FGS - How to Get Your Town Engaged in Cemetery Care with Robbin M. Kelley
2026-04-04 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main Street, Falmouth, MA, 02540, United States
The Falmouth Genealogical Society Presents Talk:
How to Get Your Town Engaged in Cemetery Care
with Robbin M. Kelley
Saturday, April 4, 2026, 10:00 am–12:00 pm
Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main Street, Falmouth
The Falmouth Genealogical Society (FGS) will hold its monthly talk Saturday, April 4, 2026, from 10:00 am-12:00pm at the Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main Street, Falmouth. This talk is free and open to the public. It is also available via Zoom. For the Zoom credentials, please contact fgspresident@gmail.com by April 3, 2026.

For more information, visit the FGS website at falgen.org.
Robbin Kelley, presenting in person, will highlight the importance of cemetery care and local engagement in the preservation of historic cemeteries. Historic cemeteries serve as important cultural landscapes that preserve local history, honor veterans and community members, and provide peaceful public spaces for reflection. Proper care and preservation help ensure that these sites remain protected for future generations.During the presentation, attendees will learn about:

Why cemetery care matters for preserving local heritage
Massachusetts laws related to cemetery maintenance and protection
Opportunities for towns to support cemetery care through Community Preservation funds

Cemetery preservation plays a vital role in maintaining community identity. Historic gravestones and burial grounds document the lives of early residents, veterans, and families who helped shape the region. “Cemeteries are outdoor history books,” according to Kelley. “By maintaining them properly, communities protect their shared heritage while honoring the individuals who came before us,” she adds.
The program will also address some of the challenges historic cemeteries face today, including aging monuments, storm damage, limited funding, and the growing need for volunteer support. Community members interested in local history, genealogy, preservation, or civic engagement are encouraged to attend and learn how they can help support cemetery care efforts in their town.
Robbin M. Kelley is a Certified Professional Genealogist who completed the Genealogical Research Program at Boston University. She has been working as a genealogist for over thirty years and is the owner of Cape Genealogy, a business she has been operating for the past twenty-one years. Her work specializes in proof of lineal descent as well as missing and unknown lineage research.
Robbin originally attended Northeastern University for computer engineering and worked in the computer field for ten years as the Network Administrator for Cape Cod Computers. Her passion for genealogy eventually led her to leave the computer field and pursue genealogy as a full-time career.
Since 2004, Robbin has served as the Cemetery Administrator for the Town of Harwich, overseeing the care and management of sixteen cemeteries and 100 acres. She is a member of the Cape Cod Genealogical Society (CCGS), the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS), and the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG). She also serves as a Board Member of the Massachusetts Cemetery Association and is a Past President and Board Member of the New England Cemetery Association. In addition, she is a member of the Garden Club of Harwich.

NHSOG - Spring Conference
2026-04-25 09:30 - 14:30 | NHSG – Zoom, New Hampshire

CAS - “Mysterious Codes – Passenger Manifest Letters and Numbers” with Christine Cohen
2026-04-25 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
Virtual Meeting
What do those letters, numbers, stamps, and pencil marks mean on Immigration Passenger Manifests? Does your ancestor have the letter “D” or “X” next to their name? Do you know what V/L, # 404, USB, Transit, CL, N.O.B, C/A, LPC, SI, NQIV, BSI, PV or C-XXXXX mean? We will learn if and when to contact the US National Archives or USCIS to get more genealogical information from these codes. Plus, what insight we can learn about your ancestor’s immigration experience based on these notations.
Christine’s interest in genealogy began in 1977 with the airing of the TV mini-series “Roots”. Her enthusiasm was piqued when she was given a typed pedigree chart, commissioned by her maternal grandfather, of her Dutch heritage from the New Netherlands in the 1650’s.
She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the Daughters of the Revolution and the Society of Holland Dames.
The native Californian is a graduate of UCLA in Political Science and has recently retired to pursue her genealogy interest full time.
Please visit their website to register for this event.

