WMGS May Monthly Meeting: "Creating an Ancestor Sketch"
2025-05-07 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Online
We’re excited that Tom MacEntee will be joining us again in May to present another useful feature: “Creating an Ancestor Sketch.” Tom will describe the essential elements
of an ancestor biography sketch and explain different sketch formats. He’ll also tell us how to incorporate genealogy facts and family research information, and he’ll provide other tips, tricks, and tools to make the process easy.
“Face it: Most genealogists never get around to publishing that family history book based on their genealogy research,” Tom says in his program description. “How about a different approach — producing short 3 to 5 page ‘sketches’ about an ancestor? You’ll learn how to include a cover, photos, facts, family stories, source citations, and more! And guess what, once you get a few of these ancestor sketches done, you can compile
them together for one big book!”

WMGS 2025 Annual Meeting
2025-05-07 19:00 - 19:30 | Online
Our annual meeting will be held on May 7, following our presentation by Thomas MacEntee. At the meeting, our Assistant Treasurer will give a brief financial report, announce the results of our annual audit, and provide membership numbers.
We will then conduct our annual elections. The Nominating Committee will present the slate of candidates for election as officers and directors of our society. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor. Voting will be conducted electronically by an anonymous poll.
The following positions are up for election to two-year terms:
• President
• Treasurer
• Director (two positions)
A Nominating Committee consisting of Dave Lapierre and Kris Verny has been appointed. If any member is interested in running for election to a position and/or
wishes to know the requirements for each 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.
Following the election, we will review the status of our society and review our plans for the upcoming year.
We encourage you to attend our annual meeting.

WMGS May Training Session: Genealogy Neatly - Organizing Your Family History Research
2025-05-22 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
How do you organize your genealogical research? Do you use physical storage (binders, papers, hanging files, notebooks, etc.), digital storage (genealogy program, Microsoft Word/Excel, PDF files, your laptop, the cloud, etc.), or a combination of both physical and digital?
Is your current organization system working for you? Can you find that document or photograph when you want to? Can you quickly locate that 1920 census document that you downloaded and saved?
Organizing our genealogical data is a challenge many of us deal with. There are various options and methods available. We’ve all seen the ads on social media from vendors promising that if we buy their product or subscribe to their organizational system, all our challenges will be solved. The only organizational system that works is the one that works for you!
At our May 22 training session (starting at 7 p.m.), Dave Lapierre will present “Genealogy Neatly: Organizing Your Family History Research.” He will review both physical and digital genealogy files and discuss methods for organizing both types, file naming conventions, folder structure, and how to maintain organization over time. This will be the fifth session of our Tech Talk with Dave series.

WMGS June Monthly Meeting: Think Like an Archivist - Finding Genealogy Records in Libraries & Archives
2025-06-04 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
While many of us rely on the databases of popular genealogy companies and large organizations to research our ancestors, we may be overlooking a wealth of information available in libraries and archives. For those with limited experience searching these resources, navigating their systems can sometimes be frustrating or less productive than we’d hoped.
At our June 4 monthly meeting, Nancy E. Loe will return to WMGS to present “Think Like an Archivist: Finding Genealogy Records in Libraries & Archives.”
At this presentation, we’ll learn how to locate genealogy records housed in archives across the United States and around the world, using online archival portals and digital finding aids. We’ll gain insights into how archivists work to make these collections accessible. And we’ll learn how to craft effective search terms, with specific URLs provided for regional, state, national, and global archival resources.

WMGS June Training Session: Enriching Your Ancestor's Story Using Occupational Records, An Introduction
2025-06-19 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
At our June 19 training session, Diane Romanowsky will present “Enriching Your Ancestor’s Story Using Occupational Records, An Introduction.”
Occupational records are helpful in genealogy as they provide insights into an ancestor’s daily life, socioeconomic status, possible education, and skills. An ancestor’s occupation often shaped their lifestyle, finances, and even where they lived.
Your ancestor’s occupation can tell you so much about their day-to-day life. In this presentation, you will:

Learn how occupational information can advance your research.
Learn how to find your ancestor’s occupation(s).
Learn sources of occupational information and records.
See examples of occupational records and learn how the information they contain
enriches the ancestor’s story.

