Worcester and Middlesex Chapters

 

 

Brown argued his case against slavery with an eloquence that reverberated around the world, and became a symbol of the struggle to abolish slavery and a martyr to the cause of freedom.

 

 

Presented Virtually by Karen A. Fortin

Death certificates are important resources when researching the lives of our ancestors. However, due to outdated terminology and the limits of medical knowledge in the past, it can be hard to interpret the causes of death given. This presentation examines these limitations and other factors and provides resources that can help you to better understand what your ancestors might have died from.

Karen A. Fortin received a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in library and information science from the University of South Florida. She worked at the Barbara S. Ponce Public Library in Pinellas Park, FL for 30 years before deciding to focus on genealogical research. 

Karen's passion for history and research led her to an interest in genealogy. She began volunteering with the Pinellas Genealogy Society in Largo, FL in 2012, and was the society's president from 2014-2017. Karen began providing genealogy and history presentations in 2016 and has lectured at various genealogical societies and public libraries, and for other interested organizations. One of her goals is to help people explore historical periods, places, and events so that they can better understand their ancestors and the world in which they lived.

You must be logged in as a Member to participate in the event. Log-in at https://msoginc.org/members.php. Go to "Event Registration" to register for the webinar.

 

Registration will be open from October 1st through October 20th. 
MSOG Members: $50.00
Non-members:   $60.00
 
Members Login to Register for the Annual Meeting  Register here: https://msoginc.org/store.php?sid=1&acs=A&ars=A&cid=8
 
When: Saturday, November 15, 2025
Where: Marlborough Country Club, 200 Concord Rd. Marlborough, MA
 
Directions: From the North or South take 495 to Exit 63A on to Route 20 East, at 3.4 miles turn left on Concord Rd. at .4 miles the Venue will be on your left. Come early to get a good parking spot.
 
9:00 to 9:30 am - Registration
There will be Breakfast Pastries, Fruit and Muffins along with Coffee & Tea, Orange Juice and Cranberry Juice
 
 9:30 to 10:20   - Annual Business Meeting & Indexing Project of MASSOG Journals
10:20 to 10:30 - Break
10:30 to 10:50 - Special Event
10:50 to 11:00 - Break
11:00 to 12:00 - Speaker: Jennifer Zinck, presents Practical AI: Time-Saving Solutions for Genealogists
12:00 to 1:00 - Buffet Lunch 
     Garden Salad, Seasonal Spinach Salad, Warm Dinner Rolls, Chicken Marsala, Wild Mushroom Sauce, Parmesan Herb Baked Haddock, Pasta Primavera, Roasted Red Bliss Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables. Assorted Pre-plated Desserts
 
Email Treasurer@msoginc.org if you have any special dietary requirements.
 
1:00 to 2:00 - Speaker: Rob Weir, presents Genealogical Gold in New England Town Books and Reports
2:00 to 2:10 - Break
2:10 to 3:10 - History of MSOG and Genealogy
3:10 to 4:00 - Chapter Photos, Door Prizes
 
If you have any questions, send an email to AnnualMeeting@msoginc.org
 
Click here: https://msoginc.org/upload/files/2025-11-15_Annual_Meeting_Schedule_flyer.pdf to open a pdf that you can print, it provides the times and directions.

 

 

 

Conveniently located off Rt. 20, the Marlborough Country Club is handicap accessible and offers ample free parking.

 

The 2025 Annual Meeting committee has planned an exciting program that includes engaging speakers, great food, and plenty of opportunities for socializing—not to mention fabulous door prizes.

 

The day’s program includes the following presentations:

 

The registration fee covers a full day’s worth of food and refreshments, including coffee and pastries, a buffet lunch, and refreshment breaks.

 

REGISTRATION FEES     Members $50           Non-members $60

 

Despite having 10 children, Martha Brown Chandler has remained virtually invisible to history. Her married life began in Pomfret, CT and after migration she spent the remainder of her days in Hanover, NH. In this presentation we will uncover Martha’s life (1761-1841), attempt to prove her parentage and separate her from erroneous parents.

 

Janine Penfield Presents French-Canadian Patriots

 

10:15 AM EST  Business Meeting
10:30 AM EST  Socializing
11:00 AM EST  Presentation

 

This program is free and open to the public.

