MSOG, Inc. PO Box 215 Ashland, MA 01721-0215 |
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Saturday, February 8, 2025
Taken with a Large Grain of Salt - Verifying Family Stories
10:30 am to 12:00 pm Virtual
Middlesex Chapter Meeting
Presented by Erica Voolich
We are told to collect the family stories while we can. Once you collect your family stories, you need to verify the facts. Of course you first check the vital records, census reports and then move onto probate, religious, immigration/naturalization/passenger lists, land, military, court records. Using the case of the Richardson family stories, we look at some other sources to use when searching to verify the given information.
Erica Dakin Voolich, PLCGS, is an author, blogger and teacher who has transitioned from using her problem solving skills in the mathematics classroom to solving family history problems. Erica has written articles in Crossroads (Winter 2015) and TIARA Journal (Winter 2013) and published seven family history books. She currently serves as the secretary of the Massachusetts Genealogical Council and formerly served as the secretary of the Middlesex Chapter of the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists (MSOG). She was an award winning math teacher and now is the founder and president of the Somerville Mathematics Fund.
Erica has run numerous weaving and mathematics workshops in local, regional, national and international conferences in past decades. Currently she is focusing on genealogy.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
This meeting will be online via Zoom.
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at: MXFEB2025
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Tuesday, February 4, 2025
The Lost Family: How DNA Testing Is Upending Who We Are by Libby Copeland
7:00 pm Virtual
You swab your cheek or spit into a vial, then send your DNA test away to a lab somewhere. Weeks later you get a report that might tell you where your ancestors came from or if you carry certain genetic risks. Or the report could reveal a long-buried family secret and upend your entire sense of identity.
Soon a lark becomes an obsession, an incessant desire to find answers to questions at the core of your being, like “Who am I?” and “Where did I come from?” Welcome to the age of home genetic testing.
The Lost Family delves into the many lives that have been irrevocably changed by home DNA tests—a technology that represents the end of family secrets. So much can come out when you use biology to find out “the truth”:
- Adoptees who’ve used the tests to find their birth parents
- Donor-conceived adults who suddenly discover they have more than 50 siblings
- Hundreds of thousands of Americans who discover their fathers aren’t biologically related to them, a phenomenon so common it is known as a “non-paternity event”
- Individuals who are left to grapple with their conceptions of race and ethnicity when their true ancestral histories are discovered
In The Lost Family, journalist Libby Copeland investigates what happens when we embark on a vast social experiment with little understanding of the ramifications. Copeland explores the culture of genealogy buffs, the science of DNA, and the business of companies like Ancestry and 23andMe, all while tracing the story of one woman, her unusual results, and a relentless methodical drive for answers that becomes a thoroughly modern genetic detective story.
Throughout these accounts, Copeland explores the impulse toward genetic essentialism and raises the question of how much our genes should get to tell us about who we are. With more than 30 million people having undergone home DNA testing, the answer to that question is more important than ever. Gripping and masterfully told, The Lost Family is a spectacular book on a big, timely subject. (Amazon Review)
Upcoming Book Club Readings:
March 4, 2025 - American Bloods: The Untamed Dynasty That Shaped a Nation by John Kaag
April 1, 2025 - Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley
May 6, 2025 - The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows
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Saturday, February 1, 2025
Stolen: Women Inventors Lost & Found
10:30 am to 12:30 am Virtual
Dr. Bill Thierfelder presents:
Stolen: Women Inventors Lost & Found
Throughout history, women have often been sidelined, often through lack of opportunity or out-right sexism. And many times, women who invented items — from disposable diapers to Monopoly — weren't given credit for their work. Women are responsible for early sketches of the computer, the discovery of the DNA double helix, and even fire escapes. But often men claimed those advancements as their own--or the woman was simply unacknowledged. This program explores 21 things most people don’t know were invented or discovered by women.
About Dr. Thierfelder:
Dr. Bill Thierfelder is a retired college professor who taught a variety of Arts and Humanities courses for 32 years at several New York universities and colleges, including St. John's University and Dowling College. He holds a Ph.D. in English, with minors in theater, art history and music history.
Please note that the meeting starts one hour later than usual.
10:30 AM EST Socializing
10:45 AM EST Business meeting
11:00 AM EST Presentation
This presentation will be Virtual via Zoom. Pre-registration is required if you are attending virtually at:
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Saturday, January 25, 2025
Collins Family of Fall River, MA
10:00 am to 12:00 pm Virtual only
Presented by Carol Katsulis
I imagine you have heard of the Family, Associates and Neighbors, aka "FAN" which is sometimes an important avenue to work with on your research. The "FAN" will send you messages if you listen to them. In my research story I did just that. Come join me as I present to you my story about my maternal Third Great Grandfather, John Eagan Collins and his family. I had began my genealogy interest with this family about 34 years ago. He was born here in Massachusetts. He was a Irish Catholic, wealthy for those times and from what I discovered, he became a strong hardworking entrepreneur. He and his wife Mary had many children, however they suffered many losses of many of these children did not live past their prime. I will share abut the times when I found living cousins, whom shared with me, their genealogy research, antidotes and their family lore, and especially a special piece of family heirloom that was handed down to me by one of these cousins. I will share my new found evidence which bring them into my world of today. We have more in common with our past relatives than we realize.
I have been researching my family since 1990's with my mom as my sidekick. It began with a curiosity of finding our ancestors from New Hampshire. Mainly the above Collins family which was her side of the lineage. I have always enjoyed the research and finding new details about all my ancestors. I joined the MSOG and the MV Chapter about 8 years ago. I had attended my first meeting and the rest is history as they say. I have been on my chapters board, as Secretary, Vice President and have served two terms concurrent as President. I acquired my Genealogy Certificate in 2013 from Boston University.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
This meeting will be online via Zoom.
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at: MVJAN2025
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Saturday, January 18, 2025
Genealogy Resources at the New Bedford Public Library
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented Virtually by Jodi Goodman and MaryEllen Cecil
New Bedford Free Public Library
The main library has a collection of 373,000 items in print, audio and video format for Adult, Young Adult and Children. It is home to significant historical holdings including the third largest collection worldwide of American Whaling materials, early 19th century Quaker materials, museum quality art and an extensive genealogy collection. Portuguese language materials are available at the Casa da Saudade branch and Spanish language materials are available at the Howland Green branch.
Jodi Goodman, Special Collections Librarian and MaryEllen Cecil, Special Collections Assistant work as a team in the Paul A. Cyr History Room at the New Bedford Free Public Library, where they support collection management and reference activities for the Historical collection (printed works, graphics, manuscripts).
