Whittier Area Genealogical Society

12/08/2025

12/05/2025

12/03/2025

Between 1850 and 1950, nearly every American family tree hits the same weird snag. You’re scrolling through a census record, and there’s your great-great-grandfather’s household.

His wife. His kids.

And then… some random guy named John listed as a “boarder.” Different last name. No obvious connection.

You shrug and move on. Big mistake.

Because here’s what nobody tells you: that “boarder” might actually be family. A nephew. A brother-in-law. Your great-grandmother’s illegitimate son.

The census takers of the 19th and early 20th centuries were basically playing a giant game of telephone with American families, and they lost the plot constantly. At its peak in 1930, America had millions of boarders.

And a massive chunk of them weren’t strangers renting rooms. They were relatives hiding in plain sight, obscured by bureaucratic laziness, social stigma, and economic arrangements.

Let me show you why your family tree is probably missing entire branches because of a single word on a census form.

12/02/2025

Join us for the next Down Under Webinar!

Paul Milner, FUGA, MDiv will present "English DNA Matches: Tools for quickly building modern trees!"

https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/english-dna-matches-tools-for-quickly-building-modern-trees/

Start time: Sydney - 12pm, Wednesday 3 Dec; New York - 8pm, Tuesday, 2 Dec.

12/02/2025

How to Find Old Obituaries: Free and Online Resources

Read the story on the GenealogyBank blog: https://bit.ly/48Md9WY

Discover how to find old obituaries online, some for free. Uncover your family’s history and stories today with expert tips from GenealogyBank. Start your search now!

Photo: Calvary Cemetery, Queens, New York. Credit: Plowboylifestyle; Wikimedia Commons.

12/02/2025

Woohoo! We are wading into the W's! We've started digitizing the "W" names on the War of 1812 Pension Files. Watch for new pension files in our War of 1812 Pension File collection: https://f3.social/6ybm

12/01/2025

https://www.bookbub.com/ has Nathan Dylan Goodwin Hiding the Past for free to download today

Get free and bargain bestsellers for Kindle, Nook, and more, as well as updates from your favorite authors. Sign up free today, and start reading instantly!

11/27/2025

🏴 Getting the Most from ScotlandsPeople
Sat 29 Nov 2025 | 14:00–15:30 | 💻 Online
Perfect for St Andrew’s Day weekend!

Join expert Scottish genealogist Michelle Leonard of Genes & Genealogy for a practical guide to ScotlandsPeople — the essential website for Scottish family history. Learn how to get the best from statutory BMDs, census records, OPRs, valuation rolls, kirk session records and more, with tips, tricks and real examples.
Book now: https://portal.sog.org.uk/Event/view/1520584

11/20/2025

Join us Friday for the next Mexico series webinar.

Lisa Medina will present "University Archives in México: Manuscripts, Photos, and Theses, Oh my!!"

https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/university-archives-in-mexico/

11/15/2025

Join WAGS hybrid meetings in 2026!! Awesome speakers with even more awesome presentations. www.WAGSWhittier.org for details.

11/13/2025

Who wants to get their genealogy organized? YOU ????? Join us to learn more....