A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens. It was first published by Chapman & Hall on 19 December 1843. Carol tells the story of a bitter old miser named Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformation resulting from a supernatural visit by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Yet to Come. The novella met with instant success and critical acclaim.The book was written and published in early Victorian era Britain, a period when there was strong nostalgia for old Christmas traditions together with the introduction of new customs, such as Christmas trees and greeting cards. Dickens' sources for the tale appear to be many and varied, but are, principally, the humiliating experiences of his childhood, his sympathy for the poor, and various Christmas stories and fairy tales. (Amazon Review)

 

 

 

 

 

Register at  https://tinyurl.com/z7u6wjrk 

For our December webinar, Jean Wilcox Hibben will be presenting a program that connects some of our more common holiday traditions in the United States to their beginnings during the time of our ancestors of various cultures and countries.  

Presented by Thomas MacEntee (Presenter will be virtual)

 

Has your concern for privacy prevented you or a family member for taking a DNA test? What about sharing your genealogy research data online with practical strangers (even though you might be related)? Especially as personal DNA testing increases in popularity, and with increased media attention about cold cases solved using DNA data and the use of genealogy databases, today’s genealogist needs to stay on top of the latest information concerning privacy. We’ll review the current status of privacy practices by the five major DNA test kit vendors, current laws and regulations, the role of law enforcement, and what we might expect to see related to privacy in the future.

 

Thomas MacEntee is a professional genealogist specializing in the use of technology and social media to improve genealogical research and as a means of interacting with others in the family history community. Currently Thomas shares many of his articles and videos for free at the popular Genealogy Bargains website!

 

 

Using SHARED MATCHES within Your DNA Results

Basic DNA research requires nothing more than your matches, their shared matches, and genealogy software!

This quick introduction to getting more from your DNA results will give you the steps for connecting the matches together.

 

Come join us for a conversation about Shared Matches.

What have you learned by looking at your DNA matches?

What do you have questions about your DNA?

 

 

Worcester Chapter Meeting

 

Debra Dudek presents:

 

Mixers and Shakers- Tracing Bartending, Saloonkeeping, and Tavernkeeping Ancestors

 

 

 

Middlesex Chapter Meeting

 

 

More information is coming soon. 

This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

 

Register at: https://tinyurl.com/z7u6wjrk 

Presented by Judy Russell (Presenter will be virtual)

 

As 21st century genealogists, we have a tool for identifying and confirming relationships not available to earlier generations: DNA testing. Its use in identifying male family members, through YDNA testing, is fairly well understood. The use of mitochondrial and autosomal DNA to identify women and link children to parents is not as well understood. Yet these are powerful tools particularly when used in a targeted fashion to test particular theories.

 

Judy Russell, The Legal Genealogist, has worked as a newspaper reporter, trade association writer, legal investigator, defense attorney, federal prosecutor, law editor and, for more than 20 years before her retirement in 2014, she was an adjunct member of the faculty at Rutgers Law School. A Colorado native with roots deep in the American south on her mother’s side (from Virginia to Texas and just about everywhere in between!) and entirely in Germany on her father’s side. It’s an odd mix, finding records of her ancestors from 1680 Virginia on one side to being a first-generation American on the other. She holds credentials as a Certified Genealogist® and Certified Genealogical LecturerSM from the Board for Certification of Genealogists®, a member of the National Genealogical Society, the Association of Professional Genealogists, and, among others, the state genealogical societies of New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas and Illinois. She is privileged to serve on the faculty at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR), the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), the Midwest African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI), and the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed).

 

 

 

 

Attend in person or by Zoom :  Register to join us by Zoom, TBA

 

Worcester Chapter Meeting

 

Olivia Millunzi presents: A User’s Guide to the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library

 

     The Daughters of the American Revolution Library in Washington D.C. isn’t just for descendants of Revolutionary War soldiers!  As one of the largest genealogical libraries in the country, the Daughters of the American Revolution [DAR] Library has something for everyone tracing their family history. 

 

     This presentation will give an overview of the resources available both on-site in D.C. as well as digital tools and resources available for free from wherever you normally do your family history work.  Come find out how your family history is on our shelves!

