Guest Speakers for 2023
Jan 28th : Bob Davis will present a program on January 28 at the BGS General Meeting at 2:00 PM — “Finding the Beginnings of Jefferson County: the McAdory Family, the Amazon Bessemer Center, and The 1619 Project“. Please join us for an enjoyable afternoon.
Feb 25th : Bob Davis will present a program on February 25 at the BGS General Meeting at 2:00 PM in the 1st Floor Meeting Room at the Birmingham Public Library (Central). After entering from the parking lot, go across the lobby. The meeting room is next to the elevator. The presentation will be “Surprises in African American Family History: Research and Lost Legacies.” Please join us.
Mar 25th : This month’s meeting will be a Board of Directors Meeting only at 1:00 pm via ZOOM ! There will be a ZOOM General Membership Meet and Greet at 2:00 pm. If you would like to attend, contact us at birminghamgenealogy@yahoo.com.
April 22nd : We will not have a meeting in April. We invite you to attend the following class at the Birmingham Public Library Auditorium on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at 10:00 am (Registration is not required). Training topic will be Preserving Your Family Papers and Photographs.
May 27th : We will not have a meeting in May.
June 24th : Our June 24, 2023 program will be Alabama Cemetery Alliance presented by BGS Board Member Terri Hicks. We will meet at the Central Library 1st Floor Meeting Room (next to the elevator) at 2:00 PM. Please join us. Guests are also welcome.
July 22nd : A special presentation by Paul Boncella, “23andMe’s current DNA ancestry product” which include 2 genetic genealogy tools. The General Meeting will be held in the 4th floor computer lab in the Linn-Henley building.
Aug 26th : The BGS General Meeting and Program will be held 2:00 PM in the Southern History Department at the BPL Linn-Henley Building on the 1st floor. The Linn-Henley Building is accessible through the Central Library Building. Take the elevator to the third floor, take the crosswalk to the Linn-Henley Building, and go down the elevator to the lst floor. Our program will consist of a Tour of the Southern History Department and the Archives.
Sept 23rd : The Board of Directors’ meeting will be held at 1:00 pm in the Central Library’s 1st floor meeting room. The General Membership meeting will be held at 2:00 pm in the same room. Terri Hicks will present the program.
Oct 28th : October Board of Directors meeting will held via Zoom. The October General Membership meeting and program is cancelled due to the library being closed.
Nov : No Meeting — Happy Thanksgiving
Dec : No Meeting — Merry Christmas
Guest Speakers for 2022
Jan 22nd : Board of Directors will have a Zoom Meeting. There is no scheduled meeting for membership due to Corona Virus (Covid-19).
Feb 26th : Board of Directors will have a Zoom Meeting. There is no scheduled meeting for membership due to Corona Virus (Covid-19).
Mar 26th : Board of Directors will have a Zoom Meeting. There is no scheduled meeting for membership due to Corona Virus (Covid-19).
April 23rd : The Board of Directors will meet at 1:00 pm in the Computer Lab at the Birmingham Public Library (BPL). The General Membership Meeting will be held at 2:00 pm in the Computer Lab at the BPL. The program will be presented by Paul Bonacella. The subject will be the new changes on the search engine at Family Search website.
May 28th : Due to Memorial Weekend holiday, there will NOT be a General Meeting of the Birmingham Genealogical Society in the month of May. The Board of Directors Meeting will be a Zoom meeting set for 1:00 pm on Saturday, May 21st.
June 25th : General Meeting will be a Zoom meeting demonstrating Family Tree Maker.
You are invited to a Zoom meeting with Family Tree Maker.
When: Jun 27, 2022 06:00 PM CDT
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqdeCgrTMsGtG4r9wfoMiKES469vW64cZP
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
July 23rd : “Research at the Georgia Archives” presentation by Bob Davis, of the Birmingham Public Library, will be presented at the BGS Membership Meeting on July 23rd from 2 pm to 3 pm. Please join us at the Family History Center, 2780 Altadena Rd, Birmingham, AL 35243-4537. Check out our Facebook page for details and a map.
Aug 27th : BGS Membership Meeting on August 27th from 2 pm to 3 pm. Our meeting will be the FHC’s “Lynn Schlick” speaking on how to maximize the use of FamilySearch Apps. Please join us at the Family History Center (FHC), 2780 Altadena Rd, Birmingham, AL 35243-4537. Check out our Facebook page for details and a map. The Board of Director’s meeting will meet from 1 pm to 2 pm prior to the Membership Meeting at the FHC.
Sept 24th : This Board meeting will be a Zoom meeting held on Friday, September 23rd, 2022. Saturday, September 24th, 2022 is the African-American Family History Fair held at the Family History Center on Altadena Road. This Fair will be the substitute for our General Membership Meeting.
Oct 22nd : BPL Family History Month presentation in the Computer Room at 2:00 PM on October 22 is our October Program. The Latern Project: Newly Digitized Records of Enslaved Persons in Mississippi and Alabama will be presented by Dallas Hanbury of the Montgomery County Archives. Click here to see the flyer.
Nov : No Meeting — Happy Thanksgiving
Dec : No Meeting — Merry Christmas
Guest Speakers for 2021
Jan 6th : Board of Directors will have a Zoom Meeting. There is no scheduled meeting for membership due to Corona Virus (Covid-19).
Feb 27th : Board of Directors will have a Zoom Meeting. There is no scheduled meeting for membership due to Corona Virus (Covid-19).
Mar 27th : Board of Directors will have a Zoom Meeting. There is no scheduled meeting for membership due to Corona Virus (Covid-19).
April 24th : Board of Directors will have a Zoom Meeting. There is no scheduled meeting for membership due to Corona Virus (Covid-19).
May 22nd : Board of Directors will have a Zoom Meeting. There is no scheduled meeting for membership due to Corona Virus (Covid-19).
June 26th : Board of Directors will have a Zoom Meeting. There is no scheduled meeting for membership due to Corona Virus (Covid-19).
July 24th : Board of Directors will have a Zoom Meeting. There is no scheduled meeting for membership due to Corona Virus (Covid-19).
Aug 28th : The Board of Directors and the General Membership met at the Family History Center (FHC) on Altadena Road.
Sept 25th : The BGS Meeting will be held at the Family History Center (FHC) on Altadena Road.
Oct 23rd : Board of Directors will have a Zoom Meeting. Discussion of the 2022 Election of Officers will be the only topic. There is no scheduled meeting for membership.
Nov : No Meeting — Happy Thanksgiving
Dec : No Meeting — Merry Christmas
Guest Speakers for 2020
Jan 25th : Bob Davis, Senior Professor of History and Director of Genealogy Program of Wallace State Community College, Hanceville, Alabama, presents: “Discovering Manuscript Collections and the Secrets They Can Hold.”
Feb 22nd : Please join us as Mary Ann Ellis, of the Southern History Department, Central Library, presents: “Mad About Magazines.”
Mar 28th : Due to the Birmingham Public Library closing for 2 weeks starting March 19th, there will NOT be a meeting of the Birmingham Genealogical Society in March.
April 25th : Due to the Birmingham Public Library closing for April, there will NOT be a meeting of the Birmingham Genealogical Society in April.
May 23rd : Out of an abundance of caution for staff and patrons and in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, BIRMINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY IS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. All programs, services, outreach activities, and meeting room reservations have been canceled.
And due to the closing of the library, Birmingham Genealogical Society will not have a meeting in May.
June 27th : All BPL locations are closed to the public indefinitely. And until the library is once again open, The Birmingham Genealogical Society will NOT be holding our monthly meeting.
July 25th : All BPL locations are closed to the public indefinitely. And until the library is once again open, The Birmingham Genealogical Society will NOT be holding our monthly meeting.
Aug 22nd : All BPL locations are closed to the public indefinitely. And until the library is once again open, The Birmingham Genealogical Society will NOT be holding our monthly meeting.
Sept 26th : All BPL locations are closed to the public indefinitely. And until the library is once again open, The Birmingham Genealogical Society will NOT be holding our monthly meeting.
Oct 24th : All BPL locations are closed to the public indefinitely. And until the library is once again open, The Birmingham Genealogical Society will NOT be holding our monthly meeting.
Nov 28th : All BPL locations are closed to the public indefinitely. And until the library is once again open, The Birmingham Genealogical Society will NOT be holding our monthly meeting.
Dec : No Meeting — Merry Christmas
Guest Speakers for 2019
Jan 26th : Please join us as Paul Boncella, Map Conservator and Book Mender in the Southern History Department, Linn-Henley Research Building, presents: “So Many DNA Matches”. Genealogy and genetics have become interconnected. It is important to know what is in your genes. Your DNA can provide insight into your heritage that you cannot get from genealogy research alone.
