MSOG, Inc. PO Box 215 Ashland, MA 01721-0215 |
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Saturday, December 2
Congregational Church Library & Archives Resources for Genealogy (Worcester)
9:30 am to 11:30 am Virtual
Worcester Chapter Meeting
Billy McCarthy presents Congregational Church Library & Archives Resources for Genealogy
Billy's work includes processing some of the oldest and more complex collections housed in the archives, including the Park Street Church records and the Old South Church records. Billy also works alongside CLA’s patrons to help with their reference requests and staffs the reference desk during in-person visits. In 2019, Billy also started working as the collection manager for the archives, working with CLA’s offsite vendor to protect and maintain the organization’s archival records. Some of his professional interests include increasing access, collection management, processing of complex materials, and facilitating research.
About Billy:
Billy McCarthy graduated with a B.A. in History from Bridgewater State College and completed his Masters of Library and Information Science at Simmons University with a concentration in Archival Management. Billy started working at CLA through a graduate internship where he processed a collection about the Congregational Training School for Women. He stayed on a part-time basis processing collections and staffing the reference desk until he was hired full-time in 2018.He is the Head of Reader Services, helping the CLA's visitors with reference requests and facilitating in-person research.
9:30 am EST Socializing
9:45 am EST Business meeting
10:00 am EST Presentation
This presentation will be Virtual via Zoom. Pre-registration is required
The presentation is free and open to the public.
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Tuesday, December 5
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (Book One of Two, Same Night Discussion) (Book Club)
7:30 pm
A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens. It was first published by Chapman & Hall on 19 December 1843. Carol tells the story of a bitter old miser named Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformation resulting from a supernatural visit by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Yet to Come. The novella met with instant success and critical acclaim.The book was written and published in early Victorian era Britain, a period when there was strong nostalgia for old Christmas traditions together with the introduction of new customs, such as Christmas trees and greeting cards. Dickens' sources for the tale appear to be many and varied, but are, principally, the humiliating experiences of his childhood, his sympathy for the poor, and various Christmas stories and fairy tales. (Amazon Review)
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Tuesday, December 5
What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew by Daniel Pool (Book Two, Same Night Discussion)) (Book Club)
7:30 pm
For anyone who has ever wondered whether a duke outranked an earl, when to yell “Tally Ho!” at a fox hunt, or how one landed in “debtor’s prison,” this book serves as an indispensable historical and literary resource. Author Daniel Pool provides countless intriguing details (did you know that the “plums” in Christmas plum pudding were actually raisins?) on the Church of England, sex, Parliament, dinner parties, country house visiting, and a host of other aspects of nineteenth-century English life—both “upstairs” and “downstairs.
An illuminating glossary gives at a glance the meaning and significance of terms ranging from “ague” to “wainscoting,” the specifics of the currency system, and a lively host of other details and curiosities of the day. (Amazon Review)
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Saturday, December 9
Probate to Equity and Back (Middlesex)
10:30 am to 12:00 pm Virtual
Middlesex Chapter Meeting
Presented by Kelvin L. Meyers
When we allow the records to "talk" to us, we learn many things about our ancestors. We learn about family relationships, the family's social status, and prove marriages without marriage records. Records of probate can be some of the most fruitful for genealogists. Join us to learn the methodology of working within these record groups.
A fifth-generation Texan and professional forensic genealogist since 1996, Kelvin is a popular speaker to genealogical societies and family associations throughout the United States. Kelvin works with several mineral companies in Texas, researching heirs throughout the US and the world. He also specializes in southern brick wall problems for clients.
He is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, a past President of the Lone Star Chapter of APG, and a founding member of the Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy (CAFG). Kelvin is also the director of the Texas Institute of Genealogical Research (TIGR), sponsored by the Texas State Genealogical Society.
Kelvin is the author of Research in Texas for the National Genealogical Society's Research in the States series and an award-winner of The Dallas Genealogical Society's Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck Distinguished Service Award.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
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Thursday, December 14
Ghosts of Christmas Past: Ancestral Holiday Traditions (Webinar)
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm Virtual
For our December webinar, Jean Wilcox Hibben will be presenting a program that connects some of our more common holiday traditions in the United States to their beginnings during the time of our ancestors of various cultures and countries.
