The Social Science Club of Newton in the Progressive Era

Tracking ancestors is only the beginning of  researching family history.  As in any research based on genuine interest and curiosity, answered questions create more questions. What was it like in that town or that city at that particular time? What were their lives like?  What did they care about?  How did local, state, and national events effect them? One source of information that people often overlook is local club records — both for locating people and also for learning about life at the time the records were kept.

The Newton History Series presents a series of lectures on Newton history that should be of interest to people with families who lived in this area during the periods covered in the lectures. On Thursday, March 10th at 7:00 pm at the Newton Free Library  Kate Stout and Virginia Leavy will give a program titled The Social Science Club of Newton in the Progressive Era. The series, Women Breaking Boundaries, focuses on the dynamic history of women’s activism in Newton, spanning a full century from the 1880s to the 1980s and is sponsored by Historic Newton.

Are you curious about what smart, motivated women of Newton did with their free time a century ago? Kate Stout will present a brief history of the women’s club movement as gleaned from the record books and papers given by members of the Social Science Club of Newton. Virginia Leavy will then speak about the club’s early educational and social initiatives, and some of the members involved in them. This program is concurrent with two exhibits of historic items from the Social Science Club which will be on view in the display cases in the Main Hall (throughout March) and outside the Special Collections Room (throughout March and April) at the library.

Virginia (Vivi) Leavy has been a member of the Social Science Club of Newton since 2004. From 2008- 2010 she served as its president.

Kate Stout is a writer, journalist and editor. She has been an avid member of the Social Science Club since 2003.

Program writeup taken from the Newton Free Library Newsletter, March 2011, pp. 1,7.

vea/1 March 2011
Newton Free Library
Newton, Mass
Library website:  http://www.newtonfreelibrary.net
Genealogy blog:  https://thecuriousgenealogist.wordpress.com

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New England Family History Conference

The annual New England Family History Conference will be held on Saturday, March 26th, 2011 at the Franklin LDS chapel at 91 Jordan Road, Franklin, MA.  Although I am not a member of the LDS (often referred to as Mormon) Church, I have been going to this conference for several years now. Everyone is welcome. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in genealogical research who lives within driving distance of Franklin.  Click here for the list of classes. Click here for an overview of the entire program. Each participant can sign up for four classes.  There is another bonus. The conference is free. It is an exciting selection and extremely difficult to choose. The only costs are a boxed lunch, if you choose to buy one, and the syllabus of the classes, if you would like a complete one printed up and given to you in your registration packet.  Both costs are minimal. It is a good idea to register as early as possible.  Classes can close up quickly. For more information click on the conference highlighted title in the first sentence above and Frequently Ask Questions here.

LDS has always been in the forefront of genealogical research.  It’s members are extremely generous with their time, helping everyone from beginners to the most experienced, LDS and non-LDS alike.  Their website is undergoing a major revision.  They have an ongoing indexing project that is huge, staffed entirely by volunteers. To check out their new site, click here.  To take full advantage of this new site, take a look at their instructions in pdf format here and their interactive online guide here.  If you like the old version and wish to use it again, click here.  When you read the pdf, you will discover that there is still a large amount of material that is only available  in the older version.  Explore, enjoy, learn, discover.

vea/24 January 2011
Newton Free Library
Newton, Mass
Library website:  http://www.newtonfreelibrary.net
Genealogy blog:  https://thecuriousgenealogist.wordpress.com

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Coming to the Newton Free Library in January

Newton Free Library 1992

An invitation is extended to you for  Tuesday, January 11th, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Druker Auditorium (first doors on your left as you come into the library  from the parking lot.) . Cary Aufseeser, a member of the Board of the Jewish Genealogical Society, will  present an Introduction to Jewish Genealogy. Mr. Aufseeser began his own genealogical research in 2002 and has been able to trace some of his family lines back to the Middle Ages.

Points to be covered include:

* What’s Jewish about Jewish Genealogy
* How do you get started researching your roots
* Where do you find the records that give you information about your ancestors
* What are the most important online sites
* Where can you find resources to help you with your research in metro Boston

Everyone is  welcome.  No reservations are needed. No movie will be shown. There will be handouts. If you are (or want to become) involved in your own family search, you should take advantage of the opportunity offered by this program. Even if, like me, you have found no Jewish ancestors, I would still encourage you to come. I believe you will find much information here that will be extremely relevant to your own journey of discovery. 

