Societies and Organizations relating to Genealogy

Submitted by GFS Susi@aol.com

As I spend more time on the Internet, I find less people are joining societies and research organizations. Unfortunately, they are hurting their own research efforts.

The old story of "it's who you know" applies many times in Genealogy. A membership in an organization has many benefits. You are able to post your surnames to their Surname files; you are able to give them a five-generation chart of your family names for others to see (when they visit the society); you will generally receive a quarterly or monthly newsletter with much data about the area and people; you are able to post your surnames in their quarterlies for others to see when it is sent to members; they list cemetery records, tax lists, church records, personal letters shared by others for all to read and more data than I am going to list here.

Another reason is when you go to this region to do research, you have already developed an association with people in this area. You may be writing to kin, friends or strangers but they assist you.

In regard to assistance, this is what they can do and you can do for yourself. By developing a relationship with the organization, and you let them know your coming to visit, they many times have done pre-research about data you might want to look at; they will reference you to other places in the area to look for data; they give you peoples names to ask for when you arrive at these places so you are not lost in the shuffle; and they can direct you to others that might be researching the same place or names you are.

The perks for belonging to an organization are almost limitless. I have had doors opened and files shared that many were not willing to share, but because someone (at home) felt comfortable with me, they would then open up their resources to me to share.

Please consider joining an organization where you are doing your major research at for at least a year. Many have dues of only $15 to $30 a year, and you receive far more than your amount of money spent. Also, remember to be generous in your thanks for their help, whether it is in recognition of what they did or money to help them gather more information or to keep organization going.

 

 

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