WMGS November Monthly Meeting: Finding Aids and the National Archives
2025-11-05 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Online
We’re delighted to welcome nationally known genealogist Craig R. Scott to present Finding Aids and the National Archives on November 5.
Craig will guide us through the structure of our National Archives. He’ll also explain how to use finding aids — guides, indexes, catalogs, and more — to navigate its vast
collections.
Craig describes his talk this way: “The National Archives of the United States documents American history from the time of the First Continental Congress. That is a lot of paper, pictures, and other things, so much in fact that it requires organization.”
“Organization means that there are rules about how things will be filed and how they can be located once they are stored,” Craig says. “Finding aids is a term that describes the various publications, such as guides and indexes, microfilm catalogs, reference information papers, inventories, preliminary inventories, special lists, checklists, descriptive pamphlets, and other tools that have been created to assist either the researcher or the archivist in locating records.”

WMGS December Monthly Meeting: 10 Genealogical Brick Walls You Will Face (and How to Demolish Them)
2025-12-03 18:00 - 19:30
At our December monthly meeting, genealogist Robert Cameron Weir will present “10 Genealogical Brick Walls You Will Face (and How to Demolish Them).”
“In genealogy, a brick wall is an ancestor who seemingly refuses, despite repeated attempts, to reveal their origins,” Rob explains. “No matter how hard you try, you are unable to connect them to your family tree. They remain the stubborn puzzle piece who refuses to fit in.”
Rob will survey the most common kinds of brick walls and teach us some tricks for tearing them down. We’ll learn about brick walls related to immigrants, paupers, sojourners, pioneers, name shifters, and people with hushed-up family secrets.
Whether you’re just beginning your genealogy research or have been doing it for a long time, we’ll all benefit from this presentation.
“The beginner will learn about some brick walls they will eventually face; the intermediate researcher will learn how to tackle some that they are already facing; and the more advanced genealogist will learn a different way to think about what they are probably already doing,” Rob says.

WMGS January Monthly Meeting: Who Needed It Anyway? Getting Around the Missing 1890 Census
2026-01-07 18:00 - 19:30
The 1890 census was uniquely detailed, including household relationships, occupations, literacy, housing conditions, and special schedules for Union Civil War
veterans and widows. Nearly the entire 1890 census was destroyed in a 1921 fire and subsequent water damage at the Commerce Department. Only fragments covering about 6,000 individuals survived out of over 62 million enumerated.
At our January monthly meeting, genealogist Sara Cochran will present “Who Needed It Anyway? Getting Around the Missing 1890 Census” and tell us some of the resources that may be available to address this gap.
As Sara describes her presentation, “The loss of the 1890 Federal census is a source of great frustration for American genealogists, but all hope is not lost! Learn strategies and gather tips for success in locating your family in other records between the 1880 and 1900 Federal censuses.”
Sara will present a follow-up presentation to explore even more resources and complete a case study at our April 1 monthly meeting.

WMGS February Monthly Meeting: Ancestors on the Move: Migration from Farms to Cities, 1870-1920
2026-02-04 18:00 - 19:30
We’re delighted that nationally-known genealogist, Annette Burke-Lyttle will join us again to present Ancestors on the Move: Migration from Farms to Cities, 1870–1920.
Between the Civil War and World War I, Americans faced dramatic changes that shaped where and how they lived. Push and pull factors, financial panics, the reality of daily life
in rural areas, and the rise of manufacturing were some of the factors that led to decisions to move from farms to cities.
Annette will guide us through the records that capture thosemovements — from census schedules and land deeds to city directories, newspapers, military files, and other sources. We’ll learn what factors influenced our ancestors’ choices and discover practical strategies to locate the documents that bring their journeys to life.

WMGS March 2026 Monthly Meeting: Eddie Wench - The Case of a Little Lost Boy
2026-03-04 18:00 - 19:30
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?
At 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
for 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.

WMGS April Monthly Meeting: Why We Still Don't Miss 1890. Much.
2026-04-01 18:00 - 19:30
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
presentation about the 1890 census.
Finding 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
damage. Only fragments covering about 6,000 individuals survived out of over 62 million people enumerated.
In 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.
Note: Sara’s January presentation was called Who Needed It Anyway? Getting
Around the Missing 1890 Census. If you missed it, you can find the recording and
handout in the Members Only section of our website until April 1.

WMGS May Monthly Meeting - Friend or Foe: Researching Colonial Ancestors During the American Revolution
2026-05-06 18:00 - 19:30
At our May 6 monthly meeting, noted genealogist David Allen Lambert will present Friend or Foe: Researching Colonial Ancestors During the American Revolution
to our society.
Nearly 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,
others 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.

WMGS June Monthly Meeting: From Local Militia to the Continental Line
2026-06-03 18:00 - 19:30
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.
Bryna will present a timely topic on American Revolution ancestors: “From Local Militia to the Continental Line.”
Did 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.
These categories determine what records exist, how reliable they are, where they’re held, and how much personal detail they contain.
This program will explain the different types of Revolutionary War army service and
how 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.

WMGS July Monthly Meeting: Sacred Honor, Frozen Feet: Finding Your Ancestors in the 'Times That Try Men's Souls'
2026-07-08 18:00 - 19:30
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
York campaign and a desperate winter retreat across the Jerseys.
At our July monthly meeting, John Putnam will present “Sacred Honor, Frozen Feet: Finding Your Ancestors in the ‘Times That Try Men’s Souls.’”
This 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
“high treason” and the physical endurance of the Continental soldiers who saved the Revolution at Trenton and Princeton.
Designed specifically for genealogists, this talk goes beyond the history books to focus
on the records. John will discuss how to locate your Revolutionary ancestors in NARA
record 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.

WMGS August Monthly Meeting: Unraveling the Mystery of Louis White Strickland
2026-08-05 18:00 - 19:30
Two newspapers — published miles apart in separate counties — announced the baptism of Louis White Strickland in the Congregational church in Cold Spring,
Massachusetts.
The 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.
Who 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
leads and unexpected detours.

WMGS September Monthly Meeting: Orphan Trains and the Children Who Rode Them
2026-09-02 18:00 - 19:30
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?
The 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?
To kick off our 2026-2027 membership year, genealogist Karen Fortin will present “Orphan Trains and the Children Who Rode Them.”
The 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.