ACGS Spring Conference - Virtual
2026-04-25 11:00 - 15:30 | Zoom
ACGS Spring Conference 2026
100% Virtual
April 25, 2026 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. ET

Discover, Connect, and Be Inspired at the ACGS Spring Conference

Every family story begins with a spark of curiosity—and this spring, the American‑Canadian Genealogical Society invites you to fan that spark into something extraordinary. Whether you’re tracing deep Acadian roots, navigating complex DNA puzzles, or simply hoping to understand your ancestors with greater clarity, this year’s conference brings together three remarkable speakers whose expertise, generosity, and passion for teaching will guide you every step of the way.
Join us for a day of learning that blends history, culture, science, and community. You’ll explore the intertwined worlds of Acadians and Mi’kmaq with Judy Nimer Muhn, gain confidence working through challenging genetic genealogy cases with Kate Penney Howard, and discover the power of collaborative research through Cindy Bourque Cooper’s work with the WikiTree Acadians Project.
This is more than a conference—it’s an opportunity to deepen your skills, connect with fellow researchers, and uncover new pathways into your family’s past. Whether you’re just beginning your journey or have been researching for years, you’ll leave energized, informed, and inspired.
We can’t wait to see you there.

Click Here to Register for the Spring Conference Today!
Registration closes on April 18, 2026
All Presentations will be Recorded and Available for 30 Days after Conference for Paid Attendees
Our speakers will be Judy Nimer Muhn, Kate Penney Howard, and Cindy Bourque Cooper.
To see the speaker biographies and the write up on each of their planned presentations, please go to https://acgs.org/spring-conference-2026/ .

JGSGB - Piecing Together History: Using Maps and Directories to Rediscover Eastern European Towns and Understanding Eastern European Geography: Borders, Peoples, and Histories
2026-04-26 13:30 - 15:30 | New Art Center
Michelle Tucker Chubenko – Piecing Together History: Using Maps and Directories to Rediscover Eastern European Towns
and
Spotlight Talk: Understanding Eastern European Geography: Borders, Peoples, and Histories

April 26, 2026 @ 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm EDT
– at New Art Center (hybrid meeting)

JGSGB members: Program is free. Members do not need to register.
Join us in person, or you can find the Zoom link by logging in to your JGSGB Membership account. Once logged in, use the “What would you like to do” dropdown to locate the Members-only Page for the Zoom link. You will also receive an email with the Zoom link the morning of the program.
Non-members: Pay $5.00 at the door to attend in person, or click here to pay $5.00 fee to receive the Zoom link.
If you do not receive an email with the link to the program within 15 minutes, please check your Spam folder.

Both programs will be recorded and available for 3 months on the member’s page.
Main Program Description:
Our ancestors’ lives were more than the events of birth, marriage, and death. Information about the places where they lived isn’t always readily available. The presentation will demonstrate how to use published materials such as gazetteers, schematisms, directories and maps to pinpoint your ancestral town or village. Using examples from Central and Eastern Europe, Chubenko will also show you how to use the statistical data and incorporate visual details to create historical vignettes for these places.
Spotlight Program Description:
In this session, Chubenko will help you navigate the complex history of the shifting borders in Eastern Europe. You will learn how empires and key historical events from the 18th century through the Cold War shaped our ancestral landscape and you will receive practical tips for locating towns, interpreting multi-language records, and accessing relevant archives.
Speaker Bio:
Michelle Tucker Chubenko is an accredited Professional Genealogist and specializes in the Mid-Atlantic region and Eastern European research. She serves in leadership positions for the Foundation for East European Family History Studies (FEEFHS), and a Family History Group at the Ukrainian History and Education Center (Somerset, New Jersey). In 2023, she coordinated the institute course Researching Your Ancestry in the Crownland of Galicia, Austria-Hungary.

FGS - Colonial American Migration Routes and Modes of Travel with Annette Burke Lyttle, CG®
2026-05-09 10:00 - 12:00 | Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main Street, Falmouth, MA, 02540, United States
The Falmouth Genealogical Society Presents Talk:
Colonial American Migration Routes and Modes of Travel with Annette Burke Lyttle, CG®, Heritage Detective, LLC
Saturday, May 9, 2026, 10:00 am–12:00 pm
Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main Street, Falmouth
The Falmouth Genealogical Society (FGS) will hold its monthly talk Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 10:00 am-12:00pm at the Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main Street, Falmouth.
When our Colonial ancestors arrived on the shores of North America in the 1600s and 1700s, many of them very quickly began migrating west. They followed rivers and created roads into the wilderness to found new settlements on the frontier. Learn about where they traveled and how they got there, as well as how to uncover the stories of their lives.
Annette Burke Lyttle, CG® will present via Zoom. Lyttle owns Heritage Detective, LLC, providing professional genealogical services in research, education, and writing. She speaks on a variety of genealogical topics at the international, national, state, and local levels and loves helping people uncover and share their family stories. Lyttle is a course coordinator for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the British Institute. She is a published writer whose research interests include Quaker ancestors and ancestral migrations in the US. She is past president of the Association of Professional Genealogists and editor of The Florida Genealogist.
This talk is free and open to the public. It will be held in person and is also available via Zoom. For the Zoom credentials, please contact fgspresident@gmail.com by May 8, 2026.

