Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society, Inc.

WMGS Training Session: Hillary Schau presents Roots Magic Software - Part 2
2023-06-15 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Online
At our June training session, Hillary Schau will be offering Part 2 of her presentation on the features of RootsMagic 8 software, along with demonstrations on how to do the most common tasks of logging your family history and research. Time will be allowed
at the end of the session for questions.
If you missed the first session, the recording and handout are available in the Members
Only section of our website.

WMGS June Board Meeting
2023-06-12 18:30 - 20:30 | Online

WMGS June Monthly Meeting: An Introduction to the Courthouse with Michael John Neill
2023-06-07 18:00 - 20:00 | Chicopee Public Library & Online, 449 Front Street, Chicopee, MA, 01013, United States
Now that we can get back to in-person research, many of us will be heading to a courthouse to research our ancestors. Michael will present an overview of the records typically found in a county courthouse: land, probate, court, and vital records. He’ll talk about the basics involved in courthouse research, including how to prepare for a visit, what you need to know before you make that trip, what records you might find, and what to expect from the courthouse and its staff.

WMGS Training Session: Hillary Schau presents Roots Magic Software - Part 1
2023-05-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Online

WMGS May Board Meeting
2023-05-08 18:30 - 20:30 | Online

WMGS Annual Meeting & Tech Talk with Dave
2023-05-03 18:00 - 20:00 | Chicopee Public Library & Online, 449 Front Street, Chicopee, MA, 01013, United States
Our annual meeting will be held on May 3rd at 6 p.m. This will be a hybrid meeting.
Members can choose whether to attend in person in the Chicopee Public Library conference room or participate virtually on Zoom.
At the meeting, our Treasurer will give a brief financial report. Next, the Nominating
Committee will present the slate of candidates for election to open positions as officers
and directors of our society. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor. Voting
will be conducted in person and virtually through an anonymous poll on Zoom.
The following positions are up for election to two-year terms:
• President
• Treasurer
• Director (Two positions)
A Nominating Committee consisting of Dave Lapierre and Cara Seitchek has been appointed. If any member is interested in running for election to a position and/or wishes to know the requirements for the position, please send an email to the Nominating Committee at westmassgen@gmail.com with Nominating Committee in the subject line. Please include a brief description of your qualifications and experience for the position you are seeking.
We’ll also announce our Founders Award recipient and review our plans for the
upcoming year.
Following the business portion of our May 3rd annual meeting, we will be hosting “Tech Talk with Dave.”
Dave Lapierre will field and (hopefully) answer your technology questions. Rather than giving a prepared presentation, Dave will answer questions from the audience.

WMGS Training Session: Genealogy 101 - Session #4
2023-04-27 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
We’re excited to share the news with you! Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, one of our favorite presenters, will be teaching “Genealogy 101: A Four-Session Course in Beginning
Genealogy” for WMGS members at our monthly training sessions from January through April 2023.
These sessions will be held virtually on the 4 th Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. via Zoom. The recordings and handouts will be archived in the Members Only section of our website, in case you miss a class or want to watch it again.
For some time, we’ve been searching for a beginners’ course in genealogy that we could offer to potential, new, and current members.
This course could be a way to bring more members to our society and introduce more
people to the joy of family history research.
Many of us are self-taught and could benefit from learning other aspects of genealogy
research. Whether to learn new skills or brush up on unfamiliar areas, we think current
members will be interested in attending such a course as well. We’ll have more information in our January newsletter about the sessions and what topics Peggy will
cover in each class.
If you have friends or family who have been thinking about doing their family genealogy,
please let them know about this wonderful opportunity. For the low cost of an annual
membership, they’ll be able to take this course (either live on Zoom or at their leisure),
attend our monthly meetings, and have access to all of the archived webinars,
handouts, and other content in the Members Only section of our website as well.

WMGS April 2023 Monthly Meeting: Using Tax Records in Genealogy - How Taxes Can Be a Good Thing!
2023-04-05 18:00 - 19:30 | Chicopee Public Library & Online, 449 Front Street, Chicopee, MA, 01013, United States
Many dread tax day, but old tax records provide valuable clues to our ancestors’ lives. Since the early days of America, people were taxed to create roads, to support wars,
and to provide needed revenue. Learn the types of records available, where to find
them, and how they help solve genealogy problems.
Join us on Wednesday, April 5th at 6 p.m. for a virtual presentation with Dr. McCoy.
You can participate on Zoom from home or attend the presentation in person at the
Chicopee Public Library conference room.