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/BristolJan2025 |
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Saturday, January 11, 2025
Explore Your DNA
10:30 am to 12:00 pm Virtual
Middlesex Chapter Meeting
Presented by Elizabeth Handler
Find out what you’re made of. Everyone seems to have had their DNA tested! But what does it mean? Learn how to better understand your DNA test results and why they’re different for different family members and from different testing companies. And who knew you had so many fourth to sixth cousins? That will be explained too. You’ll get an overview of the different kinds of DNA tests and testing companies, ethnicity results, cousin connections, and privacy concerns. Whether you’ve taken a DNA test or are just curious, join us to learn more about this rapidly expanding field.
Elizabeth Handler has been researching her ancestry for over 30 years and her husband’s Jewish ancestry for almost as long. She holds the Boston University Certificate in Genealogical Research and is a member of several genealogical organizations and is a past Recording Secretary of MSOG. She first took a DNA test in late 2011 and has tested her DNA (as well as DNA of family members) at all four of the major DNA testing sites. She has been blogging about family history at From Maine to Kentucky ( https://frommainetokentucky.blogspot.com/) and A Jewish Genealogy Journey ( https://jewishgenealogyjourney.blogspot.com/) since 2011.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
This meeting will be online via Zoom.
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at: MXJAN2025
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Thursday, January 9, 2025
Finding the Stories of Your Ancestors- Using Social History to Bring Your Ancestor's History to Life
7:00 pm Virtual
This talk will help illustrate how to move beyond the traditional sources of just names and dates and use social history to learn what a typical day, or not so typical day, was like in your ancestor's life. What did your ancestors eat or wear, what was their daily life like, why did they do the things they did? Discover where to find a variety of resources that answer these questions and provide rich context to bring your ancestor's history to life.
Pamela Guye Holland is a professional genealogist located in Swampscott, Massachusetts. Her research specialties are Irish and Genetic Genealogy. She also has expertise in New England, New York (both city and state) and German research.
She has been conducting genealogical research since 2001 and works with private clients, as a Research Services genealogist at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, and as a Green Room genealogist for Your Irish Heritage.
Pamela is a member of many organizations including the Association of Professional Genealogists, the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists, The Irish Ancestral Research Association (RIARA), The New England Historic Genealogical Society, and the Massachusetts Genealogical Society.
She was a First Place winner in the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists Writing Contest, in 2012; for the article “It Started with a Cough: A Month of Mourning for the Ritter and Blackett Families Living in Boston Highlands, Massachusetts,” published in MASSOG 36 (Fall 2012): 83-92.
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.
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Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Book Club - Remembering Peasants: A Personal History of a Vanished World by Patrick Joyce
7:00 pm Virtual
“What the skeleton is to anatomy, the peasant is to history, its essential hidden support.”
For over the past century and a half, and most notably over the last seventy years, the world has become increasingly urban, and the peasant way of life—the dominant way of life for humanity since agriculture began well over 6,000 years ago—is disappearing. In this vital history of peasantry, social historian Patrick Joyce aims to tell the story of this lost world and its people, and how we can commemorate their way of life. In one sense, this is a global history, ambitious in scope, taking us from the urbanization of the early 19th century to the present day. But more specifically, Joyce’s focus is the demise of the European peasantry and of their rites, traditions, and beliefs.
Alongside this he brings in stories of individuals as well as places, including his own family, and looks at how peasants and their ways of life have been memorialized in photographs, literature, and in museums. Joyce explores a people whose voice is vastly underrepresented, and is usually mediated through others, in human history—and now peasants are vanishing in one of the greatest historical transformations of our time.
Written with the skill and authority of a great historian, Remembering Peasants is a “first-class work” (Kirkus Reviews), a richly complex and passionate history written with exquisite care. It is also deeply resonant, as Joyce shines a light on people whose knowledge of the land is being irretrievably lost during our critical time of climate crisis and the rise of industrial agriculture. Enlightening, timely, and vitally important, this book commemorates an extraordinary culture whose impact on history—and the future—remains profoundly relevant. (Amazon Review)
Upcoming Book Club Readings:
February 4, 2025 - The Lost Family: How DNA Testing Is Upending Who We Are by Libby Copeland
March 4, 2025 - American Bloods: The Untamed Dynasty That Shaped a Nation by John Kaag
April 1, 2025 - Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley
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Saturday, January 4, 2025
Social Impact of Tea in Our History
9:30 am to 11:30 am Virtual
Social Impact of Tea in our History
This lecture provides an engaging discussion on the social impact of tea in our history and society. We will begin with the discovery of tea and learn first about the spread of tea throughout Europe. The tea trade with China and the Opium Wars, its impact on the US and European industrialization, and the current status of tea today. Throughout the presentation, enjoy sipping teas from the major tea producing countries.
About Danielle Beaudette:
Danielle Beaudette is one of the first 15 in the world to be certified in all levels as a Tea Specialist through the Specialty Tea Institute, NY and has completed over 95 tea seminars at the World Tea Expo. She has researched and learned first-hand about the production of tea through her Asian tea travels and relationships with Chinese, Indian, Sri Lankan, Japanese, Nepalese, and Taiwanese tea growers. Danielle sources only the finest, high quality, freshly imported teas, earning The Cozy Tea Cart the title of “Best of NH” from New Hampshire Magazine. Just as important as the quality of her tea, she promotes excellence in service and pride in educating her customers.
9:30 AM EST Socializing
9:45 AM EST Business meeting
10:00 AM EST Presentation
This presentation will be Virtual via Zoom. Pre-registration is required at:
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Saturday, December 28, 2024
December - No Meeting
No meeting this month.
We want to wish you Happy Holidays.
We hope you enjoy the most joyous and wonderous time this Holiday Season with those who mean so much to you.
See you in January 2025
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Saturday, December 21, 2024
Gee I Wish I’d Known That From the Start - Search Tips and Tricks
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented Virtually by Carol Ansel, Director at the Godfrey Memorial Library
Carol Ansel, Director at the Godfrey Memorial Library in Middletown, will share a number of hints to make your online genealogy searching easier and more effective. Some of these are general practice for experienced online searchers, but some are not nearly so obvious. In fact, Carol learned many of them from other genealogical researchers. The kind of tips that will make you think, "Gee, I wish I'd known that from the start!" Join Carol and up your searching game.
Carol Ansel is the Director of the Godfrey Memorial Library. She has worked as both a public and school librarian; when she got bitten by the genealogical research bug she took the genealogical certificate program at Boston University and soon thereafter landed a job at the Godfrey, a genealogy and local history library in Middletown, CT. The combination of running a library, helping others with their research, and writing genealogical reports is a dream job for her.
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/BristolDec2024 |
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Saturday, December 14, 2024
The Sipe Family Saga: You Never Know What You Might Discover in Your Research Journey!
