Newsletters


The Bucks County Genealogical Society publishes a monthly newsletter which is emailed to members and others who have signed up for our mailing list.   If you would like to add your name to our mailing list, click the button at right.

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All issues

2024

IssueArticle
December 2024 thumbnail
November 2024 thumbnailBuilding a Family Through Circumstantial Evidence.Who in the World is Paul Knop? Part 2. What to do when you don't have birth, marriage or death records. (Judy Russell)
Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom meetings will resume in January. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
Giving Tuesday. Gifts to the BCGS will be used to fulfill our Mission Statement of promoting genealogy through education and information.
My Ireland Pilgrimmage. Virtual images that can be used as a Zoom background. A screencast link, on how to do it, is provided. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
BCGS Newsletter Guidelines. Submissions are always welcome within the parameters our email service requires.
October 2024 thumbnailBuilding a Family Through Circumstantial Evidence. A Family for Isabella. What to do if there are no birth, marriage or death records? (Judy Russell)
Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom meetings are held monthly.Please contact Joann Cosgrove at projects@bucksgen.org to register. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
BucksGen "Off Roading." We attended 10 events this year with great success! We need an Events Manager and volunteers for next year to keep up the good work. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
BCGS Newsletter Guidelines. Submissions are always welcome within the parameters our email service requires.
September 2024 thumbnailOrganize Like an Archivist: Taming Genealogy Records and Research. Organize your records and finally put your family reseach in order once and for all. (Sassy Jane (Nancy Loe))
Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom meetings are held mothly. Please contact Joann Cosgrove at projects@bucksgen.org to register. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
They Seen to Disappear: Tales of the Underground Railroad. A Recap of the in-person event at the historical Continental Tavern, Yardley, PA. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
BCGS On-The-Road: Save the Dates. Volunteers needed. Use your genealogy experience to help others get started or break through their brick walls.
Coming Soon - Save these dates for monthly Zoom meetings on Nov. 2 and Dec 7. Building a Family with Circumstantical Evidence. (Judy Russell)
BCGS Newsletter Guidelines. Submissions are always welcome within the parameters that the email service requires.
August 2024 thumbnailThey seem to dissappear...Tales of the Underground Railroad. Luncheon & Program. Join us for an informative in-person meeting about the Underground Railroad. (Dierdre Pearson)
18th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair. Save it, File it, Bequeath It, or Toss it. Learn how to organize and preserve your genealogy records.
Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom meetings are held monthly.Please contact Joann Cosgrove at projects@bucksgen.org to register. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
Tech Tip: Lost in the Translation. When doing research on a database of another language, use the sites own translator, not Google. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
On-The-Road: Save the Dates. Volunteers are needed to help man our tables at Yardley Harvest Day Sept. 21st and Fallsington Day Oct. 12th. Contact Cathy. (Cathy Ivins: publicity@bucksgen.org)
Family Tree Maker Workshop. Directors Mark Olsen & Duff Wilson led the Zoom and in-person discussion of the current and upcoming versions of the program.
BCGS Newsletter Guidelines. Submissions are always welcome within the parameters that the email service requires.
July 2024 thumbnailGenealogical Resources at the Research Library of the Bucks County Historical Society. You will learn about the online catalog, collections, and databases. (Annie Halliday)
Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom meetings are held monthly. Contact Joann Cosgrove at projects@bucksgen.org to register. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
AI and Genealogy: Trouble Ahead? Learn how Artificial Intelligence can improve your genealogy experience and whether you should seek other ways to use it. (Thomas MacEntee of Genealogy Bargains)
They Seem to Disappear...Tales of the Undergroung Railroad. An in-person meeting at the Continental Tavern, a way station on the Railroad. Registration is needed (Deidre Pearson)
Accessing Ancestry Library EDITION - FREE. A video is available to explain how you can use Ancestry at the library and then at home! (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
On The Road: Save the Dates. Volunteers needed. Share you knowledge, experience and enthusiasm with Newbies! Dig them a rabbit hole!
44th IAJGS Intl. Conference on Jewish Genealogy. The conference is intended to enhance and spread Jewish genealogy knowledge and learning.
BCGS Newsletter Guidelines. Submissions are always welcome within the parameters that the email service requires.
June 2024 thumbnailSpecial Interest Groups (SIG's). Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom meetings are held monthlly. Contact Joann Cosgrove at projects@bucksgen.org to register. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
How You Get a Portrait of an Ancestor Using Data. Examples are used to show how to fill in the blanks of an ancestor's history. (Mary Butash, President)
Power Library Empowers Your Research - Free. How to use the public library to access websites and newspapers for research purposes. A video is provided. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
On-The-Road: Save the Dates. Volunteers are needed to man our table at events. No experience needed. Join us and help others find their roots. Contact Cathy, (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
BCGS Newsletter Guidelines. Article submissions are welcome. Please follow the directions and submit them to Newsletter@bucksgen.org.
May 2024 thumbnailTranslating,Transcribing and Summarizing Documents Using Artificial Intellegence Learn how to harness the power of AI to assist with a variety of records. (Thomas MacEntee)
Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom meetings are held monthly. Contact Joann Cosgrove at projects@bucksgen.org to register.
NGS Expanding Possibilities. The ins and outs of the 2024 National Genealogical Society's Virtual Conference. (Karen Kontrath, Newsletter Editor)
Research Tip. Explore the many free collections on Ancestry.com. A link is provided.
New Additions to the BCGS Database! We now have 426,358 records. The newest is St. Lukes Evangelical Lutheran Church in Nockamixon baptisims from 1766 to 1921.
BGCS ON-THE-ROAD Update! Where we have been and where we are going in 2024 to help visitors with research at various events in the area. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
BCGS and Historic Fallsington to Host Genealogy Crowd-Learning: Explore Your Roots. Bring your laptop and notes. We are here to help with your research.
BCGS Newsletter Guidelines. We welcome submissions from our readers. Here's what you need to know in order to submit an article.
April 2024 thumbnailPresentism in Genealogical Research. Explantion and examples of presentism and how to avoid it. It may impair the craft of family history. (Donna Cox Baker)
Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom meetings are held monthly. Contact Joann Cosgrove at projects@bucksgen.org to register. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
WHYY Finding Your Roots Event. Historical and genealogical organizations met to discuss their collections and resources. Websites are included. (Peg Felter, VP of Membership)
Apr. 25th DNA Day Sales & Special Member perks! A list of DNA kits is included. Members can "View DNA Recorded Presentations" for 60 days. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
On The Road. BCGS and Historic Fallsington host Genealogy Crowd-Learning Exploring Your Roots on May 22nd 6:30 to 8 PM at the Friends Meeting Hall.
The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Museum has a YouTube channel! Lectures are from their Sunday Zoom program series. Join YouTube (it's free) to see them.
March 2024 thumbnailShattering the Glass Wall: Solving Genealogical Conundrums for Female Ancestors. Common causes of these brick walls and techniques for solving them. (Gena Philiberta-Ortega)
Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom meetings are held monthly.Please contact Joann Cosgrove at projects@bucksgen.org to register. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
On The Road: Save the Dates in March and April 2024. A complete listing is on our website. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
New Additions to the BCGS Database! St. Luke's Evangenical Lutheran Church, Nockamixon, PA. Baptismal records added to our database from 1799 to 1921.
February 2024 thumbnailGerman Aid Societies. Learn about the factors that led to their founding, their history and the types of records available for research. (Debra A. Hoffman, PLCGS)
Special Interest Groups (SIGs). The Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom groups meet monthly. Contact Joann Cosgrove to register, projects@bucksgen.org (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
On The Road 2024. Crowd-Learning at the Bristol Twp. Senior Center. We helped guests get started on their Family History journey and/or break brick walls. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
January 2024 thumbnailSister Ports: Philadelphia and Baltimore. Learn the simularities, differences and sources available to document individuals who arrived at these ports. (Debra A. Hoffman, PLCGS)
Special Interest Groups (SIGs). The Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom groups meet monthly. Contact Joann Cosgrove to register, projects@bucksgen.org. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
Welcome our new Newsletter Editor, Karen Kontrath. BCGS is please to have Karen join our Board. Read her very interesting biography. (Karen Kontrath, Newsletter Editor)
BCGS On-The-Road Event: Genealogy Crowd-Learning. Register and bring your laptop and notes to obtain or share family history search knowledge and experiences.
BCGS in the GAR Museum Newsletter. View the Grand Army of the Republic Newsletter and see the article about our visit.
Chester County, PA Poor School Children Tree Building Project. The Family Tree Library is seeking help to document 19th century famlies. A link is provided.