WMGS Training Session: Genealogy 101 - Session #3
2023-03-23 19:00 - 20:30 | Online

WMGS Training Session: Genealogy 101 - Session #2
2023-02-23 19:00 - 20:30 | Online

WMGS February Monthly Meeting: Pinpointing Ancestors Using Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
2023-02-01 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
Where did your ancestors live? How did they live? What was their dwelling like? As genealogists we can generally find the addresses of our ancestors on census records, marriage licenses, death certificates, and other sources. But the next question should be: Where exactly is this address? What was the dwelling like? How far did ancestors live from their place of work, other relatives, or their place of worship? Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps are one resource to locate where your ancestors lived and bring detail to their story.
At our February 1st meeting, Susan J. O’Connor will be presenting “Pinpointing Ancestors Using Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps.” Susan’s presentation will include
examples from her ancestors who lived in Chicopee, MA, making her presentation
especially important for our members.

WMGS Training Session: Genealogy 101 - Session #1
2023-01-26 19:00 - 20:30 | Online

WMGS Monthly Meeting: Introduction to U.S. Church Records: Why We Care Where Grandma Went to Church
2023-01-04 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
Popular genealogist and author Sunny Jane Morton will help us kick off the new year! At our January 4th meeting, Sunny will present “Introduction to U.S. Church Records: Why We Care Where Grandma Went to Church.”
As Sunny has noted, U.S. church records of many denominations can reveal ancestors’ vital events, maiden names, family relationships, overseas birthplaces, and other information such as our ancestors’ religious practices and residences. Sunny will help us learn what these records may look like, how to identify an ancestral church, locate extant records, and tell us where we might locate them.
Sunny’s acclaimed book on this topic, “How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records” (co-authored with Harold Henderson), has become a bestseller. Sunny is a popular speaker at genealogy conferences and seminars around the U.S. and world. She’s especially known for expertise in tracing U.S. ancestors, her unique comparisons
of the industry’s largest websites, and inspiring presentations on how to reconstruct
and tell meaningful stories from the past.

WMGS Virtual Holiday Gathering
2022-12-15 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
We’re very excited that well-known local historian, Dennis D. Picard, will be presenting “Dashing Through the Snow: The Real History of Christmas in New England” at our virtual holiday event this year.
The reality of Christmas in early New England may be disappointing to some and unbelievable to many, but the historical actuality of that celebration — or lack of celebration — of Christmas is a very interesting tale and one that blends the heritage and spirit of many cultures and many lands.
Dennis’ presentation in period costume with accompanying artifacts will help us understand what Christmas was like for our ancestors and put us in the holiday spirit. His interpretations of history are always a fascinating look into the past.
Brew a mug of mulled wine, cider, or hot chocolate and join us as we travel back in time.

WMGS Monthly Meeting: The Pilgrims: Persistent and Resilient
2022-12-07 18:00 - 20:00 | Online
At our December meeting, John Putnam will return to present “The Pilgrims: Persistent and Resilient.” John will discuss the challenges and successes of the Plymouth Colony from its settlement until its merging with the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1692.
After facing and surviving challenges on their journey, the Pilgrims faced further hardships once they arrived on the shores of America. The list was long and included housing, food, disease, weather, conflicts with Native American tribes, economic issues, and more. How did they deal with these challenges and what were the outcomes of their efforts? Where did their strength and resilience originate?

Massachusetts Genealogical Council: An Evening with Kate Kelley - Meet the Photo Angel
2022-11-30 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
It all began with a pile of labeled photos of non-relatives that were mixed in with Kate’s grandparents’ old family pictures. Were they friends? Classmates? War buddies? Neighbors? I was determined to find out. She started poking around genealogy websites began connecting with relatives of the photographed. Now hooked, Kate visits antique stores to thumb through pictures to find those that are labeled so that she can try to return them to their family members. Affectionately dubbed “The Photo Angel,” Kate has established a project to reunite long lost photos with their relatives.
This presentation is free, but registration is required!

Giving Tuesday
2022-11-29 | Online
Giving Tuesday is a worldwide campaign to celebrate generosity, share kindness, and help organizations and causes that need support.
Last year, WMGS participated in this campaign for the first time, and we were blessed with many tax-deductible contributions from our members. These funds have helped to support our programs and activities and have allowed us to continue our efforts to bring local, regional, and national speakers to our members.
Giving Tuesday takes place each year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. This year, Giving Tuesday falls on November 29th.
We hope you will join us in celebrating this global tradition of generosity by contributing to our campaign. All contributions will help WMGS to continue its 50+ year mission to help others to research, document, and share their family ancestry and history.
WMGS is a 501(c)3 organization that is run entirely by volunteers and is funded entirely by membership fees and donations.
Here is a link to the donation page on our website: https://westmassgen.com/donate/
Thank you in advance for your contribution and support!