10:30 am to 12:00 pm Virtual
Middlesex Chapter Meeting
Presented by Jeff Schiebe
Jeff Schiebe is an avid genealogist who has researched his family roots both in the US and abroad and has given many presentations on numerous topics. In this very informative session, Jeff will take you through his journey to find answers about one particular puzzling line of his ancestry. He will share some of the tools and techniques used along the way and will describe some of the startling facts he discovered about these ancestors. Jeff will weave some interesting historical aspects very relevant to this journey from Germany in the early 1700’s until today.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
This meeting will be online via Zoom.
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Thursday, December 12, 2024
The Good and the Very Very Bad
7:00 pm Virtual
How can your great-grandmother have had three children shortly after she died at age 87? Do you automatically believe the online family trees that others have created, or do you double and triple check the information to confirm you know who is on that tree and the information is correct? Learn how with expert genealogist Dave Robison.
Dave Robison, owner of Old Bones Genealogy of New England, is a professional genealogist from Western Massachusetts. He holds a Certificate of Genealogical Research from Boston University and has completed the 18-month ProGen course in Professional Genealogy. He is an active member of the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists (MSOG) Worcester Chapter, Central New York Genealogical Society (CNYGS), the Alabama (ASG) and Tennessee Society of Genealogists (TSG).
Dave is the former President of both the Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society (WMGS) and the Connecticut Society of Genealogists. He is a past President of New England Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists. Dave was heavily involved in the biennial conferences of the New England Regional Genealogical Consortium (NERGC) 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021 (President) and 2023 (President). He was a member of the Chicopee (Mass) Historic Commission from 2019 to 2023 and also, a member of the Chicopee Historic Society.
As a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Dave is the former President of the Pomeroy Chapter as well SAR State Registrar/Genealogist.
Dave is a resident of Chicopee, Massachusetts where he lives with his wife Karen, a retired RN for the Chicopee School System. Between them, they have 5 adult children and 4 grandchildren.
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. |
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Saturday, December 7, 2024
A History of Marrying for Reasons Other than Love
9:30 am to 11:30 am Virtual
Marcia Zug presents:
A History of Marrying for Reasons Other than Love
Why have people married through history besides for love? Arranged marriages? Marriages of convenience? Dowries? Join us for this enlightening conversation with Professor Marcia Zug as she discusses the history of marriage, how it's affected so many of our social norms, and if there is a benefit to taking economics and politics out of marriage so it can just be about love.
About Marcia:
Zug, a family law professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law, is the author of You'll Do: A History of Marrying for Reasons Other Than Love.
9:30 AM EST Socializing
9:45 AM EST Business meeting
10:00 AM EST Presentation
This presentation will be Virtual via Zoom. Pre-registration is required at:
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Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Book Club - The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Von Trapp
7:00 pm Virtual
With nearly 1,500 Broadway performances, six Tony Awards, more than three million albums sold, and five Academy Awards, The Sound of Music, based on the lives of Maria, the baron, and their singing children, is as familiar to most of us as our own family history. But much about the real-life woman and her family was left untold.
Here, Baroness Maria Augusta Trapp tells in her own beautiful, simple words the extraordinary story of her romance with the baron, their escape from Nazi-occupied Austria, and their life in America.
Maria Augusta Kutschera was born on a train en route to Vienna just before midnight on January 26, 1905. Her mother died when she was only two years old and her father left her with an elderly cousin so that he could be free to travel. She experienced a lonely and very strict upbringing without any siblings or other children in the household. She was raised a socialist and an atheist and was actively cynical towards all religions. It was during a visit to a church to hear a Bach concert that her mind was changed when she heard the words of a well-known priest, Father Kronseder. Her meeting with him led to her entering a convent to become a nun. While she was devoted to the convent life, she was taken away from the outdoor activities she once thrived on. Her doctor, concerned that her health was failing, helped the nuns to decide to send Maria to the home of retied naval captain Georg Von Trapp, to be governess to his bedridden daughter. On November 26, 1927, Maria and Georg were married. The rest is history. (Amazon Review)
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Saturday, November 23, 2024
Chapter Meeting Workshop
10:00 am to 12:00 pm Georgetown Peabody Library 2 Maple St, Georgetown MA
In PERSON ONLY workshop.
We had a great time at our last workshop and broke down a brickwall or two. Bring along your laptop, your research papers and of course yourself to this fun morning of conversation with like minded Genealogy enthusiasts. You will have a great time.
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC |
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Saturday, November 16, 2024
Acadian/Cajun Church and Census Records Found in Canada, American Colonies, France and Louisiana
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented In-Person by Sindi Broussard Terrien
Discover the interesting history of Acadians and Cajun descendants while learning about the resources available for your genealogy research.
Sindi Broussard Terrien is a research genealogist, specializing in Acadian and Cajun women. Her blog My Many Mothers features biographies of her many great-grandmothers. She recently published Genealogy Fun While Developing New Genealogists and Fun with Genealogy Activity Book 1 which can be purchased on Amazon.com. She has written nine articles for the American-French Genealogical Society’s publication Je Me Souviens Magazine where she is an associate editor. Sindi Broussard Terrien received a certificate in genealogical research from Boston University. Her passion for genealogy spans over twenty years.
Sindi also hosts Finding A Publisher, another emerging website, to help genealogy writers connect with publications.
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/BristolNov2024
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Thursday, November 14, 2024
Researching Colonial New England Ancestors: The Best Resources
7:00 pm Virtual
The talk will focus on a fifteen or so specific research resources which have been shown to be the most valuable. As we start getting closer to the 250th Celebration in 2026, there is renewed interest in Early American genealogical research, whether a family relative or someone from the towns and graveyards of New England, Albert Fiacre will discuss some of the best resources of Colonial New England Research.
Albert E. Fiacre, a staff member of the Godfrey Memorial Library since 2009 and Board member since 2015, is a retired financial executive with a BA degree from Middlebury College and an MBA degree from New York University. In 2018, he was the winner of the National Genealogical Society’s competition: “Award for Excellence: Genealogy and Family History Book.” He also was the winner of the Connecticut Society of Genealogists Certificate of Achievement for the best genealogy in 2019. Al earned his Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University in 2016.
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.
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Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Paleography
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm Virtual
Edwin Strickland II Presents: Paleography- Reading Old Hand Writing
After only a little research, we all have to begin to read original documents. Often our eyes glaze over after the first few lines or we skip through the document looking for names and overlooking many important details.
This short course in paleography explores the development of the Roman alphabet and the cursive hand (including the pesky thorn). We will cover the Five Steps to Understanding Old Documents, and Transcriptions and Special Characters and Translation. Where wi-fi is available, there is a short interactive test of our skills.
About Edwin:
Edwin W. Strickland II, has over 40 years’ experience as both an amateur and professional genealogist. He was raised by his grandparents on a farm owned by the Strickland Family since 1789. Being surrounded by family artifacts and stories, he developed a sense of heritage at an early age. By age 24 he was off on his own, seeking out missing ancestors and their descendants. In 2000, he began to take on clients. Since 2006, he has shifted his focus to teaching and lecturing.