2023

IssueArticle
December 2023 thumbnailBuried Secrets. How the author solved the secret of her parents true identities using every tool available to her, including a photo of a grave on a hillside. (Ann Hanson, Author)
Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom meetings are held monthly.Please contact Joann Cosgrove at projects@bucksgen.org to register. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
Tech Tip from Cathy Ivins. Artificial Intelligence and how it can be a useful tool for making your own graphics. Sites you can use are listed. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
New Additions to the BCGS Database! St. Pauls Reformed Church, Applebachsville. Records from 1868 to 1935, including births, deaths, marriages and more.
November 2023 thumbnailFinding Ancestors in Deeds. An overview for locating information in deeds, using deeds, deed indices, and how to record and use what you find. (Bill Eddleman)
Special Interest Groups (SIGs). The Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom groups meet monthly. Contact Joann Cosgrove to register, projects@bucksgen.org (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
New Hope Celebrates presents; "Queer Cuts, New Hope" premier. Five documentaries celebrating the culture and social history of the LGBQTIA+ community.
Tech Tip! Four free web sites for doing genealogy research.
Giving Tuesday. A global day to consider giving back to your community and charitable causes.
GSI: Sawtooth News! In September, Cathy Ivins introduced us to this interactive program that used DNA to find a killer.You have to register to see it on demand.
October 2023 thumbnailResearching First Title. The basics of land grants, federal land sales, military bounty lands, and other ways to research first title. (Bill Eddleman)
Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Buried Treasures in Pennsylvania. This zoom event was a big success. Thanks to everyone who participated, expecially our speakers.
Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom meetings are held monthly. Please contact Joann at projects@buckgen.org to register. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
New Hope Celebrates Presents: "Queer Cuts, New Hope" Premiere! The culture and history of the LGBTQ+ community with five short films shown at the BC Playhouse.
2023 On The Road Events End. BCGS's mission is to educate and inform. These events accomplish that. Our volunteers make it possible. Thanks to all of them.
In Memorian and In Our Hearts. Patricia Bowman Gessner 1/13/1939 - 10/12/2023. She filled her dash with grace, love and kindness. We will miss you dear friend.
October Tip: BCGS Beginners Webpage. Visit our page for links, downloads, resources, and a tutorial video.
Newsletter Editor Opportunity. If you are interested, or just have questions, contact Mary Butash at info@bucksgen.org.
September 2023 thumbnailBucks County Ancestry Fair. Buried Treasures in Pennsylvania. Virtual program on Oct. 7, 2023 with lectures on researching in lesser-know Penna. archives.
Special Interest Groups (SIGs). The Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom groups meet monthly. Contact Joann at projects@buckgen,org to register. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
On The Road Again in Yardley and Fallsington. Share our passion for research and assist participants. If you can help, contact Cathy at publicity@bucksgen.org. (Cathy Ivins, VP of Publicity)
GSI: Sawtooth Genealogy Solves It! I Cracked The Case! An interactive Zoom program. Participants used Genetic Genealogy Methods to solve serial muders. (Cathy Ivins, VP of Publicity)
Newsletter Editor Opportunity. If you are interested, or just have questions, contact Mary Butash at info@buckgen.org
August 2023 thumbnailThe Metes and Bounds of Land Plats. How to use land plats to solve difficult genealogical problems. (Jerry Smith)
Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Buried Treasures in PA. October 7, 2023. This day long Zoom event has several speakers scheduled. A link is provided.
Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom groups meet monthly. Contact Joan at projects@bucksgen.org, if interested. (Joann Cosgrove - VP of projects)
On-The-Road Again Staffing Help. We offer basic genealogy guidance and lookups at area events and help is always welcome. We provide everything you would need.
Mercer Museum Open House: Sept. 13, 2023 11 to 12 and 5 to 6. Library 101: Exploring the Mercer Museum. Admission is free during these hours.
VIMEO. Bucksgen's own video channel. Videos include slideshows, Bucksgen website tours, several genealogy and technology tutorials. A list is provided.
August Tip: Preserving Documents and Photos. What to do and what not to do when preserving your family documents and photos.
BCGS Newsletter Editor Opportunity. No experience necessary. Training will be provided. Contact Mary Butash at info@bucksgen.org.
July 2023 thumbnailBounty Land: It's Complicated. This was compensation for soldiers who fought in wars. Some vets didn't get the land. Learn the laws and where to find records. (Annette Burke Lyttle)
Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Buried Treasures in PA. October 7, 2023 Zoom event. Find out where the records are located. www.ancestryfair.org
Special Interest Groups (SIGs). The Irish and Family Tree Maker Zoom groups meet monthly. Contact Joann Cosgrove to register. (Joann Cosgrove, projects@bucksgen.org)
On The Road Staffing Help. Volunteers are needed to man our table at events. A basic knowledge of genealogy is all that is required and a willingness to help (Cathy Ivins, publicity@bucksgen.org)
June 2023 thumbnailGenealogy Strategies: Memorable Moments in the Life of Bob Hope. Learn how his genealogical records help bring this American Icon to life. (Deborah Abbott, Ph.D.)
On The Road Again Staffing Help. Celtic Day 2023 Bristol Borough 6/25/23. No experience necessary. Use your own genealogical knowledge to help others.
Help Plan November Social. We need volunteers to organize this luncheon event in Middle Bucks. If you can be of any assistance, please contact Cathy Ivins. (Cathy Ivins, publicity@bucksgen.org)
The Irish and the Family Tree Maker Special Interest Group (SIGs). These Zoom groups meet monthly. If interested, contact Joann Cosgrove. (Joann Cosgrove, projects@bucksgen.org)
Bucks County Ancestry Fair. Save the Date: October 7, 2023 Zoom event. Buried Treasures in Pennsylvania. Find out where they are located. www.ancestryfair.org
Newsletter Editor Opportunity. A fun and interesting job that takes about 4 to 5 hours per month. No experience necessary, training is provided. Contact Pat. (Pat Gessner, newsletter@bucksgen.org)
May 2023 thumbnailGenetic Genealogy II: Digging into the DNA Toolbox. A case study on the tools needed to use your DNA results to expand a family tree and break brick walls. (Cathy Ivins, BCGS Dir. of Publicity)
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). This Zoom meeting is held monthly. Please contact Joann to register. (Joan Cosgrove, VP of Projects and Programs)
Family Tree Maker Special Interest Group (SIG). This Zoom meeting is held monthly. Please contact Joann to register. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects and Research)
Newsletter Editor Opportunity. A fun and interesting job that takes about 4 to 5 hours a month. No experience necessary. Training will be provided. Contact Pat. (Pat Gessner, Newsletter Editor)
Beginners Corner. BCGS presents: Introduction to Genealogy. This Beginners Page new video will help those just starting or would like a genealogy refresher. (Joann Cosgrove, Cathy Ivins and Cheryl Hamm)
April 2023 thumbnailDNA for Newbies and Wannabies. Introductory program will take you step by step in choosing the right tests and companies for your wants and needs. (Cathy Ivins, BCGS Dir. of Publicity)
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). This Zoom meeting is held monthly. Contact Joan to make a reservation. (Joan Cosgrove, VP of Projects and Programs)
Family Tree Maker Special Interest Group (SIG). This Zoom meeting is held monthly. Contact Joann to make a reservation. (Joan Cosgrove, VP of Projects and Programs)
Volunteers are Needed for On-The-Road Events. Help us staff our table and assist people with their genealogy questions. No experience necessary. Contact Cathy. (Cathy Ivins, BCGS Dir. of Publicity)
Beginner's Corner. Are you new to BCGS or genealogy? Watch a short video on how to navigate our website.
March 2023 thumbnailMining for Genealogical Treasurers in the Internet Archive. Discover what you can do and learn search strategies for accessing the Archive's treasurers. (Carla S. Cegielski)
Two Special Interest Groups (SIG's). The Zoom Irish and the Family Tree Maker SIG's meet monthly. Please contact Joann to register. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects and Research)
National Archives - 10 Things to Know Before You Go. The NARA is the repository for all of our nation's documents; including maps, pictures, text and movies. (Beth Lepianka, BCGS Treasurer)
Using Indirect Evidence to Determine the Mother of Susanna Kreswson. The myriad of steps that had to be taken in order to prove her parentage. (Gray Stabley, Friend of BCGS)
Bucks County Map Information. A link to the Heritage Conservancy to discover what maps are available for purchase. (Jayne Poole, BCGS member)
Beginner's Corner. Census Records should be checked from more than one source and ways to use wildcards to search for names in a database.
February 2023 thumbnailZotero for Genealogy - Harnessing the Power of Your Research Part 2. How to use Zotero's resources to take you beyond essential citation management. (Donna Cox Baker)
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). This Zoom group meets monthly. Contact Joann Cosgrove at projects@bucksgen.org to register. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects & Research)
Family Tree Maker SIG. This Zoom group meets monthly and will help you organize, chart, and display your family's data using Family Tree Maker. Contact Joann. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects & Research)
The Catholic Historical Research Center. This new facility can help those with Catholic ancestors research the church's records. (Sara Brower, BCGS Member)
Tech Tips and More on our New Bucksgen Vimeo Library. A list of the videos available is provided. (Cathy Ivins, BCGS Director of Publicity)
Military Women's Memorial. See the article in last month's Newsletter. If you have questions or want to add a woman to the memorial an email is provided.
Beginner's Corner. Tips on Legacy Family Tree Maker Webinars, the BCGS Comprehensive Calendar of Events and the Allen County Public Library. (Regina Vaughn, BCGS Member)
January 2023 thumbnailZotero for Genealogy - Harnessing the Power of Your Research Part 1. It is a way to eliminate folders, binders, files and boxes that contain your research. (Donna Cox Baker)
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). This Zoom group meets monthly. Contact Joann Cosgrove at projects@bucksgen.org to register.
The Military Women's Memorial. A tribute to the almost 3 million women who have volunteered to serve throughout our nation's history and today. (Kathleen Rice (CW3, USAR Retired))
One Nurses Memories of Vietnam. The compelling story of one women's volunteer service in the Army Nurse Corps. (Nancy Haines Spears)
Family Tree Maker Help on Facebook. The group is authorized by MacKiev, the maker of FTM and can help with questions about this genealogy tool.

2022

IssueArticle
December 2022 thumbnailFair Court - Records of Chancery Courts. The second of a two-part series. Often the court for cases of genealogical value i.e., divorces, guardianship and more. (Judy G. Russell)
Members Only Benefit. Recordings & New Option to Register for Monthly Meetings. Members can now register on the website and view a recording, if available.
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). A Zoom meeting once a month. Contact Joann Cosgrove for more information. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
Family Tree Maker Free Webinar via Zoom. Introduction to the new version by walking you through how it works. The class is for all levels of genealogists.
Did Emilia Really Die in North Dakota. The story of a great-grandfather's sister coming to America and how it was discovered. (Judy Wrase Nygard)
November 2022 thumbnailDoing Courthouse Research. That First Trip to the Courthouse. Not everything is online. Eventually, you have to make a site visit. This lecture shows you how. (Judy G. Russell)
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). Free-for-all. No matter what your heritage! Join this monthly Zoom group for help and interaction. Contact Joann. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
Annual Meeting and Election. The Nominating Committee has provided a slate of officers for election and directors to be appointed.
#Giving Tuesday. The many ways you can give back to BCGS by a gift or a time donation. Thank you for your support.
Amazon Smile. Register BCGS as your charitable organizatioin and start shopping at smile.amazon.com. BCGS receives 0.5% of the price of your purchases.
ROOTSTECH 2023. Registration is now open and a link is provided. This is the world's largest genealogy conference. Held in Salt Lake City, Utah or online.
Beginners Corner. What are the 3 biggest mistakes of new genealogists? A link to the article is provided.
October 2022 thumbnail10th Anniversary Members Only Celebration Bruncheon. Held at the Irish Rover in Langhorne. A Show or Tell will be featured. Door prizes will be awarded.
The Irish Special Interest Group (SIG) meets monthly. Contact Joann Cosgrove, the VP of Projects for details.
Abstracts of Early Bucks Wills. An extremely helpful document found on Family Search.org. It includes an index of all of the names mentioned in the Abstracts. (Nancy Heath, BCGS Director of Website)
Tech Tip. If you have a Tree on Ancestry.com and the app on your Smartphone, a widget on your home screen will notify you of an event on your Tree.
Beginners Corner. Don't miss an opportunity to talk to your familly about genealogy during the holidays. There is a conversation starter on Ancestry.com.
Bucks County Road Trips. Planning a visit to Bucks to do research? Take time to include the many interesting places in Bucks. A link is provided.
September 2022 thumbnail16th Annual Ancestry Fair. ComPENNdium: Pennsylvania Records and Research. Oct. 15, 2022. An all day virtual Zoom meeting featuring three speakers.
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). This Zoom group meets monthly. Contact Joann Cosgrove. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
BCGS 10th Anniversary Bruncheon. Members only "Show and Tell" event at the Irish Rover Station House on Nov. 5th.
Research Tip: Allen County Public Library. You've rearched the major sites, now also try ACPL. They have extensive genealogy resources. A link is provided.
Beginner's Corner: Call in Your F.A.N. club! A way to find an ancestor by searching for collateral information, their Family, Associates and Neighbors. (Connie Ace)
August 2022 thumbnailSocial History Case Study: The Dutch Families of Bucks County. What caused the leading Dutch families to leave New York and New Jersey and settle in Bucks? (Sue Long)
16th Annual Ancestry Fair - ComPENNdium: Pennsylvania Records and Research. Virtual fair is scheduled for October 15, 2022.
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). This Zoom group meets monthly. Contact Joann Cosgrove. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
WEPA!! Discover your Puerto Rican Roots. The history of this event and a day filled with culture, music, food, dancing and family history. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
Genealogy, Volunteering and Archaeology. A familly history story, volunteering at Pennsbury Manor and historical archaeolgy. (Beth Lepianka, BCGS Treasurer)
BCGS 10th Anniversary Bruncheon on Nov. 5, 2022. Featuring a member Show and Tell. Bring a family artifact, or tell a story or research breakthrough.
Beginners Corner. A brief explanation of the naming traditions in the 18th and 19th centuries. A website is provided.
July 2022 thumbnailBringing Your Family History to Life Through Social History. Using social history and family data to predict and explain your ancestor's life choices. (Katherine Scott Sterdevant)
A Bit of Magic. The story of finding a great-aunt who was one of the few female magician's in the late 1920's and 1930's. (Betty O'Neill, BCGS Secretary)
Heritage Hunters New Poscast. Romance, Tragedy, Mysteries. HH explores guests' family trees and the inspirantional stories of their ancestors.
Member Information. Members can access handouts from speakers who have done a presentation. Go to BCGS, click members only, then meeting handouts.
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). This Zoom group meets monthly. Contact Joann Cosgrove. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
June 2022 thumbnailBCGS Sponsors GRIP Lecture. CeCe Moore will present her story on using genetic genealogy to identify an adoptee's dad.
BCGS On The Road Again. Volunteers at the Sunday Stroll in Bristol gave out information on how to start or further genealogy research. It was well received.
Find A Grave. Unsuitable activity by over-zealous contributors. Do you want to help stop this? Judy Russell's blog on what is happening and her thoughts.
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). This Zoom group meets monthly. Contact Joann (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects.)
Family Search to the Rescue. Ben Cooper's story of how he discovered Census pages were missing from Ancestry, but were located in Family Search! (Cathy Ivins, Dir. of Publicity)
The World Book of (insert your surname here). How Joann discovered her missing ancestors using this book. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
Beginners Corner. FamilySearch.org is a valuable and FREE option and a good place to do research in addition to Ancesry.com.
May 2022 thumbnailDiscovering Your Immigrant's Origins: Digging Deeper. How to find lesser- used record sets to help contextulize your ancestor's lives in the United States. (Rich Venezia)
1950 Census. BCGS Crowd-Sourcing Project Update. 100,000 volunteers from across the country are indexing the census so it is available to search. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
May Is Jewish American Heritage Month. A story of the first Jewish refugees who sailed into present day New York in 1654 and sites to help with your research.
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). This Zoom group meets monthly. Contact Joanne Cosgrove at project@bucksgen.org for details. (Joanne Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
Ancestry.com released 1950 census index! NARA's machine-created index has been released for general use.
1950 Census Machine-Created Index Errors. You can start your research, but Ancestry does not currently include verifications or corrections. (Pat Gessner, Newsletter Editor)
Beginners Corner. Getting The Most Out of the US Federal Census. Ways to make sure you are getting all of the information you need for your research. (Connie Ace)