The following evening, on Wednesday, January 12th, there will be a meeting of the Newton Genealogy Club from 7:00 to 9:00. It will be held in Meeting Room  A, which is in the group of rooms directly across from Druker Auditorium. The purpose of the club is to share information on records and approaches for starting or extending participants’ genealogical research. Novices and experienced researchers are both welcome. Participants are encouraged to bring questions from their own research for discussion. Come on in and get acquainted.

vea/5 January 2011
Newton Free Library
Newton, Mass
Library website:  http://www.newtonfreelibrary.net
Genealogy blog:  https://thecuriousgenealogist.wordpress.com

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Massachusetts Libraries and Organizations with Resources for Genealogists

Check the listed web page or telephone before going to any of these libraries or organizations. Details of operation such as hours, cost, and even location can change at any time.



Name: American Antiquarian Society
Internet address:  http://www.americanantiquarian.org
Phone:  508-755-5221
Location: 185 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA 01609
Holdings: Especially important for genealogists is this extraordinary collection of 18th and 19th century newspapers from the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean Islands.  The collection includes over 15,000 titles. The library also includes over 10,000 items in its map collection.

Name: Boston Public Library
Internet address: http://www.bpl.org
Phone: 617-536-5400
Location: 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116
Holdings: Various departments of the library have materials on New England history, heraldry, published genealogies of New England families, old newspapers on microfilm, and passenger lists on microfilm.

Name: Massachusetts Archives
Internet address: http://www.state.ma.us/sec/arc/arcidx.htm
Phone: 617-727-2816
Location: 220 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 02125
Holdings: Vital records 1841-1910; military records; federal census schedules 1790 1880, 1900; passenger lists 1848-1891; abstracts of naturalization records 1885-1931; and early Massachusetts court records.

Name: Massachusetts Society of Genealogists, Inc.
Internet address: http://www.massachusettssocietyofgenealogists.org
Phone: 508-892-1225
Location: P.O. Box 215, Ashland, MA 01721-0215
Publications: Past Times (monthly newsletter) and MASSOG (three per year).
Annual Membership Dues: $25 (individual), $30 (family).
Activities: Speakers, workshops, and meetings.  Society library transferred to the Worcester Public Library.
Chapters: Bristol, Hampden, Middlesex, and Worcester
Purpose: To promote the study of genealogy in Massachusetts

Name: National Archives and Records Administration
Internet address: http://www.archives.gov/northeast/boston
Phone: (781) 663-0130
Location: 380 Trapelo Road, Waltham, MA 02452-6399
Holdings: Immigration and naturalization records, census records, revolutionary war pensions, bounty land warrants, and military service records.

Name: New England Historic Genealogical Society
Internet address: http://www.newenglandancestors.org
The Newton Free Library subscribes to the NEHGS member’s website.  Check with librarian for access (available only in library.
Phone:  617-536-5740
Location: 101 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116-3007
Fees: $15 per day or $10 after 5 PM for non-members
Annual membership fee $75.00
Holdings: The most complete genealogical library on the East Coast. Check website for catalog.

Name: Newton City Hall
Internet address: http://www.ci.newton.ma.us
Phone: 617-796-1200
Location: 1000 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton, MA 02459
Holdings: City Clerk’s office has both birth and death records for Newton residents.  You must have a specific person’s name before any records can be checked.

Name: Newton History Museum at the Jackson Homestead
Internet address: http://www.ci.newton.ma.us/jackson
Phone: 617-796-1450
Location: 527 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02458
Holdings: Historical information on Newton, its older homes, and some of its families.

Name: Registry of Vital Records and Statistics
Internet address: http://www.mass.gov/dph/rvrs
Phone: 617-740-2600
Location: 150 Mt. Vernon St., 1st floor, Dorchester, MA 02125
Holdings: Vital records from 1916-present. (Earlier records [1841-1915] at the Massachusetts Archives or at the city or town of origin.)
Fees: Check on current fees for obtaining copies of vital records at their Internet site.  Fees vary from those ordered in person (least expensive) to those ordered over the Internet (most expensive.) I have heard different reviews re: doing research here. You might want to check the New England Historic Genealogical Society catalog and  go there if they have what you need.

Name: TIARA (The Irish Ancestral Research Association)
Internet address: http://www.tiara.ie
Mailing Address:  2120 Commonwealth Ave., Auburndale, MA 02466-1909
Publication: quarterly newsletter
Annual Membership Dues: $20 (individual), $30 (family)
Purpose: To promote the study of Irish genealogy and history.
Activities: Monthly meetings, speakers, surname exchange database, query exchange, and group prices on selected books.

23 April 2010 (revised)/vea
Newton Free Library
Newton, Mass
Library website:  http://www.newtonfreelibrary.net
Genealogy blog:  https://thecuriousgenealogist.wordpress.com

 

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