6:30 pm EST Socializing
6:45 pm EST Business meeting
7:00 pm EST Presentation
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Saturday, November 9, 2024
November - No Meeting
Middlese Chapter -
No meeting this month.
See you in December 2024
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Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Book Club - The Mayflower: The Families, the Voyage, and the Founding of America by Rebecca Fraser
7:00 pm Virtual
The voyage of the Mayflower and the founding of Plymouth Colony is one of the seminal events in world history. But the poorly-equipped group of English Puritans who ventured across the Atlantic in the early autumn of 1620 had no sense they would pass into legend. They had eighty casks of butter and two dogs but no cattle for milk, meat, or ploughing. They were ill-prepared for the brutal journey and the new land that few of them could comprehend. But the Mayflower story did not end with these Pilgrims’ arrival on the coast of New England or their first uncertain years as settlers. Rebecca Fraser traces two generations of one ordinary family and their extraordinary response to the challenges of life in America.
Edward Winslow, an apprentice printer, fled England and then Holland for a life of religious freedom and opportunity. Despite the intense physical trials of settlement, he found America exotic, enticing, and endlessly interesting. He built a home and a family, and his remarkable friendship with King Massassoit, Chief of the Wampanoags, is part of the legend of Thanksgiving. Yet, fifty years later, Edward’s son Josiah was commanding the New England militias against Massassoit’s son in King Philip’s War.
The Mayflower is an intensely human portrait of the Winslow family written with the pace of an epic. Rebecca Fraser details domestic life in the seventeenth century, the histories of brave and vocal Puritan women and the contradictions between generations as fathers and sons made the painful decisions which determined their future in America. (Amazon Review)
Upcoming Book Club Readings:
December 3, 2024 The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Von Trapp |
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Saturday, November 2, 2024
Annual Meeting
2024 Annual Meeting and Program
Registration is closed
When: Saturday, November 2, 2024 8:30am to 3:30pm
Where: Marlborough Country Club, 200 Concord Rd. Marlborough, MA
Speaker: David Allen Lambert
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Saturday, October 26, 2024
Basics of Genealogical Research
10:00 am to 12:00 pm Tyngsborough Old Town Hall, Tyngsborough, MA
Hybrid meeting, Zoom or in person at the Old Town Hall located at
10 Kendall Rd, Tyngsborough, MA
(see below for parking information)
Basics of Genealogical Research
Names, Dates, Places, and Events make up the core of genealogical research. Let’s discuss the importance of each piece of data on your family as well as the various relationships you may encounter. We’ll also talk about both on and off-line places to research as well as furthering your genealogical education.
Seema-Jayne Kenney is an experienced software instructor and a professional genealogist. Her known roots are deep in New England as well as England, Germany, and Sweden, with DNA research adding a line in the Netherlands. She has a certificate in Genealogical Research from BU, completed ProGen and is an active member and officer of several societies. She has served as Treasurer and President of the Worcester Chapter of MSOG as well as at the State level as past President and is currently co-editor of the MASSOG Journal.
Free and Open to the Public
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at https://tinyurl.com/MVOCT2024
Parking:
Across the street in the public parking lot and on Winslow Rd there is street parking.
At the Meeting House on the corner of Kendall and Middlesex.
Do not park in the dirt parking lot on Flint Pond Rd or the Driveway next to the Old Town Hall.
https://www.tyngsboroughma.gov/195/Old-Town-Hall
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Saturday, October 19, 2024
Whaling Wife Lucy Roberts Gifford
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented In-Person by Sara Campbell
Lucie Gifford left New Bedford in 1857 on the whaling ship HOPE as a newlywed. When she returned 7 1/2 years later, she was a mature wife who had experienced long months at sea and made friends on many South Pacific islands. She had given birth to 4 children and became a true partner of her husband. Captain Leonard Gifford. We will learn about her life using the best of primary records, personal correspondence, as well as newspaper reports, and other legal documents. This case study will leave you wishing you could have known this brave local woman.
Sara Campbell is an author, educator, and editor. She started studying whale ships while living on a Pacific island herself. She is a member of the Historical Commission in her hometown of Erving, MA.
"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/BristolOct2024 |
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Thursday, October 17, 2024
Messages from the Grave: Listening to your Ancestor’s Tombstone
7:00 pm Virtual
This colorful photographic lecture not only gives tips for finding cemeteries, reading worn tombstones, and the meaning of the carved symbols, but also illustrates common problems which are encountered and what might be done to overcome them. Following these techniques allows the gravestone inscriptions to “speak” to you about your ancestor’s life.
Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, was co-director of GRIP, coordinated the "Genealogy as a Profession" course at IGHR, authored two chapters in Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice and Standards, created and instructed part of BU’s Certificate course, and past-president BCG. She has been involved in ProGen Study since the beginning, being the mentor for groups 1, 25, and 50.
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.
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Saturday, October 12, 2024
Filling in the Gaps with US Censuses and City Directories
10:30 am to 12:00 pm Virtual
Middlesex Chapter Meeting
Filling in the Gaps with US Censuses and City Directories
We will explore how to find your ancestors in the US Federal and State Censuses and City Directories. Look at the information that can be found that may help fill in the gaps in your family tree. If you are having trouble finding your Ancestors in these records, bring your questions to this meeting and if time allows, we will try to help you find them.
Diane Laferriere has been a member of the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists since 2010. When the Merrimack Valley Chapter was formed and was the Chapter Treasurer until 2021. She has also attended and volunteered at many of the New England Regional Genealogical Conferences, or NERGC (pronounced “nerk”), a gathering of genealogists from all over the U.S. and other countries: three days’ worth of all thing’s genealogy. The next conference will be in 2025 from October 29th through November 1st in Manchester NH.
Diane began researching her family in the late 1970s after a school project to create a family tree could only be completed back to her grandparents. In the beginning her research consisted of looking at the US Federal Census at the National Archives in Waltham on microfilm readers, visiting libraries to look at city directories and writing letters. Today she has subscriptions to most of the online genealogy sites.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
This meeting will be online via Zoom.
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Saturday, October 5, 2024
A Visit with Longfellow House
9:30 am to 11:30 am Hybrid: Millbury Public Library and Virtual
Park Ranger Emily Levine presents:
A Visit with Longfellow House
What does a home reveal about its occupants, and about our shared history? Join Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site public programs manager Emily Levine for a presentation and conversation about the remarkable history and unique collections of the Vassall-Craigie-Longfellow House in Cambridge. This site bears witness to the history of slavery in New England and the early free Black community of Cambridge, and George Washington’s development as a leader. In the 19th century, it became the home of famed poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and a hub of literary and artistic life. The house also reveals a rich history of the historic preservation movement and LGBTQ+ community. Today, Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters is an active site of arts, scholarship, stewardship, and community.