April 2022 thumbnailDiscovering Your Immigrant's Origins. Exhausting Every Resource. How to use various and diverse records found stateside, that will narrow down your search. (Rich Venezia)
Uncle Bill. How I started to make an archive for my uncle so it could be passed down to the next generations. (Peg Felter, VP of Membership)
1950 Census. Get involved by volunteering to index the Census so that it is free, online and searchable. You can do this from home. A link is provided.
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). This Zoom group meets monthly. Contact Joann Cosgrove for details. (Joann Cosgrove, VP-Projects)
Learning the Ropes. An experience in proving a relationship to an ancestor in order to be accepted into a Lineage Society. (Lisa Woolfson, B.S., M.S.)
Beginners Corner. Several ways the BCGS website can help you further your research.
Where's the BCGS Office? We don't have one! We operate virtually and have a Facebook Page and the Facebook Bucksgen Forum to help with research. (Pat Gessner, Newsletter Editor)
March 2022 thumbnailYour Guide to the 1950 Census. You will learn interesting stories behind the census, what it reveals about your familly and documents you can access. (Lisa Louise Cooke)
1950 Census Release. The National Archives & Records Admin. (NARA) is asking for help to improve the accuracy of the name index to make it more accesible.
Now is the Time to Find the Enumeration District (ED) in the 1950 Census. It may help to find relatives, if you know the ED where they lived. A link is provided.
March is Women's History Month. Several National Organizations are celebrating and commemorating Women this month. Check out the link provided.
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). This Zoom group meets monthly. Contact Joann Cosgrove for details. (Joann Cosgrove, VP-Projects)
Beginner's Corner. Looking for information on a Country or State and don't know where to start? Try the Wiki on Family Search. A link is provided.
February 2022 thumbnailCounting Her Life: Our Female Ancestors in the 20th Century US Census. A look at the census numerators instructions, the historical data and census reports. (Gina Philabert-Ortega)
Black History Month. A celebration and a powerful reminder that Black History is American History. A link to three important websites is included.
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). A Zoom meeting is held the second Tuesday of the month. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects & Research)
Finding That Needle in a Haystack: William Buckman, the Immigrant. How you can find data in the most unexpected places and further your research. (Lisa Woolfson, B.S., M.S.)
Beginners Corner. Go to youtube.com for helpful videos. Just type "genealogy for beginners" in the search box and select a video.
10th Anniversary Slideshow (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
January 2022 thumbnailUS Census Records: Extracting Everything Possible. Learn strategies to maximize the data contained in this valuable resource. (Sydney F. Cruice)
BCGS Beginnings. 10 Year Anniversary. Discover how we got started in 2012, how much we have accomplished and where we are going in the future. (Christine Roberts, Founder and Charter President)
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). Zoom meeting is held the second Tuesday of the month. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects & Research)
Myers DNA Project. This project is working to gather y-DNA samples from male descendants of Meyer immigrants to Penna. to establish which ones are related.
Beginners Corner. Google It! Various ways to use the world's largest search engine for genealogical research. (Connie Ace)
Do You Need Timeline Help? If you need help setting up Excel for genealogy research Timelines, you can contact Pat Gessner. (Pat Gessner, Newsletter)

2021

IssueArticle
December 2021 thumbnailTimelines: A Path to Your Next Research Steps. How timelines can turn impossible research projects into manageable ones. (Annette Burke Lyttle)
Journal of Rev. Jos. Mathias of Bucks County. Provides accounts of people and events of the early 1830's and gives genealogical data. Downloadable.
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). Zoom meeting is held the second Tuesday of the month. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects & Research)
Beginners Corner. Need information on a country or a State? Try the Wiki on FamilySearch.org. Directions are included.
November 2021 thumbnailPlanning a Future for Your Family's Past. How to insure your genealogy research is passed on and preserved for future generations. (Marian Burk Wood)
Annual Meeting and Election. The nominating committee is presenting the slate of Officers for the election and the Directors who are appointed.
Bucks Gen on the Road to Success in 2021 Thanks to our Volunteers. Events are well attended and fulfill our Mission Statement of helping others. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). Meets once a month. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
Shellenger Research. Tracing the Shellenburger Family from the 18th Century Rhenish Palatinate to America. (Carol (Shellenburger) Fuller)
October 2021 thumbnailProblem Solve With the Pre-1850 Census: Investigate the Tick Marks. Strategies you can use to get valuable clues to your family's history. (Diana Elder)
Andrew Heath. The story of Nancy's connection to Bucks County that begins with the arrival in 1682 of the ship Friends Adventure carrying Quakers from England. (Nancy Heath, Website Director)
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). Meets once a month. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
BCGS Donates Records and Books to the Genealogy Society of PA. The Society has become a FamilySearch Affiliate Library and our records are now available.
Lost Letters of Civil War Soldiers. A link to the article printed in 2021 that includes thousands of photos and letters that never made it home.
African American Research. A link to 3.5 million Freedman's Bureau and Freedman's Bank records that are digitized and searchable on Ancestry.com.
Beginners Corner. Type "Genealogy for Beginners" in the Youtube.com search box and then choose a video.
BCGS Officers, Directors and the Ancestry Fair Committee photos.
September 2021 thumbnailSolving Genealogical Mysteries With The Photo Detective. Using photos (digital and paper) for your research and making sure they are preserved for generations. (Maureen Taylor)
Say "Cheese". Photographs record a moment in history that allows the viewer to experience that instant in time. A brief history of photography. (Gideon D. Hill, III, M.D.)
School Days. Introduction to the School Days book written by her Great Aunt Mary Olive for her grandchildren. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
School Days. The story of what it was like teaching in a two story school house with eight grades in the early 1900's. (Mary Olive Moyer Crouthamel (1907-2006))
Irish Special Interest Group. Meets once a month. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
Big News! The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania is now a Family Search Affiliate Library! You can now access 90% more records at the facility in Phila.
Two Tips For Members. A website for Lehigh Valley maps. Information about changing Rural Census Addresses.
Beginners Corner. Are you new to BCGS or genealogy? View a short video with a tour of our website and download a flyer with details about our organization.
August 2021 thumbnailNewspapers & Genealogy. How to use newspapers as part of your genealogy tool kit. (Janeen Bjork)
15th Annual Ancestry Fair. Solving Genealogical Mysteries with the Photo Detective. How to organize and preserve your photos for future generations. (Maureen Taylor)
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). This group meets monthly via Zoom. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
Book Suggestion for those doing African American Research. The book is "A Fragile Freedom, African American Women and Emancipation in the Antebellum City" (Erica Armstrong Dunbar)
July 2021 thumbnailOne Touch Genealogy Research: How to Handle a Record Just Once (Thomas MacEntee)
2021 Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Save the Date: October 2, 2021 (Maureen Taylor)
BCGS Is on the Road Again!: August 3rd, National Night Out Event in Bristol
The Hunt for BioDad - Part 2 (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
Research Tip: 23 Unexpected Websites You Can Use for Genealogy (Family Tree)
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG): Attend this special interest group every month. (Joann Cosgrove, VP Projects)
June 2021 thumbnailBCGS Sponsors Free Evening Lectures at Genealogy Research Institute of Pittsburgh in June.
Interesting Stories: Surviving the Spanish Flu. How the George Mann, Jr. family fled the plague of 1818/19. Also, Bucks County Connections by Jay Wright.
A Message from Cheryl VanLeer - Director of Volunteers. Every month we will feature a theme and request stories from our members. (Cheryl VanLeer)
BCGS Board and Ancestry Fair Committee. Finally able to meet in person and carry on the work of BCGS and the Ancestry Fair.
Jamboree 2021 sponsored by the Southern California Genealogical Society. Welcome to all of you who signed up for our Newsletter.
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). Attend this virtual meeting every month. (Joann Cosgrove, V-P of Projects)
Research Tip. Ancestry.com has added 12 million new records of those who immigrated to the U.S. through New York harbor at Emigrant Landing Depot.
Beginners Corner: Did your ancestor have a unique job and you don't know what it means? Here's a link to a blog that might have the answer.
May 2021 thumbnailGetting to Know Them: Creating Biographical Vignettes About Your Ancestors. How historical research can help make sense of your ancestors' life experiences. (Prof. Charles Hardy)
Follow the Money II. Behind the scenes ways our non-profit fulfills our Mission Statement to contribute to the genealogy community. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
Member Spotlight J.F. Purcell. Meet this very facinating member of BCGS. Hear his genealogy story in his own words. (J.F. Purcell)
Is your name Purcell, Pursell, etc.? Learn how to join the Purcell Family of America.
Jamboree 2021. Link to attend the June Southern California Genealogical Society online event.
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). Attend this virtual meeting every month. (Joann Cosgrove, V-P of Projects)
Beginners Corner. Learn how to search for tips from previous Newsletters to aid in your research.
April 2021 thumbnailThe Original Thirteen Families of Germantown. The story of the first German Settlement in Pennsylvania and the impact they had on the State. (Sue Long)
A Message from Cheryl VanLeer - Director of Volunteers. We are looking for short stories of your ancestors for the Newsletter. A theme will be given every month.
Survivor of the Spanish Flu - The Pandemic of 1918-1919. Elizabeth R. Engle succumbed to the flu and was survived by her husband, his father and his son. (Cheryl VanLeer)
Memorial Card Project. A story of the history of the cards. We are looking for submissions so they can be used for genealogical purposes. (Eve M. Puhalla, Ph.D.)
Neshaminy Mall Dioramas. The Bensalem Historical Society is desperate to find new homes for 7 dioramas of the American Revolution.
National Genealogical Society Family History Conference. This virtual event will be held on May 19th and 20th.
U.S. Census Bureau. BCGS participated in census by having a speaker and providing publicity about the need for census takers. We got a Thank You Letter.
March 2021 thumbnailDive Deeper into Family Search. Learn how to search unindexed collections and other digital materials that don't appear in a general search. (Annette Burke Lyttle)
March is Women's History Month. Great links to places for stories about women who have played a vital role in history.
BCGS By the Numbers. Information about the 8 years BCGS has been in existence.
February 2021 thumbnailEstimating Ages: How Old Did He Have To Be...? Is this man, with the same name, the father or the son? How the Law can help you get the answer. (Judy Russell)
The Hunt for BioDad. The story of the dilimma of sharing DNA results that are a non-paternity event. How to follow the trail and make connections. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
Inside BCGS. The biography and genealogy story of the new BCGS Secretary Betty O'Neill.
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). The next meeting is Mar. 18, 2021 at 2 p.m. (Joann Cosgrove)
BCGS Surname List. A listing of surnames other members are researching. Use the list for a possible collaboration.
Black History Month Research Opportunity - Slave Narratives. 2,300 first person accounts. Reading them is an opportunity to understand what the slaves endured
January 2021 thumbnailMorse's Coding: A Genealogical Case Study Highlighting Steve Morse's One-Step Webpages. A demonstration on how to use his tools to develop a family history. (Steve Morse)
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). The next Zoom meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 16th at 2 p.m. Contact Joann if you would like to receive the Zoom invite. (Joann Cosgrove)
New Year's Resolution: Decorate Your Family Tree. The resources, tools, and guidance you need are available on our website bucksgen.org and others.
Black History Month. Biography.com has a link to a list of the 50 most-searched African Americans and an interactive map of where they were borrn.
Rootstech 2021. Registration is still open for this online conference to be held on Feb. 25-27, 2021. A registration link is provided.
Beginners Tip. The National Archives & Records Administration has a webpage call "Start Your Genealogy Research." A link is provided.

