WESTERN MICHIGAN GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY ONLINE!

MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS

We meet at 1:30PM in the Ryerson Auditorium of the Grand Rapids Public Library on the first Saturday of the month, September through June. Should the first Saturday fall on a holiday weekend, another day will be scheduled. The June meeting is often times changed to the 2nd Saturday. Unless a special program, each meeting has a one-hour lecture on a genealogy related subject by a knowledgeable speaker. Books and charts are sold at our meetings and a "Hospitality Hour" follows. All meetings are free and open to the public. 

REMINDER: parking is free at the library on Saturdays. Just make sure you validate your parking exit ticket in the machine at the Library's information desk in the first floor lobby.

MONTHLY MEETINGS

September 11th

Ohio Records and Repositories

Planning a research trip? Learn the types of records available. Discover the best libraries and archives in the state of Ohio.

Jana Sloan Broglin CG,  a native of northwest Ohio, is a professional genealogist with over thirty years of experience. She has spoken at local, state, regional, and national conferences. She is a lecturer and freelance writer. Over thirty publications on Kentucky resulted in being named a "Kentucky Colonel".

Currently, Jana is serving as Vice President of Membership for the Federation of Genealogical Societies and is a past trustee of the Ohio Genealogical Society.

October 2nd

Post-Civil War Legions, Orders, Armies

Bruce Butgereit will speak on the history of several post-Civil War organizations – the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), and the Allied Orders of the GAR. What are the local and state connections to these groups?

As well as a long-time member of Western Michigan Genealogical Society, Bruce has held or holds these titles:

National Patriotic Instructor, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
President, The Grand Rapids Civil War Roundtable
Commander of the Department, The Grand Rapids Civil War Roundtable
Commander, Michigan Commandery (MOLLUS)
Commander of the Sons, Union Veterans of the Civil War

Today's Mini Class: Publishing your family research: It’s easier than you think

Held in the Grand Rapids Public Library from 12:15 to 1:15 in the Adult Computer Center. They are free to the general public. No registration is required.

November 6th

GOT ANCESTORS?! ARE THEY WHO YOU THINK THEY ARE?

Annual Seminar with featured speaker, Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak

www.gotancestors.com

December 4th

Michigan Biographical Index

Jim Jackson presents the evolution of www.michlist.com and what is to come. This site started with about 500,000 military records, then county and local resources have been added. More records are added every day, although the site is updated every few weeks or so. Included are some tips to better understand my organization process and how to get the most from this site.

Jim has been interested in Genealogy and Local History since the mid-70s, having served as President of the Detroit Society for Genealogical Research, Inc, and President of the Oakland County Genealogical Society. He has been the index editor of the DSGR Magazine since 1994 and the current Vice-President of the Calhoun County Genealogical Society.

I have taught genealogical classes and presented talks to various local and national Societies, including the Michigan Genealogical Conference in Troy, MI (1987), the Great Lakes Conference in Fort Wayne, IN (1994), the Local History Conference in Grand Rapids, MI (2002), Tracing Our Ancestor's Footsteps in Bloomfield Hills, MI (2005), Tracing Our Ancestor's Footsteps II (2006), and the American Society of Indexers 2007 Conference in Philadelphia, PA.

Member of Association of Professional Genealogists and Genealogical Speakers Guild.

Today's Mini Class: An Introduction to Photo Enhancement Software

Held in the Grand Rapids Public Library from 12:15 to 1:15 in the Adult Computer Center. They are free to the general public. No registration is required.

October 21, 2010

The Genealogist’s #2 Research Tool: Using the US census records. 6:45 to 8:45 p.m. in the GRPL Adult Computer Center. No registration is required.

November 18, 2010

Getting started with Family Tree Maker 2010. The class is limited to 5 participants. Registration is required. 6:45 to 8:45 p.m. in the GRPL Adult Computer Center. To reserve your spot, please email wmgs@wmgs.org  with your name, telephone number and email address.

RESEARCH TRIPS

Allen County Public Library

September 28th and 29th. Signup form and Details are here:

Fall 2010 Bus Trip

 

FAMILY HISTORY WRITERS WORKSHOPS

The Dominican Center on the corner of East Fulton and Lakeside Drive is the location for WMGS Writers Group workshops. We normally meet 1:30 to 4:45 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month.

We help and support each other's desire to write about our families with a kind eye and lots of humor. Everyone is welcome

It is requested to call Sister Michael Ellen Carling at 616-643-0206 if you wish to attend. Please park in the Dominican Center parking lot which is off Lakeside Drive. Use the lower entrance on the east side of the large portico and go down the steps or the cement ramp to enter the building. The receptionist will direct you to the room.

Everyone is welcome to bring their latest writing project rather than the suggested topic for the meeting. Having a topic helps some of us jog our memories and prods us into making sure we actually write between meetings.

The group provides constructive feedback and everyone benefits.

For more details, look here...

OTHER ACTIVITIES AT MONTHLY MEETINGS

Refreshments:   Many WMGS members are great cooks!  They share homemade cookies and other goodies with us during our social time!  Social time for gene-people is as must!  Who else wants to listen to how you found G-G-G Grandpa except another WMGS member?   If you can bring cookies, contact Sue Carpenter, our Hospitality Chairperson.

WMGS Book Sales:  WMGS stocks quite a large number of new  books and materials for your inspection.  We feel that most people want to browse through genealogy books before they purchase. Valuable genealogy materials are  difficult to find in the normal bookstores.  Got ideas?  Want to help?  Let us know!   Watch for our Christmas Special in December!