Tag Archives: research

Genealogy program focuses on New York genealogical resources

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SOUTHINGTON – The virtual program, “Focus on Free Resources for New York Genealogical Research,” will be offered Tuesday, May 27 by the Southington Genealogical Society. This free event will take place at 7 p.m. at the Southington Historical Center, 239 Main St. People are welcome to come view in-person with others or receive the Zoom link.

Speaker Marian Burk Wood will present the program which provides free resources from throughout New York state to investigate ancestors’ lives and family history context. Many of the websites feature links to New York area digitized county histories and vital records, state census records, old newspapers/ postcards/ photos, oral histories, county/local history experts, and more. Wood is the author of the genealogy book, “Planning a Future for Your Family’s Past,” and a long-time blogger about family history methodology and issues. She takes special interest in researching, preserving, and sharing family history for the sake of future generations.

The Southington Genealogical Society Inc., founded in 1984, is a non-profit organization located in central Connecticut that promotes the accurate recording, research and preservation of family history. The organization meets monthly on the fourth Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Southington Historical Society. To receive the link for the virtual programs, email southingtongenealogicalsociety@gmail.com or DM through the Facebook page “Southington Genealogical Society, Inc.” The website is www.southingtongenealogicalsociety.org.

What’s New with YOUR Research?

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Southington Genealogical Society members and friends are welcome to share their latest adventures in personal genealogy research. On Tuesday, March 25 at 7 p.m. we will have an in-person meeting at the Southington Historical Society, 239 Main St. People can also connect via Zoom – the link has been emailed or request it by emailing southingtongenealogicalsociety@gmail.com. And we welcome your ideas for upcoming programs!

Ancestor Road Show Comes to Town on Sept. 21 – Register now!

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You are invited to take part in an Ancestor Road Show, hosted by the Southington Genealogical Society on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Southington Historical Society, 239 Main St., Southington. 

Members of the Connecticut Professional Genealogists Council will share their knowledge and expertise during the program. The Road Show offers participants the chance to get help from a professional genealogist in breaking down brick walls and solving family history mysteries. 

Each personal session will last 25 minutes. Attendees must complete the attached questionnaire and return it to the Southington Genealogical Society by Sept. 14. Questionnaires and a $10 registration fee can be mailed to the society at 239 Main St., Southington, CT 06489. SGS meets at 7pm on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the historical society.

Participants should also list their preferred time slots. Sessions will begin at 10am, 10:30am, 11am, 11:30am, noon, 12:30pm, 1pm and 1:30pm. The Road Show will be limited to 40 openings. You can download the form here.

Ancestor Road Show Participant Questionnaire updatedDownload

Proceeds from the event will support genealogy education throughout the state. 

For additional information, please email SGS at southingtongenealogicalsociety@gmail.com.

Genealogy program on May 28 examines impact of industrialization on family history

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SOUTHINGTON – For amateur genealogists wondering why their ancestors lived in a developing New England urban area or emigrated west, the virtual program on Tuesday, May 28 may provide clues. This presentation by John E. Putnam will examine the many economic, political and social changes that people faced during this epoch and how these factors influenced their lives.

“Change and Industrialization in Antebellum New England” will be presented at 7 p.m. on screen and via Zoom at the Southington Historical Society, 239 Main St. The program is free and open to the public. Putnam, a 12-generation New Englander, became interested in genealogy at an early age and is a past president of the Pike’s Peak Genealogical Society.

Prior to the presentation, attendees are encouraged to answer several questions regarding their New England ancestors from 1800-1865: “Could you share any family stories about an ancestor(s) during this time who was directly involved in any economic, political or social change movement?” “Did any of your New England ancestors migrate from a rural area to an evolving New England industrial urban area?” Responses can be sent to jeputnam@aol.com with “Southington AB” in the subject line. After the program, Putnam will explore these questions.

Next month’s SGS meeting on June 25 will be “Quebec’s Church Records: An Introduction” with Bryna O’Sullivan of Charter Oak Genealogy.

Now celebrating its 40th year, SGS meets monthly on the fourth Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the historical society. To receive the Zoom link for the virtual programs, email southingtongenealogicalsociety@gmail.com. For more information on SGS, visit http://www.southingtongenealogicalsociety.org or Southington Genealogical Society, Inc. on Facebook.

Genealogical society speaker on April 23 to offer new research sources

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SOUTHINGTON – Amateur genealogists can grow discouraged and lose interest in researching family history when their search grows cold and their questions remain unanswered. Southington Genealogical Society is offering a program on Tuesday, April 23 that may provide new leads on finding results.

“Research When Traditional Sources are Scarce” with guest speaker Al Fiacre of Godfrey Memorial Library, will be held at 7 p.m. at the Southington Historical Society, 239 Main St. After a brief overview, the talk will feature four case studies where non-traditional approaches were used. Admission is free. The meeting will also be available via Zoom.

Fiacre is a Godfrey Library staff member as well as board chairman. 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. He holds a BA degree from Middlebury College, an MBA degree from New York University, and a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University.

Godfrey Library, which is in Middletown, was incorporated in 1947 and opened its doors in 1951. The library is a licensed affiliate of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and thus is a Family History Center. Its print and digitized genealogical collections include rare, unpublished, and one-of-a-kind resource materials.

Now celebrating its 40th year, Southington Genealogical Society meets monthly on the fourth Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the historical society. For more information on the society, visit www.southingtongenealogicalsociety.org or Southington Genealogical Society, Inc. on Facebook.

SGS guest speaker on March 26 to focus on researching Irish heritage

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SOUTHINGTON – People interested in their Irish heritage often are stymied by the lack of records. A fire in 1922 destroyed many of Ireland’s 19th-century census records and others were lost during wars, famines, through intentional destruction and natural disasters.

Now during “St. Patrick’s Day month,” professional genealogist Nora Galvin will help make it easier to research and discover one’s Irish heritage during a special program, “Adventures in Irish Research,” on Tuesday, March 26 at 7 p.m. at the Southington Historical Society, 239 Main St. This program is hosted by the Southington Genealogical Society and is free to the public.

Galvin’s program will explain the process to finding an ancestor’s origins in Ireland, explore Irish records and show where to locate online records. “There has been an explosion of online availability of resources for Irish research,” she stated.

A board-certified genealogist, Galvin is a member of both the Connecticut Professional Genealogists Council and the Association of Professional Genealogists. She is the editor of the journal, “Connecticut Ancestry.”

Now celebrating its 40th year, Southington Genealogical Society meets monthly on the fourth Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the historical society. For more information on the society, visit www.southingtongenealogicalsociety.org or Southington Genealogical Society, Inc. on Facebook.