 2013,. I believe that sounds right. That was the first year it was held.

Kathleen Brandt 1:54

And then John. Then we also have Laurie Jean. So if we could talk about Laurie Jean a little bit before we get started.

Lauri Jean Swett 2:00

Thank you. Kathleen and I met in 2008, and I give her a lot of credit for the professional genealogist I am today. I'm a researcher, writer, presenter and volunteer, and also aiously given us some of her time in the past as a presenter, and I have been a part of it, both as a presenter and a past committee member.

Kathleen Brandt 2:36

So Lauri Jean mentioned that I had done part of the Genealogy KC and I was the keynote speaker for year two and three and presenting there in year one, I believe. So it was quite exciting to have them on the podcast because I know the value of this particular conference, because there's so many speakers, and I know that Lori Jean also worked at the Family History Centers. Can you tell us about that?

Ashley and Lori Jean's Backgrounds

Lauri Jean Swett 3:08

And I probably called it wrong, so just correct me. For those of us who have been around a long time, we still refer to them as Family History Centers. They are now called Family Search Centers and, yes, I volunteer. All these name changes. Don't change the name. I know we can't keep up, but yes, family search centers are typically located within or right next to our meeting houses. They have consultants there who volunteer to help those who come in with their genealogy questions and finding their ancestors. We have resources that are not available outside of a family search center. Additional records as well as free access to several of the subscription websites are available at family search centers, and I currently volunteer at the Platte City Family Search Center and it is open both on the morning and the evening on Wednesdays.

Kathleen Brandt 4:04

And are there several of those in Kansas City? I mean, I know I used to go to quite a few.

Lauri Jean Swett 4:08

Post-pandemic. They're slow to recover. But each Family History Family Search Center should have a Facebook page or a Family Search Wiki page that can tell you their hours and give you a number to contact if you have questions.

Kathleen Brandt 4:24

I want to make sure that people know that anybody can go. You do not have to be a Latter-day Saints, is that correct? That is correct.

Lauri Jean Swett 4:32

It is open to everybody and most of our visitors are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We welcome everyone.

John Brandt 4:42

You guys are saying Church of Jesus.

Lauri Jean Swett 4:43

Christ of Latter-day Saints.

John Brandt 4:45

Okay, where does Mormon come in? You see what I'm saying. Just yeah, is that Mormonism or?

Ashley Arnett 4:50

Everyone else calls it Mormonism.

John Brandt 4:52

Okay.

Ashley Arnett 4:53

It comes from the fact. So we study the Bible, but we have another book of scripture called the Book of Mormon, and so when that was brought about, everyone else started calling us Mormons, because that's what differentiated us in the Christian community. So they knew which. But we're called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Kathleen Brandt 5:10

Is Mormon out of favor? Like we shouldn't refer to it as Mormon.

Ashley Arnett 5:14

The church has encouraged us to call ourselves in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so nobody's going to get offended if you call us that way, but we prefer the name of the church. To get offended if you call us that way, but we prefer the name of the church. One of the big reasons is because when we are called Mormons, we remove the name of Jesus Christ from our church and that's who we focus on.

Kathleen Brandt 5:33

That's really good to know.

John Brandt 5:34

We've been talking about a conference. Let's get the details on the conference for everyone Go.

Ashley Arnett 5:39

Okay, so Genealogy KC this year is held on August 23rd. It is from 9 to 4.30. And it is has a little bit different of a layout this year. Before we had many, many classrooms filled with various teachers. This year our leaders wanted to streamline it a little bit and so we have kind of a combination of a main room conference, of just a single room, but every now and then we break out into some classes, but then we come back together.

Ashley Arnett 6:12

So it'll start the day with our keynote speaker, who's Benjamin Hoff, and he's a good friend of mine. He's really amazing and he will speak to us about the past within us and he's a music arranger and composer for lots of movies that everyone knows Wicked and Sonic the Hedgehog, like a bunch of awesome movies and he will be speaking about how the past carries through with us, even through music, through other means, and so that will be exciting. And then we will have some classes in the main room and then every hour or so, it'll switch to where you can pick a class and then we'll come back in the main room and then, every hour or so, it'll switch to where you can pick a class and then we'll come back to the main room all together. There'll be a lunch break and it's going to be great.