A native of the Chicago suburbs & former Board Certified genealogist, Jean Wilcox Hibben now resides in So. Cal. where she was a college professor for 13 years, teaching Speech Communication, retiring to pursue her passions: family history & folklore (with a doctorate in the latter). She is a national speaker, the former Director of the Corona (CA) Family History Center, President & webmaster of the Corona Gen. Soc., & Past-President of the So. Calif. Chapter of APG. She has also been on the boards of the Gen'l Speakers Guild, Internat'l Soc. of Family History Writers & Editors, & APG. She was the Lead researcher for the first season of Genealogy Roadshow. She writes the "Aunty Jeff" column for the Informer, the newsletter of the Jefferson County, NY, Gen. Soc. She is part of Genealogy Journeys® producing podcasts on Social History.
You must be logged in as a Member to participate in the event. Log-in at https://msoginc.org/members.php. Go to "Event Registration" to register for the webinar.
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Saturday, December 16
DNA, Genealogy, and Privacy: Handling the Double-Edged Sword (Bristol)
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented by Thomas MacEntee (Presenter will be virtual)
Has your concern for privacy prevented you or a family member for taking a DNA test? What about sharing your genealogy research data online with practical strangers (even though you might be related)? Especially as personal DNA testing increases in popularity, and with increased media attention about cold cases solved using DNA data and the use of genealogy databases, today’s genealogist needs to stay on top of the latest information concerning privacy. We’ll review the current status of privacy practices by the five major DNA test kit vendors, current laws and regulations, the role of law enforcement, and what we might expect to see related to privacy in the future.
Thomas MacEntee is a professional genealogist specializing in the use of technology and social media to improve genealogical research and as a means of interacting with others in the family history community. Currently Thomas shares many of his articles and videos for free at the popular Genealogy Bargains website!
SOMERSET PUBLIC LIBRARY
1464 County Street
Somerset, MA 02726
Business Meeting 11:00-11:30 am
Member Sharing 11:30-11:55 am
Presentation Begins at Noon.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
For more information contact: bristol@msoginc.org
Schedule of Events Available at: https://msoginc.org
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at https://tinyurl.com/BristolDec2023
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Wednesday, December 20
MSOG Members only - DNA SIG (DNA)
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm Virtual Only
Using SHARED MATCHES within Your DNA Results
Basic DNA research requires nothing more than your matches, their shared matches, and genealogy software!
This quick introduction to getting more from your DNA results will give you the steps for connecting the matches together.
Come join us for a conversation about Shared Matches.
What have you learned by looking at your DNA matches?
What do you have questions about your DNA?
You must be logged in as a Member to participate in this event. Log-in at https://www.msoginc.org/members.php. Go to "Event Registration" to register for the DNA Special Interest Group meeting.
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Saturday, December 23
Merrimack Valley Chapter (Merrimack Valley)
We will not be meeting the month of December.
Have an enjoyable Holiday season with your family and friends.
The MV Chapter Board. |
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Saturday, January 6, 2024
Mixers and Shakers- Tracing Bartending (Worcester)
9:30 am to 11:30 am Virtual
Worcester Chapter Meeting
Debra Dudek presents:
Mixers and Shakers- Tracing Bartending, Saloonkeeping, and Tavernkeeping Ancestors
Just a few of the topics Debra will cover:
Beyond the Local Pub
Making Drinks at Home
Breweries
Licenses
National Register of Historical Places
City Directories and Gazetteers
About Debra: Debra M. Dudek holds a post graduate certificate in Genealogical, Palaeographic & Heraldic Studies from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. Ms. Dudek is the Book Review Editor of the Illinois State Genealogical Society, an executive board member of the Illinois State Historical Society, website coordinator for the Chicago Chapter NSDAR, and is the author of the World War I Research Guide: Tracing American Military and Non-Combatant Ancestors.
9:30 am EST Socializing
9:45 am EST Business meeting
10:00 am EST Presentation
This presentation will be Virtual via Zoom. Pre-registration is required
The presentation is free and open to the public.
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Saturday, January 13, 2024
Scots-Irish Research (Middlesex)
10:30 am to 12:00 pm Virtual
Middlesex Chapter Meeting
Presented by Morgan Elliott
More information is coming soon.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
This meeting will be online via Zoom
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Saturday, January 20, 2024
DNA and the Hidden Half of the Family (Bristol)
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented by Judy Russell (Presenter will be virtual)
As 21st century genealogists, we have a tool for identifying and confirming relationships not available to earlier generations: DNA testing. Its use in identifying male family members, through YDNA testing, is fairly well understood. The use of mitochondrial and autosomal DNA to identify women and link children to parents is not as well understood. Yet these are powerful tools particularly when used in a targeted fashion to test particular theories.