For more information, please contact: mxvp@msoginc.org

Please pre-register at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/e-nB9vqxTja5bau8YwN91Q 

 

This two-part presentation will cover two subjects closely related: Tools to Help Your Life's Genealogical Work Survive into the Future and Ancestor Photographs and Facial Recognition AI. After a lifetime of passionate research and compiling your family history, there comes a time when you consider who in the future will appreciate, benefit, and hopefully cherish your work and even build upon it.  Let's consider a few tools to help your life's genealogical work survive into the future.  The second part will be about how Facial Recognition AI offers a powerful tool to help identify your ancestors in other peoples' photographs.

 

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
 
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at https://tinyurl.com/BristolDec25

 

 

Cheri Hudson Passey is a professional genealogist, instructor, writer, speaker, and owner of Carolina Girl Genealogy, LLC. She hosts the YouTube genealogy chat show GenFriends and is a genealogical researcher subcontracted by Eagle Investigative Services, Inc., for the US Army Past Conflict Repatriations Branch. She is involved in many genealogy societies and organizations and is on the National Genealogical Society board. For over ten years, Cheri has written the blog “Carolina Girl Genealogy,” sharing genealogy tips, methodologies, family stories, and her research adventures in South Carolina.

 

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
 
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at https://tinyurl.com/BristolJan26

Why did our ancestors leave their homes?  Why did they settle where they did?  Using unexpected records, social history, the law, and more, we'll discover the secrets our ancestors’ migrations can reveal as we track them from place to place, across the ocean, across the country, even across town! This talk is about migration across the ocean, across the country, and across town, and although it does not focus on New England, the strategies and records are applicable to anyone studying the topic.

 

 

 

 

 

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.orghttps://tinyurl.com/BristolFeb2026
 
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at https://tinyurl.com/BristolFeb26 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Face it: most genealogists never get around to publishing that family history book based on their genealogy research. How about a different approach: producing short 3-5 page “sketches” about an ancestor? You’ll learn how to include a cover, photos, facts, family stories, source citations and more! And guess what, once you get a few of these ancestor sketches done, you can compile them together for one big book!
 
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.
 
"This program has applied for support from the Somerset Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency."

 

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
 
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at https://tinyurl.com/BristolMar2026

Discover how to navigate the unique challenges and rewards of researching black sheep ancestors — those family members whose lives were marked by controversy, scandal, or crime. Using Canadian resources, attendees will learn strategies for uncovering records, interpreting data, and understanding the historical context of their ancestors' lives.

 

 

A native of Southwestern Ontario, Canada, Kathryn Lake Hogan, UE, PLCGS, is a professional genealogist and educator with deep roots in Canada through her five Loyalist ancestors. Since founding Looking4Ancestors in 2007, Kathryn has helped family history researchers uncover their Canadian ancestry, combining her expertise with an approachable and insightful teaching style. Kathryn graduated from ProGen 4 and the National Institute for Genealogical Studies, where she earned professional learning certificates in English and Canadian genealogy. Kathryn has written articles featuring Canadian genealogy for CrossRoads, Family Tree Magazine, The In-Depth Genealogist, and the APG Quarterly. Having held leadership roles within notable organizations such as Ontario Ancestors, the Association of Professional Genealogists, and the United Empire Loyalists Association of Canada, she continues to advocate for greater accessibility, inclusivity, and diversity in family history. Kathryn is a sought-after speaker who captivatingly engages audiences at genealogy society meetings and regional and national conferences. As a course coordinator and instructor of Canadian and Ontario courses at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), the National Genealogical Society GRIP, and the Applied Genealogy Institute (AppGen), she helps family history researchers sharpen their skills and dive deeper into their Canadian family history.

 

In Person

 

Karin Wulf Presents: Geneaology in Ancient Times

 

 

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
 
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at https://tinyurl.com/BristolApr2026 

 

 

 

Lisa Villa Presents: Holy Cross Library / Dinand Library

 

700 Boylston St.

 
Business Meeting   11:00-11:30 am
Member Sharing     11:30-11:55 am
 

 

Location TBA
 
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
 
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at TBA