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Welcome!
Since 1959, the Maryland Genealogical Society has been promoting genealogical study and research. Through our publications, programs, resources, and outreach, the Society can help you explore your family history.
And we hope that you'll follow us on Facebook for timely news and information.
Vote for MGS Board Members
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Every year, MGS holds an election for its Executive Board, including Officers and At-Large Board Members. The Board has approved the following slate of candidates developed by the Nominating Committee.
- President – Druscilla Null
- Vice President – Sandy Quick
- Treasurer – Allender Sybert
- Recording Secretary – Ellen Ward
- At-Large Members
- Jaclyn Fox
- Debra A. Hoffman
- Tom McCarriar
- Janelle Bartlett Mummey
- Anthony Nardo, Jr.
- Heather O'Hara
- David A. Powell
- Shawna Sherrell
- John Siemon
- Bridget M. Sunderlin, CG®
Voting is being held through an online ballot. The link to use for voting will be sent to MGS members by email and also is available in the Members Only section of the web site. The deadline to vote is 11:59pm ET on May 31.
Thank you to all our members for participating in this election and for your continuing support for MGS.
National DNA Day
 National DNA Day is celebrated annually on April 25 to commemorate the discovery of the DNA double helix and the completion of the Human Genome Project. In response, MGS is highlighting our website resources that provide information on using genetic testing in genealogical research.
DNA features prominently in the following articles from recent issues of the MGS Journal. These are available to MGS members in the Members Only section in our collection of all volumes of the MGS Journal and its predecessor the MGS Bulletin.
- A New Perspective on the Immigrant Edward Dorsey by John D. Trezise (Vol. 60, No. 3, 2019)
- Benjamin Sampson and Jemima Standiford of Baltimore County, Maryland. Part 2: Their Predecessors by Karen (Cornwell) Bowman and Mary (Klein) Lorimor (Vol. 62, No. 3, 2021)
- The Mystery of “Texas Joe” Papa: A “Three Brothers” Story by Anthony R. Nardo Jr. (Vol. 63, No. 2, 2022)
- Babe Ruth’s Paternal Ancestry: Y-DNA Clues and Ohio-Based Relatives by Druscilla J. Null (Vol. 65, No. 2, 2024)
Not yet a member of MGS? Join to get full access to all of these resources.
MGS Journal
 We are pleased to bring you a second Anthology issue of the Maryland Genealogical Society Journal. Again we have selected some of the best articles from more than sixty years of the Journal and its predecessor, the Maryland Genealogical Society Bulletin. Articles have been chosen for their lasting value as resources for research, and for the information they contain about research skills and record types that will be useful in tracing Maryland families.
The anthologies can be used in two ways: (1) as a self-teaching course in Maryland genealogy, explaining many of the categories of records that are available, what they contain, and where and how to access them; and (2) as handy reference guides to help answer questions that arise during your research. We hope you will find the anthology issues useful and will keep them on your reference shelf where you can consult them as your research progresses.
This anthology issue focuses on three categories of records that are important resources for genealogical research: church records, census records, and immigration and naturalization records. Church records are a principal source for vital records of birth, marriage, and death, especially for the period before civil vital records became available. Two articles by F. Edward Wright provide detailed information on the Church of England (Anglican) parishes and Society of Friends (Quaker) meetings in colonial Maryland, including their locations and the availability of their records. Wanda Barnes Hall contributed an article on Methodist records in Maryland, explaining the categories of records created by the United Methodist Church and its predecessors, and identifying the repositories where they can be found.
Researchers of Baltimore City families will find a series of four articles by Francis P. O’Neill containing an extensive list of houses of worship that existed in the city prior to 1901, including Christian churches, Society of Friends meetinghouses, and Jewish congregations. The list is arranged geographically by street addresses in the four quadrants of the city, enabling researchers to identify religious institutions that were located in the neighborhoods where their ancestors were living. Another article lists some of the manuscript collections in the library of the Maryland Center for History and Culture that contain church records and information on church-affiliated institutions.
Beginning genealogists soon learn to appreciate the immense value that the population schedules of the United States censuses contribute to their research. Less known and less utilized are the non-population schedules that were part of the census enumerations from 1850 through 1880. Two articles by Jane F. Burgess explain the kinds of data contained in the agricultural, manufacturing, social statistics, and mortality schedules.
To help us to understand immigration records, an article by Richard J. Cox explains the societal factors that led to the creation of Baltimore’s mid-nineteenth-century ship passenger lists, and John P. Deeben leads us through the various series of passenger arrival records that were maintained by the federal government. Finally, Jane F. Burgess explains the laws governing naturalization in the Province of Maryland, and identifies some obscure sources where records of naturalization were recorded.
We are grateful to the authors of these articles for sharing their knowledge and experience with the readers of the Bulletin and Journal. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions for topics to be covered in the Journal, and we encourage you to submit your articles for possible publication.
April 2026 MGS News
The April 2026 edition of MGS News is now available. If you are a MGS member, you should have received the issue by email. If you are a member and haven't provided us with your email, please contact us at info@mdgensoc.org so that you can begin to receive MGS News.
Archived copies of this issue and previous issues are available in the Member's Only area.
Used Genealogy Books For Sale
 MGS has an inventory of used genealogy-related books available for purchase on the For Sale page. MGS members receive a 12% discount on purchases. (Be sure to be signed in on the website as a member before ordering!) All prices already include shipping and handling. Sales are first come, first served!
In addition to books on Maryland, our current inventory includes the following topics: family histories; U.S., British, German, New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia research; photography, lineage societies, royalty and nobility, heraldry, and general interest. We will be adding books as they become available.
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