WMGS Training Session: Share Your Ancestor's Story
2022-11-17 19:00 - 21:00 | Online
Our first “Share Your Ancestor’s Story” session was such a success that we’re planning to do it again at our November 17th training session. We want to let you know about our plans now, so you’ll have time to prepare. Once again, we’re inviting WMGS members to share a story and research about an ancestor whose past was intriguing,
criminal, or unusual.
Have you discovered a famous or infamous ancestor in your family? Or perhaps you’ve found an offbeat ancestor or someone with an unusual occupation. Have you been able to prove or disprove a family myth through your research? We’d love to hear about your discoveries!
This will be an informal event, so it isn’t necessary to provide tons of background information, research documentation, or other material about your ancestor or your research. We’re planning for this event to be fun and interactive, so we hope you’ll consider telling us about your ancestor!
Short (5 minutes or so) presentations about your ancestor and research process will be combined with others from WMGS members for discussion and Q & A. If you’d like to share photos, documents, or digital material (limit of 10 scanned items/slides please) along with your story, you can send the items to us at westmassgen@gmail.com and we’ll have them ready to share on the screen.

WMGS November Board Meeting
2022-11-14 18:30 - 20:30 | Online

WMGS Monthly Meeting: Indirect Evidence: Putting the Pieces Together
2022-11-02 18:00 - 20:00 | Online
Do you need a new way to solve an old research problem? Are you stuck because the vital records you need can’t be found, don’t provide enough information, or perhaps don’t exist for that time period?
At our November 2nd monthly meeting, Pauline Merrick will present “Indirect Evidence: Putting the Pieces Together” and teach us strategies to help solve such problems by gathering evidence and clues to prove a conclusion.
In a Connecticut-based, indirect evidence case study of a woman whose maiden name is known, but whose parents haven’t been found, Pauline demonstrates that researching friends-family/associates/neighbors (FAN principle) can provide evidence to connect this woman back to her family. She’ll demonstrate how various types of records, such as deeds, probate, church, court, and census records, can provide enough clues to help you solve that problem.

WMGS' First Hybrid Event
2022-10-20 19:00 - 20:30 | Chicopee Public Library & Online, 449 Front Street, Chicopee, MA, 01013, United States
We’re very excited to be hosting our first hybrid session at the Chicopee Public Library on Thursday, October 20th. The library now has broadcasting equipment that will allow us to share a presentation with members in the room, as well as with those members who wish to join from home. We’ll be trying out the new technology and will be interested in your feedback on it. We hope to see many of you at this session, either live or virtually!
If you live within driving distance, we hope you’ll join us at the Chicopee Public Library. But, if you live at a distance or prefer to join us via Zoom, we hope you’ll attend this event as well.
We’ll be hosting a repeat presentation of WMGS’ 50th anniversary virtual celebration. We originally presented this video at our June meeting, but we promised to repeat it for members who might have missed it the first time or for those who want to view it again. Because of copyright regulations, we are unable to archive this video in the Members Only section of our website. So, if you didn’t see it the first time around, you won’t want
to miss it.
The WMGS 50th anniversary committee created a timeline of WMGS history through the past five decades, along with a timeline of events in the genealogy world as well. The presentation includes photos, memorabilia, historical material, and more to tell the story of WMGS (and the field of genealogy) through the years. It’s a fantastic walk down memory lane.

WMGS October Board Meeting
2022-10-17 18:30 - 20:30 | Online

WMGS October Meeting: "I've Found It: Now What?"
2022-10-05 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
At our October 5th meeting, popular genealogist Michael John Neill will be returning for another visit to present “I’ve Found It: Now What?”
This lecture looks at a dozen or so documents found in actual research and sees what additional sources and methods are suggested by each individual document. Part of finding something is completely analyzing it.
After searching and finally finding a document, you certainly want to make the most of your discovery. If you’re familiar with Michael’s work, you know that he will provide information and tips that will help you analyze your discovery and more.

WMGS Training Event: "Our Ancestor's Clothing"
2022-09-22 19:00 - 21:00 | Online
We’re very excited that Howard Vincent Kurtz will be joining us at our September 22nd training session for another presentation of Our Ancestors’ Clothing!
If you have participated in Professor Kurtz’s previous visits to WMGS, you’ll know what a great opportunity he provides our members.
As in his previous visits, Prof. Kurtz will review a selection of photographs sent in by our members, analyzing the clothing worn and other clues in them. Prof. Kurtz’s analysis may help to identify ancestors, solve family mysteries, and add details and context to family stories. In addition, his visits provide our members with an opportunity to gain skills in photograph analysis from an expert.

