Our February 4 meeting is at 7 p.m. at the Bloomfield Township Library, 1099 Lone Pine Rd, Bloomfield Township, Michigan. We meet in the community room. A Zoom registration link will be posted a week ahead for those who cannot drive to the library.

Our President, Judy Nimer Muhn will present.

While the holdings of various libraries and archives are being shared this program year from the Librarians and Archivists, a collection of various records that aren’t online, that are helpful to researchers seeking ethnic information – about the incredible cultures and people who were courageous enough to venture to the United States and Canada and, ultimately, came to Michigan. Judy Nimer Muhn has researched in many of these more specialized collections for French-Canadian, Scottish, Polish, German, Native/First Nations and more. Join us for an opportunity to explore or think about the holdings of various collections that can help you!

Do you have a family story to tell?

We are all consumed with research, but there is joy in telling family stories and sharing with interested researchers.  We are always looking for articles for our Quarterly.

Would you like some help telling it?

Jay Taylor, the editor of Acorns to Oaks is happy to help you  tell your story. If you aren’t sure how to proceed, Jay wants to hear from you.

Send your stories, questions, or comments to: qeditor@ocgsmi.org.

Our Recording Secretary has been forced to resign due to family commitments. In addition, we are in need of a Vice President, an office which has been vacant for quite some time.

Here are the duties of the Recording Secretary:

Here are the duties of the Vice-President:

Please consider helping the Society! Contact President Judy Nimer Muhn: president@ocgsmi.org.

This meeting is at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 5500 N. Adams Rd. (between Long Lake and Square Lake Roads), Troy, MI 48098 at 7 p.m. on December 3, 2024. A Zoom link will be added here a week ahead for those who cannot attend in person.

Kris Rzepczynski

An introduction to the Archives of Michigan, this program
will explore the genealogical collections available there, including original source records, published resources, and online tools at Michiganology.  One of the larger family history collections in the United States, the Archives’ holdings emphasize Michigan, the Great Lakes states, New England, the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as Ontario and Quebec.

Our speaker is Kris Rzepczynski, a Senior Archivist at the Archives of Michigan, where he specializes in family history and Michigan research, Kris has worked in the genealogical community for more than 20 years. He holds a Master of Library and Information Science from Wayne State University and a Master of Arts in History from Western Michigan University. He is a former Vice-President of Membership for the Federation of Genealogical Societies and a former President of the Mid-Michigan Genealogical Society.

This meeting is at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 5500 N. Adams Rd. (between Long Lake and Square Lake Roads), Troy, MI 48098 at 7 p.m.

If you are not able to drive to the Church, here is a Zoom link to register for the virtual program:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pcOqvpjspG913JIcPDTsRGsJwZQhMNlyg

Please register in advance.

The handout for this meeting is available in the member’s area; you will need to login to download it.

Our November Joint meeting the Detroit Society for Genealogical Research is November 9, at 11 a.m.  The speaker is Elizabeth Hodges, genealogy librarian at the Allen County Public Library.

Discover the diverse and interconnected stories that shape our nation’s history as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This presentation will equip you with the tools to uncover, document, and share your community’s contributions to American independence. Discover strategies for public engagement through collaborative projects, educational programs, and community events that spotlight the unique stories of your area, fostering a meaningful connection to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

This is a joint program with the Detroit Society for Genealogical Research (DSGR) and will be virtual via zoom. A Zoom registration link was sent to current members today, November 2.

Here is the link for anyone to register now:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/6617303751224/WN_is0Ae6LtTmmHFDOsJAoWIQ

The handout is available in the member’s area of this website. Log in and then select “meeting handouts” under the Member’s Only heading on the top menu. When you reach the handout page, search for November or 2024.

Our Help Night is October 8 at 7 pm at the Bloomfield Township Public Library, 1099 Lone Pine Rd., Bloomfield Township, MI 48032. We will meet in the Community Room.

Experts in various research field will help you as you build your family history. Currently scheduled topics  are:  Beginners, German,  Acadian/French Canadian,  DAR/SAR lineages and information, and United Kingdom.

There is no charge to attend our meetings, but you can support us by joining or renewing your membership.

September 2024

Dear Members,

As the beautiful fall of Michigan is beginning, so too our new membership year is starting up! Over the summer, your board has been busy – we have a new Recording Secretary, Nora Hummel from Oxford and a new Treasurer, Dorothy Catella from Clarkston. Please be sure to welcome them at our in-person meeting in October!

Thank you to Maureen Elliott for the creation of our Program Schedule for this year – some great speakers will be coming to you either via Zoom or in-person in the coming months. Note that our October meeting is on October 8 at the Bloomfield Township Library for our “Help Night” – an opportunity to meet with other family historians and receive help at tables dedicated to particular topics, as well as networking with other researchers over coffee or tea.

Our November 9th meeting (NOTE – a Saturday!) is our annual Joint Meeting with the Detroit Society for Genealogical Research, featuring the Allen County Public Library and its holdings. Please check the list of programs for more great topics in the coming month and always check our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ocgsmi) for updates on weather, any last minute changes and information to help you from societies, libraries and more to help your research.

As you renew your membership, don’t forget that you can also “round up” your membership to help with records preservation! The OCGS receives donations for the Ruth S. Kennedy Fund which supports the preservation of Oakland County Records, the Michigan Historical Center in Lansing where genealogy collections in the Library and Archives of Michigan benefit anyone with ancestors in the state, and the Stern NARA fund which supports preservation and digitization efforts at the National Archives and Records Administration. These donations are collected throughout the year and checks are sent to the respective organizations collectively.

And finally, we need volunteers! For so many functions of our society, we are asking you to consider a role in backing up our great team of volunteers who keep our society going – from indexing projects, to help with social media posts and information, to joining a committee, consideration in running for an officer position, writing articles for our quarterly, and much more. Contact me, Judy, at  judynmuhn@gmail.com to let me know about your interest – let’s talk! Thank you to all of the existing volunteers – we hope you will join the fun.

Judy

Download the program schedule (February and March will be updated soon)