WESTERN MICHIGAN GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY ONLINE!

MONTHLY MEETINGS

We meet at 1:30 p.m. in the Ryerson Auditorium of the Grand Rapids Public Library on the first Saturday of the month, September through June. Should the first Saturday fall on a holiday weekend, another day will be scheduled. The June meeting is often times changed to the 2nd Saturday. Unless a special program, each meeting has a one-hour lecture on a genealogy related subject by a knowledgeable speaker. 

Books and charts are sold at our meetings and a "Hospitality Hour" follows. Looking at a genealogical book on the internet?  See if it’s for sale at the WMGS sales table.  Our books are sold for same price as the Internet….but at our sales table and as a member of WMGS that same book has a 10% discount and you don’t pay for shipping.  Talk to Lisa and Wanda about items you don’t see. 

All meetings are free and open to the public. 

REMINDER: Parking is free at the library on Saturdays. Just make sure you validate your parking exit ticket in the machine in the first floor lobby.

Please review our weather cancellation policy so you'll be aware how we'll inform you when it is necessary to cancel a meeting.

MONTHLY MEETINGS

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December 4, 2021 Virtual Meeting (1:30pm)

Virtual presentation via Zoom Webinar
Click for Zoom Meeting Link

And here for: Handouts

Do you have colonial New England ancestors?  

Presenter: Cynthia Grostick

In this class we will learn about the resources available on both sides of the pond to help in researching your colonial ancestors.

 
Presenter Bio:
Cynthia Grostick was born and raised in Lansing, Michigan.  She first started working on her family’s history in 1995 after reviewing a publication created by a distant cousin.  Her mother’s family settled in a small village in Michigan back in 1839, coming by covered wagon from New Jersey and New York.  Cynthia can trace several lines of her mother’s family in the United States to the 1600s in both New York and New England.  Her father’s paternal family came to Michigan in 1849, arriving by boat from Germany and settled in Genoa Township, Livingston County.  Her father’s maternal side arrived in the United States from Sweden in the 1870’s, and Cynthia is able to trace her Swedish ancestry back to the 1600’s in Sweden.  Cynthia currently serves as president, newsletter editor, NGS delegate & backup webmaster for the Livingston County Genealogical Society and as trustee for the Eaton County Genealogical Society.  Cynthia is a past president of the Michigan Genealogical Council as well as founder and past president of the Stockbridge Area Genealogical/Historical Society.  Cynthia was presented with the Award of Merit from the Federation of Genealogical Societies for her leadership role during the Library of Michigan’s family history collection crises.  

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RESEARCH TRIPS

Allen County Public Library

Western Michigan Genealogical Society’s
Bus Trip to Fort Wayne’s
Allen County Public Library

The Next Bus Trip is  scheduled for Monday - Tuesday, October 25-26 * 

Registration form (PDF) now available for download at this URL

SAVE THE DATES
* subject to change depending on Fort Wayne Library conditions as we get closer.

  

WMGS WRITERS GROUP

We help and support each other's desire to write about our families with a kind eye and lots of humor. Everyone is welcome.

Please see current information on the Writers Group page.

OTHER ACTIVITIES AT MONTHLY MEETINGS

Refreshments:   Many WMGS members are great cooks!  They share homemade cookies and other goodies with us during our social time!  Social time for gene-people is as must!  Who else wants to listen to how you found G-G-G Grandpa except another WMGS member?   If you can bring cookies, contact Joann Fast, our Hospitality Chairperson.

WMGS Book Sales:  WMGS stocks quite a large number of new  books and materials for your inspection.  We feel that most people want to browse through genealogy books before they purchase. Valuable genealogy materials are  difficult to find in the normal bookstores.  Got ideas?  Want to help?  Let us know!   Watch for our Christmas Special in December!