Feb 23rd : Ron Rutherford presents: “How to Ensure That You Retain Ownership of Photos and Scanned Documents in Your Family Tree”. Retaining ownership of your data can be a real issue with the internet. Ron will explain how to work with ‘Meta Data and Tags’ on your JPEG files. We spend a lot of time looking for photos of our families to add to our family tree and it is frustrating to have someone post a picture that you have in a box of old family photos in the garage.
Mar 23rd : Bob Davis, Senior Professor of History and Director of Genealogy Program of Wallace State Community College, Hanceville, Alabama, presents: “Looking for your Alabama Family in 1819.” The Alabama Territory was organized on March 3, 1817. The State of Alabama was created as the 22nd state on December 14, 1819. Learn what resources are available to search for your ancestors in early Alabama.
April 27th : Due to “Art in the Park” and the fact that the Birmingham Public Library will be closed until 2 PM, the BGS meeting has been CANCELLED. See you next month!
May 25th : Please join us as Paul Boncella, Map Conservator and Book Mender in the Southern History Department, Linn-Henley Research Building, presents: “Map Your DNA”. Genealogy and genetics have become interconnected. It is important to know what is in your genes. Your DNA can provide insight into your heritage that you cannot get from genealogy research alone. Discover how to trace segments of your DNA to specific ancestors and how to use this information to identify unknown matches. You need only one known match to get started.
June 22nd : Tonya Chandler, owner of Southern Roots Genealogical Services, presents “Using the ‘FAN’ Club to Break Down Brick Walls: A Case Study in Discovering a Father-Son Relationship.” Also known as “cluster research,” the FAN club method is useful in finding evidence of relationships where no direct records may exist. Lack of direct records often turn into brick walls for researchers but broadening our research scope can reveal hidden relationships. This talk will share tips and tricks for examining the “hidden” information in often-overlooked records to show how one father-son relationship was discovered despite lack of direct evidence. Tonya has a Master’s degree in Historical Archaeology with a Certificate in Historic Preservation from the University of West Florida. Her specialties include historical and genealogical research in the Southern states, Southeastern Native Americans, early 19th century Alabama, and historic properties.
July 27th : Paul Boncella, Map Conservator and Book Mender in the Southern History Department, Linn-Henley Research Building, presents: “The Present and the Future of DNA Evidence for Lineage Societies”. Genealogy and genetics have become interconnected. Discover what two major lineage societies are currently doing in terms of DNA evidence and consider what the future may hold for such organizations that accept such proof as genetics and genealogy become ever more fully integrated.
Aug 24th : Mary Beth Newbill, head of BPL’s Southern History & Government Documents Department presents: Using Government Sources for Genealogy Research. Many government agencies offer resources for genealogical research. Learn how to look beyond census records and find genealogical information in some truly surprising places. You can search for patents, land grants, view web tutorials, and much more using free websites from the state and federal government.
Sept 28th : Due to illness, Donna Cox Baker presents: “Zotero: a free, easy-to-use, open-source tool to help you collect, organize, cite, and share your research sources” was unable to make her presentation. Hopefully, we will be able to schedule her at another time & date.
Oct 26th : We are NOT having our regular board meeting nor a general meeting with a program in the Computer Lab. Instead, we are inviting all our members (and any others) to attend any or all the sessions given by John Philip Colleta that day (our regular 4th Saturday). He is a well-known and much sought-after genealogy speaker.
Nov 23rd : Members who can attend, must attend. We will be voting on next years BGS Officers (such as President, both Vice-Presidents, Directors, etc.). Please attend and help create the BGS Officers & Board of Directors who will guide our society for the next 2 years.
Dec : No Meeting — Merry Christmas
Guest Speakers for 2018
Jan 27th : Jim Anderson, His power point presentation, “From Notes To Notable [Sommerkamp]”, demonstrated how scribblings on paper led to extensive research linking him to several notables.
Feb 24th : Paul Bocella. Map Conservator and Book Mender in the Southern History Department Linn-Henley Research Building, presents: “Making the most of DNA matches and Analyses”.
Mar 24th : Please note there is no meeting for March. Members are encouraged to attend the Alabama Genealogical Society Spring Seminar to be held on Saturday, March 24, 2018 at Samford University. David Rencher will present “Online and Offline, Records are Windows to the Past.”
April 28th : Bob Davis, Senior Professor of History and Director of Genealogy Program of Wallace State Community College, Hanceville, Alabama, presents: “Summary of Georgia Land Grant and Land Lottery Records.” The state of Georgia used a unique lottery system to distribute land between the years of 1805 to 1833. There were eight lotteries held in total. Although a few other states tried a lottery system, none was to the scale of Georgia’s implementation. In most cases, the land to be distributed had been part of the Creek or Cherokee
nation.
May 26th : Ron Rutherford presents: “Restoring Old Photographs.” Ron Rutherford is degreed professional Texas State Technical College, 1977. Ron’s professional experience includes many different areas. He started in High School as a Newspaper Staff Photographer. While in the US Air Force he was assigned additional duties and Unit photographer. He has taken photos all around the world. He has been a graphics professional working with photo editing software from the 1980’s. He has polished his photo editing skills for over twenty years. He has evaluated many of the current photo editing software programs but has worked with COREL PHOTO PAINT/SHOP. Over the years he has learned to deal with many of the problems associated with “Old Photos” restoring damaged, faded, and scratched to a like new condition. He will share some his secrets to restoring your photos.
June 23rd : Due to our scheduled speaker becoming ill, our substitute speaker was Jim Anderson. Program Title: Genealogy Bank – a tool to research family secrets and other odd things. Using examples of dark rumors passed on to him when he was young, Jim’s research discovered the facts from newspaper articles scanned and indexed on Genealogy Bank. The PowerPoint presentation introduced two family units and focused on a specific member of each where a murder and a suicide were only whispered about in family lore. Each case resulted in a wide-spread journalistic publicity at the time, but details were suppressed within the families.
July 28th : Elizabeth Wells presents: “The Case of the Missing Soldiers: Genealogical Tools to find them!” Elizabeth Wells is very active in genealogical and historical communities, having served as Special Collection Librarian and Archivist at Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama.
Aug 25th : Donna Cox Baker presents: “How to Use Pre-1850 Census.” Donna Cox Baker is the blogger behind The Golden Egg Genealogist and the co-founder of the Beyond Kin Project. Donna has a PhD in history and is editor-in-chief of Alabama Heritage magazine. Her first book, Views of the Future State: Afterlife Beliefs in the Deep South, was published in January 2018. The earliest U.S. Census schedules, 1790-1840, furnish only the names of the free heads of family, not of other family members. These schedules totaled the number of other family members, without name, by free or slave status. Free, white individuals were also grouped by age and sex categories from 1790 through 1810 – a categorization that eventually applied to other persons. The age categories also increased each year, from two age groups for free white males only in 1790, to twelve age groups for free whites and six age groups for slaves and free colored persons in 1840.
Sept 22nd : Please join us as Yvonne Crumpler, former President of the Birmingham Genealogical Society and the Alabama Genealogical Society and former head of the Southern History Department of the Birmingham Public Library, presents “Searching for your War of 1812 Ancestors.” Unlike later wars, service in the War of 1812 was largely through local militias with relatively short terms of service, often only 30 days. Because of this shorter term of service, it isn’t unusual to find a man serving in more than one unit. It’s also not unusual to find men who might otherwise be considered “too old” to serve. The War of 1812 is sometimes referred to as the “Second War for Independence.” Although the Americans had won the Revolutionary War, Britain had not relinquished control of all of the lands it was supposed to per the Treaty of Paris of 1783. By winning the War of 1812, the United States secured its position as an independent country.
Oct 27th : Paul Boncella, of the Southern History Department, presents “DNA Ethnicity.” A genealogical DNA test is a DNA-based test which looks at specific locations of a person’s genome in order to determine ancestral ethnicity and genealogical relationships. Results give information about ethnic groups the test subject may be descended from and about other individuals that they may be related to. Three principal types of genealogical DNA tests are available, with each looking at a different part of the genome and useful for different types of genealogical research: autosomal, mitochondrial, and Y.
Nov 17th : BGS Member Jim Anderson will present the program on November 17th. Please join us!
Dec : No Meeting — Merry Christma
Guest Speakers for 2017
Jan 28th : Ann Gilbert, Former BGS President, will speak about the 1866 Alabama State Census. While most state census were designed for the preparation of statehood, the 1866 Alabama census was designed to take an enumeration of the population after the Civil War. This would be the first census that would include African Americans as head of household and all of the members of their families. It would be taken in separate schedules (White and Colored) but would include everyone. There would be some additional information that would not be taken in the federal census, and not all counties would include this information. Please join us and find out what this information was and how it could help in your research.
Feb 25th : ”Why can’t I view Great Grandpa’s will? – the Good, Bad and Ugly of the Loose Records Project” presented by Jim Anderson. Some of the most valuable records for our research are the archived papers in our counties’ Probate Offices. Anderson updates us on the statewide project to make images of these records available. He will name counties where we know these images exist but we can’t easily search for or view them. An obscure national initiative will be revealed that raises questions on how free is access to these images.