Judy Russell, The Legal Genealogist, has worked as a newspaper reporter, trade association writer, legal investigator, defense attorney, federal prosecutor, law editor and, for more than 20 years before her retirement in 2014, she was an adjunct member of the faculty at Rutgers Law School. A Colorado native with roots deep in the American south on her mother’s side (from Virginia to Texas and just about everywhere in between!) and entirely in Germany on her father’s side. It’s an odd mix, finding records of her ancestors from 1680 Virginia on one side to being a first-generation American on the other. She holds credentials as a Certified Genealogist® and Certified Genealogical LecturerSM from the Board for Certification of Genealogists®, a member of the National Genealogical Society, the Association of Professional Genealogists, and, among others, the state genealogical societies of New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas and Illinois. She is privileged to serve on the faculty at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR), the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), the Midwest African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI), and the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed).
SOMERSET PUBLIC LIBRARY
1464 County Street
Somerset, MA 02726
Business Meeting 11:00-11:30 am
Member Sharing 11:30-11:55 am
Presentation Begins at Noon.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
For more information contact: bristol@msoginc.org
Schedule of Events Available at: https://msoginc.org
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Saturday, January 27, 2024
Tracing Your Immigrant Ancestors (Merrimack Valley)
10:00 am Georgetown Peabody Library Georgetown MA
Attend in person or by Zoom : Register to join us by Zoom, TBA
Your ancestors may have arrived in America with the great waves of immigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Or they may have emigrated before the Civil War. While there are specific strategies for each ethnic group, there is also a systematic process that applies to any search. I will guide you through each step of the process with examples. FInd out about your immigrant ancestors and tell their story!
Margaret Rose Fortier is a Board-certified genealogical researcher, writer, and lecturer, and the daughter of an immigrant. Named after her grandmothers and inspired by her mother’s phenomenal memory, she has been researching for 20 years.
She specializes in immigrant ancestors to New England. She serves on the board of the Association of Professional Genealogists and is a proud member of the Merrimack Valley chapter. She is eternally grateful that her husband’s French-Canadian Furkey ancestors changed their name back to Fortier.
Free and Open to the Public
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Saturday, February 3, 2024
DAR Library Resources (Worcester)
9:30 am to 11:30 am Virtual
Worcester Chapter Meeting
Olivia Millunzi presents: A User’s Guide to the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library
The Daughters of the American Revolution Library in Washington D.C. isn’t just for descendants of Revolutionary War soldiers! As one of the largest genealogical libraries in the country, the Daughters of the American Revolution [DAR] Library has something for everyone tracing their family history.
This presentation will give an overview of the resources available both on-site in D.C. as well as digital tools and resources available for free from wherever you normally do your family history work. Come find out how your family history is on our shelves!
Olivia Millunzi is the Reference Librarian at the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library in Washington, D.C. She holds a BA in History and Museum Studies with a French minor from Juniata College, and an MLIS focusing in Diversity & Inclusion from the University of Maryland’s iSchool. Before coming to the DAR, Olivia worked at the Middletown Valley Historical Society, Heritage Frederick (formerly the Historical Society of Frederick County), Schifferstadt Architectural Museum (part of the Frederick County Landmarks Foundation), the National Park Service, and the National Anthropological Archives at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. She began working at the DAR as a Staff Genealogist in June 2019, and in June 2022 became the Reference Librarian for the DAR Library. Olivia lives in Frederick, MD with a cat and an unconscionably large number of books.
9:30 am EST Socializing
9:45 am EST Business meeting
10:00 am EST Presentation
This presentation will be Virtual via Zoom. Pre-registration is required
The presentation is free and open to the public.
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Saturday, February 10, 2024
Navigating Challenges in Metes and Bounds Land Platting: Techniques and Solutions (Middlesex)
10:30 am to 12:00 pm Virtual
Middlesex Chapter Meeting
Presented by Kimberly L. Powell
Navigating Challenges in Metes and Bounds Land Platting: Techniques and Solutions
This follow-up session on metes and bounds platting tackles the common hurdles genealogists encounter when platting and locating an ancestor's land. We will explore strategies for overcoming incomplete land descriptions, methods for finding unrecorded land transactions, and techniques for leveraging historical and contemporary maps to bridge record gaps. You'll walk away with practical platting skills for tracing and documenting ancestral properties.
