Programs

The Society holds regular monthly programs on the second Wednesday of each month, except July and August, at 7:00 p.m. After pre-registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the program online. For more information about these upcoming programs, see our educational programs flier.

Join us on:

• Dec. 11, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. at the main Allen County Public Library and online.
  If you plan to attend online, Pre-register here.

  Diane VanSkiver Gagel will present A Restless Nation: How and Why Did Our Ancestors Travel West?.

• Jan. 8, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. at the main Allen County Public Library and online.
  If you plan to attend online, Pre-register here.

  Kim S. Harrison will present Railroad Pension Records: Their Value for Genealogical Answers.

• Feb. 12, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. at the main Allen County Public Library and online.
  If you plan to attend online, Pre-register here.

  Sara Cochran will present Who Needed it Anyway? Getting Around the Missing 1890 Census.

• Mar. 12, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. at the main Allen County Public Library and online.
  If you plan to attend online, pre-register here.

  Janice Cantrell will present Researching Catholic Sacramental Records to Find Your Family History.

• Apr. 9, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. at the main Allen County Public Library and online.
  If you plan to attend online, pre-register here.

  Karen Richards will present Migration of African Americans from Alabama to Fort Wayne.

• May 14, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. at the main Allen County Public Library and online.
  If you plan to attend online, pre-register here.

  Todd Maxwell Pelfrey will present Strands to the Past in Our Heritage Tapestry.

• Jun. 11, 2025 Annual Banquet, TBA

Genealogy and Family History Workshop

A new workshop for genealogists of all skill levels will begin on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. The Allen County Genealogical Society announces this new in-person hands-on workshop to be held on the third Wednesday of each month in the Globe Room of the downtown Allen County Public Library. The ninety-minute sessions will begin at 1:30 p.m.

The sessions will begin with a presentation followed by a time for questions and discussion of "brick walls" and new discoveries. Presentations will include using various methods of research and documentation. Attendees will learn the basics of creating reports including family trees, pedigree charts, family group sheets, and timelines of census records. The creation of these reports will be shown using both paper and genealogy software. Those who use genealogy software are invited to bring their laptops with them to the sessions.

Sessions will also include the best methods for researching both on-site and online. Included will be finding birth, marriage, and death certificates, land records, census records, and other documents. The topics of presentations will be directed by the interests of those attending.

The first session will be on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, at 1:30pm in the Globe Room of the downtown Allen County Public Library. All sessions are free and open to anyone interested in being a part of a fun experience with genealogy and family history. Those attending are invited to bring their laptop and beverage.