MEETINGS & PROGRAMS

Our meetings are on the second Tuesday of each month,
except July, August and September. Meetings begin at 7 pm in Moss Hall, The Moorings Presbyterian Church, 791 Harbour Drive. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Guests are welcome, please sign-in when you arrive.

GSCC Meeting and Program Schedule

Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at 7 pm
Using Land Records
Presented by Peg Roche

SHARED INTEREST GROUP MEETINGS

ANCESTRY/ FAMILY TREE MAKER SIG
Date: Meets on 3rd Tuesday of the month
Time: 1:30 pm -3:00 pm via ZOOM
Members will be sent an invitation to join the meeting,
if you wish to be added to the list, send a request to:
Vrinda Albrecht. thegscc.ancestrysig@gmail.com

CANADIAN eSIG 
Date: Meets on 4th Tuesday of the month
September through November and January through May
Time: 2 pm to 3:30 pm EDT online via ZOOM
Website: https://alsqda.wordpress.com
Email:  thegscccanadianesig@gmail.com

WRITER’S SIG
Date: Meets 3rd Thursday of the month
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 pm
Location: Naples Regional Library
contact Rae Ann Burton at thegsccwritingsig@gmail.com
Join their Facebook group at:
Collier County Genealogy Writer’s SIG

DNA SIG
Arthur Sissman – group leader
Meets third Monday of month on ZOOM
starting at 2:00 pm and ending at 3:30 pm.
Email Arthur at genresearch13@yahoo.com to join the
contact list for the DNA SIG and to receive a Zoom link. Newbies are invited to join, and meetings will be held that specifically focus on the needs of beginners!

Jewish Genealogy SIG of Collier County
Date: Second Tuesday of every month
Time: 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Location: Contact Arthur Sissman for details.
genresearch13@yahoo.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hellojewishgen

EVENTS, SEMINARS AND CLASSES

Genealogy Room Update

The Genealogy Room at the Collier County Public Library, Naples Regional Branch, 650 Central Avenue, is now open on a LIMITED schedule. Our volunteers are on duty Monday – Thursday from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. to provide assistance with the genealogy collection and computer databases. If patrons need help when volunteers or staff are unavailable, please contact Marie Overman, President of the Genealogical Society of Collier County, at tomoverman@hotmail.com for help and she will make arrangements to meet with them. Be sure to put “Genealogy Help” in the subject line.
https://thegscc.org/volunteer-help

Upcoming Genealogy Classes

Genealogy classes taught by Marie Overman will be offered at the Naples Regional Library, 650 Central Avenue. All classes will be on Wednesdays starting at 11 am-12 pm in the auditorium.
Library programs and events are free of charge. Registration is required. Register online https://www.collierlibrary.org/events/ or go into any branch to sign-up in person.

Wednesday January 25, 2023 at 11 am
Census Records
The United States government has taken a federal census every 10 years since 1790. Although these records are secondary documents, they contain some vital information for genealogical searches. State census records will also be discussed.

Wednesday February 8, 2023 at 11 am
Military Records
If your ancestors served, were drafted, or registered for the draft in any of the wars fought from the colonial era to Viet Nam, there may be records for the person. These records often contain birth date and place, occupation, a physical description, and other items that could help you in your family search.

Wednesday February 15, 2023 at 11 am
Land, Probate, and Wills
All of these records are considered primary documents and contain differing amounts of information. Brought together, they can reveal many details about our ancestors and the way they lived, what they owned, and what they left to others.

Wednesday February 22, 2023 at 11 am
Tracing our Female Ancestors
Female ancestors are the most difficult to search since most of the information about them can only be found by knowing their male relatives: father, brother, uncle, or husband. This lecture will give you some clues on how to break through those “brick walls.”

Lee County Programs

Upcoming Free Genealogy Programs
Fort Myers Regional Library and East County Regional Library  February 2023

Fort Myers Regional Library

Germanic Research – Visit to Former German Territories: Alsace-Lorraine, Pomerania, and Others
Speaker: Ken Weaver – Lee County Genealogy Society –
Leader of the German Roots Group SIG.
Program Description: Seminar will look at the geography and history of territories no longer a part of modern Germany and where genealogists may be able to find their ancestors’ records.
Date: Saturday, February 4, 2023
Time: 10 am-12 pm
Location: Fort Myers Regional Library, South Building Meeting Rooms AB – 1651 Lee Street, Fort Myers, FL
Registration Link:
https://leelibrary.librarymarket.com/event/visit-former-german-territories-alsace-lorraine-pomerania-and-others

Germanic Research – What’s in a German Name? Examining Surnames of the Earliest Germans to America
Speaker: Ken Weaver – Lee County Genealogy Society –
Leader of the German Roots Group SIG.
Program Description: A look at the sociological, historical, and geographical factors that influenced the development of German surnames, focusing on the earliest German arrivals to American soil and those that followed in later centuries.
Date: Saturday, February 18, 2023
Time: 10 am-12 pm
Location: Fort Myers Regional Library, South Building Meeting Rooms AB – 1651 Lee Street, Fort Myers, FL
Registration Link:
https://leelibrary.librarymarket.com/event/whats-german-name-examining-surnames-earliest-germans-america

Genealogical Research – Beyond the Usual Sources: Using Government and Archival Materials
Speaker: Steve Colburn – Research Fellow – American Ancestors – New England Historical Genealogical Register.
Program Description: This seminar will help patrons supplement their genealogical research using governmental, academic libraries, specialized private collections, and research repositories. These are where archival materials are located and would seldom appear elsewhere. We will cover some of the most productive, but lesser-known sources that often enhance the research process and patron success. This seminar is a continuation of the basic overview that was provided by Bryan Mulcahy in his earlier presentations.
Date: Saturday, February 25, 2023
Time: 10 am-12 pm
Location: Fort Myers Regional Library, South Building Meeting Rooms AB – 1651 Lee Street, Fort Myers, FL
Registration Link:
https://leelibrary.librarymarket.com/event/beyond-usual-sources-using-government-and-archival-materials-0

East County Regional Library

Basic African-American Genealogical Research
Speaker: Bryan L. Mulcahy – Reference/Genealogy Librarian – Fort Myers Regional Library.
Program Description: Genealogical research for African Americans can be challenging and requires some creativity when deciding what resources and records to search for information. This is largely due to the fact that millions of African Americans are descended from slave., This factor has resulted in making the process more challenging but not impossible. The purpose of this seminar is to provide researchers with some of the basic tools and resources to begin their search. Attendees will be provided with a detailed study guide that includes facts, research tips, Internet and You Tube tutorials and links to supplement the lecture.
Date: Thursday, February 23, 2023
Time: 11 am -12 pm
Location: East County Regional Library – Meeting Room EC – 881 Gunnery Road N, Lehigh Acres, FL
Registration Link: https://leelibrary.librarymarket.com/event/african-research-basic

All programs are free and open to the public. If you encounter any issues with registering for any program, feel free to email Bryan L. Mulcahy bmulcahy@leegov.com and I will register you.