Mar 25th : THIS MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO ALABAMA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY’S SEMINAR ON THE SAME DAY AT SAMFORD UNIVERSITY. Follow this link for more information http://algensoc.org/main/seminars.html
April 22nd : Round Table Discussion. THIS MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO A LACK OF MEMBER PARTICIPATION.
May 20th : The BGS May meeting will be held on the third Saturday of May (as the fourth Saturday falls on Memorial Day weekend). Put on your walking shoes because it’s time for the Annual BGS Walking Tour! The Birmingham Genealogical Society will meet at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 20th at Union Hill Cemetery, located in Homewood (on Hollywood Boulevard, near Highway 280)! Please note there will not be a Board of Directors meeting. Please join us as Scott Martin, former BGS President, presents a program on Union Hill Cemetery. Union Hill Cemetery is the burial ground of many pioneers and early settlers of the Shades Valley area. Descendants of these settlers helped mold the cities of Mountain Brook and Homewood. Union Hill Cemetery was established in the 1870’s but includes gravestones dating back to the early 1850’s due to the relocation of two earlier, smaller cemeteries to Union Hill – the Daniel Watkins Cemetery in 1946 and the Enoch Watkins Cemetery in 2004. Scott is also a former President and current director of the Families & Friends of Union Hill Cemetery, a non-profit corporation organized in 1988 for the purpose of the care and maintenance of Union Hill Cemetery. Scott will also provide a demonstration on grave dowsing. Please join us!
June 24th : The Birmingham Genealogical Society will meet at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 24th on the fourth floor of the Birmingham Public Library (in the Arrington Auditorium). The Board of Directors will meet following the general meeting.
Please join us for “One for the Record Books: The English Census Workshop”: Searching for English ancestors? Genealogists know that census records are crucial to family history research, but there are some important differences between the U.S. Federal Census and its English cousin. This workshop (led by Mary Anne Ellis of the Linn-Henley Research Library) will show you how to navigate this important information source. Please note registration is free but you must register by calling 205-226-3665. Please join us!
PLEASE NOTE CHANGE IN TIME AND MEETING PLACE!
July 22nd : Please join us as for a Round Table Discussion! It is an opportunity to hear different ways to research your family as well as share your story or brick wall ancestors! Come and share!
Aug 26th : Jim Baggett will give a tour of the Department of Archives and Manuscripts. Please join us as for a Walking Tour of the Department of Archives and Manuscripts at the Birmingham Public Library. Jim Baggett is Head of the Department of Archives and Manuscripts at the Birmingham Public Library and Archivist for the City of Birmingham. He has served as president of the Society of Alabama Archivists and Chair of the Jefferson County Historical Commission. Jim has lectured throughout the U.S. and Europe and has been featured on Alabama Public Television, National Public Radio and CSPAN. He has authored or edited four books on Birmingham and Alabama history, including A Woman of the Town: Louise Wooster, Birmingham’s Magdalen and Alabama Illustrated: Engravings from 19th Century Newspapers. Jim has written more than fifty articles on archival preservation and Alabama history for Alabama Librarian magazine, Alabama Heritage, Birmingham magazine, and other publications.
Sept 23rd : General Meeting for September: The Birmingham Genealogical Society will meet at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 23rd on the fourth floor (Arrington Auditorium) of the Birmingham Public Library in the Southern History Department. The Board of Directors will meet at 11:30 a.m. immediately following the general meeting.
Please join us for the Ancestry.com Library Edition Workshop! Participants will be introduced to the Ancestry.com Library Edition databases in which you can research your family history as well as learn how to search the databases to locate your ancestors. You may register by calling 205-226-3665 or emailing askgenlocal@bham.lib.al.us. The workshop be will be 10:00 am — 11:30 a.m.
Oct 28th : The time of the General meeting was changed for October to accommodate the genealogy class given by the Birmingham Public Library. General meeting was held at 10:00 a.m. The Birmingham Genealogical Society met at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 28th on the fourth floor (Arrington Auditorium) of the Birmingham Public Library in the Southern History Department. The Board of Directors will meet at 11:30 a.m. immediately following the general meeting.
Please join us for Beyond the Basics of Genealogy: Google your Peeps! What do you want to know about your ancestors? Everything. The Internet is a great tool for genealogy, but are you using it to its full potential? This workshop will teach you how to create a research template and look for details that will help you discover more about your ancestors using search engines, genealogy databases, and a few other, perhaps surprising websites. The workshop will be held in the Arrington Auditorium on the fourth floor of the Linn-Henley building. You may register by calling 205-226-3665 or emailing askgenlocal@bham.lib.al.us. The workshop be will be 10:00 am – 11:30 a.m.
Nov 18th : General Meeting will meet at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 18th on the fourth floor of the Birmingham Public Library (in the Computer Lab next to the Arrington Auditorium). Please join us as for a CPR Class! Why a CPR Class? We will discuss as a group How to Revive a Once Vibrant Genealogical Society: The Birmingham Genealogical Society. Your input will be greatly needed!
Dec : No Meeting — Merry Christmas
Guest Speakers for 2016
Jan 23 : Cancelled. Program moved to March meeting.
Feb 27 : Marriage records, proving marriages, marriage stories / live stories / how spouses met; Including audience participation.
Mar 19* : How to organize your research files, both paper and electronic. (Speakers: Gary Gerlach, Patrick Henry, Susanna Rawlins, and Patricia Crim Dietlein)
April 23 : CANCELLED DUE TO SPEAKER ILLNESS. Program moved to October meeting.
May 21 : DNA 101 by Suzanna Rawlins
June 25 : The History of Lane Park was presented by Jason Kirby.
July 23 : Your Tax Dollars at Work: Using Government Websites for Genealogical Research was presented by Mary Beth Newbill.
Aug 27 : Cancelled due to HVAC repair at library
Sept 24 : Board meeting held at Merryvale Road, Vestavia; Membership meeting cancelled due to additional HVAC repair at library
Oct 22 : Former BGS President, Scott Martin, will present “Thinking Outside the Box – Non-Traditional Sources for Genealogical Research”
Nov 12 : Military records and how to use FOLD3.com
Dec 10 : No Meeting — Merry Christmas
* = Story Castle on the 2nd floor of the main building.
Guest Speakers for 2008
January 26th – Past President Jason Kirby discussed “Internet & Genealogy”, including various websites and library resources.
February 23rd – Past President and current program chairman, Mary Taylor, presented “The Importance of Family Letters in Genealogical Research”.
March 22nd – .Please join us as Catherine Browne, a resident of Avondale for almost 50 years, discusses her recently published book, “A History of Avondale.” Avondale, once a city of its own, is now broken up into at least three Birmingham city neighborhoods – South Avondale, East Avondale and North Avondale. Mrs. Browne has been compiling data about the area along with that of the Forest Park neighborhood since the early 1970s while leading a committee to research listing Forest Park on the National Register of Historic Places. She has also written a history book about Forest Park in the early 1990s, but by then she also had substantial information on Avondale. The research yielded stories about mounds built by American Indians in what was then a rural area they referred to as King’s Spring and Big Spring – the area is near Sloss Furnace. Browne’s research unearthed stories about Avondale Mills, a school called Avondale School that served the black community of Taylor Hill, and Avondale Park, the site of the city’s zoo.
April 26th – Marvin Clemons and Lyle Key recently published a book entitled “Birmingham Rails.” It consists of 280 pages of historical narratives, entertaining personal essays, detailed maps, and richly detailed color and black & white photos, many published for the first time. Separate chapters cover each of Birmingham’s major rail lines, including Atlantic Coast Line, Central of Georgia, Frisco, Gulf, Mobile & Ohio, Illinois Central, Louisville & Nashville, Seaboard Air Line and Southern Railway. Birmingham’s numerous industrial railroads, such as U.S. Steel, Tennessee Coal & Iron, U.S. Pipe and Foundry, Woodward Iron and shortline Birmingham Southern, are extensively reviewed by subject matter experts Tom Lawson and Rone Mele. Of course, no book on Birmingham railroads would be complete without an account of Birmingham’s magnificent Terminal Station. A full chapter is devoted to the station’s history, from its glorious beginning in 1909 to its sad demise in 1970. The station’s grand interior and exterior features are covered in pages of rare photos, along with many colorful images of the passenger trains that called at the Terminal Station. Please join us as co-author Marvin Clemons discusses the history of Birmingham Railroads. He will have many slides to show and his wonderful presentation will entertain everyone. Please join us!
