Manatee Genealogical Society

04/10/2026

Happy Siblings Day! Sibling research can be the key to unlock your brick wall. Why not try researching the siblings of your ancestors today?

Thomas MacEntee has some advice for today too. Check it out.

Happy Siblings Day, fellow family historians! April 10th is the perfect excuse to call your brother, text your sister — and then immediately dive into your

04/03/2026

Do you use AI? How are you organizing your efforts with AI? This Legacy Family Tree Webinar is available for Free until April 7th. The session was taught by MGS Board member Peggy Jude and she (I) would be thrilled if you checked it out!

https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/organizing-ai-research-saving-and-searching-your-best-genealogy-chats

04/01/2026

WHAT? $19.90? For a DNA test? Yes.. MyHeritage has just announced a crazy sale. A never before seen price! And it is for Whole Genome sequencing!

https://www.myheritage.com/dna?utm_campaign=DNA&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8kS-9y-8jvkbWmuWeHddD_6Mm-oQTvBa4ol2yjyaPVX-InkcCf5Pg9_l8_tfFTeo7_CKlhf61m0uizp0BsgSoqFmw5KioeoHnLbNvydar2vwkT4Xk&_hsmi=411619942&utm_content=411619942&utm_source=hs_email

03/26/2026

Do you use AI? How are you organizing your efforts with AI? You might be interested in this upcoming seesion at Legacy Family Tree Webinars. Live on March 31st, at 9:00 pm ET. Also FREE for one week. The session is being taught by MGS Board member Peggy Jude and she (I) would be thrilled if you checked it out.

AI chatbots are transforming genealogy, but how do you make sure your most important discoveries aren’t lost in a sea of conversations? This practical sessio...

03/15/2026

St. Patrick’s Day is a great time to explore the stories that connect families to Ireland — and for a few days, MyHeritage is opening access to its Irish historical records for free.

From March 14–18, 2026, MyHeritage is offering free access to 145 million Irish historical records.

03/05/2026

RootsTech is now underway. This is the best time to check out Relatives at RootsTech to find cousins who are interested in genealogy! Jump in while they are online for classes from March 5 to 7. If you are registered for RootsTech (it's free!) you can find Relatives at RootsTech on the RootsTech home page under the RootsTech Event tab. https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/ For more information on Relatives at RootsTech check out this blog: https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/relatives-at-rootstech-2026

Discover your familial connections around the world with Relatives at RootsTech during the this year's conference!

03/04/2026

Cyndi's List is celebrating it's 30th anniversary today! Congratulations to Cyndi and a very big thank you for all you have done for the genealogy community over the years. Your site has enabled so many of us to find sources we never could have found without your incredible resource. 🎉🎉🎉

03/03/2026

Did you see that 23andMe has re-launched their chromosome browser? Along with their new clustering tool it is great to see them back in the genealogy game!

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.