 

     Olivia Millunzi is the Reference Librarian at the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library in Washington, D.C.  She holds a BA in History and Museum Studies with a French minor from Juniata College, and an MLIS focusing in Diversity & Inclusion from the University of Maryland’s iSchool.  Before coming to the DAR, Olivia worked at the Middletown Valley Historical Society, Heritage Frederick (formerly the Historical Society of Frederick County), Schifferstadt Architectural Museum (part of the Frederick County Landmarks Foundation), the National Park Service, and the National Anthropological Archives at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.  She began working at the DAR as a Staff Genealogist in June 2019, and in June 2022 became the Reference Librarian for the DAR Library.  Olivia lives in Frederick, MD with a cat and an unconscionably large number of books.

 

 

 

 

 

Navigating Challenges in Metes and Bounds Land Platting: Techniques and Solutions

This follow-up session on metes and bounds platting tackles the common hurdles genealogists encounter when platting and locating an ancestor's land. We will explore strategies for overcoming incomplete land descriptions, methods for finding unrecorded land transactions, and techniques for leveraging historical and contemporary maps to bridge record gaps. You'll walk away with practical platting skills for tracing and documenting ancestral properties.
 

Bio

Kimberly is a professional genealogist, author, and educator specializing in genealogical writing, pre-1850 family history, land records, DNA, and solving complex problems. She served as the Genealogy Expert for About.com for sixteen years and is a past president of the Association of Professional Genealogists. She teaches at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), and the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR), as well as in the online genealogy programs offered through Boston University. She’s especially passionate about researching hard-to-find families in the Carolinas and Virginia, and sharing her love of genealogy with others through teaching. You can find her online at Level Up Genealogy (https://www.levelupgenealogy.com).

 

 

 

This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

 

Every year, several members from the “Bristol Chapter” volunteer to share interesting stories and research anecdotes about their family. Members will enlighten attendees with their triumphs, journeys, family stories and roadblocks in their quest to find their ancestors. In an entertaining way, you will learn fascinating facts about our members and their families. Not all the research will result in a happy ending but nevertheless everyone will leave enlightened and energized to solve a family lore. Regardless of what you learn, the day will prove to be fun and educational.

 

SOMERSET PUBLIC LIBRARY
1464 County Street
Somerset, MA 02726
 
Business Meeting   11:00-11:30 am
Member Sharing     11:30-11:55 am
Presentation Begins at Noon. 
 
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
For more information contact: bristol@msoginc.org
Schedule of Events Available at: https://msoginc.org

 

Worcester Chapter Meeting

 

Caroline White presents:

 

                                                

 

 

 

 

 

 

The David Allen Lambert Library is located at The Friends of Irish Research, 899 North Main Street, Brockton, MA 02301. It is open to the public. Currently our library is home to over 15,000 digital books and it is growing everyday. The Research Center is open on most Friday evenings 7:30pm - 9:30 pm. To make an appointment for a genealogical consult, please email us at friendsofirishresearch@gmail.com and we will communicate with you concerning the best day and time. Download the new consultation form to provide us vital information that will allow us to assist you online or in-person.

 

SOMERSET PUBLIC LIBRARY
1464 County Street
Somerset, MA 02726
 
Business Meeting   11:00-11:30 am
Member Sharing     11:30-11:55 am
Presentation Begins at Noon. 
 
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
For more information contact: bristol@msoginc.org
Schedule of Events Available at: https://msoginc.org

 

Worcester Chapter Meeting

 

Frances Lyons presents: 

 

SOMERSET PUBLIC LIBRARY
1464 County Street
Somerset, MA 02726
 
Business Meeting   11:00-11:30 am
Member Sharing     11:30-11:55 am
Presentation Begins at Noon. 
 
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
For more information contact: bristol@msoginc.org
Schedule of Events Available at: https://msoginc.org

 

Details coming soon

 

SOMERSET PUBLIC LIBRARY
1464 County Street
Somerset, MA 02726
 
Business Meeting   11:00-11:30 am
Member Sharing     11:30-11:55 am
Presentation Begins at Noon. 
 
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
For more information contact: bristol@msoginc.org
Schedule of Events Available at: https://msoginc.org

 

Details coming soon

 

On the night of July 25, 1956, a collision between the ocean liners SS Andrea Doria and MS Stockholm killed 51 people and prompted one of the largest civilian maritime rescues in history, off the Nantucket coastline.