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MSOG, Inc.
PO Box 215
Ashland, MA 01721-0215 |
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Thursday, August 20
DNA Workshops (DNA)
10:00 am to 4:00 pm Hampton Inn Boston/Natick 319 Speen St. Natick MA
Just $75 to attend both workshops.
Registration ends on 8/7/2026
Do the DNA! (10 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
Working in pairs or small groups, you will get a chance to take a DNA case step-by-step to learn exactly how to explore your autosomal DNA match list and make family connections. Workshop seating will be configured to allow for collaborative work. No computers or internet access required.
DNA and Inheritance (2 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
A trait card activity that helps attendees be the active bridge between their grandparents and the rising generation. It helps them identify their unique traits, and the stories that go with them, so they can inspire their family to see themselves in their ancestors.
Diahan Southard
Diahan Southard has been helping people use DNA to explore their roots for over 25 years. She started her career at the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, which created the DNA database that became AncestryDNA. After witnessing the power of DNA for family history–and the difficulties people face in using it effectively–she launched a pioneering career in DNA education.
Diahan teaches genetic genealogy to audiences around the world. She appears on popular genealogy podcasts and is a DNA columnist for Family Tree Magazine. At Your DNA Guide, she created the signature SPIN learning process (Study, Practice, Implement, Next Steps) that fuels new skills, confidence, and discovery. Her teaching style makes DNA exciting, relevant, and accessible–even for non-scientists.
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Tuesday, September 1
First Family: Abigail and John Adams by Joseph J. Ellis (Book Club)
7:00 pm Virtual
In this rich and engrossing account, John and Abigail Adams come to life against the backdrop of the Republic’s tenuous early years.
Drawing on over 1,200 letters exchanged between the couple, Ellis tells a story both personal and panoramic. We learn about the many years Abigail and John spent apart as John’s political career sent him first to Philadelphia, then to Paris and Amsterdam; their relationship with their children; and Abigail’s role as John’s closest and most valued advisor. Exquisitely researched and beautifully written, First Family is both a revealing portrait of a marriage and a unique study of America’s early years. (Amazon Review)
Go to "Event Registration" to register for the book club.
Upcoming Book Club Readings:
October 6, 2026 - Lineage: Genealogy and the Power of Connection in Early America by Karin Wulf
November 3, 2026 - American Passage: The History of Ellis Island by Vincent J. Cannato
December 1, 2026 - March by Geraldine Brooks
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Saturday, September 19
Deciphering Old Handwriting (Bristol)
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented Virtually by David Allen Lambert
While we might wish all our ancestors’ records were typed in a standard format and perfectly legible, that simply isn’t the case. Many of the records family historians turn to are handwritten and may be faded, use archaic terminology, unfamiliar abbreviations, or are just plain illegible. This online lecture will provide practical strategies for approaching handwritten documents, understanding and deciphering hard-to-read handwriting from different time periods, so that you can make the most of these important resources in your family history research.
David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist has been on the staff of American Ancestors/NEHGS since 1993 and is an internationally recognized speaker on the topics of genealogy and history. He has authored many articles in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, the New Hampshire Genealogical Record, Rhode Island Roots, Mayflower Descendant, and American Ancestors magazine; and is the author of eleven books including A Guide to Massachusetts Cemeteries and Vital Records of Stoughton, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1850. David is an elected Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston, Mass., and a life member of the New Hampshire Society of the Cincinnati and the General Society of the War of 1812. David also serves as the tribal genealogist for the Massachusett Tribe at Punkapoag in Massachusetts. His areas of expertise include New England and Atlantic Canadian records of the 17th through 21st century; American and international military records; DNA research; and Native American and African American genealogical research in New England.
"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/BristolSep2026 |
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Saturday, September 26
Performance by Rita Parisi: Women of '76 (Merrimack Valley)
10:00 am Georgetown Peabody Library - in person only
Merrimack Valley Chapter proudly presents a one-woman performance by Rita Parisi of Waterfall Productions ( www.waterfallproductions.com) entitled Women of '76:
Experience the untold stories of courage and conviction from FIVE remarkable WOMEN who witnessed and shaped the American Revolution!
Join the Merrimack Valley Chapter at the Georgetown Peabody Library as we celebrate America 250 for this in-person only performance. This meeting kicks off the genealogy season and marks the second year that Merrimack Valley Chapter is participating in the Essex County Trails & Sails ( www.trailsandsails.org) event. |
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Tuesday, October 6
Lineage: Genealogy and the Power of Connection in Early America by Karin Wulf (Book Club)
7:00 pm Virtual
In eighteenth-century America, genealogy was more than a simple record of family ties--it was a powerful force that shaped society. Lineage delves into an era where individuals, families, and institutions meticulously documented their connections. Whether driven by personal passion or mandated by churches, local governments, and courts, these records appeared in diverse forms-from handwritten notes and account books to intricate silk threads and enduring stone carvings.
Family connections wielded significant influence across governmental, legal, religious, cultural, and social spheres. In the American context, these ties also defined the boundaries of slavery and freedom, with a child's status often determined by their mother, despite the prevailing patriarchy. This book reveals the profound importance of genealogy that was chronicled by family records, cultural artifacts, and court documents. These materials, created by both enslaved individuals seeking freedom and founding fathers seeking status, demonstrate the culturally and historically specific nature of genealogical interest.
Even as the American Revolution transformed society, the significance of genealogy endured. The legacy of lineage from the colonial period continued to shape the early United States, underscoring the enduring importance of family connections. Lineage offers a deep understanding of genealogy as a foundational element of American history, illuminating its vital role from the colonial era through the birth of the nation. (Amazon Review)
Go to "Event Registration" to register for the book club.
Upcoming Book Club Readings:
November 3, 2026 - American Passage: The History of Ellis Island by Vincent J. Cannato
December 1, 2026 - March by Geraldine Brooks
January 5, 2027 - TBA
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Saturday, October 17
Workshop on Deciphering Old Handwriting (Bristol)
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented In-Person by Sindi Broussard Terrien
Our Bristol Chapter Vice-President, Sindi Terrien, will conduct a workshop on how to decipher old handwriting using the strategies described by David Allen Lambert in September.
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/BristolOct2026 |
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Tuesday, November 3
American Passage: The History of Ellis Island by Vincent J. Cannato (Book Club)
7:00 pm Virtual
For most of New York's early history, Ellis Island had been an obscure little island that barely held itself above high tide. Today the small island stands alongside Plymouth Rock in our nation's founding mythology as the place where many of our ancestors first touched American soil.
American Passage captures a time and a place unparalleled in American immigration and history, and articulates the dramatic and bittersweet accounts of the immigrants, officials, interpreters, and social reformers who all played an important role in Ellis Island's chronicle. In this sweeping, often heart-wrenching epic, Vincent J. Cannato reveals that the history of Ellis Island is ultimately the story of what it means to be an American. (Amazon Review)
Go to "Event Registration" to register for the book club.
Upcoming Book Club Readings:
December 1, 2026 - March by Geraldine Brooks
January 5, 2027 - TBA
February 2, 2027 - TBA |
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Saturday, November 7
Annual Meeting 2026 (Annual Meeting)
9:00 am to 4:00 pm John Boyle O'Reilly Hall, 17 Willow St, Westborough, MA
We look forward to our next Annual Meeting, with informative speakers, great food, and the chance to connect with other genealogists.
Times and details to be confirmed as the date approaches.
We hope to see you there.
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