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MSOG, Inc.
PO Box 215
Ashland, MA 01721-0215 |
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Saturday, February 4
Remembering Worcester State Hospital (Worcester)
9:30 am to 11:30 am Virtual
Presented by Joy Hennig
Nothing embodies the complex history of mental health care in America better than institutions like Worcester State Hospital. Founded in the 19th century as part of a reformist movement, Worcester State has been of enduring importance to inmates, family members, and the community at large for nearly two centuries. This program will trace the history of the institution and its impact on the lives of our ancestors.
Joy Hennig is the Local History and Genealogy Librarian at the Worcester Public Library and an avid genealogical sleuth.
9:30 am EST Socializing
9:45 am EST Business meeting
10:00 am EST Presentation
The presentation is free and open to the public.
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Tuesday, February 7
Queen Victoria's Matchmaking: The Royal Marriages That Shaped Europe by Deborah Cadbury (Book Club)
7:30 pm Virtual
As her reign approached its sixth decade, Queen Victoria's grandchildren numbered over thirty, and to maintain and increase British royal power, she was determined to maneuver them into a series of dynastic marriages with the royal houses of Europe.
Yet for all their apparent obedience, her grandchildren often had plans of their own, fueled by strong wills and romantic hearts. Victoria's matchmaking plans were further complicated by the tumultuous international upheavals of the time: revolution and war were in the air, and kings and queens, princes and princesses were vulnerable targets.
Queen Victoria's Matchmaking travels through the glittering, decadent palaces of Europe from London to Saint Petersburg, weaving in scandals, political machinations and family tensions to enthralling effect. It is at once an intimate portrait of a royal family and an examination of the conflict caused by the marriages the Queen arranged. At the heart of it all is Victoria herself: doting grandmother one moment, determined Queen Empress the next.
(Amazon Review)
Copies of the book are available at your local library or the Commonwealth Catalog.
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Thursday, February 9
Getting Started with Portuguese Genealogy (Webinar)
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm Virtual
This lecture outlines Portuguese immigration to the United States and focuses on Massachusetts. Naming patterns and name changes are illustrated as well as the flexible system of surnames. Using the FAN club, US records, with special emphasis on the wealth of Portuguese-American newspapers, are examined for clues to locating the family in Portugal. Portuguese Catholic records and passports are reviewed.
Margaret Rose Fortier, CG® is a Board-certified genealogical researcher, writer, and lecturer. Named for her grandmothers and inspired by her mother’s phenomenal memory, she has been researching for 20 years. Her article, “The Identity of Alcina, Wife of Oscar Furkey of Quebec and Vermont,” was recently published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly.
She specializes in French-Canadian, Portuguese-American, and Italian-American research in New England. A graduate of Boston College and Bentley University, she holds a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University. She serves on the board of the Association of Professional Genealogists and is a facilitator for the virtual Certification Discussion Group. She is grateful that her dear friend introduced her to the wonderful world of Portuguese research.
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Saturday, February 11
DNA for Genealogy - DNA 101... and a Bit Beyond (Middlesex)
10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Presented by Walter Murphy.
Learn about what DNA is. Why do a DNA test? What do you need to know? How do you do a DNA test? And what to do with the DNA test results?
Walter Murphy is the former President of the Cape Cod Genealogical Society. He began his genealogy adventure shortly after the 1973 death of his paternal grandfather. Walter is a member of the New England Historic and Genealogical Society, the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, and the National Society Sons of the American Revolution.
Register at https://tinyurl.com/3s8p3754.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
This meeting will be online via Zoom.
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Saturday, February 18
7th Annual Ancestors Day (Bristol)
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented by Bristol Chapter members.
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
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Saturday, February 25
Sharing The Love of Your Ancestors With Others (Merrimack Valley)
10:00 am to 12:00 pm ZOOM ONLY
Pre-register here with this hyperlink:
Meeting begins at 10am est.
This is your type of meeting you have been waiting for! Do you have an heirloom you want to share and talk about? How about a Research brick wall, need some help? Maybe just want to tell of a great research find you had success with. You may just have some questions you want answered about your genealogy hunting. Come and share. This will be an open Zoom format. We encourage you to have your papers, folders, heirlooms, notebooks, or computers. Maybe a great book you had used for researching and want to tell everyone about it. We will have a 15-minute set time limit for speaking in the first round, depending on how many of you want to share. If you have more than one of the above topics and want to share more, you can get a second chance, once others have been through the first round.
If you are interested and want to be sure you get a chance for sharing, Contact merrimackvalley@msoginc.org to be sure you have a place on the sharing roster. Thanks in advance.
Free and Open to the Public
This will be fun, inspring, and I am guaranteeing you will go away with a smile on your face.
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Saturday, March 4
Hunting My French-Canadian Ancestors (Worcester)
9:30 am to 11:30 am Location TBD
Greg Paris presents
Hunting My French-Canadian Ancestors: An Anglophone Deals with Drouin & Poor Handwriting
Greg is a retired scientist, now living on a sheep farm. He has PA, NY and New England ancestors that go back to English, German, Swedish and French-Canadian roots. He is also a past vice president of the Worcester chapter.
