I no more than posted the last blog issue when I got a newsletter in the mail from the McDonough County Genealogical Society out of Macomb, IL. I joined it a few years back as many of my Vance side were from that area including a Vance Family Cemetery where many were buried. The county is celebrating their Bicentennial. The first article was “Reminiscence of the Pioneer Life in McDonough County” by LD Wilhelm. This was followed by “A Snapshot Journey from Pioneers to Present: Vance and Wilson to Frowein. Both articles mention James Vance (1764-1835). James was my 4x Great Grandfather. Great timing!

There were lots of interesting historical connections that included several of my ancestors. It was pretty cool to see this information, see how it related to what I already have, and to connect with the MCGS to see if I can get some of their documentation to confirm a few details. One being whether he was born in TN as they have him or in Bucks Co, PA as I have him. My research has him moving to TN to become member of the Guard Right.

I mention all of this for 2 reasons.1st it was fun to see the information and 2nd because it validates the reason for joining some of these groups. Is there a Gen Society in an area that your family is connected to? You might look into them to see if you can support the work they do and it may pay off unexpectedly down the road. We all know how much support is appreciated. I did send them an email to try and get the information I mentioned above. I’ll let you know if I find out anything.

I have connected with a couple of groups this way. It is usually relatively inexpensive, $20-$40 and you end up with some connections that you might not have otherwise. I did that with the Ostrander Family Association as well, so I have one connection on my mom’s side and one on my dad’s.

My next step is to look at all the details from the records and articles and see what they add to my current information. Another step is to find Gen Societies or Family Associations for other lines that have valid connections. There is a Reno/Reneau Family Association that I have looked at but haven’t joined. That is connected with the Vance side so who knows?

In finding these connections you might be able to network with groups that have information that help you tell your family story. It isn’t every city the family lived in but there may be some locations that seem have been populated by your family groups. You can learn more about the history of the family and about the history of the locations. Were families connected to the industries that grew in those areas? You may even find that your family member was a pioneer or founding member of the industry or the community.

Maybe all of this will light a fire under my genealogical research. Have a great New Year!

Heidi Geise, education@hqrl.com