Cousins united!

Every Thursday, you can find me at the Chicopee Library's Reference Department.  The Library has set aside their computer lab for genealogy research.  Myself and a few others "staff" the lab to help patrons with their research.  Also, I get to conduct classes and workshops 4 or 5 times a year there.

Perhaps the most interesting thing that I've seen happen there, other than some amazing discoveries, was what happened this afternoon.

A woman walked in slowly, looking around the room.  There were only about 5 or 6 people in there at the time.  Since I'm the volunteer of the moment, I asked if I could help.  "Yes," she said.  "I'm supposed to be meeting my cousin here between 12 and 12:30."  Her name is Ellen and she went on to say that she had engaged a professional genealogist in Poland.  He informed her that she had some relatives right here in the area, a woman she had never met this woman!  While we were talking about that, I had to pitch our "Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society" since she told me that where she lived and it's very close to out meeting location.  Turns out, she's a former member and was interested in getting involved again.  Needless to say, I handed her an application!  I just happened to have about 50 or so apps in my bag...

Back to the story:  As we spoke, another woman walked through the door and I immediately thought that although she looked familiar to me although I had never seen her at the Chicopee lab. It was Ellen's mystery cousin, Cathy!   Ironically, they were both wearing a pink top!  Small detail, but I found it interesting.  Somewhat like long lost cousins who both like Caesar Salad!  Cathy attended one of my classes a couple of years ago....another coincidence!

Here they are at their first meeting!  On the left is Cathy with Ellen on the right....

Related articles

• Grandma's stories - turning gossip into genealogical fact (bangordailynews.com)
• Book Review: Where's Merrill? A genealogical thriller by Geroid O'Neary (ajoobacatsblog.com)
• NERGC Conference, 15-19 April 2015, Providence, RI (oldbonessearch.com)
• Genealogy Buffs unite! (sjfpl.wordpress.com)
• Tombstone project pays off for genealogists (journalstar.com)
• Genealogists discover Massachusetts strangers are rightful heirs to $1.5 million estate in Ireland (irishcentral.com)

Agawam and Chicopee Classes

Thursday was the first day for the Agawam Library Adult Program in Genealogy and, I forgot, this was also the first day in Chicopee for another genealogy class. Agawam is my own program but the Chicopee class is one where I assist another genealogist named Alan Horbal from North Adams, Mass. His class is about the basics but he ties in extensive training in using web sites.

Here's the room before everyone showed up

[caption id="attachment_980" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Agawam Public Library Community Room[/caption]

There were about 25 people in the Agawam class which started out with some technical meltdowns. Usually, I 'd just connect a cable to a projector mounted in the ceiling. But this morning, their cable caused the power point to display in pink.... Pink! Since I usually have my own projector, I brought that in and plugged it in with the same cable. Still pink... When I switched to my own cable, everything worked out fine. Small panic but we worked it out.

As usual in a group this large, there's a good mix of people with some experience and people who are just getting stated. It seemed that everyone stayed pretty interested right up to the end. The usual 30 minute Q&A lasted about 45 minutes, so that was a good sign that things were working out pretty well.

Next week we get into census records, vital records, soundex, a short lesson in using www.familysearch.org and a brief Pedigree Chart workshop.

Just 5 more weeks in Agawam and then I'll bring a somewhat shortened version of the same program to Palmer, Brimfield, Wilbraham and again in Chicopee.

Genealogy and Family Research - Agawam Public Library

Today I'm taking Old Bones Genealogy and Family Research of New England to day 1 of "Genealogy and Family Research", a course I'm conducting at the Agawam Public Library (APL) in Agawam, MA.

[Under the category of useless information, you need to know that Agawam has the first ZIP code in continental US, 01001. OK, back to genealogy.]

The Adult Programming Coordinator at APL contacted the Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society (WMGS) to find someone who could put together a genealogy program for the library. I'm a member and the Treasurer of WMGS so this one was an easy referral! They were pretty much wide open as to the content and requested 6 sessions, one per week. No problem. I have many presentations prepared for a variety of venues from single "lectures" to 3, 4, 5 and now 6 week programs. Some have been relatively small groups while others have consisted of up to 60 participants. Large groups are actually less fun than the smaller, more intimate groups. We all have fun and learn alot anyway.

The Agawam program will be quickly followed up with a 4 week program at the Wilbraham Public Library and 2 5-week programs at the Yellow House Community Center for Learning in Palmer, MA. I've been asked back to the Hitchcock Free Academy in Brimfield, MA in the fall. Ironically, one of my ancestors founded the Hitchcock Free Academy in 1849. He was a wealthy businessman who was interested in the education of the children in his home town who otherwise might not get a chance to go to school for very long. I have to tell you, though...It's no longer free!

Finally, I'll be using the program to run a fund raiser for the First Church in Ludlow which is in, well, Ludlow, MA. This will be the 4th fundraiser I've done for them. Again, I have an ancestor associated with this organization. My 4th cousin 6 times removed was the first minister there. According to the history of the congregation, they began conducting services in the homes of the membership back in 1774.

There's more, but I'll have to wait and post later...Class starts at 10 AM!

Visit www.oldbones.co

Also, I've taken to using dave@oldbones.info as so many people thought I had left of the "m" on the email address. It all has to do with what the domain cost me way back when: oldbones.com was $4500 while oldbones.co was free...

"It's All Relative"

"It's All Relative!" That's the title of the 3 session program I'll be leading at the Palmer Public Library in Palmer, MA.  It begins September 20th at 6 PM and continues each Thursday until October 4th.

Mary Bernat, Assistant Director of the Palmer Public Library, is sponsoring the program for the library.  She'll have it up on the library's website here http://www.palmer.lib.ma.us/ in a couple of days.

Remember, you can always visit Old Bones at any time for this and other programs.