John Brandt 6:50

Where is this going to be held?

Kathleen Brandt 6:52

Actually I have that. It's at 6751 Northeast 70th Street and that's in Northland.

Lauri Jean Swett 6:59

It's right off 435 and Searcy Creek Parkway. The temple is hard to miss. It has the angel Moroni up on top and it's the meeting house right next to the temple where it has mostly been held.

Kathleen Brandt 7:13

I want to also mention some of the speakers beside the keynote speaker. Lori Jean is one of the speakers. And what will you be?

Lauri Jean Swett 7:19

speaking about. I am presenting a case study Did Zacharias become Charlie? So I'll be introducing Did Zacharias become Charlie? So I'll be introducing both Zacharias and Charlie, and then I'll be going through the process of creating a genealogy proof and then working through the documents that hopefully prove Zacharias changed his name to Charlie.

John Brandt 7:40

Oh well, we don't want to have any spoilers. Put your hand down. Kathleen, this is not a question for you. Put your hand down.

Kathleen Brandt 7:46

So, john, one of the things about what Laurie Jean's presentation sounds like. Tell me if I'm wrong, laurie Jean, it sounds like you're teaching methodology through a case study. Is that correct?

Lauri Jean Swett 7:57

Yes. When something is not proven by a set of documents that point specifically to a single answer, Zacharias disappears from the record. There isn't a specific record that says Zacharias aka Charlie.

Kathleen Brandt 8:14

This is a very important part of genealogy. Is our inferential proof, so that we can come to conclusions or we can give options?

Lauri Jean Swett 8:24

That is correct, and Kathleen is wonderful at breaking through the brick walls.

John Brandt 8:30

And that's why her podcast is named.

Lauri Jean Swett 8:31

Hitting the Bricks.

John Brandt 8:37

That's no spoiler in that.

Kathleen Brandt 8:39

I'm going to let Lori Jean talk about what the Heartland Group is. Lori Jean talk about what the Heartland Group is, because I notice a lot of the speakers are from our APG Society of Heartland.

Family Search Centers Explained

Lauri Jean Swett 8:50

Session five will be full of APG Heartland members. Heather Jenkins, who was on the podcast earlier, will be presenting on research road trips and what you need to do to prepare for them Research road trips and what you need to do to prepare for them. Kim Allberg will be talking about in plain sight finding facts in old family photos, and John Manning will be talking about one family's journey from Ireland to Nebraska and it's sad that they're all at the same time, but they are three excellent speakers.

Kathleen Brandt 9:24

How am I going to divide my time, Ashley? How am I going to do?

Ashley Arnett 9:27

this. Well, we're lucky because some of the presenters are agreeing to let us record some of them and to possibly have them on the website for limited time, so people can come in if there is one that they missed that they would like to see. It'll be up for a limited time for some of our classes.

Kathleen Brandt 9:45

And again, I'm excited to hear that Kim is also presenting. Kim was one of our librarians at the Midwest Genealogy Center before she retired. I'm happy to hear that she's going to be presenting also. She's a great presenter.

Lauri Jean Swett 10:01

As well as current staff at the Midwest Genealogy Center, will also be presenting.

Kathleen Brandt 10:07

Oh wow, who's?

Ashley Arnett 10:08

that we have probably four of them.

Lauri Jean Swett 10:12

I think this year Sherry Golden and Mary Dempsey are the two that I recognize right off the top of my head, and then we've got Sherry Volk.

Ashley Arnett 10:20

Yes, and then we've got Sherry Volk, yes, and John Mason, who's an archivist.

Kathleen Brandt 10:27

Wonderful. So this is really a lot of local speakers and I love that part also because it means we're giving them a different voice. It's not just for Missouri Kansas City area. I know I have friends who come down almost every year from Iowa and I love that. And what is the attendance supposed to look like, ashley?

