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Welcome

Our purpose is to help others in the community to find their family roots under the experienced guidance of our qualified members and expert guest speakers.

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Speakers for December

Bill & Linda Vivian

Bill and Linda Vivian are fortunate to share a common interest in their heritages and have been researching their lineages since the 1980s. This pursuit has taken them beyond online sources to visit repositories in many states and overseas to find additional records and “walk in their ancestors’ footsteps.” They have each published several family histories about their respective grandparents’ fore-bearers in books designed by Linda.
The couple have graduate degrees from the University of Florida and certificates from the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR). They are both former presidents of HGS and served on the board in other capacities for 10 years. In addition to HGS, Bill and Linda are members of both National and Florida State Genealogical Societies. Bill is also a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists; Linda is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a published author in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly.
Bill and Linda are each regular speakers at area genealogical societies, but Lucy Curtiss: Bits of Experience is their first program presented together at HGS.

Program

Lucy Curtiss - Bits of Experience

Knowing our ancestors helps us to know ourselves. This program presents an account of what life was like during the Civil War for a military wife. Such first-hand stories as important historical context are rare, but when found can provide rich detail for family histories. Lucy Vinton Curtiss (1829 – 1908) wrote about what it was like while her husband was away for years in the Union Army, and she shared her experiences with family and others in her Michigan community. As genealogists, we should be interested in how to find such sources, as well as learning about this very personal story that Lucy relates. Lucy Curtiss is the great-great grandmother of Bill Vivian, the presenter and former president of HGS. Bill brings this program to HGS for the first time, showing us that both our fathers and our mothers had important roles during those times our fathers fought and some died to make and keep us a nation.

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2022-2023 HGS Programs

December 8th - Lucy Curtis-Bits of Experience - Bill & Linda Vivian

January 12th - So You Can’t Read a Foreign Language - Ann Staley

February 9th - Making Sense of a Senseless Census - Jeff Haines

March 9th - Irish Genealogy From Your Armchair - Paul Howes

April 13th - The Marriage of the Waters, The Erie Canal and the Opening of the Midwest - Annette Burke Lyttle

May 11th - Genealogy Timelines - Bill Meister

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Benefits of Membership

Meetings

All of our meetings are open to the public, feature an invited guest speaker and are held in the auditorium of the Ormond Beach Library on the second Thursday of the month at 1:30 PM.

Basic Concepts in Genealogy

Basic Concepts in Genealogy will be offered at the monthly meeting following our invited speaker and social time. The format will vary from an informal discussion to a more structured class, depending on the topic. This is a great opportunity for those new to genealogy research to meet and learn from our more experienced members in a group setting. All are welcome.

Dues

Dues are paid annually and are primarily used to attract the finest speakers for our monthly programs. Cost for membership is $20 for an individual and $25 for a family membership.

One on One Research Help

Have you hit a brick wall in your research or have a general genealogy question? Our experienced HGS researchers offer free individual assistance. Genealogy in the library is offered on the Saturday following our monthly meeting from 1-4 PM in meeting room 3 of the Ormond Beach Library. For registration please contact us at halifaxgensociety@gmail.com

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HGS Board of Directors

President: Patricia Craven

Vice President: Pat Peoples

Secretary: Tricia Aanderud

Acting Treasurer: Patricia Craven

Program Director: Greta Daigle

Membership: Rita Vogl

Publicity: Linda Anderson

Publications: Elaine Hemeke

Community Outreach and Education: Pat Peoples

Past President: Bill Vivian

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