WMGS September Meeting: "Apprentices, Indentured Servants and Redemptioners: White Servitude in America"
2022-09-07 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
We’re excited to kick off our new membership year in September with a presentation by Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG, FOGS, one of our favorite speakers.
Peggy will be presenting “Apprentices, Indentured Servants and Redemptioners: White Servitude in America.”
An estimated one-half of early immigrants came to America as indentured servants. People came to the colonies by various means; some desired to come, and some came against their will. This lecture will examine indentureship in early America and will follow a case study of the story behind Peggy’s own ancestors’ arrival.
Peggy has noted, “This is by no means a comparison of indentureship and slavery. Though they may have worked alongside each other, and even ran away and married each other, their lives were vastly different. One had hope of a piece of land, and perhaps money and implement. The other had no hope at all; their service was perpetual.”

WMGS August Meeting: No Stone Unturned: Getting the Most from the Graveyard
2022-08-03 18:00 - 20:00 | Online
Summer and fall are perfect for cemetery research! To help your research be successful, member Ed Strickland will present “No Stone Unturned: Getting the Most from the Graveyard” at our August 3rd meeting.
Starting with the evolution of the burial ground to memorial park, Ed’s presentation will cover a wide range of topics related to cemetery research. He’ll cover the history of gravestones, including materials used, symbolism, gravestone transcriptions, military graves, military and fraternal emblems, and cemetery, sexton, and funeral home records. He’ll also discuss how to clean and photograph graves and take us on a tour of some confusing or misleading gravestones.

WMGS July Meeting: Change and Industrialization in Antebellum New England
2022-07-06 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
Join us at our July 6th meeting, as perennial favorite John Putnam presents the next topic in his history of New England series: “Change and Industrialization in Antebellum New England.”
John’s presentation describes the incredible economic and social changes in New England from the Industrial Revolution to the start of the Civil War. New England was ideally suited for industrial growth with its many rivers and streams. Waterpower led to rapid change in New England as grist mills, sawmills, textile mills, firearm and shoes manufacturers, and more developed and expanded. Every person and family in New England were affected by the growth and expansion of industry.

Independence Day
2022-07-04
Happy 4th of July!

Share Your Ancestor's Story
2022-06-16 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
Our June training session will be a chance for members to share a story and research about an ancestor whose past was intriguing, criminal, or unusual.
Have you discovered a famous or infamous ancestor in your family? Or perhaps you’ve found an offbeat ancestor or someone with an unusual occupation. Have you been able to prove or disprove a family myth through your research? We’d love to hear about your discoveries!
Have you discovered that your ancestor was a cowboy, a madam (ahem…),or a criminal? Perhaps they were murdered? Or perhaps you’ve found an ancestor who was an inventor, a tycoon, a member of royalty, or a hero. We’ve all found an ancestor who’s surprised us!
Short (5 minutes or so) presentations about your ancestor and research will be combined with others from WMGS members for discussion and Q & A.
This will be an informal event, so it isn’t necessary to provide tons of background information, research documentation, or other material about your ancestor or your research. We’re planning for this event to be fun and interactive, so we hope you’ll consider telling us about your ancestor!
If you’d like to share photos, scanned documents, or other digital material along with your story, you can send the items to us at westmassgen@gmail.com and we’ll have them ready to share on the screen.

WMGS' 50th Anniversary Virtual Celebration
2022-06-01 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
It’s been 50 years since Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society, Inc. was founded!
We’re looking forward to celebrating the 50th anniversary of the formation of our society with our members. We are thankful for the work begun by our Founders and proud of all that WMGS has become through the efforts of those who followed. From the beginning, WMGS has been devoted to helping others discover their ancestors and preserve their stories. We can proudly say that we have stayed true to our mission for over 5 decades!
Our 50th anniversary committee will host a virtual celebration where we share the story of our society, from its humble beginnings to the present. As the field of genealogy has changed over the past 50 years, so has our society. We’ll share a timeline of how WMGS has developed over the decades to become the wonderful and well-respected organization it is today. We’ll be sharing photos, memorabilia, historical material, and more, as we tell the story of WMGS through the years.
Please join us on Wednesday, June 1st at 6 p.m., as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary and toast to the future of WMGS!