2020

IssueArticle
December 2020 thumbnailFamily Tree Maker: The Basics and Tips. A discussion on desktop genealogy programs and an overview of the key features of Family Tree Maker 2019. (Russ Worthington)
Roots Tech Connect in 2021. A global family history event and tech conference, usually held in Salt Lake City, UT, will be virtual and free! 2/25-27/21.
Research Tip - Pennsylvania Newspapers. A link to the Pennsylvania Newspaper Archive, which is the gateway to the Commonwealth's searchable database.
Beginners Tip. Look for your surnames on the BCGS searchable database. It has 412,510 total searchable names.
November 2020 thumbnailFinding Maiden Names: Let Me Count the Ways. Clues and a checklist guide in your search. The name was "hidden" after marriage, but you can still find it. (Paula Stuart Warren)
Dec. 5, 2020 Election. The nominating committe will presents a slate of officers for the the election and Directors will be appointed.
Help Wanted! BCGS Secretary. The term of offfice is 2021, the primary duty is taking the minutes of the monthly Board mtgs. on the third Thurs. of the month.
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG). The next meeting is Jan. 20, 2021 at 2 p.m. If you want to attend, contact Joann Cosgrove - projects@bucksgen.org
Giving Tuesday - Dec.1, 2020. There are several way you can give back to BCGS with a gift or a time donation.
Roots Tech Connect in 2021. It is a global family history event and technology conference which will be virtual and free from Feb. 25 - 27, 2021.
Beginners Corner. Have you looked at the FamilySearch.org Catalog? Directions on how to do this kind of search.
October 2020 thumbnail14th Annual Ancestry Fair November 7, 2020. The Bookends of Liberty: 300 Years of the Growth of Freedom in America.
The Murder of Johann Ludwig Denn. The story of the unsolved murder of Beth's great-great grandmother's brother. (Beth Lepianka, BCGS Treasurer)
Jersey Devil. The story of the myth and the legend of the bat winged, horse headed, hoofed and forked tailed creature. (Sherry Mitchell, BCGS Member)
Member Spotlight: Sherry Mitchell. How Sherry inherited her dad's research and uncovered what happened to her Civil War ancestor.
A Postcard Arrived 100 Year Late. Trying to find the relatives of the addressee Roy McQueen of Belding, Michigan. (Cindy Kowalewski, BCGS Member)
September 2020 thumbnailWhat Maps Tell Us About Neighborhoods: Holmes Map of 1687 (Sue Long)
14th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair: November 7, 2020 The Bookends of Liberty: 300 Years of the Growth of Freedom in North America
Irish Special Interest Group (SIG): Join this virtual meeting by contacting Joann Cosgrove. (Joann Cosgrove, VP Projects)
Help Researching a Civil War Ancestor: Identifying the man in photo who appeared to be a Union veteran of the Civil War (Ann Kauffman)
Member Spotlight: Cheryl Hamm
PrintFriendly: A free tool to help print and save webpages (Cheryl Hamm)
An Interesting Find in My Neighborhood Tombstones found near the South Branch of the Raritan NJ river. (Jim Gessner)
Zoom Help: A video showing how to join a Zoom meeting for the first time.
August 2020 thumbnailSource Citations. Why Bother? The presentation will explore the who, what, when, where, and why as well as content, sequencing and the formating of citations. (Allan Male)
FAQ'S about BCGS Virtual Meetings. Questions are answered about how and why things are done for virtual meetings.
Follow the Money! An explanation of what your membership dues pay for and what the meeting fee covers. Two very different things.
Computer Help. Are you drowning in passwords? Here is a video link that may help, The Password Trick. (Thomas MacEntee)
The Bookends of Liberty: 300 Years of the Growth and Freedom in North America. 14th Annual Ancestry Fair. Virtual conference on Sat. Nov. 7, 2020. (David Lambert and Gena Philibert-Ortega)
July 2020 thumbnailDistant Voices: Recovering the Histories of Impoverished and Instutionalized Americans. Using historical methods to uncover and understand them. (Brent J. Ruswick, Ph.D.)
Bookends of Liberty: 300 Years of the Growth of Freedom in North America. 14th Annual Ancestry Fair. Virtual conference on Sat. Nov. 7, 2020. (Speakers: David Lambert and Gena Philibert-Ortega)
What I did during the Pandemic! Transcribing 65 years (1921-1991) of my grandfathers diaries so the contents can be shared and the books not suffer. (Roxan Schneider, BCGS Hospitality Coordinator)
Virtual Bliss Part 2: Genetic Genealogy. The Institute for Genetic Genealogy Conference in available online. CeCe Moore's Keynote Speech in free on YouTube. (Cathy Ivins, BCGS Director of Publicity)
Special Interest Group (SIG). We currently have an Irish SIG and we are looking for anyone who would like to start one for other nationalities. (Joann Cosgrove, BCGS Projects VP)
Beginner's Corner. A link for 26 tips to help you get started on your research.
2020 Family History Conference. Registration is open for the Federation of Genealogical Societies Virtual Conference to be held on Sat., Sept. 20, 2020.
June 2020 thumbnailCarol M. Sheaffer, M.D., 1942-2020. The past Pres. of the Genealogical Soc. of PA. She will be missed by the genealogy community she loved so much.
Celebrate the 19th Amendment! This amendment to the Constitution granted women the right to vote in 1920. Two links provide more information.
Irish Research Special Interest Group (SIG). Join the monthly Zoom meetings by contacting Joann at projects@bucksgen.org. (Joann Cosgrove, VP of Projects)
Organize the Mess! Pat explains her miscellaneous genealogy folder and how she went through it. (Pat Gessner, BCGS Newsletter Editor)
Beginners Corner. Using Google for Genealogy Research. Two links are provided.
May 2020 thumbnailTangled Skeins: Unraveling Family History's Mysteries with Forensic Genealogy. Defines Forensic Genealogy and methods used to find living and deceased family. (Eric Duran)
A Genealogy Journey - Or What I Did During the Pandemic of 2020. Shows how one person went about organizing and cataloging her families history. (Peg Felter, VP of Membership)
Virtual Bliss. Information on attending virtual meetings and using ethnic websites that have a wealth of information. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
A Free Resource for Bucks County Residents. Ancestry.com is available on the Bucks County Free Library website. Info on how to get a card and a pin number.
April 2020 thumbnailHatched, Matched and Dispatched: Discovering your Ancestor's Life Events. Introduction to vital records and how to obtain them. (Michelle Tucker Chubenco)
Inside BCGS: Gideon Hill. The Interium Vice-President of Programs personal history.
Beginners Tip. Use the free website from the Morman Church, FamilySearch.org. It may have things and/or transcriptions that are not on Ancestry.com.
April Events of 75 Years Ago. Historical events help you to understand the time in which your ancestors lived and how it impacted them.
Places to Explore. A list of free websites to help you in your research.
March 2020 thumbnailBecoming a Probate Detective: Rejoicing in the Probate Files of Your Ancestors. Introduces the basics of probate and demonstrates what clues can be found there. (Dawn King Carson)
Beginners' Tip: March is National Women's History Month. So Where are the Missing Ladies in your Tree? Several places to look for your female relatives. (Connie L. Ace, Ph.D.)
February 2020 thumbnailBCGS by the Numbers. Bucks County Genealogy's statistics for the year 2019.
Getting the Most Out of Archives, Libraries and Repositories. Strategies to find and get help at research facilities. (Sydney F. Cruice Dixon)
Beginners Corner. Start your research on the Bucks County Genealogy website. A review of the different pages on bucksgen.org.
Black History Month is Personal. The story of Pat Gessner's African American grandmother. (Pat Gessner, BCGS Newsletter Editor)
January 2020 thumbnailCensus and Census-Ability. Learn how to maximize the use of the U.S. Census to extract the most inforrmation out of every line. (Gideon G. Hill)
Periodicals Offered For You. A list of periodicals that are being offered to our members.
Using the Revised Version of RandyMajors.com. This site gives information on how to easily determine in which State an event occured at the date of that event. (Ted Bainbridge, Ph.D.)
Helpful Tech Tip. How to move the cursor within a text or email on an IPhone. How to right-click on a Chromebook. (Cathy Ivins, BCGS Dir. of Publicity)
Research Tip. The Mercer Museum is a depository of many Bucks County government records dating back to 1683. A list is included.
Beginners Corner. Get started with FamilySearch.com. This free site has lots of helpful hints in its Wiki. A link is provided.

