Intro to Family History
Maine Irish Heritage Center – Portland, ME
April 13, 2014
Delivered a public talk introducing core methods and resources for beginning family history research.
The Maine Gaeltacht DNA Project
Greater Portland Chapter, Maine Genealogical Society
November 7, 2015
Presented an overview of the Maine Irish Heritage Center’s Maine Gealtacht DNA project, highlighting its successes and community impact.
Family History Workshop Series
Maine Irish Heritage Center – Portland, ME
- The Maine Gaeltacht DNA Project – This Is Your Story
January 2016
Discussed the origins and significance of the Maine Gaeltacht DNA Project, its role in uncovering Portland’s Irish narrative, and its global reach with more than 500 participants at the time (the project has 1830 participants as of 2025). - An Introduction to Using DNA for Genealogy
February 2016
Beginner-level workshop on DNA test types and testing companies (FamilyTreeDNA, AncestryDNA, 23andMe), with a focus on applying results to the Maine Gaeltacht DNA Project. - Using GEDmatch: A Third-Party Tool for Genetic Genealogists
March 2016
Intermediate workshop introducing GEDmatch and similar tools, demonstrating advanced methods for analyzing DNA admixture, segments, and people matches. - Gleanings from Ireland’s Griffith’s Valuation
April 2016
Workshop on using Griffith’s mid-19th-century property valuation records as a substitute for destroyed Ireland census data, guiding participants in leveraging this essential Irish genealogical resource.
DNA Testing for Genealogy & the Italian Heritage Center’s DNA Project
Italian Heritage Center – Portland, ME
July 26, 2016
Discussed the advantages of DNA testing for family history research and introduced the new Italian Heritage Center DNA project.
Approaching Brick Walls with DNA
Kennebunk Free Library – Kennebunk, ME
September 10, 2016
Presentation on using genetic genealogy testing as a tool to overcome research obstacles, including test types, strategies, and project management with FamilyTreeDNA.
Why Use Y? A Primer on Y-DNA for Genealogy
Kennebunk Free Library – Kennebunk, ME
May 12, 2018
Introductory workshop on Y-DNA testing for paternal line research. Covered testing strategies, STR and SNP analysis, and the benefits of DNA project participation.
Using Griffith’s Valuation Records to Research Your Irish Ancestors
Fredericton Public Library – Fredericton, NB (sponsored by the Irish Canadian Cultural Association)
December 1, 2018
Discussed how to use 19th-century Griffith’s Valuation tax records to expand Irish family history research.
Portland Irish and the Railroad
Annaghdown Historical Society – Galway, Ireland
May 30, 2019
Explored how the railroad industry in Portland, Maine, encouraged immigration and chain migration from Ireland in the 19th century. The Portland Company and the Grand Trunk Railroad.
The role of the Irish in the Early Settlement of Central Aroostook County
New England Historical Association conference – Worcester State University, MA
October 23, 2021
A presentation about Irish settlers in 19th-century Aroostook County, Maine, many of whom were disbanded British Army soldiers of the War of 1812, and had settled the area before the Aroostook War (1838-1839). This was part of a three-person panel talk given by me, Araminta Matthews, and Angela Wilkenson, content creators for the “History in Stones” Aroostook County History ARCGIS Storymaps project, founded by Dr. K. Sebold, History Department, University of Maine Presque Isle, and chair of our panel.
Maine to Mobile: A Truth of the Meahers and the 110 Survivors of the Clotilda
Maine Historical Society – Portland, ME
September 30, 2023
Panel talk with Marie Sacks (Whitefield Historical Society) and Jeremy Ellis, via Zoom (Clotilda Descendants Association). Marie and I discussed the Meaher family and their Irish immigrant background, their Irish communities in Maine, and their connections in Maine, such as with the Bradstreet family, and with Portland’s James Augustine Healy, the first African American Roman Catholic Bishop in the United States. We discussed factors that prompted the Meaher siblings to relocate to Mobile. Jeremy discussed the infamous Clotilda narrative, including the people involved, a supposed bet, the ship’s awful journey for its enslaved passengers, the unique community of Africatown, the incredible find of the Clotilda ship remains, and the Clotilda Descendants Association.
Krista Luttrell 