May 24th – It’s that time of year again! The Birmingham Genealogical Society will take a Walking Tour of the Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences and Alabama Museum of Health Sciences at the University of Alabama in Birmingham on Saturday, May 24th at 1:00 pm. The Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences, established in 1945, is the largest biomedical library in Alabama and one of the leading such libraries in the South. It serves as a Resource Library in the National Network of Libraries of Medicine for the Southeast/Atlantic region. Its collections span seven centuries of knowledge beginning with the 30 incunabula within the thirteen thousand old and rare books to approximately 1500 current print journal subscriptions and thousands of electronic subscriptions through both individual publisher arrangements, aggregated packages, and consortial agreements. The volumes of books, bound journals, microforms, and other media currently held total approximately 350,000 volumes. The Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences, at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is dedicated to the preservation and display of equipment, instruments, and objects that represent the history and development of the health sciences in the areas of education, research, and practice in the United States with special emphasis on the state of Alabama and its contributors to the practice of medicine. The scope of the collection includes, but is not limited to the following fields: medicine, nursing, ophthalmology, dentistry, public health, and allied health. Our walking tour will be led by Michael A. Flannery, Professor and Associate Director for Historical Collections at Lister Hill Library, University of Alabama at Birmingham. Lister Hill Library is located at 1700 University Blvd on the UAB campus. If you are driving north, take I-65 to 8th Ave South exit (Exit #259). The library is on the left side of the road between the 4th and 5th lights. If you are driving south, take I-65 South to the 4th Ave South exit (Exit #259-B). Turn right on 14th Street. Turn left on University Blvd (8th Ave) at UAB’s Hill University Center. The Library is on the left side of the road before the next major traffic light (18th Street). For more detailed information about directions and parking, visit their website at <http://www.uab.edu/lister/about/acceslhl.htm>. Please join us on Saturday, May 24th at 1:00 pm and don’t forget to wear your walking shoes!
June 28th – Learn how to preserve treasured photos and documents and create wonderful heritage scrapbooks when Birmingham Public Library archivist Jim Baggett presents Old School Scrapbooking!
July 26th – Local genealogist, historian and author J.D. Weeks of Gardendale will speak on Genealogical Research on the Freeman Family. Please join us!
August 23rd – Elizabeth Wells, Head of the Special Collections Department, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama will present Church Records and how to use them.
September 27th – BGS Member William Clement will present a program on Revolutionary War Hero, Daniel Morgan. Daniel Morgan was an American pioneer, soldier and United States Representative from Virginia. One of the most gifted battlefield tacticians of the American Revolutionary War, he later commanded the troops that suppressed the Whiskey Rebellion.
October 25th – No guest speaker. Annual Genealogical Fair.
November – The society does not meet in November.
December 13th – No guest speaker. Annual Tea, Come and join us for a relaxing and enjoyable social event.
Guest Speakers for 2007
January 27th – OPEN FORUM — Our January meeting will be an open forum for all members, new and old (oops, I mean experienced!), to ask questions about how to solve a problem you are having in researching one of your lines. Please join us as our “panel of experts” will help YOU break through YOUR genealogical brick-wall!
February 24th – Founded in 1982 by Karl C. Harrison, a Columbiana banker and philanthropist, the Karl C. Harrison Museum of George Washington has become an important forum for learning about America’s first First Family. Through the foresighted efforts and encouragement of Martha Washington’s granddaughter Eliza Parke Custis, family heirlooms have been lovingly passed down through generations. In the early 1980’s, Shelby County resident Charlotte Smith, Weaver, a sixth generation granddaughter of Martha, decided to share her legacy with the public, providing the basis of the museum. The Karl C. Harrison Museum of George Washington collection focuses on art and artifacts from the colonial period through 1865. The collection contains paintings, letters, furniture, porcelain, glassware, silver, jewelry, busts and more. Martha Washington’s prayer book printed in New York in 1783, an original 1787 Samuel Vaughn sketch of Mt. Vernon grounds, writing instruments and tools from George Washington’ s survey case and an original tintype depicting Robert E. Lee in his uniform for the last time are just a few collection highlights. Please join us as museum curator Bonnie Atchison discusses this hidden gem found in the heart of Shelby County, Alabama!
March 24th – Cemetery relocations are more commonplace than you think, especially in areas undergoing rapid development. To make way for public works and private construction projects, long-forgotten graves and remains are often relocated. BGS Vice President Scott Martin will discuss the Cemetery Relocation process and the requirements of the Alabama Historical Commission when relocating a cemetery. His discussion will also include an overview of known cemeteries in Jefferson County that have been relocated. Please join us for this informative program.
April 28th – Co-authors Patricia Crim Dietlein and Alvin Hudson spent over 3 years researching this only-known written history of Central Park. Although the main focus of the book, Central Park & A Bit Beyond, is on the people and history of the Birmingham community of Central Park, the book also discusses the outlying areas of Ensley, Fairfield and West End. Heavily illustrated with over 450 photographs, many from the extensive collection of co-author Alvin Hudson, the book also contains 13 maps, 10 drawings, and 3 pages with old business advertisements. Both Patricia and Alvin grew up in Central Park and the book was begun as a rather modest labor of love for the community and its people. Please join us as co-author and fellow BGS member Patricia Crim Dietlein discusses the fascinating history of Central Park!
May 26th – It’s that time of year again! The Birmingham Genealogical Society will take a walking tour of The Botanical Gardens. In 1960, current Birmingham Mayor James W. Morgan spearheaded the movement to establish The Gardens on 69 acres east of the city’s zoo in Lane Park, on the south side of Red Mountain. “Morgan was interested in developing the city he loved, and the city would not have developed the same way without him,” explained James A. Head, former chairman of the campaign to locate the zoo at Lane Park. Despite objections from the Park & Recreation Board, Mayor Morgan went to Montreal to inspect the greenhouses at the Montreal Botanical Gardens and ask their curator, Dr. Henry E. Teuscher, to design a master plan for Birmingham. Morgan envisioned Birmingham’s Botanical Gardens as “the biggest attraction of this type in the Southeast.” Please join us and don’t forget to wear your walking shoes!
June 23rd – Michael A. Flannery, Professor and Associate Director for Historical Collections at Lister Hill Library, University of Alabama at Birmingham, will discuss his 2004 novel entitled Civil War Pharmacy: A History of Drugs, Drug Supply and Provision, and Therapeutics for the Union and Confederacy.The first book-length treatment on this topic, Civil War Pharmacy establishes the importance pharmaceutical preparations in a context of disease ridden camps for both Union and Confederates. No respecter of persons or politics, disease and the efforts to combat it represented a ubiquitous problem for surgeons and assistant surgeon whether they wore blue or grey. Please join us for this informative program.
July 28th – The Draper Manuscripts, compiled by Lyman Copeland Draper, represent a series of interviews from the 1740’s to the War of 1812. The territory covered is just as impressive – 21 states east of the Mississippi River. His interviews ranged from the heroes of the time to the unknown settlers. And thankfully, Lyman Copeland Draper sensed that we genealogists needed more than just a list of their names. He also included the names of their parents, grandparents and sometimes even more. When Draper died in 1819, he had been working on the manuscripts for over 50 years and he had planned on publishing a book entitled “Sketches of the Lives of the Pioneers.” Today the Draper Manuscripts represent 491 volumes on 123 reels of microfilm which are divided into 50 separate series. Please join us as Yvonne Crumpler, Department Head of the Tutwiler-Collection of Southern History and Literature, discusses this important and valuable collection!
August 25th – BGS President Jason Kirby presented “Non-Population Schedules and Special Censuses”.He discussed the 1885 Census, Mortality Schedules (1850-1880), Veterans Schedules (1840-1890), Slave Schedules(1850 & 1860), Agricultural Schedules (1840-1880), Industrial & Manufacturers Schedules (1850-1880), Social Statistics (1850-1880), State & Local Censuses, and finally Census substitutes. It was an extremely informative program.
September 22nd – Life takes interesting twists and turns. As genealogists, we work hard to capture the events that happened in the lives of our ancestors. You can add so much texture to your family story if it has the history of the places attached to it and can answer questions as to why your family came to a certain place. Please join us as Mary Taylor presents History vs Genealogy: Bringing Together your Family History with Genealogy and History.
October 27th – No guest speaker. Annual Genealogical Fair.
November – The society does not meet in November.
December 8th – No guest speaker. Annual Tea, Come and join us for a relaxing and enjoyable social event.
Guest Speakers for 2006
January 28th – Our scheduled speaker was unable to attend due to a family emergency. Current BGS President Jason Kirby, gave an outstanding program entitled an “Introduction to Genealogy.” All who attended, whether beginners or professionals, benefited from Jason’s lecture and discussion.
February 25th – Gary Gerlach will speak on the current Loose Papers Project for Jefferson County Circuit Court Records. Gary is overseeing this current loose records project, an undertaking to systematically collect and catalog old Jefferson County court cases and land records. Come to the meeting and learn how you can be a volunteer and contribute to this very important project. His discussion will be extremely pertinent and interesting to genealogical and historical research in Jefferson County.
