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MSOG, Inc.
PO Box 215
Ashland, MA 01721-0215 |
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Thursday, July 30
Join us as we talk about our favorite sites (Genealogy Discussion Group)
7:00 pm Virtual via Zoom Only
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.
This will be FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
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Tuesday, August 4
Last Seen: The Enduring Search by Formerly Enslaved People to Find Their Lost Families (Book Club)
7:00 pm Virtual
By Judith Giesberg
Of all the many horrors of slavery, the cruelest was the separation of families in slave auctions. Spouses and siblings were sold away from one other. Young children were separated from their mothers. Fathers were sent down river and never saw their families again.
As soon as slavery ended in 1865, family members began to search for one another, in some cases persisting until as late as the 1920s. They took out “information wanted” advertisements in newspapers and sent letters to the editor. Pastors in churches across the country read these advertisements from the pulpit, expanding the search to those who had never learned to read or who did not have access to newspapers. These documents demonstrate that even as most white Americans—and even some younger Black Americans, too—wanted to put slavery in the past, many former slaves, members of the “Freedom Generation,” continued for years, and even decades, to search for one another. These letters and advertisements are testaments to formerly enslaved people’s enduring love for the families they lost in slavery, yet they spent many years buried in the storage of local historical societies or on microfilm reels that time forgot.
Judith Giesberg draws on the archive that she founded—containing almost five thousand letters and advertisements placed by members of the Freedom Generation—to compile these stories in a narrative form for the first time. Her in-depth research turned up additional information about the writers, their families, and their enslavers. With this critical context, she recounts the moving stories of the people who placed the advertisements, the loved ones they tried to find, and the outcome of their quests to reunite.
This story underscores the cruelest horror of slavery—the forced breakup of families—and the resilience and determination of the formerly enslaved. Thoughtful, heart-wrenching, and illuminating, Last Seen finally gives this lesser-known aspect of slavery the attention it deserves. (Amazon Review)
Go to "Event Registration" to register for the book club.
Upcoming Book Club Readings:
September 1, 2026 - First Family: Abigail and John Adams by Joseph J. Ellis
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
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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
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.
to visit the Public Store page for more information and to register for the event.
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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
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.
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 TBA |
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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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