Michigan Genealogical Council

Veteran Bounty Land Records with Jan Alpert
2025-03-13 11:00 - 12:30 (America/Detroit) | Virtual – Zoom only
The Veterans Bounty Lands Project is the newest digitization project with the National Archives and Records Administration being sponsored by the genealogical community. Just over $1,000,000 of the $2.5 millions needed has been raised to date from FamilySearch, DAR, and other large contributors. The project will digitize over 360,000 bounty land files from the Revolutionary War through the Mexican War and commemorate the 250th Anniversary of American’s Independence. Jan’s presentation will explain how genealogical societies can participate and join the 250th Celebration.

MGC Board Meeting
2025-03-13 09:00 - 10:30, 2025-02-13 09:00 - 10:30, 2025-01-09 09:00 - 10:30 (America/Detroit) | Virtual Zoom, MI
Vitual monthly Board meeting

RootsTech
2025-03-06 10:00 - 2025-03-08 18:00 (America/Denver) | Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
Join the world’s largest family discovery event • 6–8 March 2025 • Plus an on-demand learning library available anytime • Brought to you by FamilySearch.
Attend in person in Salt Lake City or online.

Your Most Powerful Legacy is Your Story Brief with Sunny Jane Morton
2025-01-09 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Detroit) | Virtual – Zoom only
Family history begins with YOUR history. Learn from the author of Story of My Life: A Workbook for Preserving Your Legacy what stories you have that are worth telling–and several inspiring reasons to write them. Review different kinds of memories, why some memories are more vivid than others, and how to flesh them out. Learn tips for researching gaps in your memories, how to turn a memory into a good story, what to leave out and several ways to share your stories.

MGC Board meeting
2024-12-12 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-11-14 09:00 - 10:30, 2024-10-10 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-09-12 09:00 - 10:30, 2024-08-08 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-07-11 09:00 - 10:30, 2024-06-13 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Detroit) | Virtual – Zoom only

2024 MGC Fall Family History Eventwith Angie Bush, MS
2024-11-16 09:00 - 16:00 (America/Detroit) | Michigan Library & Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo Street, Lansing, MI, 48912, United States
The Michigan Genealogical Council, with our partners the Archives of Michigan and the Library of Michigan, proudly present Angie Bush for a one day seminar, Saturday, November 16, 2024 in-person in Lansing or online with Zoom Webinars.
Angie Bush, MS is a research team manager with AncestryProGenealogists in Salt Lake City. Her team specializes in U.S. research, Canada, and Irish and Scottish immigration to North America. Angie has been interested in her genealogy since she was very young. After college, she spent several years working in biotech while continuing to pursue her genealogy hobby. With the growing popularity and introduction of autosomal DNA testing in 2012, she decided to combine her two loves into one career. Her favorite type of research involves solving decades-old “brick walls” using a combination of traditional records and genetic evidence. She is a popular speaker and presenter and enjoys attending conferences where she can connect with others who share her passion for genealogy.
Eric Kennedy is the Law Reference Librarian for the Library of Michigan. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Telecommunications from Michigan State University. Eric also has a Master of Library and Information Science degree from Wayne State University. Prior to joining the State Law Library, Eric has worked in both academic and corporate libraries. He was the Reference and Administrative Services Librarian at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School’s Brennan Law Library, the Access Services Librarian at Wayne State University’s Arthur Neef Law Library, and a Reference Librarian at the law firm of Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn.
Kris Rzepczynski is 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 almost 25 years. He is a former Vice President of Membership for the Federation of Genealogical Societies and a Past President of the Mid-Michigan Genealogical Society.
Join Angie, Eric, Kris, and MGC for these exciting topics.
9:15-10:15 am
Is DNA the Tool For You? with Angie Bush
DNA has helped many genealogists make breakthroughs in their research that they never thought possible. But these breakthroughs are only possible because the research question was one that DNA could help to answer. Learn about the types of questions DNA can help you answer, and the types of questions DNA can’t help with.
10:30-11:30 am
Navigating the 1890 Gap: Research with State Census Records
with Kris Rzepczynski, Archives of Michigan
Given the near-total loss of the 1890 U.S. Census, state census records frequently serve as an effective substitute. This program will explore these underutilized resources, focusing primarily on the available schedules from across the United States from that time period.
11:45 am – 12:45 pm
The Best DNA Tools with Angie Bush
There are several tools provided by the testing companies and a plethora of third-party tools developed by others to help you make sense of your results. Learn which tools are most valuable and how to use them to successfully make sense of your DNA results.
1:30-2:30 pm
Michigan Legal Research with Eric Kennedy, Library of Michigan
Michigan Legal Research using both print and online resources to find primary legal authority: cases, statutes, regulations, court rules, and ordinances. The presentation will also include the Special Collection of Michigan Legislative History resources.
2:45-3:45 pm
Practical Applications and Case Studies with Angie Bush
In the final session of the day, we will share case studies and real-life examples of how DNA test results were integrated into complex family history questions. We will talk about how DNA validates information in historical records and how to correlate genetic and historical evidence to solve challenging mysteries.
This one-day event is one you will want to attend!
Purchase ticket online
Flyer and mail-in registration form
To see the latest MGC events, please go to the mimgc.org Event Calendar.

