Manatee Genealogical Society

01/21/2026

Tomorrow is the LAST DAY to register for our Annual Seminar. Don't miss a chance to win one of our great door prizes! They include a World Explorer subscription to Ancestry, a $100 gift certificate to Archival Methods, a subscription to Fold3 and Genealogy Bank, Family Tree Maker software and a Storii book. Also, a one year MyHeritage subscription, and Old News subscription and a Geni subscription along with a Legacy Family Tree Webinar subscription. Learn more here:

The Manatee Genealogical Society of Manatee County, Florida is proud to offer this website as a gateway to our services, resources, programs, and information on our society.

01/16/2026

Shannon Combs Bennett, will be speaking at our annual seminar on Janaury 24th. Join us and hear her presentation on "Revolutionary War Homefront: Researching Your Civilian Ancestor's Life." For more information and to register go to: https://mgsfl.org/cpage.php?pt=8

Shannon Combs-Bennett QG (qualified genealogist), MSc, FSAScot is an award-winning author who resides in Northern Virginia. From there, she writes and presents on various topics across the US and internationally, ranging from genetic genealogy to methodological techniques.

Uncover rich details about your civilian ancestor's Revolutionary War experience through an array of documents from tax records, committee notes, church documents, and wartime claims. Learn research strategies for finding their occupation, property holdings, community role, and how they navigated wartime shortages and social upheaval. Discover the records that reveal their home front story!

01/14/2026

Michael L. Strauss, MA, AG®, AGL™ a professional genealogist and military historian, will be speaking at our annual seminar on Janaury 24th. Join us and hear his presentation on "Forging a National Army from the Colonial Era to the Early Republic, 1750-1800." For more information and to register go to: https://mgsfl.org/cpage.php?pt=8

Session Description: The establishment of a cohesive army was a defining challenge during the Revolutionary War, requiring innovative strategies to overcome the limitations of the colonial militia. Initially, from the colonial era, from King George's War to the French and Indian War, militias were localized, short-term forces lacking standardized training and cohesion, which proved inadequate. The Revolutionary War brought additional problems with supplies, scarcity of money, and a weakened transportation system that plagued the Continental forces. After the end of the war, the need for a more permanent organization laid the foundation for the future.

About Michael: Michael L. Strauss, MA, AG®, AGL™ is a professional genealogist and military historian with over 30 years of experience in the field. He holds a M.A. in History and is a United States Coast Guard veteran. His expertise is recognized in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia courts, where he has testified as an expert witness. Michael has lectured at universities, conferences, and institutes and contributed to publications, including manuscripts, peer-reviewed articles, public history articles, and book reviews that highlight his expertise in military history.

01/08/2026

David Ouimette, CG, CGL, from FamilySearch will be speaking at our annual seminar on Janaury 24th. Join us and hear his presentation on "Seven Immigration Methodologies, with Case Studies Across the Centuries." For more information and to register: https://mgsfl.org/cpage.php?pt=8

Session Description: Tracing immigrant ancestors may be challenging, but genealogists armed with a variety of useful methodologies can approach immigrant research with confidence. This presentation shows how to apply seven distinct research methodologies, each based on genealogy standards and basic principles, to trace immigrant ancestors successfully.

About David: manages Asia-Pacific record priorities at FamilySearch. David has researched in the archives of over seventy countries spanning all continents. Previously, David was lead developer and product manager at Ancestry.com, responsible for family trees, U.S. records, DNA testing, and the search experience. He has served as BCG President, UGA Vice President, and NGS board member. David is an author and presents at international, national, and local conferences.

01/05/2026

Larsen Digital - a reputable digitization service that is at RootsTech each year is running a New Year special. One item on sale each day starting tomorrow Get your audio, video and slides digitized.

Upcoming Deals:
Day 1 (Jan 6th): Video Tape
Day 2 (Jan 7th): Movie Film
Day 3 (Jan 8th): Slides
Day 4 (Jan 9th): Negatives
Day 5 (Jan 12th): Photos & Scrapbook Pages
Day 6 (Jan 13th): Audio Tape & Audio Reels
Day 7 (Jan 14th): Digital Photo Restoration
Day 8 (Jan 15th): Surprise Deal

Larsen Digital is a digital conversion service provider, bringing your memories to the digital age. Call us today! 801-782-5155

01/04/2026

D. Josh Taylor, President of the NYG&B and former host of Genealogy Roadshow will be speaking at our annual seminar on Janaury 24th. Join us and hear his presentation on "Advanced Colonisl American Research - Embracing New Technologies and Modern Techniques." For more information and to register: https://mgsfl.org/cpage.php?pt=82

12/31/2025

Today is the last day for our early bird registration! SIgn-up for annual seminar on January 24th and you could win a free membership. Sign up at: https://mgsfl.org/cpage.php?pt=82 We hope to see you there!

12/24/2025

We want to thank all our members and friends for a wonderful year. We hope your holidays are full of new family memories.

12/01/2025

Are you fishing in all the ponds? Testing at MyHeritage might find that elusive match that identifies a brick wall ancestor. MyHeritage is the most international DNA testing site. Find cousins overseas! This price is too good to pass up!

12/01/2025

Too true!

11/30/2025

Shopping for your genealogy wish list? Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are still available. A few end today! FindMyPast 40%off; Amazon Kindle double rewards points. Many go through Monday including DNA kits, and many memberships and subscriptions. What do you need to move your research forward?