About Emily:
Emily Levine has been the Supervisory Ranger for Interpretation and Education at Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters since March 2020. She previously worked at Lowell National Historical Park (MA), and as the Interpretive Supervisor on Alcatraz Island and at Muir Woods National Monument (CA). Emily holds a BA in history and a master’s degree in museum education from Tufts University.
9:00 AM EDT Library opens
9:30 AM EDT Socializing
9:45 AM EDT Business meeting
10:00 AM EDT Presentation
The presentation is free and open to the public.
In Person Location:
Millbury Public Library
128 Elm St
Millbury, MA
The library requests no food in the meeting room.
We invite you to join us for lunch at a local restaurant after the meeting.
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Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Book Club - Judge Sewall's Apology by Richard Francis
7:00 pm Virtual
The Salem witch hunt has entered our vocabulary as the very essence of injustice. Judge Samuel Sewall presided at these trials, passing harsh judgment on the condemned. But five years later, he publicly recanted his guilty verdicts and begged for forgiveness. This extraordinary act was a turning point not only for Sewall but also for America's nascent values and mores.
In Judge Sewall's Apology, Richard Francis draws on the judge's own diaries, which enables us to see the early colonists not as grim ideologues, but as flesh-and-blood idealists, striving for a new society while coming to terms with the desires and imperfections of ordinary life. Through this unsung hero of the American conscience -- a Puritan, an antislavery agitator, a defender of Native American rights, and a Utopian theorist -- we are granted a fresh perspective on a familiar drama. (Amazon Review)
Upcoming Book Club Readings:
November 5, 2024 The Mayflower: The Families, the Voyage, and the Founding of America by Rebecca Fraser
December 3, 2024 The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Von Trapp
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Saturday, September 28, 2024
Writing Your Family History
10:00 am to 12:00 pm Georgetown Peabody Library Georgetown MA
Hybrid meeting, in person at the Library or via Zoom.
Speaker: Kelli Bergheimer
Using the backdrop of Kelli’s eight great-grandparents, learn how to write the stories of your own ancestors. Sometimes the hardest part is getting started! Learn what makes a good story while still capturing the genealogical details and facts. Each session will focus on telling a story in a different way to spark ideas on how to tell your story. Imagine you found a box and inside it was a story written by your great-grandfather—where he lived, his job, his family. Would you care about misspellings? Would it matter if the penmanship was poor? Or the grammar wasn’t perfect? Stop making excuses! Your descendants will be grateful for anything you write and compile, so let’s get started!
Kelli Bergheimer is a writer, teacher, editor, and international genealogical speaker. Kelli holds a Bachelor’s in Biology, a Master’s in Education: Curriculum and Instruction, and a Master’s in Business Management. Kelli is the Director of Curriculum and Assessments for Blue Kayak, a K-12 textbook company. She also works as the Director of Education for Your DNA Guide. Kelli runs a small business—Mess on the Desk, a genealogical organization company with a YouTube channel. Kelli is the facilitator for Genetics, Genealogy, and You, an online DNA Interest Group. Kelli is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the Genealogical Speakers Guild.
Free and Open to the Public
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at https://tinyurl.com/MVSEPT2024
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Saturday, September 21, 2024
The 15 Habits of Highly Frugal Genealogists
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented Virtually by Thomas MacEntee
Who said genealogy and the hunt for your family history has to be expensive? Just as in any other industry, there are some tricks to getting the best deals and bargains in the genealogy marketplace. With "The 15 Habits of Highly Frugal Genealogists" you’ll learn the tricks and also how to think like a savvy frugal genealogist! Learn how savvy genealogists are finding success with 15 basic habits of frugality. You’ll not only find a list of key resources but more importantly you’ll learn how to embrace the “mind set” of finding the best ways to save money while researching your ancestors.
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.
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/BristolSep2024 |
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Saturday, September 14, 2024
State of the Middlesex Chapter
10:00 am to 12:00 pm Virtual Only
Middlesex Chapter Members,
Please join us on Saturday September 15th for a State of the Chapter meeting. Kathy Kaldis is dealing with some medical issues right now. Kathy, Eric and George could use your help with the future state of your Chapter.
Please join us for an open discussion and bring your ideas.
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Tuesday, September 10, 2024
The Tragic and True 1778 Crime Story of Bathsheba Spooner
6:00 pm to 7:45 pm Hybrid - Millbury Public Library and Virtual
Worcester Chapter Meeting
Sari Bitticks presents:
The Tragic and True 1778 Crime Story of Bathsheba Spooner
In 1778, a bored housewife arranged for the murder of her husband. What seems like a footnote to history turned out to be a complex web of political intrigue. The big question is: why are we still talking about it nearly 250 years later, and why do people say the town of Worcester committed murder the day they hanged Bathsheba Spooner.
About Sari:
Sari Bitticks is president of the Auburn Historical Society and Museum, and is a noted story teller who brings history to life in an engaging and entertaining manner.
6:00 pm EDT Socializing
6:15 pm EDT Business meeting
6:30 pm EDT Presentation
The presentation is free and open to the public.
In Person Location:
Millbury Public Library
128 Elm St
Millbury, MA
The library requests no food in the meeting room.
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Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Book Club - She Has Her Mother's Laugh by Carl Zimmer
7:00 pm Virtual
Zimmer writes, “Each of us carries an amalgam of fragments of DNA, stitched together from some of our many ancestors. Each piece has its own ancestry, traveling a different path back through human history. A particular fragment may sometimes be cause for worry, but most of our DNA influences who we are—our appearance, our height, our penchants—in inconceivably subtle ways.” Heredity isn’t just about genes that pass from parent to child. Heredity continues within our own bodies, as a single cell gives rise to trillions of cells that make up our bodies. We say we inherit genes from our ancestors—using a word that once referred to kingdoms and estates—but we inherit other things that matter as much or more to our lives, from microbes to technologies we use to make life more comfortable. We need a new definition of what heredity is and, through Carl Zimmer’s lucid exposition and storytelling, this resounding tour de force delivers it.
