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President's Message

To all BCGS members and friends:

Sometimes we take things for granted. We park behind the David Library and enter the Conference Center most months for our meetings. We enjoy the presentation and then head for home. How many of us have actually been in the David Library of the American Revolution itself? Do we know which resources are contained there? Well, at our February meeting, you will have the opportunity to learn the answer to that question when Kathie Ludwig, the David Library librarian will outline its resources.
 
Ask yourself if you have taken for granted information contained in that pile of documents you have carefully gathered. When I was spanking new to genealogy, I signed up for a "Laptop Saturday". When we registered, we were asked what information we wanted to learn about our ancestors. I knew my paternal grandfather had been a coal miner, so I said I wanted to learn the name of the mine in which he worked. Annette from Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania did some preparatory research. She pointed out that I had the information all along. On the Federal Census it listed the name of the mine as Dorrance.  I have since stood on the grounds of the mine and have seen the fan building just where my grandfather had worked. If you are spinning your wheels on a "brick wall", have you really LOOKED at your accumulated documents? What could you have missed?

Mary C. Butash, President,  [email protected]

Join us at our meeting on 
Saturday, Februaryary 4, 2017
10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon
at the David Library of the American Revolution
1201 River Rd., Washington Crossing, PA
(Park behind the building and use the Conference Center entrance.)
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Finding Your Revolution War Ancestor
presented by 
Katherine Ludwig

The collections of the David Library of the American Revolution focus on the time period from 1750-1800.  Included are primary and secondary materials on the military, political, social, domestic, and economic history of the time period.  These resources provide an in-depth study of American and British soldiers, as well as Loyalists, Hessians, and those who did not fight, such as certain religious groups as well as the politically disaffected. 

Researchers from across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom use the David Library's collections to investigate the time period using sources such as newspapers, military records, British colonial and revolutionary era documents, diaries, journals, and numerous other primary accounts of the American Revolution.

Katherine Ludwig will present the history of the David Library, give a description of the Library's holdings and how to use them. Her talk will focus on the Library's collections and services. The presentation will be genealogical in nature and will cover the resources needed to research many aspects of the American Revolutionary War era.

About the speaker:
Katherine Ludwig (Kathie) was previously a public librarian in Vermont for many years, working primarily as the director of her community's library.  Since her move to Washington Crossing in 2001, she has worked at the David Library, where she manages reference services, acquisitions, and cataloging of the library's collections. 
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The meeting is open to the public.  Reservations are not needed.  
Cost is $5 for members and $10 for non-members.

COFFEE AND REFRESHMENTS ARE NEEDED!

If you are willing to get coffee at the Dunkin' Donuts in Washington Crossing,
you will be reimbursed at the meeting. Please contact Roxan Schneider (so that we don't have too many folks bringing coffee) and to get directions. 

If you would like to bring cookies, baked goods, munchkins, etc., your meeting fee will be discounted. Please send an email to Roxan so that she knows about the refreshments.  Thank you!

Roxan Schneider may be reached at  [email protected]


DearMYRTLE is coming 
to BCGS on March 7, 2017!

Through the wonderful world of technology, Ol' Myrt will appear "virtually" from her office, direct via the internet, on Saturday, March 4, 2017.  The presentation will begin at 10:00 am in the David Library of the American Revolution, 1201 River Rd., Washington Crossing, PA.   Ol' Myrt will tell us about the 7 HABITS of Highly Effective Genealogy.  

The BCGS VP-Programs, Jeff Sipler, has been working with the David Library to set up the technology for this session. It is a great way for us to have a presentation by nationally-known Ol' Myrt. 

Mark your calendars and plan to join us!

Our Heroes:  World War I Wall of Honor

2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. To mark this
occasion, BCGS will be constructing a Wall of Honor on our website to honor those who served. 

We invite all members to submit their soldiers, whether they were ancestors, extended family or just family friends. Each entry on the Wall of Honor will feature a short description of the soldier (download form here) and, ideally, a photograph. If you do not have a photograph of your soldier, we will substitute an appropriate emblem from their branch of service. 

We will have the BCGS's scanner at the February and March meetings to scan photographs, should you need to copy yours. If you would like to scan items, plan to arrive at 9:30 so that we have time to do the scanning prior to our meeting!  

Also, when completing the form, please don't submit your original documents or photographs. Email the completed forms and photographs to [email protected].

We will be rolling out the wall in time for the 100th anniversary in April, so gather and submit your data by the March meeting so we can include it as we construct the wall.  

Any questions, please contact Connie Ace at [email protected]

COMPREHENSIVE CALENDAR OF EVENTS


The calendar is frequently updated and includes events from all over the country.  Be sure to check it every month to see what is happening. 

Here is the link:  

RESEARCH TIP

Fold3 is celebrating its 10th anniversary by offering a big discount on the cost of the membership.  It is usually $79.95 for an annual membership, but the rate is $47.95 until January 31st.  

Fold3 advertises that it has military records that won't be found anywhere else and lots of non-military records.  So if you want to search military records, naturalization records,  city directories and more, consider taking advantage of this 40% discount.  This link will get you to the Fold3 discount webpage: 

Warning About New Genealogy Site

BCGS Director of Publicity, Cathy Ivins, posted this on Facebook on January 16th:  "Please heed this warning. A new free genealogy site (that I do not use) lists info on living people - their birthdates, addresses, and associates - even children. The info IS available through public records but this site makes it very easy to find it all at once about someone and their family members. 

You can easily opt out by following the instructions here:

I highly recommend it doing this. The genealogy sites I use (ancestry.com and familysearch.org) protect living individuals by blocking all information. It's a scary world we live in. Make it harder for the criminals."


OPENING ON THE BCGS BOARD

The BCGS does not have an elected secretary for the board for 2017.  Can you help?  The BCGS secretary takes minutes at ten monthly board meetings. (The board does not meet in June and December.)  

It is also an opportunity to build new friendships with other board members - and to enjoy fellowship and laughter at the board meetings!

For more information about the secretary position, 
please contact Mary Butash at   [email protected]
NEW MEMBERSHIP CATEGORY!

At the request of members, the BCGS Board has established a LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP at $250. We welcome any who would like to join or renew for the new category. 

Membership Fees for One Year Membership

                     Individual $20          Dual/Household $35                  Organization $75       Lifetime $250 

  Our membership fees help to pay for speakers, facility rental, website costs, insurance and more.  Membership in BCGS is on a rolling basis and lasts one year from the month you join. 

You don't have to have Bucks County ancestors to enjoy the benefits of membership!  Won't you join and help us continue to grow?

See a list of BCGS Member Benefits on our website: 

Join or renew by mail using our membership application/renewal form , on line on the Society's website via PayPal or by paying with cash or check at our next meeting.  And, we now have the ability to accept credit card payments at our monthly meetings!
 
If you have questions and to get access to the above discounts, contact Pat Gessner, VP-Membership at  [email protected]

Bucks County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 826, Washington Crossing, PA 18977