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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.
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FREE 250th Celebration Workshop & Luncheon
Saturday, April 25, 2026 - 9:00am to 3:00pm
Maryland Public Television
11767 Owings Mills Blvd.
Owings Mills, MD 21117
 Finding Your Roots: Semiquincentennial Storytelling
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of America, the Maryland Genealogical Society and Maryland Public Television (an MD Two Fifty Commission partner) are pleased to offer a special day-long, in-person workshop that bridges the gap between family archives and powerful storytelling. We will dive deep into the federal pensions and bounty land applications to find out more information about our revolutionary-era ancestors and learn the tools to turn those records into a compelling non-fiction story.
The event includes:
- Two presentations by Rebecca Whitman Koford, Certified Genealogist® and Certified Genealogical LecturerSM
- Revolutionary Resources: The Great War of American rebellion is not just about battles. It is about the people whose lives were affected ever after. Many of the genealogical resources about families of veterans and civilians are found in federal pensions, requests to Congress, and bounty land applications. This discussion will cover many of those through case studies of families during the Revolution.
- Writing the Family Narrative
One of the greatest gifts one can give to family members is a narrative written about the lives of ancestors. It is a daunting task, but it does not need to be at a literary level to have a deep impact on our family. This lecture will review basics of non-fiction storytelling, tips on building a narrative, social history, and more. Workshop activities will enhance our discussion and give us confidence to work on our own projects.
- Light breakfast refreshments and a lunch.
- Screening of a Ken Burns' The American Revolution video presentation.
Thanks to the generous support of Maryland Public Television, this workshop is free. However, advance registration is required because space is limited, and a $8 per person refundable deposit is required to hold your space. Register here.
Our Speaker: Rebecca Whitman Koford focuses on research in Maryland, Upstate New York, Virginia, the District of Columbia, colonial records, military records from the Revolution through the Civil War, federal records at the National Archives (D.C.), and land records of all types. She has published articles in genealogical publications, including the Maryland Genealogical Society Journal and is co-author of the NGS Research in the States series book on Maryland. She served as the ProGen Study Group and Administrator from 2015–2020. She speaks at national conferences and regularly teaches at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), the Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research (IGHR). She served as Executive Director of the Board for Certification of Genealogists® from 2018–2024. Rebecca was vice-president of the National Genealogical Society from 2024–2026. She is currently the Director of the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) in Washington, D.C.
New Senior Membership Enhancements
 Have you ever wished that you didn't have to wait until age 60 to qualify for a MGS Senior Membership? If so, your wish has been granted! Now anyone at least 55 years old can purchase a Senior Membership.
Also new, you can now purchase and renew Senior Memberships for durations of 1, 2, 3, or 4 years. Buying a multi-year membership saves you the trouble of renewing yearly and locks in the current membership price for the duration of the membership.
To purchase a new Senior Membership, please visit the Join Us page.
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.
January 2026 MGS News
The January 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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