9:30 am EDT Socializing
9:45 am EDT Business meeting
10:00 am EDT Presentation
Location TBD. The presentation is free and open to the public.
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Saturday, March 11
Controlling Chaos: Managing a Genealogical Project (Middlesex)
10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Presented by Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, CGL
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
This meeting will be online via Zoom.
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Sunday, March 12
Fireplace Feast at Salem Cross Inn (Worcester)
12:30 pm
MSOG Presents: Fireplace Feast at Salem Cross Inn
Join MSOG members and their guests for a special dining event at West Brookfield’s Salem Cross Inn - a 1700s-style feast, prepared on the open hearth of a great fieldstone fireplace. While our dinner is cooking, we can enjoy a horsedrawn wagon or sleigh ride.
Date: Sunday, March 12, 2023
Time: 12:30pm
Where: Salem Cross Inn, 260 West Main Street (Route 9), West Brookfield, MA 01585
Who: Open to MSOG members and their guests only
Cost: Adults $89.00; Children 5-10 $30.00; 2-4 $20; 1 & under are free. Includes all taxes and gratuities
Make your reservation at: https://www.salemcrossinn.com/events/diningevents/fireplace-feast/.
Please put “Kenney” in the reservation as the group host so we can all sit together.
All tickets are non-refundable and nontransferable.
Reserve early as these popular events fill up quickly.
Menu:
• SAVORIES - Salem Cross Inn's famous cheese spread and a glass of mulled wine or cider to help take the chill off after your horse-drawn wagon or sleigh ride (weather permitting).
• CHOWDER OF THE SEA - Straight from the cauldron.
• 1700 FIREPLACE PRIME RIB - Cooked to perfection using our c.17oo Roasting Jack
• FRESH FROM THE OVEN - Homemade rolls and muffins
• FROM THE KEEPING CELLAR - Herbed roasted potatoes and fresh butternut squash
• NEW ENGLAND'S BEST APPLE PIE - With a dollop of fresh whipped cream
For more information or questions, please email worcester@msoginc.org.
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Saturday, March 18
Tackle Your Family Photographs: 3 Simple Strategies to Get Past Overwhelm and Enjoy Your Photos (Bristol)
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented by Maureen Taylor
We’ll talk about the biggest challenges that get in your way for organizing images and why minimalists are wrong. There are easy ways to climb that photo mountain and that includes my signature 5 questions for putting a name with a face. Metadata will help you keep track of all the new data. It sounds scarier than it is.
Think of your collection as being two separate piles–vintage images and those taken in your lifetime. The two w’s of weeding and workflow are key to ending up with images you’ll be able to share with a click.
Maureen Taylor is a frequent keynote speaker on photo identification, photograph preservation, and family history at historical and genealogical societies, museums, conferences, libraries, and other organizations across the U.S., London and Canada. She’s the author of several books and hundreds of articles and her television appearances include The View and The Today Show. She is a contributing editor of “Family Tree Magazine”.
"This program is supported in part by a grant from the Somerset Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts 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
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Saturday, April 1
Claim To Fame (Worcester)
9:30 am to 11:30 am Location TBD
Chapter members will discuss their famous or infamous ancestors.
- Who are they?
- Why are they considered famous or infamous?
- How did you research their connection and their life?
- What have you done to document or share the family connection?
Location: TBD. This presentation is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. |
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Saturday, April 8
Where Did They Come From? Irish Migration Routes (Middlesex)
10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Presented by Pamela Holland
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
This meeting will be online via Zoom.
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Saturday, April 15
Using DNA To Solve Unknown Parentage Mysteries (Bristol)
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented by Michelle Leonard
DNA testing has revolutionized the options available to those with unknown parentage or other unknown ancestor mysteries and this presentation will explain how to use DNA results to help solve these previously unsolvable conundrums. Michelle will walk you through the process from choosing the correct tests for your research question to working with DNA results when there is no known family history information as reference. She will provide practical demonstrations of the most important techniques and essential practices and genuine case studies and success stories will be included to show how DNA testing used in conjunction with traditional research can provide much sought-after answers.
Michelle Leonard is a professional genealogist, DNA Detective, freelance researcher, speaker, author and historian. She has extensive experience both in the traditional and genetic genealogy spheres and runs her own genealogy and DNA consultancy business Genes & Genealogy. She specializes in the use of DNA testing for genealogical purposes and, in particular, solving all manner of unknown parentage and unknown ancestor mysteries using a combination of DNA results analysis and conventional research methodologies. Her business also focuses on utilizing DNA testing to verify and enhance family trees and the teaching of genetic genealogy techniques in a variety of ways.
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
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Saturday, April 29
Program TBD (Worcester)
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Saturday, May 13
TBD (Middlesex)
10:30 am to 12:00 pm
TBA
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
This meeting will be online via Zoom.
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Saturday, May 20
TBD (Bristol)
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Program TBA
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
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at TBA
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Saturday, June 3
Annual Dinner Meeting (Worcester)
Location TBD
Program TBD
Details coming soon |
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Saturday, June 10
Middlesex Chapter Annual Meeting (Middlesex)
10:30 am to 12:00 pm
TBA
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
This meeting will be online via Zoom.
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Saturday, June 17
Bristol Chapter Annual Meeting (Bristol)
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
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