2019

IssueArticle
December 2019 thumbnailThrough the Golden Door: Immigration After the Civil War. How the laws changed and what had to done to enter the United States. (Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL)
New Meeting Place for BCGS! Starting Jan. 4, 2020, at Delaware Valley Univ., 700 E. Butler Ave., Doylestown, PA in the Mandell Bldg.
New Mailing Address for BCGS! P.O. Box 297, Doylestown, PA 18901
BCGS Officers and Directors for 2020. The election was held on Dec. 7, 2019. See the list of those elected and appointed to the BCGS Executive Board.
Easy Way to Support BCGS. Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the Bucks County Genealogical Society.
U.S. Census Bureau Needs Your Help. They are hiring census takers and office staff. Help genealogist by getting involved and get paid at the same time.
Beginners Corner: Genealogy information on maps! Look at YouTube videos with suggestions. The Sanborn Fire Maps are available at the Library of Congress.
November 2019 thumbnailThe Quest to Find the Heimat: German Research Basics. How to identify an ancestors German town of origin and how to locate it. (Debra Hoffman)
U.S. Census Bureau Needs Your Help. Census Records are vital to genealogy. You can become a paid Census Taker.
Beginners Corner. Lots of help with German research is available on FamilySearch.org.
October 2019 thumbnail13th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair. Nov. 9, 2019 at the Delaware Valley Univ., Life Sciences Bldg., Doylestown, PA
New Meeting Place for BCGS! The criteria and the solution. Starting Jan. 4, 2020, at Delaware Valley Univ., Doylestown in the Mandell Bldg. (Beth Lepianka)
Headman/Miller Family Bible. The Eugene (Oregon) Public Library is looking for a researcher to purchase it. It's in German and was published in 1867/1868.
National Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day Monday, Oct. 21st. Time to remove old files from your computer and to sort out and refile your paper genealogy files.
Beginners Corner: Check census records in more than one source. Due to transcription errors, Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org may not be the same.
September 2019 thumbnailItalian Americans: Find Your Roots in the Old Country. Learn the basics of Italian records. Plus tips and tricks for finding your elusive ancestors. (Rich Venezia)
A Taste of Italy. A website with Italian dessert recipies.
Show and Tell Potluck Event. A list of presenters who shared their ancestors' stories and artifacts.
Do You Know about the Lazaretto Quarantine Station? The oldest quarantine station in the United States and 6th oldest in the world.
National Genealogical Society and the Federation of Genealogical Societies to Merge. The consolidated group will be the National Genealogical Society.
Beginners Corner: Searching for Female Ancestors. Suggestions for finding your female ancestors surnames prior to their marriage.
August 2019 thumbnailMemorial Cards are Being Submitted. A repository for Memorial, Prayer and/or Funeral Cards.
Personal Genealogy Consultations in Philadelphia. On Sept. 19, 2019, professional genealogist will be available to help with your research. (Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP))
On The Road: Sept. 6, 2019, First Fridays on the Delaware in Bristol and Sept. 21, 2019, Buckingham Friends Peace Fair in Lahaska. (Cathy Ivins)
Philadelphia Sports Legends and More. A binder containing genealogy for them, Patsy Cline, Bruce Lee and others is available to browse at each meeting.
Beginners Corner. Check out Family Tree Magazine for a great research source. It has free forms, free downloads, blogs and helpful articles.
July 2019 thumbnailJewish Genealogy: How to Locate Individuals Through Genealogy. Locate family, relatives and heirs. Find plaintiffs, defendants and witnesses. (Fred Blum)
The Family Search. A free site to search world wide records. Run by The Mormans, it offers records, guidance and the ability to create a public tree. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
On The Road: Bristol, PA - First Fridays on the Delaware and on Sept. 21st we will join the Buckingham Friends Peace Fair in Lahaska.
Research Tip: Post Card Albums. Organize the cards by addressee and by postmark. You can find births, graduations, deaths, and identities, (Sandy Tyner, Clermont, Florida)
Beginners Corner: Go to the BCGS website click the Beginners Page for a video. Information on websites and downloadable forms to help your search.
June 2019 thumbnailBeginners' Tip. Timelines: Putting it together to make sense of it all. Helps to organize facts chronologically so you can sort conflicting information. (Connie Ace)
Research Tip: New Jersey Danish Records. A website with extensive databases for marriage, birth and death records. (Marilyn Cook)
Family Tree Maker: An overview of Family Tree Maker Software. June 27, 2019 at the Tredyffrin Public Library.
Good Deeds: Property Records and Family Research. June 27, 2019 at the Mercer Museum.
On The Road: First Fridays on the Delaware, Mill Street, Bristol Borough. June 7, 2019. BCGS will offer free family history research.
May 2019 thumbnailAfrican-American Genealogy. Common "Brick Walls" challenging African-Americans and ways to overcome them. (Dean Henry)
BCGS On The Road: June 27, 2019 "Good Deeds" Property Records and Family History Research. Explore the value of property records for research.
Beginners Tip - Call in your F.A.N. Club - Family, Associates and Neighbors. Finding your ancestors by searching for collateral information; their FANS. (Connie Ace)
BCGS On The Road: June 27, 2019 Family Tree Maker. Overview of the Family Tree Maker software.
April 2019 thumbnailResearching Your Irish Ancestors: Best practices for Irish research. (Sydney F. Cruice Dixon)
Who Doesn't Love Irish Potatoes? Link for Irish dessert recipes.
Volunteer Program Update: Starting an official volunteer program. (Cheryl VanLeer)
BCGS on the road! April 27 & 28, at Peddler's Village, Lahaska. (Cathy Ivins)
Beginners Tip of the Month: Source Integrity: What Can I Believe? (Connie Ace)
So What's a SIG? British Isles Special Interest Group (Joann Cosgrove)
BCGS trip to NARA! Folks from BCGS went to NARA in Washington DC.
Research Tip: Ancestry.com free research guide to help you discover international ancestors.
March 2019 thumbnailInside BCGS - Cheryl VanLeer, Director of Volunteers. Background of our newest Board Member.
New BCGS Project - Memorial Cards. How to add Prayer, Funeral or Holy Cards to our database. (Eve Puhalla)
Beginners Tip: Google It! Various websites you can use for research. (Connie Ace)
Tidbit of the Past - April 9, 1945 The Evening Bulletin. Wind blows a man off of the top of his truck to his death. (Joann Cosgrove)
Research at Council Rock: Create a Research Plan Computer lab to do individual research.
February 2019 thumbnailFinding Your Immigrant Ancestor: How to find those ancestors who immigrated from the Old Country. (Fred Voss)
New BCGS Special Interest Group (SIG)!: British Isles research help. (Christine Roberts)
Database Update: Updated options for the database with a number of enhancements. (Nancy Heath)
Beginners Tip of the Month: Writing Your Story! (Connie Ace)
Tidbit of the Past: Historians Hear about Banjos, News Herald May 4, 1988 (Submitted by Joann Cosgrove)
Research Tip: Migrations the Making of America, New York citywide festival beginning at Carnegie Hall. (Marilyn Cook)
How Does It Happen?: Lots of volunteers show up each month to get ready for each BCGS meeting. (Pat Gessner)
January 2019 thumbnailEastern European Genealogy - Discover Your Immigrant Origins. Learn what records are available to find your ancestors home village. (Michelle Chubenko)
Find recipes from Poland, Ukraine, The Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Member Spotlight - Sara Brower
New Pennsylvania Genealogy Records Available: The Commonwealth of PA releases records from 1913 for births and 1968 for deaths
Tech Tip: Directions on how to save posts from Facebook. (Cathy Ivins)
Tidbit from the Past: Evening Bulletin, Jan. 29, 1945. Local flyer, Lt. Albert Jacobson, saved by 12 Yugoslavian Girl Guerrillas who carried him to safety. (Joann Cosgrove)
Research Tip: Do you have ancestors who arrived in New York in the 20th Century? Check Castle Gardens. First official immagration center from 1855 to 1890. (Pat Gessner)

2018

IssueArticle
December 2018 thumbnailGet Your Wellies On: Wading Through the Records of England and Wales. (Christine Roberts)
BCGS Election for 2019 Officers. Directors also appointed.
High-Tech Bucksgen - Mentimeter.com. Smart devices used to answer questions and gather information immediately. (Cathy Ivins - Director of Publicity)
Bucks County Genealogical and Historical Preservation Advisory Committee. Developing priorities for restoration, preservation and storage of records. (Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans Court)
Bucks County Deeds on Display. Property records from 1684 to 1980 displayed at various sites
Tech Tip - "Meetways - Meet in the Middle" - www.meetways.com. Input two locations and find optiions (restaurant, etc.) where you can meet. (Cathy Ivins, Director of Publicity)
November 2018 thumbnailDiscover the Plain Truth in Quaker Records: Records created by the Religious Society of Friends are a resource for research. (Ann Wetherill Upton)
National Museum of American Jewish History: Over 30,000 historical artifacts, exhibits and stories of immagrant ancestors. (Cathy Ivins)
Tiny Tidbits of the Past - Bristol Daily Courier, 11/27/1935 - Yardley A list of hosts and their guests. (Joann Cosgrove)
Genealogical Research Trip to Washington DC on January 11, 2019 (Wayne Campbell)
October 2018 thumbnailOctober is Family History Month: Designated by the U.S. Congress in 2001
Tidbit From the Past: Irish Colleen Entered the US Via Coffin on Bomber and as a Ship Stowaway. Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Oct. 2, 1944 (submitted by Joan Cosgrove)
Beginners Tip: Researching Cemeteries (Connie Ace)
12th Annual Ancestry Fair, November 17, 2018: Event is sold out!
September 2018 thumbnailTidbit From the Past: Bristol Daily Courier 20 Sept 1918 The First Influenza Case Here is Fatal: Boy Ill Three Days (submitted by Joann Cosgrove)
Beginner Tip: Learning ways to make your Genealogy research easier and better. (Connie Ace)
Research Tip: Philadelphia City Archives opens new office. (Sara Brower)
BCGS Members: New Options You can now make changes to your member information. (Nancy Heath, Webmaster)
Using Atypical Techniques to Find Your Ancestors (Mike Schwartz)
A Genealogical Research Trip to Washington, DC (Wayne Campbell)
August 2018 thumbnailBeginners Tip - Join and attend other genealogical societies. They are a great sources of information.
My 18th Cousin Killed My 15th Cousin Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr are related to Member Sherry Mitchell (Sherry Mitchell)
Tidbits of the Past - Three Perkasians Meet Death in July 4, 1918 Accident Continuation of the article from the July 2018 Newsletter (Joann Cosgrove)
Research Tip - WW11 Draft Registrations Anomaly Draft registrations were copied incorrectly, the front and the back do not match
July 2018 thumbnailYour Keys to Successful Research at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania: (Dawn King Carson)
Bucksgen on Social Media: Join the Bucksgen Forum on Facebook for interaction with other members.
Bucks County Marriage License Applications: On-line at the Bucks County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans Court
Tidbit from the Past: Central News July 4, 1918 (Joann Cosgrove)
The National Votes for Women Trail: Project to research sites related to Women's Suffrage
Beginners Tip: Don't forget FamilySearch.org
Research Tip: Searchable history books
June 2018 thumbnailMember Spotlight: Beth Lepianka
On the Road Again! (Cathy Ivins)
Records, Records Who Has the Records? (Joann Cosgrove)
Beginners Tip of the Month (Connie Ace)
Want Company on a Research Trip? (Cathy Ivins)
Tiny Tidbits of the Past (Joann Cosgrove)
What Happens to the Survey Information?
Research Tip: Ancestry.com free guide for UK & Ireland Research
May 2018 thumbnailUsing Computer-Based Genealogy Programs. Ways to capture pictures, documents, etc. to supplement genealogy research. (Dean Henry)
Tiny Tidbits of the Past. From the Intelligencer of Friday, Dec 2, 1932, "Sick Folks of the Past Week". (Joann Cosgrove)
Records, Records, Who Has the Records? BCGS will gather information about area Historical Societies and repositories. (Joann Cosgrove)
I Found the Real Story! A rich history of a descendant of an African-American family. (Patricia Gessner)
Beginners Tip: The 25 Best Genealogy Websites for Beginners suggested by Family Tree Magazine.
Research Tip: May 2018 Newsletter of the Genealogy Society of Penna. Listing of 19th century Philadelphia marriages from May 1810 to April 1811.
April 2018 thumbnailDigitalization to DPLA: How to Make Archival Collections Discoverable. So institutions can have their collections in the Digital Public Library of Am. (Doreva Belfiore and Rachel Appel)
Records, Records, Who Has the Records? A record of the collections of area Historical Societies and repositories.
Doylestown Civil War Monument Re-dedication and information about the 104th PA Volunteer Regiment. (Ann Kauffman)
Bucks County Recorder of Deeds and and the Register of Wills office. (Wayne Campbell)
Suggestions on how to reunite "orphaned" family Bibles with their families. (Sara Brower)
Spring Clean Your Digital Life!
March 2018 thumbnailPicturing Your Research: Finding, Procuring and Preserving Images; April 7, 2018 meeting info (Michelle Novak)
Searchable Newsletter Page
Rosie the Riveter details on our website
New Facebook Group
Beginners Tip of the Month (Connie Ace)
A Pennsylvania German Research Tool (Ted Bainbridge, Ph.D.)
Need Help Searching a PDF?
February 2018 thumbnailPicturing Your Research: Finding, Procuring and Preserving Images; March 3, 2018 meeting info (Michelle Novak)
BCGS February Program is Available for Members. Link to video available in Members-Only section (Cathy Ivins)
27,500 new names in the database!
We need a Director of Volunteers! Could it be you?
Rosie the Riveter: How to contribute your ancestor to this project
New Facebook Group: Bucksgen Forum replaces Online Members Forum
Beginners Corner: Getting the most out of the US Federal Census (Connie Ace)
Research Tip: RootsTech family history event
Name Tag Order: Would you like to order one?
January 2018 thumbnailFishing on Facebook: Using Social Media for Genealogy!; February 3, 2018 meeting info (Cathy Ivins)
Save the Date: November 17, 2018, CeCe Moore at 2018 Ancestry Fair
Research tip: African-American History Month
Beginners Corner: Have you ever heard of FamilyTree magazine? (Connie Ace)
BCGS 2017 Highlights: BCGS by the numbers;
Rosie the Riveter project

