Welcome!
The Montgomery County Genealogical Society in Maryland is a venue for individuals to share their interests and projects and to learn new techniques. The society meets the fourth Wednesday of the month (except November when we meet the third Wednesday due to Thanksgiving) from 7:30-9:00 p.m., September-November and January-May. All meetings are virtual and some are held in-person as well. New members are welcome. Read HERE for details.
October 22 - Researching New York Special Interest Group
 Join members of MoCoGenSoc for our Researching New York Special Interest Group on Wednesday October 22 at 9:30 AM. It's a chance to share resources and get help researching your New York ancestors - anytime, any part of the state. Meeting is for members-only. RSVP to Patty Hankins for location and additional information.
Researching New York Special Interest Group
The MoCoGenSoc Researching New York Special Interest Group met in late July. Members discussed their research challenges for their New York ancestors. A number of resources were shared that hopefully will help our members and others:
Portal for Pennsylvania Historical Research
Sharon Cook MacInnes, our October 2025 speaker, has created a website to assist those researching Pennsylvania landowners from the earliest settlers to the late 1800's. Visit Ancestor Tracks for information about what resources are available and how to use them.
Directions for Accessing Maryland Vital Records
For several months Maryland vital records have been available at Internet Archive courtesy of Reclaim the Records. Finding the record for a specific person requires interfacing with vital record information at the Maryland State Archives and is not an easy process. Detailed directions for accessing Maryland birth,
death and marriage records are now available HERE for download.
Mutual Fire Insurance Records Online
Montgomery History has released a collection of policy documents from the Mutual Fire Insurance company of Montgomery County
that date from 1849-1900. More than 3,300 documents representing 1,408 policyholders are available online. The policies describe properties throughout the county, as well as some properties in Anne Arundel, Howard, Talbot, Washington, Carroll Charles, Baltimore, and Queen Anne’s counties and Washington, D.C.
County School Documents Online
Policy documents of the Board of County Commissioners on black and white schoolhouse buildings between 1887 and 1913 are available via Montgomery History. The documents, which include physical and geographical descriptions of the schools, are digitized and can be searched.
More Maryland Vital Records Available
Reclaim the Records, a not-for-profit activist group, has obtained Maryland birth, marriage, death and naturalization records. Indexes and digital images of vital records are available. The date ranges of available records vary. Birth certificates between 1898 and 1922, marriage certificates from 1914 to 2007 (with length gaps) and death certificates from 1898 to 2012. The date ranges for Baltimore records differ. The last year of availability for bith and death records is based upon the one-hundred-year limit for access, so later years will become available in the future. For more information and to search the records, go HERE.
Research Resources
Members of the MCGS board have been compiling a list of resources to help anyone exploring their ancestry. Available under the tab "Research Resources" on the left,a new page includes profiles of early settlers in Montgomery County. We will continue to expand this list of biographies over time. Have something to add? Please let us knowat info@mocogensoc.org.
Program Planning
The board of directors for the Montgomery County Genealogical Society is always brainstorming ideas for the coming year, and are lining up speakers. Have an idea for a topic, event, or speaker? Please message us at info@mocogensoc.org.
Library is Open
The Jane C. Sween Research Library and Special Collections in Rockville is open and scheduling research appointments.
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November 19
7:30 pm to 9:00 pm Uncovering Army History: The search for Renee Messelin by Diane Boettcher
Join us for a captivating presentation on the discovery of the hidden heritage of Renee Messelin, a remarkable woman whose story remained in the shadows ...
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January 24
12:00 pm to 3:00 pm Pot Luck Lunch
Details to follow
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February 25
7:30 pm to 9:00 pm TBA
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March 25
7:30 pm to 9:00 pm TBA
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