Free Friday Research Help
2024-11-15 13:30 - 16:30 (America/Detroit) | Michigan Library & Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo Street, Lansing, MI, 48912, United States
Free Friday Research Help
Volunteers from Michigan Genealogical Council member societies are offering free research help following today’s delegate meeting (November 15, 2024) in several areas, including MGC Pioneer Certificates, general genealogy, DNA, DAR, African American, Michiganology, French Canadian/Acadian, German, and Irish. These 30-minute in-person sessions will be held at the Michigan Library and Historical Center on Friday afternoon to assist researchers between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Help is geared toward using the collections available at the Archives of Michigan and Library of Michigan.
To sign up for your session, visit our Free-Friday Help Reservation page.

Ancestral Origins and DNA with Angie Bush, MS
2024-11-15 11:00 - 12:45 (America/Detroit) | Forum at the Michigan Library & Historical Center, 702 W Kalamazoo St, Lansing, Michigan, 48915
There has long been caution in genealogy circles about ethnicity estimates and their reliability. However, the science behind ethnicity estimates is solid, and there is much you can learn from them. We will explore the science behind the estimates and how best to contextualize and interpret the results. We will also discuss situations for which caution should be used with ethnicity results. We will also learn about the tools each company provides to help you learn more about your ancestral origins.
This is our delegate meeting, which will be open to the public. It will be a hybrid event, held in person in Lansing and virtually via Zoom. Angie will be present on-site in Lansing. Please note that it will be held on a Friday as a kickoff for the 2024 MGC Fall Family History Event. There is no charge for this session.
Register in advance for this webinar.

Western Michigan Genealogical Society Got Ancestors?! 2024 with Judy Nimer Muhn, Ed.M., FSA Scot
2024-10-19 09:00 - 15:00 (America/Detroit) | The Pinnacle Center, 3330 Highland Drive, Hudsonville, Michigan
Writer, speaker, blogger, presenter, and researcher. Judy has been researching her family tree from the age of 12, specializing in French-Canadian, Acadian, Native American, Scottish and Michigan, Ontario and Quebec research.
The sessions to be presented throughout the day are:

Researching in Canada: Your Maple Leaf Connection!
Native American, First Nations, Indian: Researching Indigenous Peoples
No Dead Ends: Finding Your Way Through Family Roadblocks
Seeking A Higher Source: The Resources of Faith Communities

For additional information or to register, please visit the society website, gotancestors.com.

Polish Genealogical Society of Michigan46th Annual Genealogy Seminar
2024-10-19 09:00 - 14:30 (America/Detroit) | American Polish Century Club, 33204 Maple Lane, Sterling Heights, MI, 48312
The PGSM seminar includes live presentations with Q&A, syllabus, and door prizes. Open to the public.
Speakers and Presentations:
Michelle Chubenko: Building Your Eastern European Ancestral Village
Michelle Chubenko: Discover Your Immigrant Origins
Alex Tolksdorf: How to Engage Family in Genealogy Research
Attend in person or virtually.
For additional information and to register, visit pgsm.org

St. Clair County Genealogy & History Society2024 Hebner Family Memorial Genealogy Seminar
2024-10-05 09:00 - 15:30 (America/Detroit) | Donald E. Dodge Auditorium, 200 Grand River, Port Huron, MI
The St. Clair County Genealogy & History Society, St. Clair County Library—Michigan Room, and the Ottawa Chapter NSDAR present a seminar promoting family and local history at the Donald E. Dodge Auditorium (South and across the street from the back of the Main Library).
Programs oﬀered will help you uncover, research, and preserve your family history.