The occupations of coal miner, farmer, railroad worker, Catholic priest, and textile worker will be highlighted. Diane will share her success in using occupational records to advance her research and enrich her ancestor’s stories.

WMGS July Monthly Meeting: Roots and Ridges - Families' Journeys Through Western Massachusetts Hilltowns
2025-07-09 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
For many current residents of Western Massachusetts, it isn’t easy to imagine that the hilltowns of Becket, Blandford, Chester, Granville, Huntington, and Middlefield were once vibrant and larger. They were deforested mainly during the 19th century to support their traditional agricultural economy. At our July 2025 monthly meeting, John Putnam will present “Roots and Ridges: Families’ Journeys Through Western Massachusetts Hilltowns.”
John will share his research into several family branches that lived in these towns during the 19th century, whose whole world was impacted by many historical forces over which they had little control. He’ll integrate three primary genealogical sources into his story — traditional genealogy databases and records, local historical events, and social history — to understand better the undercurrents his ancestors underwent during their 19th and early 20th century lifetimes. In addition, he will weave newspaper data, family memorabilia, and AI information to enrich the stories of the families that once lived there. Finally, he will identify specific themes that impacted his ancestors and yours.
Note: To make this more interactive, John will share a couple of specific stories he has written as a handout, incorporating all this information, both as a template for your stories and as a conversation about how these towns differ today from the 19th century.

WMGS August Monthly Meeting: More than a Will - Using Probate Records
2025-08-06 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
Probate records can be a gold mine for genealogical research! They often contain wills, estate inventories, guardianship records, and other legal proceedings related to a deceased person’s assets. What types of information can be uncovered? Names and relationships, residences and property details, occupations, financial status, community connections, and countless more valuable genealogical clues!
At our August 6 monthly meeting, Ed Strickland will be with us to present More than a Will: Using Probate Records. The bulk of the work of a probate court is the settlement of an estate. After examining the three record formats used by the court, we will look at the types of documents generated and the clues they provide. We will then turn to other matters which may be handled by the court, such as guardianships and minor trusts, mental competence, adoptions, separations, divorces, and insolvent estates.

WMGS September Monthly Meeting: Born to be Filed - Delayed Birth Records in the U.S.
2025-09-03 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
Have you struggled to locate a birth record for one of your ancestors or discovered a birth record created long after the birth itself? If your relative was born at home or in a rural area with slow registration practices, they may be listed in a delayed birth record. These records often hold rich genealogical clues waiting to be uncovered.
To start off our 2025-2026 membership year, Sunny Morton will join us to present Born to be Filed: Delayed Birth Records in the U.S. She’ll explain why these records were created, what kinds of details they contain, and where you can find them.

WMGS Next-Gen Genealogy: Tools to Transform Your Research
2025-09-25 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
Genealogy is evolving at a remarkable pace, with exciting new technologies transforming how we discover our ancestors and preserve their stories.
At our September training session, we’ll offer a trio of mini-presentations showcasing cutting edge resources our hosts have been exploring. Each presentation will last 15 to 20 minutes.
We’ll cover:

Google Maps & Google Earth
Discover your ancestors’ homes, explore geographic migration routes, and gain
insights on your family journeys.
AI Platforms
Discover how tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Perplexity can assist with everything from formulating research questions to organizing and writing about your discoveries.
FamilySearch Labs
Learn about FamilySearch’s experimental labs, including full-text search techniques, AI-powered Help Center searches, and the Ask a Help Chatbot feature. We’ll also explore where to find digitized books and archived videos from past RootsTech conferences.

There’s a lot happening in genealogy these days, and it’s a great time to take your research to the next level. Join us on Thursday, September 25 at 7 p.m. as we explore a few of them!

WMGS October Monthly Meeting: Alienation of Affection - Divorce in the United States
2025-10-01 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
Many of us have encountered ancestors who mysteriously disappeared from records, only to discover they were divorced. Or we’ve found information that suggests another
marriage or separation. Uncovering the official documentation behind those earlier marriages or separations can be a challenge.
Join us at our October monthly meeting as Christine Cohen returns to present “Alienation of Affection: Divorce in the United States.”
As Christine explains in her presentation description, “[Divorce] case files can include marriage date and place, names and ages of children, current and former residences,
and affidavits by the spouses about their marriage and reason for divorce. Clues are in the census, city directories, military pensions, county histories, county courthouses, and especially in newspapers. This could be the reason for a ‘lost spouse.’”

