Laura Spurrier publishes in NEHGS' Western Massachusetts file

Have you heard?  Long-time California Genealogical Society member Laura Spurrier added one of her relatives to the New England Historic Genealogical Society's Western Massachusetts Families database.  For those of you not familiar, it's quite an honor to be included.

Laura Spurrier,
photo courtesy of Kathy Watson, 2010 

Laura says, “NEHGS, the oldest and possibly fussiest genealogical society in the country, decided to start a series on families in western Massachusetts who stayed put instead of migrating further.  Members were invited to write about ancestors who were in Hampshire or Berkshire County in 1790.”

Laura has a long-term brick wall named Oliver Bartlett and over time has looked at many Bartlett families in the Hadley area.  There seemed to be almost a dozen, many using the same given names.  Church records burned and other records are sparse.  

When she learned about the project, she realized she had enough data about one family:  that of Daniel Bartlett, b. 1754.  Ironically, he can't be proven (yet) to be Oliver's brother, and NEHGS requires proof.  

Laura's article, "Daniel Bartlett, Hadley, Hampshire County”, is online on AmericanAncestors' database in the file labeled Western Massachusetts.  You will need to be a current NEHGS member to access it. 

The article will also appear in print as part of Volume 3 of Western Massachusetts Families in 1790, scheduled for publication sometime in 2017.  

Congrats Laura!

Copyright © 2016 by California Genealogical Society

Why consider a guided genealogy research trip?

Linda Okazaki and Brenton Simons, President and CEO of NEHGS.
What a fun coincidence that he and I would be color-coordinated twins for the day!

Rather than bore you with a long list of why CGS-led trips are so great, please take a look at what happened on our most recent genealogy research excursion to Boston's prestigious New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS).

What happened? 

We received a welcoming presentation by internationally recognized Chief Genealogist, David Allen Lambert. 

Next, we encountered Gary Boyd Roberts. According to Wikipedia, he is a “genealogist known for researching Americans of royal descent, the ancestors of American presidents, and notable kin" and is a retired NEHGS Senior Research Scholar. Gary dedicated three full days to our group, graciously spending several hours with each of the attendees.

Sandy Fryer and Gary Boyd Roberts

Susanne Mori and Gary Boyd Roberts

Gary Boyd Roberts and Pam Brett

From books to microfilm to manuscripts, the vast collection of materials fascinated us.

Sandy Fryer and Shirley Thomson

Carolyn Nash and Jane Knowles Lindsey

We also had an opportunity to share research tips with NEHGS' Alice Kane. Alice is the Library Patron Services and Consultations Manager. Her many genealogical specialties include Massachusetts and New England genealogy, Chinese-American genealogy, cluster research, maps and migration.

Alice Kane and Linda Okazaki

Jane Lindsey and Shirley Thomson

Jane Lindsey, Sandy Fryer, Vicky Kolakowski

Working with Jane Lindsey at the library was a real treat. As a former trustee with NEHGS, Jane has incredible research expertise that proved helpful for all of our trip attendees.  

We strive to make sure that all our trip leaders have exceptional research abilities, so that you can feel confident that you'll accomplish as much as possible on one of our research trips.

Jane Lindsey and Shirley Thomson

Vicky Kolakowski 

Susanne Mori

We had a great time doing our own research and getting to know each other during the group meals. We shared our research successes, compared tips, and commiserated over our various brick-walls.

Thank you NEHGS for such a rewarding experience. Our group really enjoyed being part of a research trip that provided a friendly, hands-on approach to family history. 

Ready to come along on our next adventure to Salt Lake City? Book now and experience all the magic of a genealogy research trip to the mecca of genealogy, The Family History Library. Deadline to register is fast approaching!

Also, save the date for our inaugural research trip to the National Archives in Washington, D.C. It's scheduled for November 13th - November 20th. If you would like to attend or have questions, please email me. We'll have more information on our Eventbrite page soon.

We hope you join us on one of our adventures!

Photos courtesy of Linda Okazaki and Jane Lindsey

Copyright © 2016 by California Genealogical Society