9:15-9:30 Check-in
9:30-10:45 Bring Out Your Dead, Plagues, Epidemics, and Pandemics – Derek J. Blount, Prof. Genealogist
11:00-11:15 Presentation: Daughters of the American Revolution
11:15-12:30 Why Should I Look at Revolutionary War Records? Melissa Tennant Rzepczynski, Professional Genealogist
12:30-1:45 Lunch Box Lunch can be purchased at registration – please email ahead at rmathieu@sccl.lib.mi.us ($12 Ham or Turkey sandwich, chips & a fruit)
1:45-2:00 Presentation: St. Clair County Library – Michigan Room
2:00-3:30 Wills, Thrills, and Chills: Research with Probate Records Kris Rzepczynski, Senior Archivist and Head of Reference at the Archives of Michigan

For additional information and registration, visit https://sccghs.org/.

Eaton County Genealogical Society Annual Symposium
2024-09-28 09:30 - 15:30 (America/Detroit) | Old Courthouse, 100 W Lawrence, Charoltte, Michigan
Katherine R Willson will be the keynote speaker at this event.
Hybrid (In-person or Virtual via Zoom) Registration via Zoom is required for either.
Lunch Provided (subs w/ choice of ham, turkey, or veggie.)
Door Prizes/Booksale/Silent Auction of Baked Goods.
Jessica Trotter Britain to Canada to Michigan
Lori Fox Newspapers Have A Lot to Tell
Katherine Willson 40+ Sources for Finding Maiden Names
Katherine Willson 75+ Free Resources for Filling Out Your Family Tree
Registration Required

Researching Your Family's History at the Archives of Michigan with Kris Rzepczynski
2024-09-12 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Detroit) | Zoom webinar, MI
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.
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 nearly 25 years. He is a former Vice President of Membership for the Federation of Genealogical Societies and a Past President of the Mid-Michigan Genealogical Society.
This event is virtual.

Michigan Germanic Genealogical SocietyThey Joined, They Associated: Finding Records of Germanic Organizations and Other Collectionswith Paula Stuart-Warren
2024-09-09 19:30 - 20:30 (America/Detroit) | Virtual – Zoom only
U. S. libraries, historical societies, archives, and university library special collections sections hold the records from many organizations that our Germanic ancestors joined. The organization may have been a German heritage, charitable, religious, resettlement, political, social, or other organization. Additionally, as our parts of our families migrated, so did the records. Frequently genealogists think that there may be no records for some of the family. However, there may be substantial information buried away in a manuscript collection. Finding these collections with e records of membership, donations, necrologies, stories, activities, and more has become easier in recent years. Many finding aids online and off lead you to these research nuggets that represent hundreds of years of material.
Not a member of MiGGS? E-mail information@miggs.org to receive a Zoom invitation.

INDEPENDENT Washington DC Research Trip with Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society
2024-09-08 - 2024-09-14 | Michigan
Join other genealogists for research in our nation’s capitol – and bring along your non-genealogist friends who would like to tour DC and the area!
Visit the Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society website for additional details, a flyer, and helpful pre-trip resources the society offers before the trip.

Preparing for the Future: New Realities for Genealogical Societies with D. Joshua Taylor
2024-07-11 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Detroit) | Zoom webinar, MI
This session delves into the evolving role of genealogical societies amidst technological advancements, changing demographics, and shifting societal trends. Topics of discussion include recognizing present realities, essential board governance issues, insights to engage newer generations, and strategies to foster community involvement. Together, we will explore ways to equip your society for the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Register now!
Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS, FUGA, is a nationally known and recognized genealogist. Passionate about the diverse and dynamic field of family history. Joshua is the President of the NewYorkGenealogical & Biographical Society (NYG&B), an organization dedicated to preserving the stories of all New Yorkers. Previously, Joshua volunteered in leadership positions for the Federation of Genealogical Societies and other organizations. In 2017, Joshua was named as one of Library Journal’s Movers and Shakers and in 2022 was named as a Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association. A popular author and speaker, Joshua has been a coordinator for courses at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) and is the recipient of RootsTech’s Distinguished Presenter Award. He holds an MLS (Archival Management) and an MA (History) from Simmons College and has been a featured genealogist on Who Do You Think You Are? and can be seen taking America through their past as a host on the popular PBS series Genealogy Roadshow.