Ashley Arnett 10:47

Right now we're about at 150 in person. And then for the main room, we are looking, we are doing a virtual streaming for the main room classes and we have about 50 people registered for the virtual attendance and it goes up every day. Every day we're having more and more registration and it goes up every day. Every day we're having more and more registration. So it's wonderful to see.

John Brandt 11:07

Ashley, you said that you did a presentation one year with your mother. What was? What was that on?

Genealogy KC Conference Details

Ashley Arnett 11:12

Yeah, so, um, last year. So I was part of the keynote speaker and then I taught three other classes during the conference with my mother. We did a presentation. The theme was roots and branches and we talked about how our ancestors influence who we are now and how that translates into our legacy. So connecting the roots and the branches together. And it was kind of cool doing that with my mom because you know we are different parts of that. So we got to talk about different traditions that your family has, how to involve not just your genealogy enthusiasts in your family but how to find things for everyone in your family to participate, because there's so many different things you can do. Whether people in your family like to cook, you know you can save recipes and put those on your family trees of what recipes your ancestors cooked or things that you like to cook and then pass that down for generations, and just things like that connecting the roots and the branches together.

Kathleen Brandt 12:12

So just the other day, speaking of food and genealogy, I put a post up on social media because there's a cookbook from 1916 sandwiches and one was a sardine sandwich. Well, I love sardines. It makes John just kind of wretch a little bit.

John Brandt 12:29

She and the dog love that. She and the dog shared a lovely lunch.

Kathleen Brandt 12:35

And I decided it needed to be. The 1916 recipe needed to be spruced up, so I made five changes to it. So instead of white bread, it was a croissant. You add arugula to it, you know, and tomatoes and onions. This is just smashed sardines. So it's really a fun thing and I put my picture up versus the original recipe that the poor guy put up there in 1916. But now, ashley, speaking of which? But we digress. So, Ashley, tell us a little bit more about registering.

Ashley Arnett 13:09

All right. Yeah, it's super simple. You just go to genealogykcorg and there's a tab on there that says Genealogy KC 2025. And you click on that and then you just scroll down a little bit and it says registration. It's called booking. You're going to book a spot, but you're just going to go on there and fill out your information, pick if you're going to attend in person or virtually, and then you just sign up, put your information in and then that's it, and then you'll just check in at the conference.

John Brandt 13:38

Oh, so you are able to attend virtually.

Ashley Arnett 13:42

You are just for the main room, the ones that we will have in the chapel, okay. So if you attend in person, you have the option to be able to attend those split-off classes. But if you decide to just attend virtually, then you will only be able to see those unless we are able to post some of those classes later.

Lauri Jean Swett 14:00

It's important to note that registration is free. The speakers are volunteering their time so that there is no fee to attend the conference, either virtually or in person.

John Brandt 14:13

Well, that's a huge note. Let's put that up front again, with a couple of big stars by it, because there is no registration fee, there is no cost to do this. So that's wonderful.

Ashley Arnett 14:24

Especially all these genealogists that are coming on a Saturday, taking their time and volunteering like that. We're very grateful for them.

Kathleen Brandt 14:31

However, John, my favorite topic, food. What about lunch? It's an all day I thought you were talking about now.

John Brandt 14:38

Well, I think we can discuss that after we finish the podcast.

Ashley Arnett 14:42

I mean, I mean, she's like I'm impatient, let's do it now.

John Brandt 14:45

Yeah, you know, that was really needs no encouragement, ashley, so please, sorry, I'm feeding off of it.

Kathleen Brandt 14:56

So tell me a little bit about how do people handle their lunches while attending the conference.

Ashley Arnett 15:03

Yeah, so last year we did have a lunch option where people could pay and have a lunch. Have it catered? This year we decided to not do that option, so there will be, but they're on the website. I have links to Google Maps of different locations of fast food sit-down restaurants that are really close by. There should be about an hour and 10 minutes for lunch, so it should be plenty of time. You're more than welcome to bring a lunch. We don't have a cooler space, so bring something that won't go bad. But we'll have tables set up in the main hall and we encourage everyone, if they want to go grab some food and come back and sit and network. Or if you want to door dash, we have the website on the schedule there next to the lunch. So if you would like to door dash something to the building, you're more than welcome to do that, okay.