For more information, visit the FGS website at falgen.org.

CAS - “Leaving Connecticut, Shaping America” with Walter Woodward
2026-05-09 13:00 - 15:00 | Fairfield Museum & History Center, 370 Beach Rd, Fairfield, CT, 06824
Leaving Connecticut, Shaping America” with Walter Woodward
Saturday, May 9, 2026, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Networking at 12:30 pm
Hybrid Event via Zoom and in person at the Fairfield Museum & History Center.
Between 1780 and 1830, tens of thousands of Connecticans left our state to “begin the world anew” in places like Pennsylvania, Vermont, western New York, and especially, the Connecticut Reserve of what is now Ohio. In the process, they took the culture of their home state with them, and gave the nation a strong and indelible Connecticut character.
In this fast-paced and copiously-illustrated talk, Walt Woodward discusses the reasons behind Connecticut’s massive outmigration, the distinctive attributes of the people who chose to leave, and the very serious concerns their removal raised for those they left behind.
Given the very serious concerns state leaders have today over the outmigration of Connecticut’s younger generations, this is a timely topic that will leave you with much to talk about.
Walter Woodward, Ph.D., was Connecticut’s State Historian and a member of the History Department at the University of Connecticut from 2004 to 2022. Although retired, he continues to keep Connecticut’s history alive and vital with his lectures, videos, and blogs. Dr. Woodward is a scholar of Early American and Atlantic World history, with an emphasis on Connecticut and New England. He is the author of five books. Before becoming a historian in midlife, he had successful careers in both the music and advertising industries. Walt’s work in all three of his chosen fields has been lauded and won multiple awards.
Connecticut Ancestry Society, Inc.’s brief annual meeting begins at 1 pm with the lecture by Walt to immediately follow.

CSG - Annual Meeting & Program
2026-05-16 11:00 - 14:30 | Hilton Garden Inn Wallingford, 1181 Barnes Road, Wallingford, CT, 06492, United States
Connecticut Society of Genealogists
Annual Meeting & Program
Saturday, May 16, 2026
11:00 AM – 2:30 PM
In person only: Hilton Garden Inn Wallingford
1181 Barnes Road, Wallingford, CT 06492
Registration: https://csginc.org/csg-annual-meeting/
“Geology, Decrees & Deposits: Connecticut Unrest Beyond the Thames” with James King
In 1775 Elijah Backus, Norwich Iron Works, cast anchors and cannon for the newly formed Connecticut Navy. From its founding Parliament decreed that the refining, smelting or forming of metallic substances was forbidden. The Iron to cast cannon and anchors was discovered in Salisbury Connecticut. Join us as Jim King discusses the iron deposits in Connecticut and its journey to Norwich to be forged into the tools of revolution.
Bio:
James King received his training in archaeology and geology at the University of Texas at Austin in 1982. After working as a field archaeologist in central Texas and Arkansas, he turned his interest in geology to mineralogy, then mining, finally settling on the study of historic mines and mining techniques. His interest in Colonial mines of Connecticut began in 1984 as the archaeological monitor of The Wallingford Copper Mine, the oldest commercial mine in America. This led to his interest in the Colonial iron industry in the state. Presently living in Preston, he has been a historic restoration technician since 1986.

JGSGB - An Overview of Genealogy Resources at the Boston Public Library
2026-05-17 13:30 - 15:30 | Beth El Temple Center, 2 Concord Ave, Belmont, MA, 02478, United States
Jessy Wheeler – An Overview of Genealogy Resources at the Boston Public Library

May 17, 2026 @ 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm EDT
-at Beth El Temple Center (Hybrid Meeting)

This program will be recorded and available on the member’s page.
Jessy Wheeler will guide us through the Boston Public Library’s (BPL) distinctive and extensive collection of local and family history materials to help you research your family history, whether or not you have local roots. This includes published genealogies, vital records, town histories, immigration records, passenger lists, newspapers, and access to some of the most comprehensive genealogy databases available. The BPL’s collection includes materials covering all of Massachusetts and most of New England, making it unique among public libraries with local and family history collections.
Speaker Bio:Jessy Wheeler serves as the Research Specialist in Genealogy at the Boston Public Library. While she is not a professional genealogist, Jessy has always been interested in family history and has been assisting library patrons with their genealogical research for most of her professional career. She holds a BA in English from Skidmore College and a MLIS from Simmons University.