Weaving historical and current scientific research, his own experience with his two daughters, and the kind of original reporting expected of one of the world’s best science journalists, Zimmer ultimately unpacks urgent bioethical quandaries arising from new biomedical technologies, but also long-standing presumptions about who we really are and what we can pass on to future generations. (Amazon Review)
Upcoming Book Club Readings:
October 1, 2024 Judge Sewall's Apology by Richard Francis
November 5, 2024 The Mayflower: The Families, the Voyage, and the Founding of America by Rebecca Fraser
December 3, 2024 The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Von Trapp
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Tuesday, August 6, 2024
Book Club - The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni
7:00 pm Virtual
After a DNA test reveals that Alberta “Bert” Monte is the sole heir of a wealthy noble family in the Italian Alps, she leaves New York to visit the family estate: Montebianco Castle, a centuries-old compound isolated in the mountains. What appeared to be a fairy tale inheritance, however, soon turns into a nightmare as Bert begins to uncover the dark legacy of her family: the truth about the abandoned village at the base of the castle; the whispers of stolen children; and the rumors of a legendary monster in the mountains. As Bert unravels the truth, she learns that her true inheritance lies not in a noble title or ancestral treasures, but in her very genes, and now she must choose between preserving a secret centuries in the keeping or abandoning it forever. (Amazon Review)
Upcoming Book Club Readings:
September 3, 2024 She Has Her Mother's Laugh by Carl Zimmer
October 1, 2024 Judge Sewall's Apology by Richard Francis
November 5, 2024 The Mayflower: The Families, the Voyage, and the Founding of America by Rebecca Fraser |
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Tuesday, July 2, 2024
Bad Ass Librarians of Timbuktu by Joshua Hammer
7:00 pm Virtual
In the 1980s, a young adventurer and collector for a government library, Abdel Kader Haidara, journeyed across the Sahara Desert and along the Niger River, tracking down and salvaging tens of thousands of ancient Islamic and secular manuscripts that were crumbling in the trunks of desert shepherds. His goal: preserve this crucial part of the world’s patrimony in a gorgeous library. But then Al Qaeda showed up at the door.
“Part history, part scholarly adventure story, and part journalist survey…Joshua Hammer writes with verve and expertise” (The New York Times Book Review) about how Haidara, a mild-mannered archivist from the legendary city of Timbuktu, became one of the world’s greatest smugglers by saving the texts from sure destruction. With bravery and patience, Haidara organized a dangerous operation to sneak all 350,000 volumes out of the city to the safety of southern Mali. His heroic heist “has all the elements of a classic adventure novel” (The Seattle Times), and is a reminder that ordinary citizens often do the most to protect the beauty of their culture. His the story is one of a man who, through extreme circumstances, discovered his higher calling and was changed forever by it. (Amazon Review)
Upcoming Book Club Readings:
August 6. 2024 The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni
September 3, 2024 She Has Her Mother's Laugh by Carl Zimmer
October 1, 2024 Judge Sewall's Apology by Richard Francis |
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Saturday, June 22, 2024
Presentation on the Family Search Library in Salt Lake City
10:00 am to 12:00 pm Georgetown Peabody Library Georgetown MA
Join us in person or by zoom. see below for the registration link.
This is also our Annual Meeting get together after Seema's Presentation. Come join us for socializing and refreshments, and door prizes.
A Presentation on the Family Search Library in Salt Lake City, given by Seema-Jayne Kenney.
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Seema-Jayne Kenney is an experienced software instructor and a professional genealogist. Her known roots are deep in New England as well as England, Germany, and Sweden, with DNA research adding a line in the Netherlands. She has a certificate in Genealogical Research from BU, completed ProGen and is an active member and officer of several societies. She has served as Treasurer and President of the Worcester Chapter of MSOG as well as at the State level as past President and is currently co-editor of the MASSOG Journal.
Collaboration, Education and Preserve
Presentation is Free and Open to the Public
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at
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Saturday, June 15, 2024
Bristol Chapter Annual Meeting: "Famous Collision of the Andrea Doria"
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented by Dr. William Hanna
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.
Dr. William F. Hanna is a well-known local professor and author of a number of books including “History of Taunton”. A visiting lecturer around New England, he received his Ph.D. in history from Boston College in 1980, his master’s degree from Bridgewater State University in 1973 and his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth in 1969. He taught history at Taunton High School for 31 years and was social studies curriculum supervisor for 12 years. Hanna travels throughout New England lecturing on a variety of historical topics.
Dighton Community Church
Friendship Hall
2056 Elm St
Dighton, MA 02715
Business Meeting 11:00-11:30 am
Member Sharing 11:30-11:55 am
Presentation Begins at Noon
Member Lunch Included
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
For more information contact: bristol@msoginc.org
Schedule of Events Available at: https://msoginc.org
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Saturday, June 8, 2024
Using Historical Context in Your Genealogy Writing: A Gettysburg Soldier Case Study
10:30 am to 12:00 pm Virtual
Middlesex Chapter Meeting
Using Historical Context in Your Genealogy Writing: A Gettysburg Soldier Case Study
Join us to listen to the fascinating account of a young Civil War Soldier's journey from Maine to Gettysburg. More information coming soon.
About Bonnie Wade Mucia:
Bonnie Wade Mucia owns Keeper of the Past Genealogy, LLC and is a professional genealogist specializing in colonial New England. She is the Director of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants’ Silver Books Project. Also, she works on military repatriation cases for the U.S. Army for soldiers who were missing/killed in action in World War II. Her work includes research for the TV Show “Finding Your Roots” with Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. and PBS. Bonnie is an experienced speaker, lecturer, and writer who has published several articles in genealogy journals. In her spare time, she is an artist who enjoys painting and being creative. Bonnie was born and raised in Woonsocket, Rhode Island but now resides in South Carolina with her husband, Joseph.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
Although the Zoom link says "10:00 am meeting,"
this meeting opens at 10:30 AM.
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Tuesday, June 4, 2024
The Good Left Undone by Adriana Trigiani
7:30 pm Virtual
Matelda, the Cabrelli family’s matriarch, has always been brusque and opinionated. Now, as she faces the end of her life, she is determined to share a long-held secret with her family about her own mother’s great love story: with her childhood friend, Silvio, and with dashing Scottish sea captain John Lawrie McVicars, the father Matelda never knew. . . .
In the halcyon past, Domenica Cabrelli thrives in the coastal town of Viareggio until her beloved home becomes unsafe when Italy teeters on the brink of World War II. Her journey takes her from the rocky shores of Marseille to the mystical beauty of Scotland to the dangers of wartime Liverpool—where Italian Scots are imprisoned without cause—as Domenica experiences love, loss, and grief while she longs for home. A hundred years later, her daughter, Matelda, and her granddaughter, Anina, face the same big questions about life and their family’s legacy, while Matelda contemplates what is worth fighting for. But Matelda is running out of time, and the two timelines intersect and weave together in unexpected and heartbreaking ways that lead the family to shocking revelations and, ultimately, redemption.(Amazon Review)
You must be logged in as a Member to participate in the event. Log-in at https://www.msoginc.org/members.php. Go to "Event Registration" to register for the book club.
Upcoming Book Club Readings:
July 2, 2024 Bad Ass Librarians of Timbuktu by Joshua Hammer
August 6. 2024 The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni
September 3, 2024 She Has Her Mother's Laugh by Carl Zimmer |
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Saturday, June 1, 2024
Annual Luncheon Meeting
11:30 am to 2:30 pm In Person
Diane Boumenot presents Changing New England Records in the 1800’s.
