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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society, Inc.
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260304T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260304T193000
DTSTAMP:20260205T195055Z
CREATED:20260205T195055Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260205T195055Z
UID:41795-1772647200-1772652600@westmassgen.com
SUMMARY:WMGS March 2026 Monthly Meeting: Eddie Wench - The Case of a Little Lost Boy
DESCRIPTION:A good genealogist needs the instincts of a detective —our research often unfolds like a compelling mystery. But how much can we trust the records and sources we find? When the facts don’t line up\, what might be hiding beneath the surface? Can documents or titles simply be wrong? \nAt our March 4 monthly meeting\, Julie Miller presents “Eddie Wenck: The Case of a Little Lost Boy.” Eddie Wenck was a forgotten child. His story was a mystery\nfor many years until research exposed an error made over 20 years ago and uncovered the hidden past of a well-known landmark. This lecture is about the importance of using original records and historical context and about following our instincts when things don’t seem right.
URL:https://westmassgen.com/event/wmgs-march-2026-monthly-meeting-eddie-wench-the-case-of-a-little-lost-boy/
LOCATION:Online
CATEGORIES:WMGS Monthly Meeting
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westmassgen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Julie-Miller.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260401T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260401T193000
DTSTAMP:20260321T145705Z
CREATED:20260321T145705Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260321T145705Z
UID:41858-1775066400-1775071800@westmassgen.com
SUMMARY:WMGS April Monthly Meeting: Why We Still Don't Miss 1890. Much.
DESCRIPTION:We’re pleased to welcome Sara Cochran back to WMGS on April 1\, when she will present Why We Still Don’t Miss 1890. Much. This talk is a sequel to her January\npresentation about the 1890 census. \nFinding ancestors that lived in the U.S. between 1880 and 1890 can be a challenge. In 1921\, nearly the entire 1890 census was destroyed by fire and subsequent water\ndamage. Only fragments covering about 6\,000 individuals survived out of over 62 million people enumerated. \nIn January\, Sara provided resources to bridge the ten-year gap caused by the loss of that census. In April\, she’ll share even more research strategies and complete a case study she started in January. \nNote: Sara’s January presentation was called Who Needed It Anyway? Getting \nAround the Missing 1890 Census. If you missed it\, you can find the recording and\nhandout in the Members Only section of our website until April 1.
URL:https://westmassgen.com/event/wmgs-april-monthly-meeting-why-we-still-dont-miss-1890-much/
LOCATION:Online
CATEGORIES:WMGS Monthly Meeting
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westmassgen.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Sarah-Cochran.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260506T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260506T193000
DTSTAMP:20260321T150129Z
CREATED:20260321T145915Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260321T150129Z
UID:41860-1778090400-1778095800@westmassgen.com
SUMMARY:WMGS May Monthly Meeting - Friend or Foe: Researching  Colonial Ancestors During the American Revolution
DESCRIPTION:At our May 6 monthly meeting\, noted genealogist David Allen Lambert will present Friend or Foe: Researching Colonial Ancestors During the American Revolution \nto our society. \nNearly 250 years ago\, America declared its independence from the British Empire\, changing the course of history. While many took up the cause and supported revolution\,\nothers remained loyal to the British government — turning friends into foes and pitting neighbor against neighbor. David will discuss how to research your colonial ancestors and determine if — and how — they may have served the cause of the American Revolution.
URL:https://westmassgen.com/event/wmgs-may-monthly-meeting-friend-or-foe-researching-colonial-ancestors-during-the-american-revolution/
LOCATION:Online
CATEGORIES:WMGS Monthly Meeting
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westmassgen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/David-Allen-Lambert.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260603T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260603T193000
DTSTAMP:20260519T212637Z
CREATED:20260519T212150Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T212637Z
UID:41908-1780509600-1780515000@westmassgen.com
SUMMARY:WMGS June Monthly Meeting: From Local Militia to the Continental Line
DESCRIPTION:With the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution approaching\, interest in Revolutionary era genealogy is surging. So we’re pleased to welcome Bryna O’Sullivan to our June meeting. \nBryna will present a timely topic on American Revolution ancestors: “From Local Militia to the Continental Line.” \nDid your ancestor serve on the local level\, the state level\, or the federal level in the American Revolution? How can you tell? Understanding the three distinct types of military service — local militia\, state troops\, and the Continental Army — is essential for accurate research and lineage documentation. \nThese categories determine what records exist\, how reliable they are\, where they’re  held\, and how much personal detail they contain. \nThis program will explain the different types of Revolutionary War army service and\nhow the differences in service might have impacted where your ancestor was recorded. It will cover militia and Continental Line structures\, the federal pension system\, and more.