CAS - “Using Autosomal DNA for 18th and 19th Century Mysteries” with Blaine Bettinger, PhD, JD
2026-06-06 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
“Using Autosomal DNA for 18th and 19th Century Mysteries” with Blaine Bettinger, PhD, JD
Saturday, June 6, 2026, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Networking at 10 a.m.
Virtual Meeting
Even though our 18th and 19th century ancestors have been dead for decades, their DNA still survives in their descendants. Learn how to use autosomal DNA to attack and potentially solve genealogical mysteries and brick walls for ancestors who were born or lived in the 1800’s, 1700’s, and beyond.
Blaine Bettinger, Ph.D., J.D., is a professional genealogist specializing in both DNA evidence and AI for Genealogy. He has been a leader in the field of genetic genealogy and has contributed to several aspects of genetic genealogy methodology and analysis through his research, his lectures, the books he has written, and the social media groups that he founded and oversees.

FGS - Revolutionary War Research Using Lineage Society Resources
2026-06-06 10:00 - 12:00 | Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main Street, Falmouth, MA, 02540, United States
The Falmouth Genealogical Society Presents Talk:
Revolutionary War Research Using Lineage Society Resources with David W. Powell
Saturday, June 6, 2026, 10:00 am–12:00 pm
Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main Street, Falmouth
The Falmouth Genealogical Society (FGS) will hold its monthly talk Saturday, June 6, 2026, from 10:00 am-12:00pm at the Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main Street, Falmouth. The FGS Annual Meeting will precede the talk.
David Powell will present in person, and his talk will be centered on using lineage society websites to research one’s ancestor’s military service in the Revolutionary War. Specifically, he will discuss the Patriot Research System (PRS) operated by the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. This database includes the Patriot Search, Member Search, Descendant Search, and Cemetery Search features. He will also discuss the online resources of the Daughters of the American Revolution Genealogical Research system including Ancestor Search, Descendant’s Database and the GRC. In addition, Powell will briefly discuss the resources of the Society of the Descendants of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge and the use of the Valley Forge Park Alliance Muster Roll Project.
David Powell served four years as the Syracuse, NY Chapter President followed by four years as a Vice President and then two years as State President of the Empire State (NY) Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. He is currently one of the Vice Presidents of the SAR in Massachusetts. He was also the New York Brigade Commander of the Society of the Descendants of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge and is currently the Interim Brigade Commander of the New England Brigade. David is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), the Sons of the Revolution (SR), The Sons of American Colonists, The Sons and Daughters of Colonial Militia Officers (1775-1783) and the General Society of the War of 1812.
Powell retired from working for 41 years in the forensic field. He began his genealogical research in 1991. He has been a presenter across the United States on Revolutionary War and genealogy topics such as the pension system and its records, the money used during the Revolution, the Defense of Fort Mifflin and the use of DNA for Genealogy.
This talk is free and open to the public. It will be held in person and is also available via Zoom. For the Zoom credentials, please contact fgspresident@gmail.com by June 5, 2026.

For more information, visit the FGS website at falgen.org.

JGSGB - Clued-In: Cases from Sherlock Cohn, The Photo Genealogist and Personal Photo Analysis for Key Volunteers
2026-06-07 13:30 - 15:30 | Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
Ava Cohn – Clued-In: Cases from Sherlock Cohn, The Photo Genealogist
and
Personal Photo Analysis for Key Volunteers

June 7, 2026 @ 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm EDT
at Temple Emanuel (Hybrid Meeting)

This program will be not be recorded.
Ever have questions about the old family photos you’ve found hiding in your shoeboxes, jewelry boxes, photo albums, closets or basements? In this program, Ava Cohn will use new cases to illustrate the methodology of Photo Genealogy with tips on how to get the most information from your old photographs. This presentation will help you decipher the clues in your family photographs: accurately dating of a photograph, identifying individuals in photographs, and determining the correct generation.
Following her presentation, Ava will analyze the personal photos of several key JGSGB volunteers, as a special appreciation gift for their many hours of help to our Society.

Speaker Bio:
Ava Cohn, aka Sherlock Cohn, The Photo Genealogist, is an internationally-known expert on Jewish family photographs. A Brandeis University graduate, her background includes the study of decorative arts, photography history, and costume/theatre history. Since 2009, she has specialized in accurately dating and placing photographs and identifying individuals in photographs with an emphasis on immigrant and Eastern European culture and traditions.