11:30 am EDT Restaurant opens
12:00 noon EDT Luncheon
1:00 pm EDT Business Meeting
1:15 pm EDT Presentation
Pre-registration is required by emailing worcester@msoginc.org with your meal choice(s) (chicken, fish, beef) by May 20th. We'll reply with payment instructions. Friends and family are welcome. Open to the public if space permits.
Diane currently serves as Editor of Rhode Island Roots. Her self-published book Rhode Island State Census for Genealogists is available on Amazon. She is an experienced speaker, including speaking at the New England Regional Genealogical Conference, the APG webinar series, Legacy Family Tree Webinars, and around New England, and, remotely, in various parts of the U.S.
Presentation:
Just as some New Englanders left their declining farms and headed west, industrialization arrived in New England and our ancestors’ lives and records changed forever. The days when deeds and probate would solve genealogical problems gave way to a dizzying array of new census collections, state mandated vital records, poorhouse, prison and asylum records, sturdier cemetery markers, and military pensions. Let’s re-teach ourselves as we trace 1800’s ancestors.
O'Connor's Restaurant
1160 W Boylston St
Worcester, MA
$28 price includes appropriate sides, rolls & butter, dessert (Bailey’s Pie), coffee & tea, tax, & tip
Cash bar for soft drinks and adult beverages
Grilled Chicken Breast
Served with baked potato and fresh vegetable medley
Baked Haddock
Haddock filet with a buttery cracker crumb topping
Served with baked potato and fresh vegetable medley
Our Famous Beef, Mushroom, and Guinness Pie
Rich beef and vegetable stew made with Guiness stout topped
with a flaky pastry crust
Served with mashed potato
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Saturday, May 18, 2024
DAR, Understanding the DAR Databases for Genealogy Research
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented Virtually by Olivia Millunzi
Olivia Millunzi, the Reference Librarian at the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library, will give us an in-depth look at the digital resources available and how to best leverage and understand the DAR databases. For those who may have attended Olivia’s talk at the Worcester Chapter in February, this will be a continuation of that presentation. She will also touch upon our country’s 250th birthday in 2026 as the DAR is fully involved in this historic event.
Olivia Millunzi is the Reference Librarian at the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library. 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.
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
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Saturday, May 18, 2024
"Finding Fred Magee: Hunting my French-Canadian Ancestors"
10:00 am to 12:00 pm Georgetown Peabody Library Georgetown MA
Meeting, Join us in Person or Virtually by Zoom
"Finding Fred Magee: Hunting my French-Canadian Ancestors --
Learning to deal with Drouin and poor handwriting"
"Actually, we knew where to find Fred (my 2G-grandfather), after 1880. But we didn’t know where he was born, where he lived before entering the US, why he emigrated, what the rest of his family looked like, where the lost cousins were hidden, or even his proper given name. And we had only a very few family stories. This is a typical problem & case study in family history. Along the way we'll touch on: some linguistic & cultural understanding of surnames, DNA match analysis, use of French-Canadian resources (both familiar and not), and the bane of necronyms. In retrospect, what should I have known?"
Presented by Greg Paris
Greg is a published biomedical research scientist and software engineer, also trained in library science. Though he started family research in the 70s in his great-uncle's footsteps, it went on a long hiatus until retirement, when he translated his professional experience with DNA and big data into an obsession to trace his New England & New York English (Parish), Pennsylvania German (Myers, Kuhns), Swedish (Enbom) and French-Canadian (Magee) roots. He's a past VP of the Worcester chapter. He and his (also retired) wife live on a sheep farm in Charlton MA where they used to run a herding dog training facility with livestock and several rambunctious Scottish herding dogs, until Covid set in.
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Collaboration, Education and Preserve
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Saturday, May 11, 2024
She Did What? Putting Your Ancestor in Historic Context
10:30 am to 12:00 pm Virtual
Middlesex Chapter Meeting
She Did What? Putting Your Ancestor In Historic Context discusses how to research and document your ancestors beyond vital records and relationships. Sara describes how to discover more about your ancestors' lives by weaving broad historic themes and conflicts (e.g., war, disease, etc.) with everyday life. Understanding the historic context in which they lived can help us bridge the gap where no documents exist.
About Sara Gredler: Sara is a Certified Genealogist® and an Accredited Genealogist® (in the Mid-Atlantic region) with over 25 years of genealogical and historic research experience. She worked nearly five years at AncestryProGenealogists®, the research arm of Ancestry®, before starting her own genealogical research business, Lineage Detectives. She has a Masters in Historic Preservation and previously worked as an architectural historian and GIS specialist for an architecture and engineering firm.
Sara finished teaching and mentoring her fifth section of study groups focused on the publication Mastering Genealogical Proof, administered under the umbrella of the ProGen Study Groups this past fall, as well as a class through the Applied Genealogical Institute (AppGen) on Writing Research Reports. She has spoken at local, state, regional, and national-level conferences, with a focus on social history on social history and how it affected our ancestors. She has also taught courses at the local level focusing on social history, DNA research and analysis, organization of genealogical materials, Southern US research, and beginning genealogical research.
Sara loves to learn and has attended courses at every genealogical institute (except AppGen), with topics ranging from Native American and African American research to “Law School for Genealogists” and Russian genealogical research. Her personal genealogy is focused on the East Coast of the United States and Western Europe.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
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Thursday, May 9, 2024
Adding Spreadsheets to Your Genealogy Toolbox
7:00 pm Virtual
Spreadsheets aren’t just for number crunching! With Excel or another spreadsheet program in your genealogy toolkit you can create research logs, produce parallel timelines for multiple individuals, analyze data to identify patterns and problems, and design diagrams depicting complex family and inter-family relationships. Examples of each of these will be presented in the context of actual research along with tips and tricks for creating them.
Susan O’Connor has been involved in genealogy since before she was born! When her parents announced their engagement, a distant relative declared “Maurice Bowler’s daughter has no business keeping company with Katie Manning’s son!” Testimony from an Irish missionary priest in Georgia enabled her parents to marry but it was only on their 60th wedding anniversary when Susan presented them with a detailed pedigree chart that they learned they were actually 3rd cousins. Susan has researched her family in Ireland, Australia and the United States and those of her husband and cousins from French Canada for over 20 years. She holds a Certificate in Genealogy Research from Boston University. Susan serves on the boards of several genealogical societies and Boston-based non-profits.
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. |
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Tuesday, May 7, 2024
A Royal Experiment: The Private Life of King George III by Janice Hadlow
7:30 pm Virtual
The surprising, deliciously dramatic, and ultimately heartbreaking story of King George III's radical pursuit of happiness in his private life with Queen Charlotte and their 15 children
In the U.S., Britain's George III, the protagonist of A Royal Experiment, is known as the king from whom Americans won their independence and as "the mad king," but in Janice Hadlow's groundbreaking and entertaining new biography, he is another character altogether―compelling and relatable.