2017

IssueArticle
December 2017 thumbnailResearch Tip: Getting Acquainted with the Revised FindAGrave (Ted Bainbridge)
Beginners Corner: Wiki on FamilySearch.org (Connie Ace)
A Few Things Happened on Our Way to Research! (Susan Williams, Betsey Davis)
Big News Coming for Ancestry Fair in 2018!
Rosie the Riveter! BCGS has embarked on a new project
Thanks to our terrific volunteers for a successful year!
Genealogy 101: Introduction to genealogy for beginners (Michelle Chubenko)
November 2017 thumbnailBCGS Election on December 2nd: Mary Butash, Peg Felter, Joann Cosgrove , Jeff Sipler, Tina Termyna, Marilyn Cook, Cathy Ivins, Nancy Heath
BCGS Field Trip Planned for December 8th: Lancaster Research Library
Rosie the Riveter! BCGS has embarked on a new project
Giving Tuesday, November 28, 2017: Global day of giving back
Special Thanks to Tom Myers - For two presentations about Mercer Library
Beginners Corner: Allen County Public Library , the nation's second richest genealogy library (Connie Ace)
Research Tip: Find-A-Grave changes
Cattle, Court & Cafe: Correcting Family Lore with Social History. How the use of newspapers can augment genealogy research. (Gideon Hill)
October 2017 thumbnailThe Ancestry Fair is Ready for You! 11th Annual Ancestry Fair, November 11, 2017
December BCGS Election: Annual election of BCGS officers & directors will be held Dec. 2
Rosie the Riveter! BCGS has embarked on a new project
Some Ways to Break "Genealogy Block" Recap reasons for not searching
Beginners Corner: When looking at census records, be sure to check more than one source.
Research tip: Free search in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Hints from Aunt Edna! PA State Archives Poster
September 2017 thumbnailBucks County Resources at Mercer Museum Oct. 7, 2017 meeting information with Tom Myers
Boscov's Friends Helping Friends Fundraiser for BCGS 25% off shopping passes
Our Database Keeps Growing! 3,945 added since prior month
Rosie the Riveter! BCGS has embarked on a new project
Check for Ancestry Fair updated information!
Beginners Corner: Link to article Make Misspellings Work for You
Research tip: Educational online information; link to Family Search wiki
August 2017 thumbnailBack 2 School 4 Genealogy! Sep. 9, 2017 meeting information
GRIP in July! Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburg (Nancy Heath)
2017 Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Volunteers still needed
Boscov's Friends Helping Friends: Fundraiser for BCGS 25% off shopping passes
On the Road Again! September & October events for BCGS
Our Database Has Grown Again! 9,800 names added
Organize Your Genealogy: Free downloadable ebook from Family Tree Magazine
World War I Wall of Honor: Final date for submission is September 30, 2017
Beginners Corner: BCGS video for Pecha Kucha Night
Researching Jewish Genealogy: Link to Roots Tech blog three-part series
Did you forget your sweatshirt on August 5th? Light blue hoodie
July 2017 thumbnailUsing Census Records with Maps (Ted Bainbridge)
The High Tech Trek: Technology for genealogy (Cathy Ivins)
2017 Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Volunteer request
Research tip: Genealogy/Historical Groups/Pages on Facebook
Did your ancestors come to the US legally? Philly.com article link
June 2017 thumbnail2017 Ancestry Fair Keynote Speaker: Sydney F. Cruice Dixon
2017 Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Volunteers needed!
The Vietnam Traveling Wall in Bucks County The Traveling Wall to be in Penndel Jul 12-17
Bucks County Student Uncovers Lancaster WWII Hero Lauren Miller, CB East student researched Edward W. Duckworth
Research tip: Look at the BCGS website!
May 2017 thumbnailHow to Search Military Records & Discover Their Genealogy Treasures: June 6, 2017 meeting information (Sydney Cruice Dixon)
Our Database Has Grown Again! 356,717 records online
Fight, Flight & A Deathbed Confession: Story by Ann Morton (Ann Morton)
2017 Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Volunteers needed!
Tech Tip - Password Help. Password manager information.
Research tip: Grundy Library access for Bucks County Library
April 2017 thumbnailThe Family Detective: May 6, 2017 meeting information (Bob Stein)
World War I Wall of Honor
Website Assistant Needed: Asking for help to maintain and improve website
Our Database Has Grown Again! 355,739 records online now
April Field Trip - 8 people went to the NJ Archives: Cindy Wahlig, Betsey Davis, Roxan Schneider, Sara Brower, Donna Barr, Kathy Rice, Annette Eubank (Wayne Campbell)
Museum of American Revolution: New museum opened April 19, 2017
Family Tree Maker 2017: Link for information on release date
Research tip: Link to Family Tree Magazine
March 2017 thumbnailBCGS New Secretary: Volunteer
Safe Surfing for Genealogists: Online tips for the internet
BCGS Field Trip Planned for April 7th! Trip to NJ Archives led by Wayne Campbell
Shirts, Fleece Jackets, Name Tags: Prices and order information
Ancestry Fair Committee Meeting: First meeting to be held March 25, 2017
Research tip: More DNA info. Chris Roberts blog about DNA.
100th Anniversary of the Great War: Website and TV update
February 2017 thumbnail7 Habits of Highly Effective Genealogists: March 4, 2017 meeting information (DearMYRTLE)
Our Heroes: World War I Wall of Honor. 100th anniversary of WWI
Interested in a Field Trip to Explore some Genealogy Sites? Contact Wayne Campbell with ideas (Wayne Campbell)
Help Us Plan the April Meeting! Contact Jeff Sipler with ideas (Jeff Sipler)
Mount Olive Cemetery's New Gateway: New gateway arch installed
Save the Date: November 11, 2017 for Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair
Research tip: Chris Roberts blog about DNA
What About Your Future Genealogy Records: Free e-book link (Thomas MacEntee)
January 2017 thumbnailFinding your Revolutionary War Ancestor: Feb. 4, 2017 meeting information. Presentation by Katherine Ludwig (Katherine Ludwig)
Dear MYRTLE is Coming to BCGS: March 4, 2017 meeting announcement
Our Heroes: World War I Wall of Honor. 100th anniversary of WWI
Research Tip: Fold3 sale
Warning About New Genealogy Site: familytreenow.org
Opening on the BCGS Board: A secretary for 2017 is needed
New Membership Category! Lifetime membership at $250

2016

IssueArticle
December 2016 thumbnailLineage Society Workship: January 7, 2017 meeting information (Marguerite Mogila)
Learn about the David Library: February 7, 2017 meeting ad
Dear MRYTLE is coming to BCGS: March 4, 2017 meeting ad
Beginners Corner: Family Search Wiki for beginners
Oops! To correct information from previous newsletter
Dear MYRTLE's blog: Link to blog
Opening on the BCGS Board: A secretary for 2017 is needed
Request for Help from Across the Ocean! Searching for a Bible
New Membership Category! Lifetime membership at $250
November 2016 thumbnailBucks County Resources at Mercer Museum: December 3, 2016 meeting information (Tom Myers)
No Coffee or Snacks Needed: December 3, 2016 meeting
Family Tree Maker Update: Free patch for FTM 2014 and Mac 3
Getting Ready for Holiday Shopping? smile.amazon.com
Beginners Corner: Family Interview Questions
Research Tip: New Jersey 1865 census
October 2016 thumbnailAnnual Meeting & Potluck Brunch: November 5, 2016 meeting information
Help...Coffee is Needed! Refreshments for November 5, 2016 meeting
10th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair
Election of 2017 Officers and Directors: Mary Butash, Peg Felter, Jeff Sipler, Connie Ace, Marilyn Cook, Cathy Ivins, Nancy Heath
More on the BCGS Database! Some new additions; now at 341,211
Beginners Corner: Family Search; How to narrow your search
Research tip: Genealogy Search Engine on GenealogyInTime Magazine
September 2016 thumbnailGreat Grandpa Bought a Bridge: Genealogy Scans, Frauds & Hoaxes (Gideon Hill)
Refreshments are needed! October 2016 meeting
Eric R. Feltyberger 1973-2016: Article on death of Mary Butash's son
Boscov's Friends Helping Friends: 25% off shopping pass for Tue. Oct. 18, 2016
10th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Location and keynote speaker info
Inside BCGS: Cathy Ivins
Nominating Committee Plea! Seeking nominees
Roots on Wheels! Announcing blog of former president (Chris Roberts)
The BCGS Database: 338,708 names
Beginners Corner: Corner at monthly meetings (Connie Ace)
Research Tip: Ancestry.com courses online
August 2016 thumbnailBack 2 School 4 Genealogy! Sep. 10, 2016 meeting information
Refreshments are needed! September 2016 meeting
Boscov's Friends Helping Friends: 25% off shopping pass for Tue. Oct. 18, 2016
Inside BCGS: Nancy Heath
10th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Location and keynote speaker info
The BCGS Database: Added 800 more new names
Wow - The Cemetery Project is Finished!! 207 cemeteries on the website (Joann Cosgrove, Peg Felter)
Beginners Corner: Links for free newspaper searches
Tech Tips: Convert file to different format - cloudconvert.com
July 2016 thumbnailGenetic Genealogy: DNA for Newbies, Wannabes, and Crackerjacks. August 6, 2016 meeting: DNA for genealogy (Cathy Ivins)
One Man's Attempt at an Ancestral Deep Dive: Research on Gen. William W. Averell (Ralph Rhodes)
Ralph Rhodes' Footnotes: From article on Gen. William W. Averell (Ralph Rhodes)
The BCGS Database: 338,912 records in database
10th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Location and keynote speaker info
Query: Are you a descendant of Eve Faulkner? Lots of information available through contact (Barbara May)
Beginners Corner: 26 Tips to Get You Started
Research Tip: A Country Guide to Google Search Engines
June 2016 thumbnailThere is No Meeting in July 2016
Inside BCGS: Past President, Chris Roberts
On the Road Again! BCGS at First Baptist Church, Langhorne, Juneteenth event
The BCGS Database: 6,000 names added to database
10th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Location and keynote speaker info
Beginners Corner: Scan photos and slides (Mary Butash)
Research tip: Look at members-only section
May 2016 thumbnailWhen Descendants Become Ancestors: Leave information about our lives for descendants (David Kendall)
Refreshments are needed: June 2016 meeting
Treasurer Resigns: Marguerite Mogila resigns in April 2016
On the Road: BCGS at NJ State History Fair
Scout Reclaims Cemetery: Stewart Burial Grounds, Tinicum Twp, Bucks Co, PA (Eric Senior)
Search the BCGS Database: Grown by over 7,000 names
10th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Committee meeting on June 11th
Beginners Corner: One-Step Webpages
Research Tip: Richland Library Company, Quakertown, PA
April 2016 thumbnailThe Ancestor Deep-Dive: How You Can Find Out Everything There is to Know about your Ancestor. Will teach a methodology for creating a research plan. (Tammy Hepps)
Refreshments are needed! May 2016 meeting
We hope to see you at the NJ History Fair! Saturday, May 14, 2016 in Manalapan, NJ
Search the BCGS Database: 325,199 records
Facebook: A Tool for Genealogy Research. Using Facebook's search function for genealogy - and more (Thomas MacEntee)
Links to Lineage Societies: Links to the most popular lineage societies (Ted Bainbridge)
10th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Saturday, November 12, 2016
Beginners Corner: Using Wiki's
Research Tip: Intelligencer microfilm files now at Doylestown Historical Society
All Star Award for 3rd Consecutive Year! Award for engaging newsletter recipients
March 2016 thumbnailJump Start Your Online Research: Some Sites You Haven't Yet Explored (Joyce Homan)
Help! Refreshments are needed! April 2016 meeting
Save the date - November 12, 2016. 10th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair!
Tune in on March 28th, 2016: WDVR-FM radio interview (Chris Roberts)
Will you help keep the database free? Join or donate
New records added to the database! 325,199 records
Shutterbug DYK's: BCGS photos can be seen at different locations (Cathy Ivins)
Can you help finish up our Cemetery Project? 30 cemeteries left to do
Do you know about the Seagoing Cowboys? Heifer Project after World War II
Help desk for beginners! Beginners Corner at monthly meeting (Mary Butash)
Tech Help: Bucks County Free Library offers free tech service
Research Tip: Google Translate
February 2016 thumbnailScrapbooking Your Family Tree: Scrapbooking and other suggestions (Marge Farbman)
Help! Refreshments are needed! Bring coffee or snacks to March 2016 meeting
Member Spotlight: Steve Lemken
Help desk for beginners! Beginners Corner at monthly meeting (Mary Butash)
Office Space is Needed! Looking for small office
We're still working on the database! 321,084 records
BCGS Newsletter Changes! Changed to "mobile responsive" template (Pat Gessner)
Beginners Corner: Finding Immigrant Ancestors on Ancestry.com
Research Tip: USGenWeb Project
January 2016 thumbnailPier 53: The Ellis Island of Philadelphia. Learn about the Pier 53 Project. (Susan McAninley)
Help! Refreshments are needed! February 2016 meeting
Civil War Diary: Update on donated diary
Database Info: 321,084 records
A Trip to GRIP - Genealogy Summer Camp. Summer conference in Pittsburgh (Cathy Ivins)
We've got books - lots and lots of books! Catalog of donated books & other items
Beginners Corner: Google search for locations.
Research Tip: Ancestry.com unusual collections

