The Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society has been an organization since 1972 and we have been bringing quality programming to all of our members since our start. As a group and as individuals we are devoted to the research and documentation of our family ancestry and history. We also assist others in the pursuit of discovering their ancestry.
Monthly Meetings: We meet year-round on the first Wednesday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m. Our calendar and membership year is from September through August.
Speakers: The Society, since its beginning, has always engaged local, regional and nationally known speakers who share their broad experience to educate us and improve our research skills. Thanks to a strong inner circle of Genealogists, we have been able to get local speakers as well as national speakers in the field of genealogy. By using technology such as Zoom Online Meetings, we virtually bring national speakers to our meetings.
Watch our meetings online: Our Speakers (and Members) join us from all over the U.S. and beyond. We archive our monthly meeting presentations in the Members Only section of the website.
Listen to Local and National Speakers: Be sure to check out our Newsletter for future Speakers and their topics. Over the past year, our Speakers have included:
Thomas MacEntee
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AI and Genealogy: Trouble Ahead
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Getting the Most Out of a Census Record
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Chistine Cohen
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Mysterious Codes: Passenger Manifests Letters and Numbers
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Kate Townsend
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Court Records Research Without the Law Degree
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Diane MacLean Boumenot
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Changing New England Records in the 1800s
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John Putnam
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Teaching Grannies: Changing Farm Girls into Schoolmarms
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Training Sessions & Special Interest Groups (SIGs): These sessions are an opportunity for members to explore a topic in greater depth, to get help with your research problems, and meet (virtually) with other members. Each month, we’ll offer a different topic and list the details in our newsletter and on our website calendar. Come and see what they’re all about!
Our Training Sessions & Special Interest Groups (SIGs) meet on the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. using Zoom Online Meetings.
The Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society, Inc., Board of Directors for 2024- 2025 year is comprised of the following individuals.
| Position | Name | Term |
| President | Jeanne Leblond | 2025 – 2027 |
| Vice President | Dave Lapierre | 2024 – 2026 |
| Treasurer | Vacant | |
| Assistant Treasurer | Jeanne Lockhart | 2024 – 2026 |
| Secretary | Vacant | |
| Director | Gwen Laprade | 2024 – 2026 |
| Director | John Putnam | 2025 – 2027 |
| Director | Cara Seitchek | 2025 – 2027 |