Connecticut Ancestry Society

11/01/2025

Greetings from Manchester, NH and the NERGC - New England Regional Genealogical Conference.

10/29/2025

NERGC - New England Regional Genealogical Conference starts today!

10/23/2025

A Genealogy aggregator, recommended by The Ancestor Hunt, that you may find useful.

Finding Your Ancestors in Access Genealogy - New Quicksheet

Access Genealogy is an aggregation site, which means that it has a number of genealogy categories for all of the United States. Its primary feature is links to other collections on other websites. Most of these are free. It does have records on the site itself. It started in 1999.

Get the Quicksheet at https://theancestorhunt.com/blog/finding-your-ancestors-in-access-genealogy/

10/23/2025

SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, November 22 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
“Why, When, Where, How, and Who: Hiring a Professional to Help with Your Research” with Heritage Detective’s Annette Burke Lyttle, CG. Networking at 10. Both via Zoom.
Annette Burke Lyttle holds the Certified Genealogist® credential. She provides professional genealogical services in research, education, and writing. She speaks on a variety of genealogical topics at the national, state, and local levels and loves helping people uncover and share their family stories. Annette is a course coordinator for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the British Institute. She is a published writer whose research interests include Quaker ancestors and ancestral migrations in the US. She is past president of the Association of Professional Genealogists and editor of The Florida Genealogist. Annette is also the headliner for the upcoming NERGC - New England Regional Genealogical Conference.
Society members will be sent the Zoom link in the week before the meeting. Non-members can request the link by writing info@ConnecticutAncestry.org.
https://connecticutancestry.org/members/join-renew/

10/15/2025

NERGC - New England Regional Genealogical Conference attendees, there are two opportunities at the conference that should be on your radar. Let Nora Galvin show you how to raise your Genealogy game!

10/04/2025

ONE WEEK FROM TODAY! Sat., Oct. 11 at 10:30, networking at 10. Learn how newspaper items "went viral" in the 19th and early 20th century, as well as best practices for finding ALL your family's stories that may be hiding online. CT Ancestry members have been sent the Zoom link. Non-members can request the link by emailing info@ConnecticutAncestry.org.

09/30/2025

Don't miss the lineup of American Ancestors programs scheduled for October!

October is Family History Month, and we’re celebrating all month long! Join us for special events, programs, and resources to help you explore your roots and connect with the past. Learn more about our Family History Month events and offers: https://hubs.ly/Q03KMQWQ0

09/27/2025

Attending NERGC - New England Regional Genealogical Conference and not yet signed up for meals? Tuesday, September 30th is the last day to do so!

Fuel your body and your mind at NERGC 2025! 🍽️
We’re offering three engaging luncheons and two unforgettable banquets, each paired with a dynamic speaker presentation — and you don’t want to miss a bite or a word.

These events are the perfect way to relax, connect with fellow attendees, and enjoy a delicious meal while learning from some of genealogy’s most inspiring voices.

🛎️ Important: Meal registration closes Tuesday, September 30. Presentations are only accessible with the purchase of the corresponding meal — so reserve your seat today!

🍽️ THURSDAY LUNCHEON

Sponsored by: Family Tree Magazine
Speaker: Sarah Dixwell Brown
“My Search for 7g Grandfather John Dixwell, Regicide”
Uncover the riveting true story of a 7th great-grandfather who lived under an alias in New England after signing a king’s death warrant! (T-120)

Meal options:

Pan-Seared Chicken Breast
Spinach Florentine Ravioli
Served with rice pilaf, vegetable medley, orchard salad, rolls & butter, and Strawberry Trifle for dessert.
💵 Cost: $48

🍽️ FRIDAY LUNCHEON

Sponsored by: Massachusetts Genealogical Council
Speaker: David Allen Lambert
“What Time Is It On Your Genealogical Clock?”
Your genealogical efforts should have a final home. David Allen Lambert will help you to listen to the ticking of your genealogical clock and make a plan for the future of your own archives. (F-220)

Meal options:

Roasted Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Potato-Crusted Cod
Served with mashed potatoes, broccoli, Caesar salad, rolls and butter, and Triple Chocolate Mousse Torte.
💵 Cost: $48