WMGS October Training Session: Write Your Family History Using Traditional and AI Strategies
2025-10-16 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
How might traditional and AI tools be used to write a family history? In our October training, WMGS board member John Putnam will give a hands-on workshop on the strategies he uses. (You may remember John from his well-received July 2025
presentation, when he shared his family’s journeys through the hilltowns of Western Massachusetts.)
Starting with his template for developing stories, John will explain his step-by-step process for writing a family history. We’ll learn more about:

Using AI tools to find more detailed information that is period- and locale
specific to our ancestors.
Incorporating basic genealogical material with this additional research.
Using AI to draft reports or revise them for tone, grammar, and spelling.

John encourages us to identify an ancestor living between 1800 and 1950, so we can
follow along in real time. He’ll also ask volunteers to share their research findings. This is a great opportunity to get some direct feedback!

WMGS November Monthly Meeting: Finding Aids and the National Archives
2025-11-05 18:00 - 19:30 | 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 November Training Session - Tech Talk with Dave: Mapping Your Ancestors' Migration
2025-11-20 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
It’s time for another Tech Talk With Dave! In November, Dave Lapierre will present “Mapping Your Ancestors’ Migration.” This session will expand on the mini-presentation he gave at our September 25 training session.
Dave will show us how to:

Use Google My Maps to create a map with various pinned locations from an
ancestor’s migration
Connect the various pinned locations
Save and export a KMZ file from Google My Maps
Import the KMZ file into Google Earth / Google Earth Pro
Play the “tour” in Google Earth / Google Earth Pro

Dave will also provide a step-by-step handout with all the directions, so that we can map our own ancestors’ migrations and journeys.

WMGS December Monthly Meeting: 10 Genealogical Brick Walls You Will Face (and How to Demolish Them)
2025-12-03 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
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 2025 Virtual Holiday Party
2025-12-11 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
We’re excited to invite all members to our 4th annual virtual holiday celebration. It’s become a WMGS tradition that blends festive cheer with family history! This year’s party promises another evening of laughter, storytelling, and genealogical fun.
Just like our previous holiday Zoom parties, we’ll explore genealogy-themed holiday topics to spark conversation and connection.
Photo Slideshow: Share Your Holiday Memories!
One of the highlights of our party is our member-submitted holiday photo slideshow. We’d love to feature your festive snapshots, such as:

You on Santa’s lap or unwrapping holiday presents
A family holiday gathering, a favorite recipe you continue to make, or other
traditions you continue to follow
Beloved decorations or heirlooms you display each year
Toys you’ve kept from your childhood
Or other cherished photos from your archives

Dig into your photo collections for holiday photos and share them with us!
A Blast from the Past!
We’ll take another nostalgic stroll through vintage local newspapers to see how holidays were celebrated in Western Mass in years past.
Were you featured in a holiday photo or story in the newspaper? We invite you to do some newspaper searching for holiday-related clippings that we can share.
Holiday Genealogy Trivia Returns!
Get ready to test your knowledge about genealogy-related holiday facts, events, and
celebrations around the world.
Prepare your favorite holiday beverage and dress up in your holiday best or your ugliest holiday sweater! Let’s celebrate the season together, genealogy-style.

WMGS January Monthly Meeting: Who Needed It Anyway? Getting Around the Missing 1890 Census
2026-01-07 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
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 January Training Session: Get Involved with WMGS!
2026-01-22 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
WMGS is seeking more volunteers to help keep our society thriving. There are many
ways to contribute and share new ideas. Routine tasks often require only a few hours
each month, while special projects offer opportunities for deeper involvement. Most tasks can be done from home, and since all of our meetings are held on Zoom, you can volunteer no matter where you live.
With all that in mind, January’s training session will serve a dual purpose:

Reviewing our current volunteer needs and exploring ways members can contribute to our society’s ongoing success.
Opening a conversation about the potential launch of a Genealogy Helpers
program.