March 25th – Mr. David Bice, Clanton, AL is scheduled to present “Alabama Series of Family Histories”. David, and wife Alice, are the owners of Heritage Publishing Consultants, Inc., a company incorporated in 1997 to develop and publish grassroots family history books for every county in Alabama. The books are known as The Heritage of Alabama Series, and as of December 2005, a book will have been published for each county (67) of Alabama. Mr. Bice will share stories and “behind-the-scenes” accounts about the publishing of these Alabama county books. And best of all, he will have books for sale! Please join us for this fun and entertaining program!
April 22nd – Barbara McKenna will present Vital Records from the Panama Canal Zone. All records were moved from the Canal Zone following the transfer to Panama. Barbara will give a bit of history of the US presence in Panama in order to emphasize the number of individuals and records impacted by this move. Please join us for this most informative program!
May 27th – The Birmingham Genealogical Society will take a walking tour of Arlington. Arlington is a fine example of Greek Revival architecture dating from the 1840s. The house was built by Judge William S. Mudd, one of the ten founders of Birmingham. The house is furnished with a collection of 19th century decorative arts. Located on six acres in the heart of Old Elyton, the first permanent County Seat of Jefferson County, Arlington is a center for historical, cultural, and civic activities. Please join us and don’t forget to wear your walking shoes!
June 24th – Dr. Marvin Whiting will discuss the current planning and preparations for the Birmingham-Jefferson History Museum. No individual has done more to collect and preserve the documentary history of Birmingham. For 20 years (1975-1995), Dr. Marvin Whiting was archivist of the City of Birmingham. He has collected, organized and preserved documents, photographs and other items that tell the story of this city. Please join us and learn how you can contribute to the preservation of Birmingham’s history!
July 22nd – Mary Ann Neeley, M.A. is scheduled to present “Yellow Jack and other 19th Century Scourges.” During the 19th Century, Alabama had many frightful illnesses for which the frontier doctors knew neither causes nor cures. One of the most notorious was “Yellow Jack,” or “Yellow Fever”, that struck periodically with deadly consequences. Most of the population was unaware that the mosquito was the cause, although some suspected it. There were other diseases such as typhoid, dysentery, cholera, smallpox, tuberculosis, and even the “childhood diseases,” that were frequently fatal. While all of these will be touched on, the emphasis will be on Yellow Fever, the ordeals it caused, and the various means that were used to ward it off. Personal accounts of those who suffered from it will be discussed, as well as the personal, economic, and political effects it had on communities.
August 26th – Tim Pennycuff, UAB Archivist and Assistant Director, will discuss the UAB Historical Collections. Formed in January of 1996, the UAB Historical Collections is comprised of three units at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) – the Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences, the Reynolds Historical Library, and the UAB Archives. These three units house a combined collection of rare and important medical books and manuscripts, some dating to the Middle Ages; equipment, instruments, and objects from the health sciences, including a collection of rare 17th and 18th century anatomical ivory manikins; the official records of the University; and manuscript collections with an emphasis on the health science fields. Please join us!
September 23rd – Mary Taylor will discuss the Pitfalls of Adoption Research. Her program will focus on various aspects of adoption research such as research in a foreign country, searching for an adopted child’s step-siblings, and starting your research too late. Essentially Mary will stress that adoption research is not easy and you have to be creative when researching an adopted child or relative. Please come join us for this informative presentation.
October 28th – No guest speaker. Annual Genealogical Fair.
November – The society does not meet in November.
December 9th – No guest speaker. Annual Tea. Come and join us for a relaxing and enjoyable social event.
Guest Speakers for 2005
January 22nd – David Crider will present the program on the history and contributions of the Slavic communities of Birmingham, Alabama, focusing on the Czech and Polish communities.
February 26th – Yvonne Crumpler, Department Head of the Tutwiler-Collection of Southern History and Literature, will present Researching Indian War, American Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Veterans. She will discuss the resources and records available for research, such as muster rolls, pension records and bounty land warrants.
March 19th – Alabama became a state in 1819 and searching for Alabama Territory ancestors may present a challenge to researchers. Robert Scott Davis, director of the Genealogy/Family History Program at Wallace State in Hanceville will discuss Alabama Pre-Statehood Research and what resources and records are available. Please join us!
April 16th – The Birmingham Genealogical Society is honored to host noted Irish author, Billy Kennedy. A native of County Armagh, Northern Ireland, Billy Kennedy has been a leading journalist for the past thirty years, occupying the roles of news editor, assistant editor, and lead writer for the Belfast News Letter, the primary morning newspaper in Northern Ireland. He is best known in America for his series of books on the migration and accomplishments of the Scots-Irish in America, particularly the Southeast. He will be discussing his latest work, Women of the Frontier, which details the day-to-day lives and the fascinating stories of some of the most famous frontier women.
May 28th – The Birmingham Genealogical Society will take a walking tour of Vulcan Park. The largest cast-iron statue in the world, Vulcan stands atop Red Mountain, representing the area’s vast mineral resources as Alabama’s exhibit in the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. The entrance to Vulcan Park is located at 20th Street South and Valley Avenue. Please join us and don’t forget to wear your walking shoes!
June 25th – .The National Genealogical Society will host its annual 2005 Conference in the States in Nashville, Tennessee, June 1-4, 2005. (You may access registration information at http://www.eshow2000.com/ngs/). For those unable to attend, past BGS President Mary Taylor will share updates, news and research tips from the conference.
July 23rd -The Alabama Cemetery Preservation Alliance (ACPA) is dedicated to honoring, recording, restoring and preserving all cemeteries and burial grounds throughout the state of Alabama. The Birmingham Genealogical Society is honored to host the following panel of experts to discuss cemetery preservation and proper tombstone cleaning techniques: Lisa Baggett, Secretary and Talladega County Representative for ACPA, will provide a brief overview of ACPA’s objectives and mission. Lee Anne Wofford, Senior Member of the Alabama Historical Commission, will outline the role of the Alabama Historical Commission in Alabama cemetery preservation and restoration. Charles Thomas, owner of Eagle Eye Masonry, will shed insight on how to properly clean, restore and conserve monuments and headstones. Please join us for this most informative program.
August 27th – Louise Wooster, Birmigham’s most famous 19th-century madam, used prostitution to fulfill a deathbed pledge to her mother to provide for her sisters. And when she died in 1913, she was buried amid Birmingham’s movers and shakers in Oak Hill Cemetery. She claimed to have been a lover of John Wilkes Booth and many regard her as the prototype of Madam Belle Whatling in “Gone With The Wind.” Birmingham Public Library archivist Jim Baggett will discuss her life and times during the formative years of Birmingham. Please join us!
September 24th – Elizabeth Wells, Head of the Special Collections Department, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama will present Completing Lineage Society Applications. Elizabeth will discuss how to properly and successfully research and document applications for membership in organizations such as Daughters of the American Revolution, Sons of the American Revolution, First Families of Alabama and many more. Please join us!
October 22nd – No guest speaker. Annual Genealogical Fair.
November – The society does not meet in November.
December 10th – No guest speaker. Annual Tea. Come and join us for a relaxing and enjoyable social event.
Guest Speakers for 2004
January 24th – Ms Neva Walker will present “The Best of Times in the Great Depression”. Ms Walker is a native of Ashland County, Alabama and has lived for twenty nine years in the Birmingham area. She has written a book, “The Best of Times in the Great Depression”,.and will tell stories from her book. She may even sing a few songs. We all look forward to this dynamic speaker Please join us!
February 28th – Donald Debrow is a retired educator and has done extensive work in African American research. Mr. Debrow will tell us about his spectacular finds and how far he has been able to research his family. He will also explain the difficulties in researching African American ancestry. Please join us for this informative discussion.
March 27th – We are having a Birthday Party in March. March 15th is the birthday for BGS and we are celebrating so come and join the group. The party will start at 1 p.m. We are asking that all past presidents try to attend. Please everyone come and join us. Ann Gilbert will also talk about “Forms, Forms, Charts and More Forms”.
April 19th – Our speaker for April will be Dr. Ron Acton, from UAB. Dr. Acton is a DNA specialist.
May 22nd – The Birmingham Genealogy Society will take a walking tour of the Oakhill Cemetery located at 1120 – 19th Street North. Mr. Stuart Oates will direct us on a spectacular journey through the grounds of this historic cemetery. Come and join us at the cemetery and don’t forget to wear you walking shoes. We will meet at the cemetery office at 1:30 p.m.
June 26th – Larry Cavers Jr. will be our speaker for the month to discuss his new book “Death and Marriage Notices from Jefferson County, Alabama Newspaper, Volume II (1882-1906)”. You will not be disappointed to hear this dynamic speaker.
July 24th – Jason Kirby will present “World War I Draft Research”. Where to go to find this information and what to expect when you do find them.
August 28th – Scott Martin will present “Unconventional Research Tools”. We’re always looking for new and inventive ideas, these may help you over that “Brick Wall”.