John Brandt 15:49

Great solution. I forgot my other question. I think you were going to bring up quick trip jalapeno hot dogs or something, weren't you?

Kathleen Brandt 15:56

I think you were going to bring up like quick trip, jalapeno hot dogs or something, weren't you? That's my type of lunch actually. Ashley, you mentioned that you are a mother of four little ones. Is that what you are full time mothering? Because that sounds like a full time job.

Ashley Arnett 16:13

Yes, that is, that is my full time job. Sounds like a full-time job. Yes, that is my full-time job. I am a stay-at-home mom and I am not a professional genealogist, but I am an enthusiast and I do it on my own time. But, yes, my oldest is turning seven and my youngest is turning two, so we have a full household and it is a wild adventure. It is fun.

Kathleen Brandt 16:33

That sounds like fun.

Lauri Jean Swett 16:37

And then, lori Jean, tell us a little bit about your business. I specialize in Scandinavian and Midwestern research. I like to present to local societies, and you will typically find me, once a year, presenting to the Northland Genealogical Society, which has recently changed its name to the Greater Kansas City Genealogical Society.

John Brandt 16:58

Another name change.

Lauri Jean Swett 16:59

Another name change for us to put in our heads. The Johnson County Genealogical Society in Kansas, as well as Topeka, has a very active genealogical society and I participate off and on in one of their special interest groups.

Kathleen Brandt 17:15

Wonderful. So Lori Jean did a lot more when she was going through our program at A3 Genealogy as an intern into a professional researcher. She did a lot more than just Scandinavian. I wasn't about to let her get away with that, so she got a lot more experience.

Lauri Jean Swett 17:34

That's what I specialize, that's her specialty and that's where you will get.

John Brandt 17:39

You're very comfortable with the Scandinavian records. So, Laurie Jean, what was it that put you in, that sent you in that direction?

Speakers and Presentation Topics

Lauri Jean Swett 17:46

My mother was an extreme hobbyist in genealogy so she had me in a family search center coloring while she looked at Norwegian records and she'd let me as a little one, jump up and come push the copy button and then tell me about the person she had just found in the record she had just found them in. So she developed a love of genealogy in me. That's neat.

Kathleen Brandt 18:15

Yeah, and John. When I met Lori Jean in 2008, her mother was there with us, I think. Yes, she was or did I meet her later?

Lauri Jean Swett 18:21

Laurie Jean no the first time you met her was at the conference, because it yes, that was exciting, because it was here in Kansas City and she wasn't going to let me not go to it and she was going to stay with me.

John Brandt 18:38

So that's how that worked out, chaperoned at your conference.

Kathleen Brandt 18:49

And so now, Ashley, you mentioned that you're not a professional genealogist, meaning that you don't take clients, but it sounds like you've done quite a bit.

Ashley Arnett 18:52

Yeah, Kind of like Lori Jean, my mom, huge in genealogy.

Ashley Arnett 18:57

So she has been doing genealogy my whole life and I remember even for show and tell, one year when I was I think it was like in fifth grade she found that we were related to a king and he was like 26th great grandfather or something like that, and so she printed out for me my genealogy all the way back up to him and I brought that to school and I still have it in my keepsake box and I thought it was the coolest thing.

Ashley Arnett 19:18

And I was terrified to start because my mom had done so much on family search and you know, a family search is a, it's a shared tree, and so I didn't want to mess anything up. And but when I was around I think I was around 18 when I started 17, 18, when I got into it and I got the bug. It got me, and so I don't have all the time in the world to work on it right now, but I love it very much and I especially love preserving photos and videos and digitizing, doing that kind of stuff. That's something I do a lot of and I've done for family and friends, and so that's something I really enjoy.

John Brandt 20:00

Very important work too the digitizing, getting everything in there.

Kathleen Brandt 20:04

Sean, I don't want to leave out the co-chair. Your husband's name is what.

Ashley Arnett 20:10

My husband's name is, zach Arnett. He is working right now. He has a. He has a full-time job. He yes, he is helping me prepare the conference this year.