🍷 FRIDAY BANQUET

Sponsored by: Essex Society of Genealogists
Speaker: Diahan Southard
“How DNA Influences Our Identity”

It seems like every day we are seeing news stories about individuals who are suddenly discovering their parentage and heritage using DNA testing. We will talk about how these experiences are shaping lives and changing perspectives, and about how you can be inspired and encouraged by their stories.(F-240)

Meal options:

Grilled Chicken Champignon
Roasted Vegetable Wellington
Includes Elm Street Salad, rolls and butter, chef’s accompaniments, and Warm Apple Tart for dessert.
💵Cost: $60

🍽️ SATURDAY LUNCHEON

Sponsored by: Massachusetts Society of Genealogists
Speaker: Kelli Jo Bergheimer
“Genealogy Intertwined with Gratitude”
Learning our family history encourages us to consider ourselves in time and place and to have profound gratitude for those who came before us. (S-320)

Meal options:

Burgundy Braised Short Ribs
Asiago-Crusted Atlantic Salmon
Includes mashed potatoes, broccoli, baby spinach salad, and Classic Red Velvet Cake.
💵 Cost: $50

🍷 SATURDAY BANQUET

Sponsored by: Connecticut Society of Genealogists
Speaker: Cari Taplin
“How Potty Training Helped My Genealogy”
A humorous and insightful take on life, parenting, and research! (S-340)

Meal options:

Pan-Roasted Statler Chicken Breast
Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli
Includes wedge salad, chef’s accompaniments, and Triple Chocolate Mousse Torte.
💵Cost: $62
🎟️ Ready to enjoy a great meal and an even better talk?
👉 Click Here to Register by September 30

Make the most of your NERGC 2025 experience — your seat (and your dessert!) awaits. 🍰

09/27/2025

A Special Interest Group about the Boston Tea Party, NERGC - New England Regional Genealogical Conference, Thursday, October 30th at 3:45 p.m.

Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are a great way to get questions answers or provide expertise to others. One of our SIGs on Thursday is on Descendants of the Boston Tea Party participants. It didn't stay secret very long, so, yes, there's a list of participants - is your ancestor on it? The SIG is 90 minutes to listen, learn, discuss, and meet/greet others doing Genealogy! If you meet a cousin, let us know because we love to hear about connections made at NERGC! www.nergc.org

09/27/2025

Tomorrow at the Stamford History Center, a Victorian Tea where Wes Haynes will speak on historic buildings.

We have a special announcement: Wes Haynes will be speaking at Stamford History Center September 28th at their Victorian Tea Stamford’s Mosaic of Historic Places sponsored by First County Bank and Palmer's Market Tickets are available online:

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/victorian-tea-series-stamfords-mosaic-of-historic-places

09/27/2025

Think you know where your ancient ancestors came from? This Harvard Gazette article suggests you know less than you think you do.

“The big perspective change from ancient DNA study is that people living today are almost never the descendants of the people in the same place thousands of years before,” Reich said. “Human movements have occurred at multiple timescales, often disruptive to the populations that experience them, and these patterns were not possible to predict and anticipate without direct data.”

"Another major revelation provided by ancient DNA is the impact of evolutionary natural selection on human populations.

Reich said it had been believed that natural selection was minimal among humans for the last 10,000 years, and his own early study, in 2015, showed just a dozen places in the genome that had changed over the last 8,000 years in a way that might indicate natural selection."

"Last year, a similar study showed 21. So Reich and his team set out to develop ways to reduce false signals and increase statistical power. In an examination of 10,000 people’s genomes, they found almost 500 significant changes."

Geneticist explains recent analyses made possible by tech advances show human history to be one of mixing, movement, displacement.

09/20/2025

THREEE WEEKS 'TIL: Sat. Oct. 11 @ 10:30 a.m., a newspaper program that may make you miss your bedtime(s). You'll gain insights into ten different newspaper resources (five free and five fee sites), OCR (optical character recognition, a form of AI we use whenever we search for newspapers online) and how inaccurate stories can be. AND, as the title tells you, how your family stories may have gone viral. Members will be sent the Zoom link a week in advance. Non-members can request the link by emailing info@ConnecticutAncestry.org.