Tuesday's Tip: Mayflower Resources

Spring has sprung... and so has research season.

Are you working on your Mayflower research yet? If so, we have resources that can help. Check out our finding aid!

Tuesday's Tip: Revolutionary War Resources

Thanks to the DAR and SAR for a great Saturday! If you haven't already, check out the photos from our open house on our Facebook page.

Did an open house visit get you ready to research your Revolutionary War ancestors? 

Check out the following finding aids to discover books in our collection that can help:

Revolutionary War Genealogies

General History of Revolutionary War

Revolutionary War Lineage Societies

Revolutionary War Resources by State

Revolutionary War Resources by Country

We're More that Just a Website: the Library's Unique Revolutionary War Collection

If you're in the midst of preparing a DAR or SAR application, you know how valuable sources with information about your ancestor can be  - and how hard they often are to find. Godfrey can help!

Our collection goes beyond what's available online. For example, this book might be a valuable resource.

Compiled in 1976 by the Stamford Genealogical Society, this copy of Stamford's Soldiers: Genealogical Biographies of Revolutionary Patriots from Stamford, Connecticut is one of only 500 printed. And for a DAR applicant, it is a gem. The book contains short biographies of all 738 men with known connections  to Stamford during the Revolution. While it is uncited, it offers the dates and places where a soldier died, was buried or had his will probated. For a lineage society applicant, this book might make your research much easier.

Thinking it's time to visit the library in person? Visit us at www.godfrey.org for directions.

Check Out the Genealogy Club!

For those of you who do not know, the first Saturday of the month from 9:30 to 10:30 AM the Godfrey Library Genealogy Club meets at the library to talk about their findings, methods, and listen to presentations put on by members and visiting speakers.  The past few months have been particularly exciting, with Executive Director of the Godfrey Library Beth Mariotti speaking on the resources in the Godfrey Collection and how to find them, Godfrey Board Member Jen Zinck presenting on the exciting new field of using DNA to help your genealogical research, and guest speaker Bryna O’Sullivan discussing the DAR and Revolutionary War Records. 

Let us proceed chronologically with Bryna O’Sullivan’s talk on February 1.  Bryna is a member of the Wadsworth Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution and has a degree in History with a focus on the American Civil War.  She spoke about the membership requirements for the DAR and how to use DAR membership records to help your own genealogical research. 

January 4 brought us Jen Zinck’s presentation on using DNA testing to further your family tree if the paper trail runs cold.  Jen is affiliated with Family Tree DNA and was able to tell us all about genetic genealogy: a new experience for many of us!  It is amazing how far science has come!

The most recent presenter for Genealogy Club was the Godfrey’s own executive director and professional genealogist, Beth Mariotti on March 1.  Her talk went into detail about some of unique records and collections housed in the Godfrey on in our online collection.  She included information on our growing online collection and a brief tutorial on using our Scholar+ database.  This presentation can be found online here.

The Genealogy club’s next presenter is another familiar face at the Godfrey: Ned Browning, Godfrey board member and long time volunteer will be speaking on Early New England Research: 1850-1620.  We are all looking forward to his presentation!

If you would like to sit in on presentations like these and get together with others who share your interest in genealogy, why not join the Genealogy Club?  We meet on the first Saturday of every month from 9:30-10:30 at the Godfrey Library.  You are encouraged to bring your laptop and stay after the meeting to research. There is a $25.00 annual membership fee.  We would love to see you there!