2015

IssueArticle
December 2015 thumbnailYour Roots Are Showing: The Research Behind the Presentation. January 9, 2016 meeting info (Connie Ace)
Help! Refreshments are needed! Bring coffee or snacks to January 2016 meeting
The End of Family Tree Maker? Ancestry.com will no longer sell FamilyTreeMaker (Mary Butash)
Database Info: 321,084 records
Have you looked at the BCGS Videos? YouTube videos.
Beginners Corner: FamilySearch Wiki
Research tip: Research from A to Z
November 2015 thumbnailBeyond X & Y: The Promises & Pitfalls of Autosomal Testing. Dec. 5, 2015 meeting info (Judy Russell)
Who GIves A Spit? DNA for Genealogy (Cathy Ivins)
Volunteers Needed: Folks aren't signing up to bring coffee and snacks
25,000 New Names Added to the Database. Info from Spingtown Weekly Times, 1902-1918
Election Results - Officers for 2016: Mary Butash, Joann Cosgrove, Jeff Sipler, Pat Gessner, Marilyn Cook, Marguerite Mogila, Cathy Ivins,Nancy Heath,Peg Felter
Membership Committee: Assistant VP-Membership, Peg Felter
Query: Y-DNA Help Needed! Need help or website interpreting Y-DNA
Beginners Corner: Take a look at www.youtube.com
Research Tip: U.S. Army Enlistments, 1798-1914
October 2015 thumbnailAnnual Meeting & Potluck Brunch with Member Showcase: Nov. 7, 2015
Election of Officers and Directors: Mary Butash, Joann Cosgrove, Jeff Sipler, Pat Gessner, Marguerite Mogila, Cathy Ivins, Nancy Heath
Member Spotlight: Wayne Campbell
Refreshments are Needed for the December Meeting - Can you help?
Don't Forget to Check Our Database!
Query: Marriage of David Kitchen and Mary Hellendar
Beginners Corner: Consider subscribing to GenealogyInTime Magazine
Research Tip: Have you looked at Genealogy Search Tip of the Day?
September 2015 thumbnailGet the Dirt: Finding Your Ancestors in Land Records. Oct. 3, 2015 meeting. (Chris Roberts)
9th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair was a great success!
Refreshments are needed for October 2015 meeting. Can you help?
New Membership Management System. BCGS is now using a new computerized system. (Nancy Heath)
Wow, Take a Look at the Database Now! More than 35,000 records have been added to the database.
Inside BCGS: Jeff Sipler, VP-Programs
Query from a member: Marriage of Jane Dungan & John Gill
Beginners Corner: BCGS Website is a good place to look
Research Tip: Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
August 2015 thumbnailBack 2 School 4 Genealogy! Free Online Research from A-Z. Sept. 12, 2015
9th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Check out AncestryFair.org
Refreshments are needed for September and October 2015. Can you help?
Database Update: 2,600 death and burial records added
Inside BCGS: Joann Cosgrove, VP-Projects
Book Review: The Lost Ancestor by Nathan Dylan Goodwin (Pat Gessner)
Beginners Corner: Have you looked at archive.org?
Research Tip: Genealogy Search Tip for FamilySearch
July 2015 thumbnailUnderstanding and Using Quaker Records: August 1, 2015 meeting (Christopher Densmore)
9th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Check out AncestryFair.org
Get a G.R.I.P. on Genetic Genealogy: Practical genetic genealogy course (Cathy Ivins)
Website Surnames List Has Been Updated! Surnames list easier and much faster (Nancy Heath)
Refreshments are needed for September and October. Can you help?
Database Update: Statistical update.
Cemetery Assessment Project seems to be grounded! 53 cemeteries need CAP forms
The Old Time Funerals: Excerpt from some local history of Franconia Township (Joyce Clemmens Munro)
To Honor Charlotte Fox Rogers 1925-2015 - Obituary
Beginners Corner: 50 free genealogy sites
Research Tip: Easton Area Public Library
June 2015 thumbnailJuly 4, 2015: No meeting
9th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Check out AncestryFair.org
Refreshments are needed for the August 2015 meeting. Can you help?
Look for your surnames on our database. Database statistical update.
Do you have roots in Devon, UK? Devon Family History Society's website.
The Cemetery Assessment Project (CAP) still needs.. 55 cemeteries left to complete
Beginners Corner: Three biggest mistakes of new genealogists.
Tech Tips: Mobile app from FamilySearch
May 2015 thumbnailMilitary Research at NARA: June 6, 2015 meeting info. (Patrick Connelly)
Refreshments are needed for the June 2015 meeting. Can you help?
Member Spotlight: Phyllis Wolfson
Ahlum-Allem Family Records: Wonderful source of 16,700 names (Dennis Gries, Judy Gries)
9th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Committees
Thousands more records have been added to our database! Database statistical update
The Cemetery Assessment Project (CAP) is almost finished. 59 cemeteries left to complete.
Beginners Corner: Tips for finding the stories of women in your family tree
Tech Tips: Variety of records on Dublin, Ireland website
April 2015 thumbnailResearching Your Ancestor's Locality: May 2, 2015 meeting info (Michelle Chubenko)
Refreshments are needed for the May 2, 2015 meeting. Can you help?
Genealogy Gophers: New website gengophers.com
4,765 more searchable records have been added to our database. Database statistical update
The Cemetery Assessment Project (CAP) is almost finished. 54 cemeteries left to complete.
BCGS Books & Records: Donations to BCGS collection
Several queries! Queries from April 11, 2015 meeting
A Query from the UK: Researcher for Who Do You Think You Are
Beginners Corner: How to narrow your search
Tech Tips: Tips for translating records
March 2015 thumbnailFrugal Hangout for Genealogy: April 11, 2015 meeting info
Facing Your Fear of Facebook: How to set up and use Facebook (Cathy Ivins)
9th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Committees
Looking for your great grandfather's obituary? Database statistical update
The Cemetery Assessment Project (CAP) is almost finished. 62 cemeteries left to complete
What you always wanted to know about Fraktur...Mercer Museum, March 22, 2015 (Corinne Earnest)
Beginners Corner: Check out RootsMooc
Research Tip: Daily search tips & what FamilySearch adds each month
Upgraded Member Benefit! FindMyPast discount increased to 50%
February 2015 thumbnailUnderstanding and Using Quaker Records: March 7, 2015 meeting (Christopher Densmore)
Family History Days: Historical Society of Pennsylvania, March 6 & 7, 2015
What you always wanted to know about Fraktur... Mercer Museum, March 22, 2015
9th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair: Committees
Member Spotlight: Sad news about Mary Goodenough
An Update on the Database: Database statistical update
Will you help finish the Cemetery Assessment Project (CAP)? 66 cemeteries left to complete
Group seeks descendants of soldiers from NC Civil War Prison. Salisbury, NC Historic Foundation special project.
Beginners Corner: Using Google before using FamilySearch & Ancestry
Research Tip: Ancestry.com free state research guides
Tech Tips: Great tours at the NY Public Library
January 2015 thumbnailAdoption Research for Genealogists: Feb. 7, 2015 meeting info (Michael Ramage)
BCGS still needs you! Volunteers needed for 9th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair.
Organizing Family Photographs: Preserve, organize, digitize family photos (Chris Roberts)
Yes, We still need help with refreshments! Volunteers needed
An update on the Database! Database statistical update.
Beginners Corner: Genealogy Do Over and More (Mary Butash)
Tech Tips: More apps for your smart phone
A Happy BCGS Winner! Drawing for FindMyPast at Feb 7, 2015 meeting (Ivy Hutchinson)