September 25th – Mary Taylor will present “Divorces”. What is the history behind the legendary act?
October 23rd – No guest speaker. Annual Genealogical Fair.
November – The society does not meet in November.
December 11th – No guest speaker. Annual Tea. Come and join us for a relaxing and enjoyable social event.
Guest Speakers for 2003
January 25th – Bill & Sue Tubbs will present “Ancestral Homesteads: County Land Records of the State of Alabama”. Bill & Sue Tubbs are currently publishing a series of Ancestral Homestead books, one for each county in Alabama. The books are compiled from U.S. land records as supplied by the General Land Office. Many genealogists are often surprised that their ancestors had entered land. With the maps and overlays in the county books they can now go right to the location of the ancestral homestead. Researchers have often also found that one or members of their family had chosen a spouse from a family that had entered land within five miles of the ancestral homestead. Please join us!
February 22nd – Heritage can mean different things to different people. Your heritage encourages you to search your past and it makes you aware of future generations who may have a similar curiosity. Discovering your heritage gives you an appreciation of who you are and what family traditions, culture, challenges and experiences have helped shape who you have become. Please join us as Regina Biddings, a Creative Memories consultant, offers ideas for organizing and preserving those items which are a part of your heritage.
NOTE – March meeting has been moved to March 29th !!
March 29th – The Birmingham Genealogical Society is honored to host noted Irish author, Billy Kennedy, on March 29, 2003. Mr. Kennedy, a native of County Armagh, Northern Ireland, has been a leading journalist for the past thirty years, occupying the roles of news editor, assistant editor, and lead writer for the Belfast News Letter, the primary morning newspaper in Northern Ireland. He is best known in America for his series of books on the migration and accomplishments of the Scots-Irish in America, particularly the Southeast. Please join us for this very special event.
NOTE – April meeting has been moved to the 3rd Saturday, Aprin 19th !!
April 19th – Art Green will discuss his current book, Gracie’s Pride – the 43rd Alabama Infantry Volunteers. The men who served in the 43rd Alabama Infantry came from Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Greene, Fayette, Walker, Mobile and Marengo Counties. Major William J. Mims of Jefferson County led Company G. This book, the third Civil War regimental history written by Mr. Green, contains the transcribed service record of each man who served (over 1,200 records). The author also provides a history of the unit along with illustrations and related material such as letters. Art Green has also published two previous works, Southerners at War – the 38th Alabama Infantry Volunteers and Too Little Too Late – the 63rd Alabama Infantry Regiment. Please join us.
May 24th – Searching for Alabama ancestors? Looking for historical facts, dates or events? Robert Scott Davis, director of the Genealogy/Family History Program at Wallace State in Hanceville will discuss his current book entitled Tracing your Alabama Past. The comprehensive reference book leads to the wide array of essential facts and data: public records, census figures, military statistics, geography, studies of African-American and Native-American communities, local and biographical history, Internet sites, archives and more. Such complex sources as Alabama’s biographical/genealogical materials, federal land records, Civil War – era resources, and Native-American sources are discussed in detail, along with many other topics of interest to researchers seeking information on this diverse Deep South state. Please join us!
June 28th – Many of us claim Native American descent but have not been able to prove and document our Indian ancestry. Larry Caver, Jr. will discuss the research tools available for Native American research in his program, Native American Research in the Southeast. Larry will provide an overview of the Southeastern Tribes as well as surprising information on some of the “lost Indians of Alabama,” who were individual members or descendants of the southeastern tribes who remained in Alabama. The program will also include case studies of individuals who have proven and documented their Native American ancestry. Please join us!
July 26th – Mr. Will Franke, whose family were early settlers of Jefferson and Shelby County, was a businessman, educator, scholar, genealogist and historian. He was widely recognized as the authority on many phases of the State’s history. He is attributed for compiling and preserving more pioneer history of the Birmingham area than all other persons and institutions combined. Because of his foresight, many early records of Jefferson and Shelby County were preserved. His research was recently donated to the Special Collections Department at the Samford University Library. Please join us as Elizabeth Wells, head of the Special Collections Department, discusses this valued collection. This program will be of great interest to those individuals descended from the early pioneer families of Jefferson and Shelby County, including the Acton, Bailey, Caldwell, Lee, Massey and Watkins families.
August 23rd – Stuart Oates, Executive Director of Oak Hill Cemetery, will present Studying the Past and Future of Oak Hill Cemetery. Originally named City Cemetery, Oak Hill was laid out with the planned city of Birmingham by the Elyton Land Company in 1871. Oak Hill Cemetery was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, the first Alabama cemetery to be so distinguished. Historians and genealogists may not be aware of the excellent research materials available at Oak Hill Cemetery. Please join us for this informative program!
September 27th – Need help with your research? Have you hit the proverbial “brickwall”? Please join us for Genealogy 101. Whether you are just starting your family tree or have been researching for many years, we all have questions which need answered. Our panel of experts will discuss various topics to assist you in your genealogical research, such as vital records, census records, how to organize your information, genealogy websites and more. There will also be a question and answer session. Please join us.
October 25th – No guest speaker. Annual Genealogical Fair.
November – The society does not meet in November.
December 13th – No guest speaker. Annual Tea. Come and join us for a relaxing and enjoyable social event.
Guest Speakers for 2002
January 26th – .Yvonne Crumpler, Department Head of the Tutwiler – Collection of Southern History and Literature will present “Neglected and Overlooked Records of Southern History and Research.” In her discussion, Yvonne will discuss resources and records available in the Tutwiler Collection which are often overlooked but offer great sources of genealogical and historical information. Please join us for what will be a most informative program.
February 23rd – Jeri Corbett will speak on the Loose Records Project currently underway for Jefferson County. Volunteers working on this project having been working since June 2001 microfilming various records related to Jefferson County. Jeri will discuss the various types of records which will be microfilmed upon completion of the project. To date, the project is approximately 15% complete. Come to the meeting and learn how you can be a volunteer and contribute to this very important project. Her discussion will be extremely pertinent and interesting to genealogical and historical research in Jefferson County.
March 23rd – Nora Essman will present “Just Diggin’ Up Bones”, a personal account of over 25 years of genealogical research. A native of Jefferson County AL, Mrs. Essman can officially say that she “knows more dead people than living ones.” Please join us for a relaxed and enjoyable discussion of family history research which will be most entertaining yet educational.
April 27th – How many of us have ever noticed the image of a weeping willow or an olive wreath on a tombstone but never understood its symbolism? Attend the April meeting and your questions will be answered. Marcell and Martha Burchfield will explain the various motifs and symbols found on tombstones with an enlightening slide presentation. Cemeteries in the South retain a profusion of forms and symbols and the Burchfields will clarify the distinctive meaning for each. Please join us for this interesting program on Saturday, April 20th.
May 25th – Whether you have been researching your family tree for 1 month or 10 years, we all face the same challenge: what to do with all of the information we have collected. Mary Taylor, past president of the Birmingham Genealogical Society, will present “Organizing Your Research.” Mary’s rich background experience in genealogical research should enable her to share valuable tips on how to organize all of the work you have gathered.
June 22nd – We are extremely fortunate to have Carol Padgett, Ph.D., author of Keeping Hearth & Home in Old Alabama: A Practical Primer for Daily Living. Carol will appear in 1860 period dress as her alter ego and great-grandmother, Martha Matilda Wood. Carol enlists her great-grandmother to discuss various subjects from the book, which is a compilation of recipes, remedies, mores and maxims from the late nineteenth century in Old Alabama. Carol’s presentation will be light-hearted, entertaining yet edifying and will offer a glimpse into the daily lives of our own grandparents and great-grandparents. Please join us for what should be an exciting program!
July 27th – Linda Nelson, current chair of the Jefferson County Historical Commission, will be talking about the Jefferson County Historical Commission. Established in 1971 by an act of the Alabama Legislature, the Jefferson County Historical Commission is comprised of twelve appointed members who serve without compensation. The Commission administers the Historic Markers Program, which identifies houses, commercial or public buildings, churches and sites of historical significance throughout Jefferson County. The Commission also sponsors publications on Jefferson County history and works with other organizations and agencies to further the cause of historic preservation. Please join us for an informative meeting!
August 24th – Jason Kirby, of the Tutwiler Collection of Southern History and Literature, will present “Finding Your Ancestor in the 1930 Census”. On April 1, 2002 the National Archives & Records Administration released the 1930 U.S.Federal Census, an event anticipated by every genealogist seeking to find his or her ancestor. Please join us as Jason provides an overview of this landmark census and explains why it is so distinct from prior population schedules.
September 28th – Ann Gilbert, co- founder and former President of the Birmingham African-American Genealogy Study Group, will present “The Challenges of African-American Genealogical Research.” The search of identity for African-Americans is complicated by several factors, namely slavery and the lack of consistent, reliable documentation of black Americans before the Civil War and the decades immediately afterward. Ann will shed insight into what sources are available for African-Americans in researching their family tree. Please join us for this informative study session.