FGS -Using Genealogy to Unlock Dual Citizenship: Beginner Strategies
2026-07-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main Street, Falmouth, MA, 02540, United States
The Falmouth Genealogical Society Presents Talk:
Using Genealogy to Unlock Dual Citizenship: Beginner Strategies with Diane Henriks
Saturday, July 11, 2026, 10:00 am–12:00 pm
Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main Street, Falmouth
The Falmouth Genealogical Society (FGS) will hold its monthly talk Saturday, July 11, 2026, from 10:00 am-12:00pm at the Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main Street, Falmouth.
Ideal for those new to genealogy and the dual citizenship journey, this presentation introduces the benefits of dual citizenship, walks you through the steps to gather essential genealogical evidence, and provides valuable resources to support your application process.
Diane Henriks, presenting via Zoom, is also known as the Descendant Detective and founder of Know Who Wears the Genes in Your Family, and is a passionate and seasoned Los Angeles County-based professional genealogist, investigator, speaker, and author who specializes in descendancy and brick wall research, along with living people search and unknown parentage. Diane has worked closely with private investigators to find living people while also assisting in background investigations, in both civil and criminal cases. She is a proud member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the Genealogical Speakers Guild, the Southern California Genealogical Society, the Utah Genealogical Association, and various genealogical interest groups. What started out as a small hobby well over a decade ago, when a hand-drawn family tree chart was given to her by her father, has since become a great obsession, and she now helps others discover and preserve who they are and where they come from!
This talk is free and open to the public. It will be held in person and is also available via Zoom. For the Zoom credentials, please contact fgspresident@gmail.com by July 10, 2026.
For more information, visit the FGS website at falgen.org.

ACGS - Military Research - Fold3.com w Christine Cohen
2026-07-25 16:00 - 17:00 | Zoom
ACGS is excited to be working with Christine Cohen
for the Summer 2026 Webinar!
Christine Cohen’s presentation will be
“Military Research – Fold3.com”
The website https://www.fold3.com/ , in a partnership with the National Archives, provides a wealth of military resources and documents from the Revolutionary War of 1776 , the War of 1812, Mexican American and early Indian Wars, Civil War, Spanish American War, WWI, WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War. In this webinar, Christine will explain how to best utilize all this site has to offer to help with researching military records for your ancestors.
Join us on July 25, 2026, at 4 pm (ET)
To Register Please Click Here: Webinar Registration

MSOG - Two DNA Workshops w Diane Southard
2026-08-20 10:00 - 16:00 | Hampton Inn, 319 Speen Street, Natick, MA
Looking for guidance, direction, or just a boost in understanding your DNA results?
Diahan Southard is heading to Massachusetts, and MSOG is sponsoring a full day with her – two workshops for only $75.00 per person, on Thursday, August 20, 2026 at the Hampton Inn in Natick, MA!
To register click here or go to https://msoginc.org/store.php?sid=2.
The Hampton Inn/Natick (319 Speen Street) offers free parking. The event is also accessible by public transit — the MBTA Commuter Rail’s Framingham/Worcester line stops at both stations in town, with a short 10-minute ride-share or taxi ride to the hotel.
An on-site lunch option will be available during registration, and there are plenty of nearby restaurants if you’d like to grab lunch with fellow attendees.
Do the DNA! (10 a.m. – Noon)
Working in pairs or small groups, you will get a chance to take a DNA case step-by-step to learn exactly how to explore your autosomal DNA match list and make family connections. Workshop seating will be configured to allow for collaborative work. No computers or internet access required.
DNA and Inheritance (2pm -4pm)
A trait card activity that helps attendees be the active bridge between their grandparents and the rising generation. It helps them identify their unique traits, and the stories that go with them, so they can inspire their family to see themselves in their ancestors.
Join us as Diahan helps us work with our DNA results to find relatives, share discoveries, and learn more about the results from that little spit test!
Diahan Southard has been helping people use DNA to explore their roots for over 25 years. She started her career at the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, which created the DNA database that became AncestryDNA. After witnessing the power of DNA for family history–and the difficulties people face in using it effectively–she launched a pioneering career in DNA education.
Diahan teaches genetic genealogy to audiences around the world. She appears on popular genealogy podcasts and is a DNA columnist for Family Tree Magazine. At Your DNA Guide, she created the signature SPIN learning process (Study, Practice, Implement, Next Steps) that fuels new skills, confidence, and discovery. Her teaching style makes DNA exciting, relevant, and accessible–even for non-scientists.
