Born from a shared love of genealogy, cemeteries, and local history, this work explores the lives of Dighton’s patriots—many of whom appear in the Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War.
 
Who were these men, and what ties did they have to Dighton? Pat and Robin will guide you through their research journey, offering a glimpse into their methods and highlighting several compelling examples of what they uncovered along the way.

 

Patricia Gailes has been an active member of the MSOG Bristol Chapter for many years. Her involvement has supported her ongoing genealogy research and given her opportunities to share her findings with family and friends. From 2013 to 2019, she served as the Chapter’s Vice President.  As a resident of Dighton, Massachusetts, Pat is deeply committed to preserving the town’s history. She currently serves as Vice President of the Dighton Historical Society, where she oversees all genealogy records and inquiries. In addition, she is the Chairperson of the Dighton Historical Commission and leads Dighton’s 250th Anniversary of America Committee. Across all her roles, Pat brings together her passion for genealogy and her dedication to documenting Dighton's historical events.

 

Robin LaCroix has been an active member of the MSOG Bristol Chapter for many years, as well. She served as the Chapter’s Vice President from 2019 to 2023, Secretary from 2023 to 2025, and Special Projects Coordinator from 2025 to present. She has been a lifelong enthusiast of genealogy and specializes in DNA research to find missing persons, and documenting Veterans’ service. Her two current projects are documenting Dighton Cemeteries and collecting World War II Veterans’ biographies from Bristol Chapter members. Also a resident of Dighton, she has joined Pat Gailes on Dighton’s 250th Anniversary of America Committee, and together they are gathering Dighton’s Revolutionary War Veterans’ biographies and raising money for a Revolutionary War Memorial for Dighton.

 

When Peggy Shippen, the celebrated blonde belle of Philadelphia, married American military hero Benedict Arnold in 1779, she anticipated a life of fame and fortune, but financial debts and political intrigues prompted her to conspire with her treasonous husband against George Washington and the American Revolution. In spite of her commendable efforts to rehabilitate her husband’s name, Peggy Shippen continues to be remembered as a traitor bride.

 

Karin Wulf Presents: Genealogy and the Power of Connection in Early America, based on her book published last fall.

    9:30 AM EDT    Socializing
    9:45 AM EDT    Business meeting

  10:00 AM EDT    Presentation

Join us for a relaxed group discussion where everyone is welcome and all voices are important. You are encouraged to ask questions, share your knowledge, and exchange personal experiences and opinions. Instead of conducting research, we'll suggest other resources and ways to find the answers you're looking for. You'll leave with new insights, helpful resources, and connections with others who share your interests.

 

This event is facilitated by MSOG, Inc.; however, any views or opinions shared are independent and do not necessarily reflect the stance of MSOG, Inc.

This will not be recorded. However, generic questions and resources may be shared on the MSOG website and Past Times Newsletter.

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.

 

 

 

 

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/BristolMarch2026

 

Researching the women in our family can be problematic. Our female ancestors left very few records making it challenging to determine a maiden name or family of origin. This program will cover strategies and record groups that can advance your research and help to uncover female ancestors as well as learn more about their lives.

 

 

 

Over ZOOM, discuss topics such as AI, DNA, writing up your research, and researching Massachusetts (from near or afar) or socialize with other members in 20 minute intervals.

 

Analyzes evidence unearthed during excavations at Jamestown, specifically at James Fort, to shed light on the daily lives of the colonists, their relationship with Native Americans, and the hardships they endured. (Amazon Review)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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/BristolFeb26 

The new Writing Special Interest Group (SIG) will hold its second meeting on Tuesday, February 17th at 7:00 PM (via Zoom). The kickoff session on January 20th focused on introductions and a candid discussion of the common challenges that keep our research from making it onto the page - along with practical ideas for getting started.

 

Going forward, the group will meet monthly to share works-in-progress, exchange constructive feedback, and help one another stay accountable as we work toward our writing goals for 2026 and beyond.