Attending does not commit you to volunteering — it’s simply a chance to learn more. Our proposed Genealogy Helpers initiative would connect members to help each other. For example, members might review research, suggest next steps and resources,
collaborate on a shared ancestor or location, or guide those just beginning their family history research.
Your input will be vital in shaping how such a program could work and what kinds of help would be most valuable. If you’ve participated in a similar program elsewhere, we’d love to hear about your experiences.

WMGS February Monthly Meeting: Ancestors on the Move: Migration from Farms to Cities, 1870-1920
2026-02-04 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
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 February Training Session: Getting Ready for RootsTech2026 - Preview & Review
2026-02-19 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
RootsTech 2026 is being held in Salt Lake City, UT, on March 5-7, 2026. Did you know you can virtually attend online for FREE?
Join us on February 19, at 7:00 p.m., to learn about RootsTech. We’ll explore how to register, how to watch recorded sessions from previous years, and we’ll look at what is being offered at RootsTech 2026 – – the speakers, keynote sessions, classes, exhibit halls, etc.
If you haven’t attended RootsTech virtually in the past, don’t miss this opportunity to see what it’s all about and what’s coming on March 5-7.

WMGS March 2026 Monthly Meeting: Eddie Wench - The Case of a Little Lost Boy
2026-03-04 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
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 March 2026 Training Session: Introducing GenSocSoup!
2026-03-26 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
At our March training session, we’ll tour Thomas MacEntee’s brand‑new GenSocSoup webinar channel, now available in the Members Only area of our website. We’ll show you how it works and answer any questions about using the new platform.
GenSocSoup is an exclusive, subscription‑based learning platform — similar in style to YouTube — that provides 24/7 access to 15 on‑demand recorded webinars and
accompanying handouts created by Thomas MacEntee. Tom will be creating four brand-new webinars over the next year as well. This subscription is offered only to societies with a secure members‑only website, making it a valuable addition to our member benefits.
Tom’s webinar collection spans a wide range of topics, from basic genealogy skills to
new tools that can help us improve our research. Topics include research tips, technology, organization strategies, and more.
During our session, we’ll watch and discuss one of the featured webinars, “Navigating the Seven Cs of Genealogy,” and talk about how using themes and resolutions can help guide our research throughout 2026 and beyond.

WMGS April Monthly Meeting: Why We Still Don't Miss 1890. Much.
2026-04-01 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
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 April Training Session: Lineage Societies
2026-04-23 19:00 - 20:30
Thinking about joining a lineage society? You won’t want to miss our April training session!
Lineage societies help us connect with our heritage. Through societies, we can honor
ancestors by preserving family histories and traditions. Societies can also offer access to valuable genealogical resources and a strong sense of community.
At this session, WMGS member Philip Johnson will tell us more about lineage societies, why they matter, and what they offer to genealogists and history enthusiasts.
He’ll also outline the different types of societies and walk us through the typical
membership requirements and application processes.

WMGS May Monthly Meeting - Friend or Foe: Researching Colonial Ancestors During the American Revolution
2026-05-06 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
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 Annual Meeting
2026-05-06 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
Our annual meeting will be held on May 6, following David Allen Lambert’s presentation.
At the meeting, our Assistant Treasurer will give a brief financial report. We’ll announce the results of our annual audit, provide membership numbers, and discuss the results of our recent member survey.
We will then conduct our annual elections. The Nominating Committee will present the slate of candidates for election as officers and directors of our society. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor. Voting will be conducted electronically by an anonymous poll.
The following positions are up for election to two-year terms:

Vice President
Assistant Treasurer
Director (one position)

Our Secretary and Treasurer positions are also vacant and waiting to be filled.
A Nominating Committee, consisting of Cara Seitchek and Jeanne Leblond, has been
appointed. If any member is interested in running for election to a position and/or
wishes to know the requirements for each position, please send an email to
westmassgen.com with Nominating Committee in the subject line. Please include a
brief description of your qualifications and experience for the position you are seeking.
Following the election, we will review the status of our society and our plans for the
upcoming year.