Bio
Kimberly is a professional genealogist, author, and educator specializing in genealogical writing, pre-1850 family history, land records, DNA, and solving complex problems. She served as the Genealogy Expert for About.com for sixteen years and is a past president of the Association of Professional Genealogists. She teaches at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), and the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR), as well as in the online genealogy programs offered through Boston University. She’s especially passionate about researching hard-to-find families in the Carolinas and Virginia, and sharing her love of genealogy with others through teaching. You can find her online at Level Up Genealogy (https://www.levelupgenealogy.com).
(Kimberly Powell's presentation from December 2022 Introduction to Metes and Bounds will be available exclusively to members from January 26th to February 9th. It is recommended to watch this presentation before today's lecture.)
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
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Saturday, February 17, 2024
8th Annual Ancestors Day (Bristol)
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented by Bristol Chapter Members
Every year, several members from the “Bristol Chapter” volunteer to share interesting stories and research anecdotes about their family. Members will enlighten attendees with their triumphs, journeys, family stories and roadblocks in their quest to find their ancestors. In an entertaining way, you will learn fascinating facts about our members and their families. Not all the research will result in a happy ending but nevertheless everyone will leave enlightened and energized to solve a family lore. Regardless of what you learn, the day will prove to be fun and educational.
SOMERSET PUBLIC LIBRARY
1464 County Street
Somerset, MA 02726
Business Meeting 11:00-11:30 am
Member Sharing 11:30-11:55 am
Presentation Begins at Noon.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
For more information contact: bristol@msoginc.org
Schedule of Events Available at: https://msoginc.org
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at TBA |
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Saturday, March 2, 2024
UMass Amherst Special Collections (Worcester)
9:30 am to 11:30 am Hybrid: Worcester Public Library and Virtual
Worcester Chapter Meeting
Caroline White presents:
Quakers, Aggies, and Archivists: An Inside Look at Genealogy Resources in UMass Amherst’s Archives
The Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center (SCUA), in the UMass Amherst Libraries, holds more than 1,500 collections of varying sizes and in a range of formats. SCUA is open to all, and researchers come from on campus, off campus, and way off campus to use the collections; those unable to visit ask questions by email and/or use SCUA’s ever-growing online digital collections. For researchers whose interests are genealogical, whether they are asking about one ancestor or trying to construct a complete family history, SCUA has two collections that are chiefly consulted: the New England Yearly Meeting of Friends Records and the University Archives.
In a presentation that will describe SCUA’s holdings and include examples of her own work helping researchers and seekers of genealogical information, Caroline White will cover the following:
- SCUA’s mission and collecting areas
- Collection highlights
- Collections for genealogical research including
- New England Yearly Meeting of Friends Records: what they are/include, why we have them, how they fit into our collecting mission
- University Archives (official and unofficial): how they come in, what they include, what they do not include
- How to work effectively with an archivist, whether doing research in person or remotely
- SCUA resources and using them/how researchers (and casual Googlers) find us
- Challenges of remote research and why everything isn’t digitized
- Digital resources and digitization challenges
About Caroline: Caroline J. White, Archives and Manuscript Librarian in the Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center (SCUA), in the UMass Amherst Libraries, is a graduate of Simmons School of Library and Information Science, where she earned an MS in archives management, and of Princeton University, where she majored in English. Before becoming an archivist, she worked for nineteen years as an editor for Viking, Penguin, and Penguin Classics, in New York City. She has taught as an adjunct instructor in Simmons’ archives program; held several short-term positions at Mount Holyoke College’s Archives and Special Collections; and given presentations at professional conferences including the Society of American Archivists, New England Archivists, and Academic Library Advancement and Development Network. Her articles have appeared in Acid Free and Archival Outlook, among other publications. A native of Philadelphia, her mother’s hometown, she grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, like her Kentucky-born father, but also has deep roots in Massachusetts, her adopted state.
9:30 am EST Socializing
9:45 am EST Business meeting
10:00 am EST Presentation
This presentation will be Virtual via Zoom. Pre-registration is required
The presentation is free and open to the public.
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Saturday, March 9, 2024
Title: Government of the people: Leveraging Freedom of Information Laws to Procure Novel Records (Middlesex)
10:30 am to 12:00 pm Virtual
Middlesex Chapter Meeting
Presented by Alec Ferretti
This lecture will explain Freedom of Information Laws, and how genealogists can use them to obtain often inaccessible record sets and to learn about how systems of records are organized. A variety of jurisdictions and case studies will be discussed.