 

The meeting is open to all MSOG members in good standing.  You must be logged in as a member to join the meeting.  Once logged in, you will see Event Registration under the Members Only section.  You will also find a link there to answer a few questions and sign up for the mailing list.  Please complete this before attending your first meeting.   

 

New members are welcome anytime.

 

We look forward to seeing you there.  

 

 

 

How can we know what our Revolutionary ancestors really did in their daily lives? Who brought the crops in? Is the house still standing? In this talk Sara will walk us through techniques that may yield more details about the experiences of our ancestors at home or in the line of march. Don't worry if Ken Burns didn't mention your family in his Revolutionary War series. We are learning something new every day in this 250th Celebration Year. Now let's apply it to our own families. If you have Revolutionary War descendants, bring your own stories to share.

 

Sara Campbell is a well-known lecturer, educator, author and editor. She has experience teaching on various genealogical topics, and speaking to societies and library groups around the New England region. She has presented at the New England Regional Genealogical Consortium's conferences since 2017. Sara has been researching historical records in Massachusetts and New York for over 30 years. She began educationg others in computer methods of research in 1992. Sara is a Civil Engineer, and brings that background to her research of maps and land records. 

 

 

 

 

Register in advance for this meeting:

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

The new Writing Special Interest Group (SIG) will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, January 20th at 7:00 PM (via Zoom). This kickoff session will focus on introductions and a candid discussion of the common challenges that keep our research from making it onto the page - along with practical ideas for getting started.

 

Going forward, the group will meet monthly to share works-in-progress, exchange constructive feedback, and help one another stay accountable as we work toward our writing goals for 2026 and beyond.

 

The meeting is open to all MSOG members in good standing.  Registration is required.  You must be logged in as a member to register for the meeting.  Once logged in, you will see Event Registration under the Members Only section.  You will also find a link there to sign up for the mailing list.   

 

We look forward to seeing you there.  

 

 

 

The FamilySearch Catalog is an underused resource by many genealogists.  Learn tricks and tips on using this tool to its full potential for finding records within the collection.

 

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

 

“Now” being the operative word!  Since early in our genealogy careers, we probably have all had a favorite checklist of sources as a constant reminder of all the types of records that will provide the answers we need.  It is our task to determine what “resources” will lead us to those records.  We are beginning to realize “now” how the digital world continues to offer us unique and developing ways to approach those familiar resources we have loved.  Our genealogy research world is fast evolving, making continuing education a true constant for us.  Let’s look at my TOP 8 favorites as we see how current technology is working its magic on them and how we can best allocate our personal finances; free vs. the increasingly expensive commercial products.

 

Linda B. MacIver is an educator, lecturer, librarian and genealogy researcher.  She retired from a 27- year career at the Boston Public Library Research Library where she inaugurated the BPL patron genealogy classes, including the multi-week beginners’ genealogy course. She also organized two extremely popular seasons of the Local and Family History lecture series and developed the Intermediate Genealogy Summer Lecture series.   Linda is the past Secretary and Civil Records Director for Federal Records for the Massachusetts Genealogical Council and a member of several New England and international genealogical societies. She serves as the New England Representative for the Essex (England!) Record Office.  Linda has a BA in History from the University of New Hampshire, an MEd from Boston University and earned her MSLIS at Simmons College. 

 

Linda was the 2018 recipient of the Richard S. Lackey Scholarship to the Genealogical Institute for Federal Records (GEN-FED) and the inaugural recipient of the 2019 Senior at the Center of Excellence Award sponsored by Xerox Corporation and the City of Boston.

 

 

 

 

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

 

• French-Canadian migration to New England;
• A Short History of French-Canadian involvement in the American Revolution;
• How to join The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), especially focusing on your French-Canadian Patriot ancestor.