October 26th – No guest speaker. Annual Genealogical Fair.
November – The society does not meet in November.
December 14th – No guest speaker. Annual Tea. Come and join us for a relaxing and enjoyable social event.
Guest Speakers for 2001
January 27th – Birmingham Genealogical Society President Mary Taylor discussed the history of the Birmingham Genealogicial Society, founded March 15, 1959. In her presentation, Mrs. Taylor spoke of the mission of the Society and those individuals who played a crucial role in its formation..
February 24th – BGS members Dr. John Kent, Mrs. Mildred Kent and Mrs. Bettina Burns shared information on the requirements, proper documentation and procedures for becoming a member of the First Families of Alabama, Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), Sons of the Revolution (SOR) and the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
March 24th – Addressing the Society at its March 24th meeting will be Carolyn Carroll, the executive director of the Oak Hill Memorial Association, which governs the operation of historic Oak Hill Cemetery. The cemetery is the final resting place of countless individuals who were influential in the founding and early development of the city of Birmingham, including many pioneers of Birmingham’s early African- American community. Mrs. Carroll has been working to refine the Association’s mission, with an emphasis on historic preservation. She also scours the Association’s valuable lot-owner records to generate a quarterly newsletter hilighting the city pioneers buried at Oak Hill, some of whom she plans to discuss at the meeting. In addition, she will provide BGS members with an overview of the research materials availabe at Oak Hill.
April 28th – .Ron Mele will discuss his publication, Birmingham Southern Railroad Company – The First Century. A veteran railfan and photographer, Mr. Mele’s articles and photographic works have appeared in numerous publications including TRAINS, Railfan & Railroad, Railpace and The Railroad Press. A native of Kensington PA, he developed an interest in railroads at a very early age. Mr. Mele’s interest in the Birmingham Southern Railroad began in 1989, shortly after he and his family moved to the Birmingham area. This interest prompted him to write about the Birmingham Southern Railroad Company in the February 1994 issue of Trains Magazine, and also led to the publication of his book.
May 26th – Jim Reed, owner of Reed Books, will present “How to Become Your Own Book.” A native of Tuscaloosa AL, Mr. Reed has worked in radio and television, higher education and health care public relations. In 1985, he retired his three-piece suit, grew a beard and recreated his life as author, storyteller, speaker, columnist, commentator and rare book dealer. Mr. Reed’s presentation will provide instructive commentary on how to breathe life into family histories & genealogies and how to get started on writing about our own lifelong tales.
June 23rd – Jim Baggett, Head of the Department of Archives in the Birmingham Public Library, will speak on the many resources available in the Archives. The Birmingham Archives retains many items such as diaries, letters, manuscripts, photographs, company records and other documents which would aid in genealogical and historical research. A founding member of the Birmingham Historical Records Project, Mr. Baggett’s articles have appeared in numerous publications such as The Vulcan Historical Review, Alabama Heritage and the Journal of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society. Mr. Baggett’s discussion will most certainly provide insight into the countless (and often under used) genealogical resources available in this repository.
July 28th – Derek Brown, a recent graduate of Samford University, will speak on the unique history of the Toadvine community. His discussion will include the
Indian legends of Toadvine, its unique name, early families of the community, its historic sites and Naval Reserve Station. Derek Brown is a board member of the West Jefferson County Historical Society and currently serves as the co-chair of the Historic Sadler Plantation House. Please join us for what will be a most interesting program.
August 25th – Dr. Alan Brown, professor of English at the University of West Alabama and member of the Alabama Humanities Foundation Speakers Bureau, presents Alabama’s Mysteries and Legends: Strange but True Tales from the Heart of Dixie. Many people feel that in order to visit strange and exotic locations, they must board a plane and fly across the ocean to another continent. The fact is that our own state of Alabama is a treasure trove of weird stories and unusual locations. Dr. Brown discusses Alabama’s most intriguing legends such as the six-legged woman of Demopolis and the crying pecan tree in Butler. Please join us for what will be an informative yet entertaining program.
September 22nd – Larry E. Caver Jr. will discuss his latest book, Death Notices from the Prattville Progress (1890-1910). This is a second volume in a continuing series related to newspaper transcriptions from Autauga County AL. This volume contains approximately 1,000 death notices for individuals living in Autauga, Elmore, Montgomery, Chilton, Lowndes and Dallas Counties, as well as for former residents of Old Autauga who had ventured north to Birmingham and Anniston, south to Pensacola FL and even as far west as Texas. This work documents not only the passing of the early settlers of Old Autauga but also contains 57 death notices of Confederate Veterans and 93 death notices of African-American residents.
October 28th – No guest speaker. Annual Genealogical Fair.
November – The society does not meet in November.
December 9th – No guest speaker. Annual Tea. Come and join us for a relaxing and enjoyable social event.
Guest Speakers for 2000
January 22nd – Jackie Matte, independent scholar and member of the Alabama Humanities Foundation Speakers Bureau, presents Old St. Stephens: Territorial Capitol of Alabama. This program is part of the 1998-2000 AHF Speakers Bureau. The capitol of Alabama from 1817 – 1819, St. Stephens was the site of many firsts in Alabama, including the first bank and public school. When the capitol was moved, the town fell into decline and was deserted by the 1850’s. Archaeologists are currently studying the site and Matte presents a wealth of findings about the establishment of the old capitol, its early residents, and present efforts to save the site. Matte, an adjunct instructor in the history department at UAB, holds a masters degree in history and secondary education from the University of Alabama in Birmingham. She is the author of The History of Washington County: The First County in Alabama, and she wrote the teacher’s guide and workbooks for Virginia Van der Veer Hamilton’s The Story of Alabama. In 1996, she co-authored Seeing Historic Alabama: Fifteen Guided Tours with Dr. Hamilton.
February 26th – Yvonne Crumpler, of the Southern History Department of the Birmingham Public Library, will be talking about the non-population census schedules (such as agricultural, manufacturing, mortality, etc.) and the useful information which may be extracted from them. This is information that everyone needs to know.
March 25th – Mr. J.D. Weeks of Gardendale will speak on March 25, 2000 at the March meeting of the Birmingham Genealogical Society. Mr. Weeks , retired from the Jefferson County Health Department, is an avid genealogist as well as a collector of postcards. His vast collection of Birmingham postcards (over 3,000) depict many rare scenes of early Birmingham history. He is the author of Birmingham: A Postcard Tour, a 126-page pictorial tour of Birmingham from the early 1900’s (primarily pre-1940). This will be a very interesting end enlightening discussion.
April 22nd – .Richard and Ann Gailey, members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints, will speak on the loose papers project currently ongoing at the Shelby County Archives. The Gaileys spend approximately nine months out of the year assisting counties in various states with the microfilming and archiving of the its loose paper collections. They will speak on the mission of the loose papers project currently underway in Shelby County, the process of efficiently indexing these papers, what records have been microfilmed and how volunteers may assist with the project.
May 27th – David Vinter, PhD, and Patrick Henry will be discussing the importance of digital processing for photographs and documents. They will be providing scanning services for a couple of our lucky members, so bring a photograph that you would like scanned and a floppy disk to take home the image file, just in case you are selected. They will also be presenting their Personal CD Viewer software which can help you store and organize your precious photographs and documents.
June 24th – Joyce Cauthen, an independent scholar in the Birmingham area, will present Strong at the Roots: An Exploration of Unbroken Folk Music Traditions in Alabama. This program is part of the 1998-2000 series of lectures sponsored by the AHF Speakers Bureau. Ms. Cauthen will describe and play recorded samples of musical forms that have existed in Alabama throughout its history as a territory and a state. This will include Primitive Baptist hymns, shape-note hymns (“sacred harp” hymns), old-time fiddling (fiddling and folk tunes brought to the United States in the 1600s from England, Scotland and Ireland), spirituals, and Dr. Watts hymns (a chant-like, lined-out form of hymn singing with roots in the New England psalmody and still sung in many African American churches). Joyce Cauthen will also demonstrate how these forms of true roots music have changed over the years through the “folk process.”
July 22nd – Elizabeth Wells, of the Special Collections Department at Samford University, will speak concerning an aspect of genealogical research which is often overlooked – the recording and preservation of oral history. She will discuss the steps which are crucial when interviewing an individual having firsthand knowledge of a historical event. Consequently, the interview will be a positive experience for both parties which will enhance the recording of the historical and genealogical information which has been preserved via the oral tradition.
August 26th – David Brewer, director of the Friends of Rickwood Field, will provide an overview of Rickwood Field, now the world’s oldest ballpark. Rickwood Field became home of the Birmingham Barons in 1910 and is now undergoing a major restoration. Some of the biggest names in baseball, from Babe Ruth to Willie Mays to Reggie Jackson, have played at Rickwood Field. Mr. Brewer’s discussion will certainly confirm how Birmingham has contributed to the legacy of the sport.