2024 Virtual Family History Conference - Expanding Possibilities
2024-05-16 14:00 - 2024-05-18 20:15 (America/Detroit) | Virtual
Whether you are pulling together papers about your grandparents, have a basic working knowledge of family history research, or are trying to break through a brick wall to expand your family tree beyond the first hundred years, the NGS 2024 Virtual Family History Conference takes your research to the next level and expands your possibilities.
From 16-18 May 2024, NGS offers exceptional learning opportunities for

Individuals who are just beginning to explore their families’ histories
Veteran researchers who are looking for new approaches and skills to help them discover the next generation of ancestors
Professional genealogists who want to learn the latest in resources and artificial intelligence (AI)
Societies and Organizations wishing to learn about new technologies for preserving records and marketing to their communities

2024 Barbara J. Brown Family History Seminar
2024-05-10 12:00 - 2024-05-11 17:00 (America/Detroit) | Michigan Library & Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo Street, Lansing, MI, 48912, United States
Participate online or onsite in downtown Lansing for the 11th Annual Barbara J. Brown Family History Seminar on Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11, 2024. This two-day program, hosted by the Archives of Michigan and the Michigan Genealogical Council, promotes family history and enhances genealogy research skills. Ari Wilkins is this year’s featured speaker and joins an exciting lineup of sessions and presenters.
The Archives of Michigan is pleased to continue offering this flagship annual gathering as a hybrid event. In addition, the Archives of Michigan will offer the following additions to this year’s seminar:

A free pre-seminar session on probate records on Friday, May 10 at 10 a.m. (for online access, please register separately).
A continental breakfast for onsite attendees on both Friday and Saturday at no additional charge.
Lunch for onsite attendees on both Friday and Saturday at no additional charge.
Extended research hours in the Archives of Michigan reading room.
Recordings of seminar sessions available to registrants for 30 days following the event.

For complete details and to register, visit https://www.michigan.gov/mhc/archives/family-history-seminar.

Organizing and Identifying Photograph Collections with Ari Wilkins
2024-05-10 10:00 - 11:45 (America/Detroit) | Michigan Library & Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo Street, Lansing, MI, 48912, United States
Organizing and Identifying Photograph Collections
We all have mounds of old unidentified family photos sitting in boxes. This lecture will offer step-by-step direction in organizing, preserving and cataloguing these precious collections for future generations. Learn how to identify, digitize and share collections using family trees and social media.
This is our annual meeting. Please note the different date and time. This meeting is also the annual Barbara J Brown Family History Seminar kickoff.

MGC Board meeting
2024-05-09 09:00 - 10:30 (America/Detroit) | Virtual – Zoom only

Lansing Family Search 2024 Seminar
2024-04-27 09:00 - 16:15 (America/Detroit) | Lansing FamilySearch Center, 431 E Saginaw, East Lansing, MI
Lansing Family Search 2024 Seminar!
Come join us on Sat, Apr 27, 2024 at 431 East Saginaw Street, East Lansing, MI, USA for a day filled with learning and discovery. Whether you’re new to genealogy or a seasoned pro, this event is perfect for anyone interested in tracing their family roots.
Our seminar will feature expert speakers, interactive workshops, and resources to help you uncover your family history. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with others who share your passion for genealogy.
The class schedule
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xDfRryT7maywePGYQvhGkoOZUwc8TZN5/view
Please see more detailed information about our presenters, course descriptions, and other information about the Lansing Family Search Seminar 2024.
https://tinyurl.com/42pkjv5e
Registration site.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lansing-family-search-seminar-2024-tickets-876309233507

Waterford Genealogical Society Genealogy Seminar
2024-04-20 13:00 - 18:00 (America/Detroit) | Waterford Township Public Library, 5168 Civic Center Dr, Waterford, MI, 48329
WGS Genealogy Seminar (formerly known as the Lock-In). Participants will not need to be “locked in” this year because the library will be open. New time for those who did not want such late hours.
Linked below is the registration for the seminar for the event. Just print it out and follow the instructions in the Seminar registration
2024 Genealogy Seminar Registration