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

 

Janine LaFleur Penfield is a genealogist and active DAR member. Janine graduated from Wellesley College with a B.A. in Art History. She holds the Genealogical Research Certificate from the Boston University Genealogical Research Program. Janine has completed the DAR Genealogical Education Program, courses 1 through 8.

 

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 

 

 

 Temperance advocates celebrated victory when America went dry in 1920. For a short time, the great experiment appeared to curb the ills associated with imbibing alcohol. However, American drinking culture moved to private clubs, home production, and overtly shady acquisition. This program will lead you through an assortment of prohibition and post-repeal day resources which will help demystify your ancestor's relationship with alcohol from 1920-1933

 

  9:30 AM EST    Socializing
  9:45 AM EST    Business meeting

10:00 AM EST    Presentation

 

 

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.

 

 

 

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

 

 

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.

 

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.

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.

 

 

On June 9, 1953, a group of fishermen on the Quabbin Reservoir saw a funnel drop from the clouds heading towards the town of Petersham, Massachusetts. Unbeknownst to them, it was the beginning of one of the worst natural disasters in Massachusetts. A class F-4 tornado was on the ground for approximately 85 minutes, traveling forty-two miles and killing 94 people and injuring thousands making it the 20th deadliest tornado in US history. Over a six-month period, a collection of 160 Shrewsbury police photographs of the tornado aftermath were scanned and documented for this presentation. Google My Maps was used to trace the path of the devastation in Shrewsbury and firsthand newspaper accounts were researched and summarized to bring context around the photo collection.

Paul Bruegemann is a lifelong resident of Shrewsbury along with his wife Janine. He is a graduate of St. John’s High School in Shrewsbury and has a mathematics degree from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester. Paul will be retiring from a 42-year career in insurance actuarial data management in March 2026. He has been doing family research for 35 years and is a member of numerous genealogical and historical societies in New England including NGS, American Ancestors, AFGS, RIGS and MSOG. Paul has written genealogical articles and assisted with content on two Worcester books on the Worcester Memorial Auditorium and the 1918 Flu Pandemic. Paul also spends time researching old photographs and writing historical FaceBook posts for the towns of Shrewsbury, Worcester, and Oxford. He currently serves as the MSOG Worcester Chapter and State Treasurer positions.

 

Go to "MSOG Board Meetings" to register for the MSOG Board Meeting.

 

Log-in at https://msoginc.org/members.php.

 

Near the top of your match list, you have got this mystery match that just might be the key to your research. The only problem is – you have hit a brick wall!  But this doesn’t mean that you should give up!

 

Kate Penney Howard is a genetic genealogist and speaker specializing in endogamy and breaking down challenging research barriers with DNA. Nationally known, she brings decades of experience in family research and hundreds of successfully solved genetic genealogy cases.

 

Known for her compassionate approach, Kate helps clients uncover ancestral mysteries while providing them with more complete family medical histories and a stronger sense of identity. Her presentations captivate audiences by seamlessly blending historical context, technical guidance, and well-placed humor that keeps listeners engaged.

 

4 Precinct Street

Lakeville, MA 02347

 
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/BristolOct2025

 

 

 

Do you have colonial ancestors from the states that make up what we call New England? If so, then this is the class for you. Learn about the resources available on both sides of the pond to help in researching your colonial ancestors.

 

 

 

Presented by Philip Johnson 

 

This lecture will teach you how to search for information on your ancestors railroad history, including employment railroad lines worked on and general history of those railroads.

 

  9:30 AM EDT    Socializing
  9:45 AM EDT    Business meeting

 10:00 AM EDT   Presentation

 

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!

1464 County Street
Somerset, MA 02726
 
Business Meeting   11:00-11:30 am
Member Sharing     11:30-11:55 am
Presentation Begins at Noon. 

Alex London presents:

 

 

One powerful, but sometimes overlooked tool in the genealogist’s toolkit is the information found in the land and real estate records. Learn how deeds, mortgages, directories, and other records can help unlock new avenues for your genealogical research.