September 23rd – Beth Hamer is scheduled to speak about The American Village, Alabama’s newest pioneering center and historical park. Located in Montevallo on 113 rolling acres, The American Village enables visitors to rediscover and renew America’s drama and pageantry on the road to independence and self-government. Ms. Hamer will discuss the mission of The American Village, the initial development of the park, current educational programs and the future goals The American Village seeks to accomplish.
October 28th – No guest speaker. Annual Genealogical Fair.
November – The society does not meet in November.
December 9th – No guest speaker. Annual Tea. Come and join us for a relaxing and enjoyable social event.
Guest Speakers for 1999
January 23rd – George Stewart
is scheduled to present “Confederate Impressions”.
February 27th – David Bice is scheduled to present “Alabama Series of Family Histories”. David, and wife Alice, are the owners of Heritage Publishing Consultants, Inc., a company incorporated in 1997 to develop and publish grassroots family history books for every county in Alabama. The books are known as The Heritage of Alabama Series, with 12 books in print and 19 at press as of now.
March 27th – Dr. Wayne Finley is scheduled to speak about the importance of collecting health information while doing genealogy studies and review inheritance patterns in order to determine the key individuals in the pedigree.
April 24th – One of our members, Mary Taylor, is scheduled to present “The Importance of Family Letters in Genealogical Research”. Come and join us for a relaxing and enjoyable meeting.
May 22nd – Our THANKS to Aline Anderson for giving us the update on the National Genealogical Society’s annual meeting.
June 26th – D. Gregory Jeane, Chair; Department of Geography, Samford University, will be sharing his cemetery research with our group. A native of west central Louisiana, Mr Jeane took degrees in geography from LSU, getting the BA in 1968 and the Ph.D. in 1974. He was a member of the Auburn University faculty from 1974 until 1989, then he moved to Samford University. He developed the geography program at Samford and currently serves as Chair of the Department of Geography. His research interestes generally are in the material culture of the South, and he has specialized in two areas: water-powered milling and burial landscapes. He has published a number of articles on my cemetery research and several cultural resource monographs for the US Army, Corps of Engineers. He co-edited an award-winning book, THE ARCHITECTURAL LEGACY OF THE LOWER CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY IN ALABAMA AND GEORGIA, as a bicentennial project. He is currently working on a book about Southern burial landscapes, particularly the Upland South folk cemetery. His talk will be about how to identify and read a cemetery landscape (“Landscapes of the Dead: How to ‘Read’ a Cemetery”).
July 24th – Earl Massey is Chairman of the Trussville Historical Board. He is retired from the City of Birmingham as a Public Works Supervisor and more recently retired as a building contractor. He has served as President of the Alabama Chapter of the American Public Works Association, Moderator of the St. Clair County Baptist Association and chairman of deacons at Mt. Olive, now Deerfoot Baptist Church. He and his wife, Carol co-authored the “Central Baptist Church History” and the history of “Trussville through The Years.” Earl has been working on genealogy forty years–first on the Massey family–then expanding to include most of the pioneer families of Eastern Jefferson County, most of which were intermarried through the years. He has 18,000 names and records on Family Tree Maker.
August 28th – Dr. Whiting, retired archivist for the Birmingham Public Library. Dr. Whiting gave a captivating in-depth talk about geanealogy entitled, Against Stick People.
September 25th – Bobby Joe Seales, Web master of the Shelby County, USGenWeb web page will be discussing this invaluable research tool. If you are connected to the Internet, or if you plan to get connected, you will not want to miss this informative presentation. Bobby Joe Seales has many connections to Shelby County Alabama dating back to when Shelby County was created, February 7, 1818. His great-great-great grandparents, Enoch and Mary Seale, came to Shelby County Alabama, along with other Seale brothers and their families, from Fairfield County South Carolina. He is involved in many clubs and societies, such as, a member of the Shelby County Historical Society, the Historic Shelby Association, the Alabama Genealogical Society, a member of First Families of Alabama, the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the Sons of the American Revolution, and many more.
October 23rd – No guest speaker. Annual Genealogical Fair. The fair ran from 12:00 PM (Noon) through 3:00 PM. Our members submitted 6 entries for the competition. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons were awarded. 1st place winner also had their name engraved on a silver bowl. This bowl is kept by the 1st place winner for one year. The top three winners were:
1st place was awarded to Billy and Stella Gamble for their work on Genealogical Contributions to their Family; 2nd place was awarded to Mary Jones for her book Georges – Jake and Milly’s Tribe; 3rd place was awarded to Dr. Tom Caldwell for his work on the My Experience with Helping to Publish a Book. Congradulations to all of the winners.
November – The society does not meet in November.
December 11th – No guest speaker. Annual Tea. Come and join us for a relaxing and enjoyable social event.
Guest Speakers for 1998
January 24th – Elaine Rasco will talk about quilting as it relates to genealogy.
February 28th – Rev. H. L. “Lindy” Martin will give his talk on the Cherokee indians in Alabama. Dr. Martin is the former Minister of the First Baptist Church of Vincent, Alabama, President of Personal Touch Consultant Services and Chairman of the Board of We The Jury. He is a retired Dean & Professor at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Martin serves as the Cheif Exective of the Association of Cherokee Descendants, Principal Chief of the Cherokee-Powhatan Indian Association of Person County, North Carolina and Halifax County, Virginia. In the past he has served as Vice-President of the National Urban Indian Council and President of the Society for the Preservation of American Indian Culture. Dr. Martin, who holds a Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Sacred Theology, is a nationally known public speaker recognized by Toastmasters International as one of the best communicators in the world and has been named to membership in the National Speakers Association. The February meeting was a great success. Over 70 people attended, enjoying Dr. Martin’s presentation.
March 28th – OPEN FORUM — Our March meeting will be an open forum for all members, new and old (oops, I mean experienced!), to ask questions about how to solve a problem you are having in researching one of your lines. We will have a “Certified Genealogist” as part of the panel. The March meeting was a wonderful success. I wish to thank all of our panelist for their involvment: Jim Pate, Jessie Hearle, Frances Etheredge and C. Bill Thompson.
April 25th – Our April meeting will be a discussion of our new web page. We will be discussing 1) all of the pages on our web site (suggestions for additional pages are welcome),
2) how to submit a query and a surname (ie, what kind of information you should provide),
3) our links page (bring your favorite URL to be added to our links page!),
4) we will be accepting requests for changes/modifications to our web pages (we need your ideas and suggestions),
5) we will also be asking for any other suggestions that you may have.
May 23rd – BY-LAWS REVIEW — We will be reviewing and voting on the society’s new By-Laws. This is probably THE most important meeting that will be held this year. The By-Laws have been drafted and reviewed by the Board of Directors. This is your chance to have an important input as to how the society will be run. Come and exercise your right to VOTE.
June 27th – Mildred Kent and Patrick Henry will demonstrate the enormous amount of information that is available from the PERSI (PERiodical Source Index) and SAR (Sons of the American Revolution) CDs. PERSI is an index to over 50,000 periodical magazines. Copies of articles can be obtained via US Mail (also known as SNAIL MAIL !!) for a minimal fee. Come join us at this month’s meeting and learn more about PERSI.
July 25th – Yvonne Crumpler, of the Southern History Department of the Birmingham Public Library, will be talking about the many maps of this area (along with other topics) that are in the library’s collection. If you are researching the Birmingham area, you will want to attend to learn about this fascinating collection.
August 22nd – Samuel A. Rumore Jr. will be talking about the Jefferson County Historical Commission and the many programs that they perform around the state. One of the many programs is the placement of historical markers. Come and join us for an enjoyable time.Mr. Rumore is a Family Law Practitioner and a partner in the Birmingham firm of Miglionico and Rumore. His is a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He received his undergraduate education at the University of Notre Dame where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa, and his legal education at the University of Alabama. Due to unforseen circumstances, Dr. Wayne Finley, will not be available as a speaker for our August meeting.
September 26th – Elizabeth Wells, Sanford librarian in charge of Special Collections, will be speaking to us about all of the exciting changes occurring to this wealth of information.
October 24th – No guest speaker. Annual Genealogical Fair. The fair had a new format this year. It ran from 11:00 AM through 3:00 PM. Our members submitted 10 entries for the competition. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons were awarded. 1st place winner also had their name engraved on a silver bowl. This bowl is kept by the 1st place winner for one year. The top three winners were:
1st place was awarded to Aline Anderson for her work on the Anderson Clan;
2nd place was awarded to Margie Gentry for her 15 Generation of Family History and 58 years in pictures;
3rd place was awarded to Larry Lee Waites for her work on the Waites, Romine, Berry, McLaine, Birdwell and Bishop Family History.
Congradulations to all of the winners.
November – The society does not meet in November.
December 12th – No guest speaker. Annual Tea. Come and join us for a relaxing and enjoyable social event.