URL:https://westmassgen.com/event/wmgs-june-monthly-meeting-from-local-militia-to-the-continental-line/
LOCATION:Online
CATEGORIES:WMGS Monthly Meeting
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westmassgen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/OSulivan-Bryna.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260708T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260708T193000
DTSTAMP:20260519T212617Z
CREATED:20260519T212617Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260519T212617Z
UID:41911-1783533600-1783539000@westmassgen.com
SUMMARY:WMGS July Monthly Meeting: Sacred Honor\, Frozen Feet: Finding Your Ancestors in the 'Times That Try Men's Souls'
DESCRIPTION:What happened after the ink dried on the Declaration of Independence? For many of our ancestors\, the Spirit of ’76 was immediately tested by the grueling reality of the New\nYork campaign and a desperate winter retreat across the Jerseys. \nAt our July monthly meeting\, John Putnam will present “Sacred Honor\, Frozen Feet: Finding Your Ancestors in the ‘Times That Try Men’s Souls.’” \nThis presentation explores the pivotal 14-month window from the spring of 1776 to the summer of 1777. John will trace the political courage required to sign a document of\n“high treason” and the physical endurance of the Continental soldiers who saved the Revolution at Trenton and Princeton. \nDesigned specifically for genealogists\, this talk goes beyond the history books to focus\non the records. John will discuss how to locate your Revolutionary ancestors in NARA\nrecord groups\, interpret pension narratives of the Ten Crucial Days\, and find the hidden stories of those who risked their lives during the nation’s darkest hour.
URL:https://westmassgen.com/event/wmgs-july-monthly-meeting-sacred-honor-frozen-feet-finding-your-ancestors-in-the-times-that-try-mens-souls/
LOCATION:Online
CATEGORIES:WMGS Monthly Meeting
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westmassgen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/John-Putnam.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260805T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260805T193000
DTSTAMP:20260627T131749Z
CREATED:20260627T131749Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260627T131749Z
UID:41965-1785952800-1785958200@westmassgen.com
SUMMARY:WMGS August Monthly Meeting: Unraveling the Mystery of Louis White Strickland
DESCRIPTION:Two newspapers — published miles apart in separate counties — announced the baptism of Louis White Strickland in the Congregational church in Cold Spring\,\nMassachusetts. \nThe notice named Louis’s parents as Mr. and Mrs. Warren Strickland\, and local records confirmed that the church and minister were correctly identified. Yet a thorough search  of vital records turned up no birth record for Louis\, nor any evidence that his parents ever lived in Massachusetts. \nWho were Louis and his parents? And where\, exactly\, was Cold Spring? WMGS  member Ed Strickland unraveled this intriguing genealogical mystery. At our August  meeting\, he will share the twists and turns of his research journey\, including the false\nleads and unexpected detours.
URL:https://westmassgen.com/event/wmgs-august-monthly-meeting-unraveling-the-mystery-of-louis-white-strickland/
LOCATION:Online
CATEGORIES:WMGS Monthly Meeting
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westmassgen.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ed-Strickland.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260902T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260902T193000
DTSTAMP:20260721T000551Z
CREATED:20260721T000500Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260721T000551Z
UID:41991-1788372000-1788377400@westmassgen.com
SUMMARY:WMGS September Monthly Meeting: Orphan Trains and the Children Who Rode Them
DESCRIPTION:Do you have children in your family lines who seem to have vanished or who turn up in unexpected places\, such as in the Midwest or western part of our country? \nThe orphan train movement (1854-1929) relocated over 200\,000 children to foster homes across the country\, in hopes of providing them with better lives. Historians estimate that only about one-third of the children placed on orphan trains had no living parents. Who were these children and why were they sent away from their families? \nTo kick off our 2026-2027 membership year\, genealogist Karen Fortin will present “Orphan Trains and the Children Who Rode Them.” \nThe story of the orphan trains\, which relocated children from the eastern cities to rural farmlands\, has become a part of American popular culture. Karen’s presentation  explores the facts behind the legends\, follows a group of children “placed-out” in 1880\, and provides information on resources available to learn more about the orphan trains and their riders.
URL:https://westmassgen.com/event/wmgs-september-monthly-meeting-orphan-trains-and-the-children-who-rode-them/
LOCATION:Online
CATEGORIES:WMGS Monthly Meeting
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westmassgen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Karen-Fortin.jpg
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