Kathleen Brandt 20:20

Are there any other questions you all have for us or you want to share with us?

John Brandt 20:24

Yeah, I want to make sure, if you have any social media or anything like that for any causes, anything that you're associated with, that you want to flog, then let's take some time to.

Lauri Jean Swett 20:34

Lori.

Kathleen Brandt 20:34

Jean did not share the company name.

Registration, Virtual Options, and Lunch

Lauri Jean Swett 20:35

I do research as Genealogy by Lori Jean. I have a blog on genbyljwordpresscom. It is mostly about my own ancestors, though, and we did not talk about networking and how important it is, as genealogists, to make those connections. Yes, and so I want to encourage people to attend Genealogy KC in person so that they can meet other genealogists and be inspired by them and encouraged, because some of us do not have family members who are as excited about genealogy and don't care what we found in some old dusty record, but another genealogist will be excited for you and, unless it's just before my presentation, come up and talk to me, because I will be happy to help you feel comfortable and wanted.

John Brandt 21:30

That's one of the themes that keeps arising through this podcast. That I've noticed is connection is really important, not just your family connections, but it's connection over love of a similar passion. Genealogists seem ready to share that, yes.

Kathleen Brandt 21:45

So, ashley, are there tables or anything at this conference where people can meet other people?

Personal Genealogy Journeys

Ashley Arnett 21:51

We were a little nervous with not providing a lunch because we were worried people wouldn't be able to network and have that extra time. That's why we put those options of picking up food or a door dash. Bring a lunch, if you want. We will have tables in that main area where I believe, if you've been there before registration's done and it's in the main hall, in the gym area, and so we'll have tables set up there where people can sit and chat. And we also have a transition time of 10 minutes in between each class so that people can stand around talk so it's not just hey rush from one class to the next. We want people to be able to stand and talk about what they learn or meet new people, and so we were having areas where people can can do that.

Kathleen Brandt 22:32

Wonderful.

Ashley Arnett 22:33

So I would say, if anyone has any questions or wants to be notified of Genealogy Casey, our website is kind of like the go-to place. At genealogycaseyorg we do have. We have a Twitter or, sorry, an X page again name changes an X page. We have a Facebook and Instagram and I try, we try to post whatever we post on the website on there as well, but also on the website there's a blog where we put updates to the conference. So anything you want to know about future conferences, if you want to teach at the conference, if you want to contact us and volunteer your time, everything is there Our contact information, any questions you could possibly have. So that is a good place to go.

Kathleen Brandt 23:16

And we will post those on our show notes with for this podcast.

Ashley Arnett 23:20

Oh, and a side note about food there will be light refreshments there the whole time. So if you get a little snackish or you want to go take a break, there'll be some refreshments and water and things there. So we won't provide a full lunch, but we will have refreshments for everyone.

Kathleen Brandt 23:36

I think this sounds good.

John Brandt 23:37

Well, refreshments always sound good. It was wonderful meeting both of you and thank you so much for taking the time to come and tell us about what a great opportunity. Genealogy.

Kathleen Brandt 23:48

KC is and, john, you need to prepare for a flogging.

John Brandt 23:51

Yes, I will be For your behavior on this one. I will be putting on the sackcloth and joining you in the room of punishment.

Lauri Jean Swett 24:01

Thank you both for taking the time to promote Genealogy casey.

Kathleen Brandt 24:06

Oh we're excited, we're excited about it and I will be there. I think I enrolled correctly. I'll double check well.

John Brandt 24:12

Congratulations, you made it to the end of another episode. Thanks so much for staying, thanks to laurie and ashley for stopping by, thanks to chewy chewbacca brand for his unwavering lack of interest in anything we're doing, and a special thanks to all our listeners for the clicks, downloads, questions and support. The theme song for Hittin' the Bricks was written and performed by Tony Fisknuckle and the research assistants. Watch for the next appearance in the dusty stacks of your local library. Do you have a genealogical question for Kathleen? Drop us a line at hittinthebricks at gmailcom and let us know.