2014

IssueArticle
December 2014 thumbnailBig news for Pennsylvania coal miners' daughters, sons... Info about employees of Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co
Researching your English Family: Jan 3, 2015 meeting information (Frank Southcott)
BCGS Needs You! Volunteers needed for 9th Annual Ancestry Fair
Yes, We still need help with refreshments! Volunteers needed
Using WorldCat to find Genealogy Books. Dick Eastman's online genealogy newsletter (Dick Eastman)
The Database is always growing: Database statistical update
Beginners Corner: English naming tradition
Tech Tips: Apps - Family Bee and techradar.com
November 2014 thumbnailDowered Out or Bound Out: Records of Widows & Orphans Dec 6, 2014 meeting info (Judy Russell)
Member Spotlight: Peg Felter (Peg Felter)
Volunteers needed: Field trip, traffic, refreshments
Wow- Look at the Database! Database statistical update
BCGS Election Results - Officers for 2015: Chris Roberts, Pat Gessner, Jeff Sipler, Joann Cosgrove, Mary Butash, Marguerite Mogila, Cathy Ivins, Nancy
BCGS Survey Responses: Summary info from survey
Amazon Smile: You shop. Amazon gives!
Beginners Corner: Social media sites like Facebook
Tech Tips: Deciphering German birth, marriage and death registrations
October 2014 thumbnailAnnual Potluck: Nov 1, 2014 meeting info
Annual Meeting & Executive Board Election
Volunteers Needed: Refreshments, database, publicity, traffic
Database Update! Database statistical update
Survey Responses: Thank you to those who completed survey
Visiting the NJ State Archives Guide for BCGS Members: Detailed guide on Members-only section of the website
We're in the Homestretch! Photos still needed
We Have a New Member Benefit! FindMyPast discount info
Query: 2009 BCGS Journal (David Long)
Query: Andalusia Contiguous Farms (Gary Caufman)
Beginners Corner: YouTube video, free records available on Ancestry.com
Tech Tips: Safe solutions for hard-to-read headstones
September 2014 thumbnailResearch in New Jersey: Oct 4, 2014 meeting info (Claire Keenan)
Do you know about Historic Fallsington Day? Oct 11, 2014 event
Please help us...by completing 2-3 minute survey First online survey of members/non-members
Volunteers Needed: Hospitality, database, publicity, traffic, Excel volunteers
Database Update! Database statistical update
Yes, We still need photos! (Marilyn Cook, Joann Cosgrove, Peg Felter)
Tech Tips: Ancestry.com card catalog
August 2014 thumbnailTips & Tricks: Beyond the Basics on Ancestry.com Sep 6, 2014 meeting info (Sabrina Petersen)
Eighth Annual Ancestry Fair: Sep 20, 2014 meeting info
Member Spotlight: Thomas G. Myers (Thomas G. Myers)
Nominating Committee to be Appointed in September
Volunteers Needed: Hospitality and Publicity volunteers needed
Database Update! Database statistical update
Cemetery Photos Still Needed! (Joann Cosgrove, Peg Felter)
A Pension Walk... Fundraiser to Preserve the Pensions of 1812 (Judy Russell)
Ancestry DNA Kit on Sale to Aug. 27 (Cathy Ivins)
Tech Tips: Family Search Wiki
July 2014 thumbnailCold Case: Blasting Brick Walls. Aug 2, 2014 meeting info (Chris Roberts)
Save the Date: Sep 20, 2014 for 8th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair
Nominating Committee to be Appointed in September
National Archives at Philadelphia Update: Market St. closed as of July 3, 2014
Database Update! Database statistical update (Nancy Heath)
Help Wanted! We need photos! (Joann Cosgrove)
Subscription Warning! Alleged fraudulent billing practices
What Happens to your Ancestry.com Family Tree...? Tree information after cancellation or death
Eat, Drink and Be Merry (GSP Aug. 7, 2014 Quakertown walking tour)
Bucks County Libraries Online Survey Libraries conducting a survey with University of Washington
Tech Tips: Google Docs and Forms
June 2014 thumbnailJuly 5, 2014: No meeting
Save the Date: Sept. 20, 2014 for 8th Annual Bucks County Ancestry Fair
Help Wanted! We need photos! (Joann Cosgrove)
Database News! Database statistical update (Nancy Heath)
We Have a New Membership Category. Organization membership at $75 per year.
Good News from Family Search about Old Photos Link to free photos and document scanning information
AARP 30% Discount for Ancestry.com 30% discount on World Explorer until March 2015
Looking for a Speaker? Who Are My Peeps? - Beginning Family History Research (Chris Roberts)
Tech Tips: Microsoft Office family tree templates
Beginner Tech Tips: YouTube video, Family Search videos and services
Comment Corner: Comments from Members
May 2014 thumbnailNewspapers & Genealogy: June 7, 2014 meeting info (James Beidler)
Save the Date: Saturday, Sep 20, 2014, Bucks County Ancestry Fair
Member Spotlight: Mary Goodenough (Mary Goodenough)
Finding Your Roots: Returns to PBS on Sep 23, 2014
Database News! Database statistical update (Nancy Heath)
Looking for a Speaker? Who Are My Peeps? - Beginning Family History Research (Chris Roberts)
Tech Tips: Free directory of PA Genealogical & Historical Societies
Suggestions from members: StoryWorth (Mary Butash)
Suggestions from members: Irish Roots magazine (Marguerite Mogila)
April 2014 thumbnailResources Available at Bucks County Courthouse: May 3, 2014 meeting info (Donald Petrille)
Project Leaders Needed! Masons' Lodge records & St. Andrew's Cemetery (Chris Roberts)
Ancestry.com/Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State vital records (Michael McCormick)
Spirit of Jerseys State History Fair: Sat., May 5, 2014 at Washington Crossing State Park, NJ (Cathy Ivins)
Database News! Database statistical update (Nancy Heath)
Looking for a Speaker? Who Are My Peeps? - Beginning Family History Research (Chris Roberts)
Satterthwaite Information: Copies available from descendant (Bill Taylor)
Tech Tips: Videos available at Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Comment Corner: Comments from members
Query: Samuel Clark's family (John Rosenbaum)
Query: China Hall, Croydon, PA (Diane Watkins)
March 2014 thumbnailMember Show & Tell: Family Artifacts. April 5, 2014 meeting info
We're In the News! Intelligencer article about Ancestry Day
Member Spotlight: Roxan Schneider (Roxan Schneider)
Database News! Database statistical update (Nancy Heath)
Got Headstones? Cemetery assessment project (Joann Cosgrove)
Looking for a Speaker? Who Are My Peeps? - Beginning Family History Research (Chris Roberts)
National Archives at Philadelphia: NARA moving to Townsend Road
Tech Tips: Search U.S. Newspaper directory, 1690-present
Comment Corner: Comments from non-member
February 2014 thumbnailCrossing the Pond: Finding Immigrant Origins. Mar 1, 2014 meeting info (Larry Fermi)
BCGS Beginnings from 2011 (Chris Roberts)
Database News! Database statistical update (Nancy Heath)
Save the Date: Ancestry Day, March 15, 2014 in Philadelphia
Tech Tips: Links to paper conservation video & article
Comment Corner: Comments from members (Greg Palmer)
January 2014 thumbnailGenealogy In Your Genes: Using DNA for Genealogical Research. Feb 1, 2014 (Michael Hait)
Database News! Database launch (Nancy Heath)
Save the Date: Ancestry Day, March 15, 2014 in Philadelphia
Tech Tips: Links to sites with genealogical materials
Query: Warner and VanSant - Seeking information on John Warner (Arlene Mauer)
Query: WWI photo (Carol Norwood)
Query: Ann Clark's parents (Kay Lauver)
Palatines to America National German Genealogical Society: Spring Conference, May 3, 2013
Castor Association of America: Researching various spellings of Castor

2013

IssueArticle
December 2013 thumbnailMeeting Place: Do you know of a good meeting place? (Jeff Sipler)
Who Are My Peeps? - Beginning Family History Research Jan. 12, 2014 Webinar (Chris Roberts)
Save the Date: Volunteers will be needed March 15, 2014 Ancestry Day
Database News! Database to be launched in mid-January
A Special Thank You: Roxan Schneider to catalog & organize donated items
Marion Groff's Genealogy Records: Books, files, brochures, wills, etc. donated (Patricia Gessner, Barbara Watkins)
Spotlight: Marion Groff
Genealogy Information in the New York Times, Parts 3 and 4
Tech Tips: MakeUseOf (Mary Butash)
November 2013 thumbnailExecutive Board Election, Nov 2, 2013: Officers for 2014. Chris Roberts, Pat Gessner, Jeff Sipler, Joann Cosgrove
Executive Board Election, Nov 2, 2013: Officers for 2014. Marguerite Mogila, Mary Butash, Cathy Ivins, Nancy Heath, Dennis Gries
Dell Offers Holiday Deal!
Genealogy Information in The New York Times: Parts 1 and 2
Dowered Out or Bound Out: Records of Widows & Orphans. Dec 7, 2013 meeting (Gerald Smith)
Member Spotlight: Ann & Jack Kauffman
October 2013 thumbnail2013 Board of Directors: Election of Officers: Chris Roberts, Jeff Sipler, Pat Gessner, Mary Butash, Marguerite Mogila, Cathy Ivins, Nancy Heath
Purcell Family of America
Early Guardianship Laws (Pat Gessner)
Annual Meeting & Trials and Triumphs: Nov 2, 2013 meeting info
September 2013 thumbnailBCGS Presentation to DAR (Mary Butash, Janice Cerra, Denise Hilzer)
Males with Pryor Surname (Laurie Scott)
African-American New Archives Initiative (James and Mary Petty)
Descendant Tracing: Oct. 5, 2013 meeting info (Melissa Johnson)
Member Spotlight: Marilyn Cook (Marilyn Cook)
August 2013 thumbnailSept. 28, 2013 Annual Ancestry Fair meeting info
African-American New Archives Initiative (James and Mary Petty)
Change to NARA Researching
Sep 25 & 26 DC trip - Central Jersey Genealogy Club (Ed Walters)
Terry Family Research - link to website (Patrick Terry)
Genealogy and the Internet: Sep 13 meeting info
July 2013 thumbnailSad News: Chuck Goodenough
New Professional Services Page on Website (Nancy Heath)
Sep 25 & 26 DC trip - Central Jersey Genealogy Club (Ed Walters)
Lineage Society Workshop: Aug 3, 2013 meeting info (Marguerite Mogila)
Member Spotlight: Ben Cooper, Jeanette Cooper, Bob Cooper (Ben Cooper, Jeanette Cooper, Bob Cooper)
June 2013 thumbnailHSP Hidden Collections Initiative
New Professional Services Page on Website (Nancy Heath)
Query: WWI Photo (Carol Norwood)
Do a Simple Search on Google (Chris Roberts)
MacFamilyTree7 and MobileFamilyTree7 (Mary Butash)
May 2013 thumbnailNew BCGS website on May 15 (Nancy Heath)
Special Free e-Book Offer (Barry J. Ewell)
Death Notice (John Addis Christopher)
Overfiew of NARA in Philadelphia: Jun 1, 2013 meeting info (Beth Bensman Levitt)
Member Spotlight: Don Dieffenbach (Don Dieffenbach)
Query: John Chambers' wife (Carol Chambers Church)
April 2013 thumbnailRoad Scholar trips (Howard Gant)
Save the Mulligan Funeral Home Records (GSP)
What Is a Reasonably Exhaustive Search? May 4, 2013 meeting info (Michael Hait)
Query: Abraham Rinker (Doug Nelson)
Query: Tomlinson ancestors (Ron Cleese)
Bucks County Cemeteries on FindAGrave (Tom Myers)
Tech Tips (Cathy Ivins)
March 2013 thumbnailOld York Road Genealogy Society
Two Photographs (Ann Kauffman)
In the Blood by Steve Robinson: Book review (Mary Butash)
Family History Fair: Apr 13, 2013 meeting info
Query: Matthias Nehs (kraftykaykat)
Save Yourself! (Cathy Ivins)
February 2013 thumbnailPennsylvania Death Digitalization
Remembering my Ancestors (Jacqueline Hillegas)
National Archives in NYC Opens in New Location
National Archives Locations
Where There's a Will... Mar 2, 2013 meeting info (Susan Koelble)
Query: Anna Helen Banner (Roger Carlson)
January 2013 thumbnailA Note from Programs & Education (Jeff Sipler)
History & Genealogical Advisory Panel (Donald Petrille)
Inferential Genealogy (Bonnie Wagner)
Top Genealogy Resolutions (Chris Roberts)
Wherever Did I Put It? Feb 2, 2013 meeting info (Carol Schaefer, Nancy Nelson)
Identifying 19th Century Photographs: Jan 5, 2013 meeting info (Bruce Katsiff)
Query: David Kitchin (Arlene Mauer)
Query: Photos from 1860's (Carol Jacobs Norwood)
Facebook for Genealogy (Cathy Ivins)