He was the first of Britain's three Hanoverian kings to be born in England, the first to identify as native of the nation he ruled. But this was far from the only difference between him and his predecessors. Neither of the previous Georges was faithful to his wife, nor to his mistresses. Both hated their own sons. And, overall, their children were angry, jealous, and disaffected schemers, whose palace shenanigans kick off Hadlow's juicy narrative and also made their lives unhappy ones.
Pained by his childhood amid this cruel and feuding family, George came to the throne aspiring to be a new kind of king―a force for moral good. And to be that new kind of king, he had to be a new kind of man. Against his irresistibly awful family background―of brutal royal intrigue, infidelity, and betrayal―George fervently pursued a radical domestic dream: he would have a faithful marriage and raise loving, educated, and resilient children.
The struggle of King George―along with his wife, Queen Charlotte, and their 15 children―to pursue a passion for family will surprise history buffs and delight a broad swath of biography readers and royal watchers. (Amazon Review)
You must be logged in as a Member to participate in the event. Log-in at https://www.msoginc.org/members.php. Go to "Event Registration" to register for the book club.
Upcoming Book Club Readings:
June 4, 2024 The Good Left Undone by Adriana Trigiani
July 2, 2024 Bad Ass Librarians of Timbuktu by Joshua Hammer
August 6. 2024 The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni |
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Saturday, May 4, 2024
Tour of the Worcester Room and Presentation on the Family Search Library
10:00 am to 12:00 pm In Person
Join us for a tour of the Worcester Room at the Worcester Public Library, which contains many valuable and fragile resources of interest to genealogists and historians. Our guide will be Alex London, reference librarian and genealogy specialist. After the tour, we'll also hear a presentation on the Family Search Library in Salt Lake City, given by Seema-Jayne Kenney.
9:00 am EDT Library opens
10:00 am EDT Tour of the Worcester Room on the 3rd floor
11:00 am EDT Business Meeting in the Saxe Room on the 1st floor
11:15 am EDT Presentation on the Family Search Library in the Saxe Room on the 1st floor
Parking is available in the McGrath Parking Lot next to the library. Bring your ticket to the Welcome Desk to be validated. The cost is $1/hour with validation.
Join us for lunch at a local restaurant after the presentation.
This presentation will be In Person. It is free and open to the public.
Location:
Worcester Public Library
3 Salem St
Worcester, MA
Alex London is a Reference Librarian and subject specialist in Local History and Genealogy at the Worcester Public Library. He holds an MLIS degree from the Simmons College School of Library and Information Science.
Seema-Jayne Kenney is an experienced software instructor and a professional genealogist. Her known roots are deep in New England as well as England, Germany, and Sweden, with DNA research adding a line in the Netherlands. She has a certificate in Genealogical Research from BU, completed ProGen and is an active member and officer of several societies. She has served as Treasurer and President of the Worcester Chapter of MSOG as well as at the State level as past President and is currently co-editor of the MASSOG Journal.
Presentation: First Trip to the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City
Description: The mecca of genealogy is the library in Salt Lake City. Let’s review the preparation, researching, and wrapping up of Seema’s first trip there in order to be more prepared for our own research trip.
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Saturday, April 27, 2024
18th Century Massachusetts Research
10:00 am to 12:00 pm Georgetown Peabody Libary
Hybrid meeting, Meet us in person or Virtually by Zoom
Presented by Melanie McComb of American Ancestors and NEHGS
The 18th century was a transformative and foundational period for Massachusetts: continued colonial conflicts, movement westward, revolution, the abolition of slavery, and ultimately statehood. This session will look at just some of the many records of the era—pre and post American independence—including military records, tax lists, census records, newspapers, city directories, and more.
Melanie McComb, Senior Genealogist, assists library visitors, both on-site and online, with their family history research. She is an international lecturer who teaches on a variety of topics. Melanie holds a B.S. degree from the State University of New York at Oswego. She previously served as the social media coordinator for the NextGen Genealogy Network, a non-profit that creates a community for younger genealogists, where she managed the Facebook and Twitter accounts. She continues her interest in helping younger genealogists get involved at American Ancestors by assisting with educational programs from local schools, scout groups, and universities. Her areas of expertise include Irish genealogy, DNA, Atlantic Canada, Jewish genealogy, and military records.
Free and Open to the Public.
Collaboration, Education and Preserve
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Wednesday, April 24, 2024
MSOG Members only - DNA SIG
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm Virtual Only
Breeds, Traits, & Matches: A Look at Ancestry's Pet DNA Testing
Join us for an informative presentation where we delve into the world of pet genetics, revealing breed composition, unique traits, and potential genetic matches through Ancestry's Pet DNA testing.
Bonnie Croteau is a genealogist with over thirty years of experience researching in the United States and Ireland. She specializes in New England research, lineage society applications, and writing and sharing her ancestral history. Bonnie is a member and lineage researcher for Daughters of the American Revolution and the treasurer and board member of the Merrimack Valley Chapter of MSOG. On her website, www.beyondthetreegenealogy.com, she shares her DAR education projects, family genealogy, and ancestral history.
You must be logged in as a Member to participate in this event. Log-in at https://www.msoginc.org/members.php. Go to "Event Registration" to register for the DNA Special Interest Group meeting.
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Saturday, April 20, 2024
Genealogy Fun While Developing New Genealogists
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented by Sindi Broussard Terrien
Sindi was inspired to write "Genealogy Fun While Developing New Genealogists" and "Fun with Genealogy Activity Book 1" when she learned that fellow genealogists were discouraged by family members' lack of interest in genealogy and family history. As one of the organizers for family events, she looks for fun ways to include the family history and genealogy at parties and get-togethers.
Sindi's presentation will be how to engage family members with family history and genealogy that may lead them to adopt the genealogy pastime. She will discuss her personal experiences as well as examples from her two books.
Sindi Broussard Terrien is a research genealogist, specializing in Acadian and Cajun women. Her blog MyManyMothers.com features biographies of her many great-grandmothers. She recently published "Genealogy Fun While Developing New Genealogists" and "Fun with Genealogy Activity Book 1". She has written nine articles for the American-French Genealogical Society’s publication Je Me Souviens Magazine where she is an associate editor. Sindi Broussard Terrien received a certificate in genealogical research from Boston University. Her passion for genealogy spans over twenty years.
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
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Saturday, April 13, 2024
Meeting Cancelled
10:30 am to 12:00 pm Virtual
Middlesex Chapter Meeting
The April meeting has been canceled.
Our apologies for the inconvenience to our speaker and members.
Presented by Sandy Schaad
The American Colonization Society, a Historical Perspective and Related Genealogical Records
Please join us in May for our next monthly meeting.
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