Alec Ferretti is a New York City-based professional genealogist who has worked for the Wells Fargo Family & Business History Center, researching family histories for high-net-worth clients. Alec specializes in the genealogy of 20th-century immigrants to the United States. He is a regular lecturer at genealogical societies and conferences. He serves as the President of the New York Genealogy & Technology Group, serves actively on the Board of Directors of the Association of Professional Genealogists, and on the Board of Reclaim the Records, a nonprofit dedicated to wrangling public records from obstinate government agencies.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
The meeting will be online via Zoom.
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Saturday, March 16, 2024
What You Can Find in the David Allen Lambert Library (Bristol)
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented by Richard Reid
The David Allen Lambert Library is located at The Friends of Irish Research, 899 North Main Street, Brockton, MA 02301. It is open to the public. Currently our library is home to over 15,000 digital books and it is growing everyday. The Research Center is open on most Friday evenings 7:30pm - 9:30 pm. To make an appointment for a genealogical consult, please email us at friendsofirishresearch@gmail.com and we will communicate with you concerning the best day and time. Download the new consultation form to provide us vital information that will allow us to assist you online or in-person.
SOMERSET PUBLIC LIBRARY
1464 County Street
Somerset, MA 02726
Business Meeting 11:00-11:30 am
Member Sharing 11:30-11:55 am
Presentation Begins at Noon.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
For more information contact: bristol@msoginc.org
Schedule of Events Available at: https://msoginc.org
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at TBA |
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Saturday, April 6, 2024
Historical Society of the United Methodist Church (Worcester)
9:30 am to 11:30 am Virtual
Worcester Chapter Meeting
Frances Lyons presents:
Resources at the Historical Society of the United Methodist Church
About Frances:
Trained as an archivist at University College Dublin following graduation with a degree in History. Worked in museum and corporate archives until appointment as Reference Archivist at the General Commission on Archives and History of The United Methodist Church in 2008. Certified by The Academy of Certified Archivists.
9:30 am EDT Socializing
9:45 am EDT Business meeting
10:00 am EDT Presentation
This presentation will be Virtual via Zoom. Pre-registration is required
The presentation is free and open to the public.
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Saturday, April 20, 2024
TBA (Bristol)
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
SOMERSET PUBLIC LIBRARY
1464 County Street
Somerset, MA 02726
Business Meeting 11:00-11:30 am
Member Sharing 11:30-11:55 am
Presentation Begins at Noon.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
For more information contact: bristol@msoginc.org
Schedule of Events Available at: https://msoginc.org
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at TBA |
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Saturday, May 4, 2024
TBD (Worcester)
9:30 am to 11:30 am Virtual
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Saturday, May 18, 2024
DAR, Genealogy, and the Country’s 250th Birthday (Bristol)
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
Presented by Olivia Millunzi
The Daughters of the American Revolution Library in Washington D.C. isn’t just for descendants of Revolutionary War soldiers! As one of the largest genealogical libraries in the country, the Daughters of the American Revolution [DAR] Library has something for everyone tracing their family history. DAR will also be fully involved in celebrating our country’s 250th birthday in 2026.
Olivia Millunzi is the Reference Librarian at the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library. She holds a BA in History and Museum Studies with a French minor from Juniata College, and an MLIS focusing in Diversity & Inclusion from the University of Maryland’s iSchool. Before coming to the DAR, Olivia worked at the Middletown Valley Historical Society, Heritage Frederick (formerly the Historical Society of Frederick County), Schifferstadt Architectural Museum (part of the Frederick County Landmarks Foundation), the National Park Service, and the National Anthropological Archives at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
SOMERSET PUBLIC LIBRARY
1464 County Street
Somerset, MA 02726
Business Meeting 11:00-11:30 am
Member Sharing 11:30-11:55 am
Presentation Begins at Noon.
This program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
For more information contact: bristol@msoginc.org
Schedule of Events Available at: https://msoginc.org
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at TBA |
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Saturday, June 1, 2024
Annual Luncheon Meeting (Worcester)
TBD
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Saturday, June 15, 2024
Bristol Chapter Annual Meeting (Bristol)
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Attend in Person or Virtually via Zoom
"Famous Collision of the Andrea Doria" presented by Dr. William Hanna
On the night of July 25, 1956, a collision between the ocean liners SS Andrea Doria and MS Stockholm killed 51 people and prompted one of the largest civilian maritime rescues in history, off the Nantucket coastline.
Those who wish to attend virtually, can pre-register at TBA |
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