Last Thursday, June 25, Saundra's video premiered  on Spectrum News 1 . She was interviewed by Kennedy Chase about researching Black Patriot ancestors, an topic of  historic interest right now. Saundra's Patriot was Black so this made for some challenging research.  In the interview, Saundra explained,  “I did a lot of genealogy on the general public, but I did not have the time to focus on my family.”  She applied those skills honed over the years of past research to connect with her extended maternal line and trace her lineage back to  free Black Patriot, Jesse Harris . The video highlights several stumbling blocks that black researchers encounter and encourages persistence. Saundra noted that more discussion on researching black ancestors occurred than was shown in the final edit, but she thought Kennedy Chase did a wonderful job of pulling it all together. This was her first TV appearance, and she's excited to share more. Watch Saundra's Spec...

An article from the N&O has haunted me for years. It was about the first reading of the Declaration of Independence in Wake County and what that must have been like. I saved it. Can't find it now, but every summer at this time I think of it and how it captured my historic fancy those several years ago. So much so, that my young family including my two sons, husband and my father and step-mother made the trek downtown that hot, hot July 4 to tour the Joel Lane house and stand at the Boylan Bridge spot and imagine (despite construction detritus all around) what it must have felt like and sounded on that hill at the first reading in August of 1776. Well, it haunted me enough to go searching for the article again. After several failed attempts - success! I must give mad props and a plug to the NC Government and Heritage Library for their library card and the online access it provides. From their site, with my library card to log in, I was able to search the N&O Archives t...

Our membership chairperson,  Carol Kimball Stahl provided this summary of last Saturday's Book Exchange: "As y'all know, the Book Exchange was held at Laurel Hills Park on Saturday, June 20. As you might surmise, there were likely some who would have come but for being one of the 150,00 people who attended the Canes' parade! Regardless, we did see some good results. Vouchers were given when someone brought books to be placed on the tables for sale. Each book generated a voucher. At the end of the day, 13 vouchers had been used. That use meant that 13 books found new homes! In addition to the voucher use, people could buy books for $5 or win the silent auction bid."  Many bought books outright. Between purchases and simple donations we generated enough funds to cover a speaker engagement or in-person activity. Photo - Steve Deal "Many familiar and new faces attended. Among those were Cini Gage, Cyndi & Steve Deal, Harriet Jenkins, Kathy Ruse, Jennie Gu...

Tuesday, July 28, 2026 @ 6:30pm – Virtual Topic:  Early Migration and Settlement Patterns Speaker:  Mark Lowe Discover where a family moved into a state by using the statistical data recorded for all families. Learn to see where families were moving through the decades and use that knowledge to focus your research. Use the earliest records to find roads, communities, and potential neighbors, and develop a process for revealing them all. Join us! Free and virtual! *Please register by 4pm day of meeting. *Please save your passcode and link for ease of entry at start time. *Presentation starts promptly at 6:30 pm . Link to register at the Wakecogen website events page .   Registration is now open! **Get the video recording to watch on-demand for 30 days and access to our webinar handout library with your WCGS membership!**           ** At presenters discretion. Upcoming Events  View events page for details   Tuesday, Aug 25, 2...

Before the parades, barbeques and fireworks send us into sensory overdrive, let us sit a minute with the document that defines our very existence as a country. This particular anniversary should not pass without some quiet reflection on who we are, what we can be in our best iteration and what so many before us sacrificed for us to live in this still great, but troubled country.  The Declaration of Independence  Project was created online by the National Constitution Center (NCC) to honor and celebrate the Declaration as we pass through a most special moment in time. The online project from NCC "provides the Declaration's plain text with media links to related content for each section. The links take you to an annotated version of the Declaration, as well as essays and videos that present key principles and history and biographical information on the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. Visit the website . You will find two versions to explore as well as articles and...

Our own Saundra Russ Cropps will share her presentation on People of Color During the Revolutionary War in Granville and Wake Counties, North Carolina . Sign up before July 13 to hear her talk. Details are in the poster. This is a four part series. Other dates and topics are included in the second poster. Sign up once and you are registered for all the talks.  Use QR Link below to register from your phone. note: the link  and qr in poster above is broken. Details for the rest of the dates -   June 8, July 13, Aug 10, and Sept 14 Address questions to AAHGS NC Triangle Chapter America 250 Speaker Series Visit Wake County Genealogical Society's Website - Homepage | WCGS Events | Join WCGS | Publications | Wake Cemetery Survey Images | Society Surnames | Digital Resources | History Resources | More Links and Resources |    Donate | Contact - info(at)wakecogen(dot)org

This extract is from a document recorded in the Colonial and State Records of North Carolina. This record set is housed at UNC and many can be accessed online through the Documenting the American South website . This particular document is a first person account from March 10, 1776 of the Loyalist rout at Moore's Creek. The letter was written shortly after the battle (February 1776) and nearly exactly one month before the Halifax Congress adopted the Halifax Resolves and selected NC delegates Joseph Hewes, William Hooper and John Penn to present them to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.  "Letter from an Unknown Source, Dated the 10 th of March, 1776. ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ Parties of Men are dispersed all over the Colony, apprehending all suspected persons, and disarming all Highlanders and Regulators that were put to the rout in the late battle. The Conquerors have already taken 350 guns and shot-bags; about 150 swords and dirks; 1,500 excellent rifles; two medicine-ches...

Reminder - our book exchange happens on Saturday, June 20. Details below. Hope to see you there!  **Update - See special silent auction instructions below. Do you have any genealogy books that you don’t use and would like to go to a good home? Are you looking for genealogy books? Let’s get together and swap books! Afterwards, we’ll go to lunch (Dutch treat). This is a fund-raiser / meet-up / recycling event.   What's in your collection?* What:  Genealogy books only (not history, biography, fiction, etc.). Also bring genealogy magazines and journals to share on a “free” table *Note: Books in the image are representative only.   Who: Members and non-members of WCGS   Where:   Laurel Hills Community Center large meeting room,  3808 Edwards Mill Rd, Raleigh (near Crabtree Mall)   When:   Saturday, June 20 , 2026 from 10 am to noon (rain or shine) Followed by lunch (Dutch treat) – location TBD   How does this work? Check-in...

For those following along, here is the latest Upchurch and Allied Families Association Newsletter. June 2026 Father's Day Issue View past UAFA newsletters here Visit Wake County Genealogical Society's Website  -  Homepage  |  WCGS Events  |  Join WCGS  |  Publications  |  Wake Cemetery Survey Images  |  Society Surnames  |  Digital Resources  |  History Resources  |  More Links and Resources  |  Contact -  info(at)wakecogen(dot)org

Sign up June - August and Get up to 15 Months instead of 12!   A special invitation from Carol Kimball Stahl,  our WCGS member chairperson - We appreciate that you elected to follow our blog. That decision on your part shows your interest and willingness to seek resources to aid in your research. Now may be the time to take that interest and willingness to the next level. We currently are offering an extended membership “year” to new members.  The new memberships will expire on August 31, 2027, instead of August 31, 2026. Depending on how soon you join, you could enjoy the benefits for 15 months!!  Remember that many of our members have no ties to North Carolina, let alone Wake County.  The programs are designed to appeal to anyone performing genealogical research.  Many happen to live in the area and enjoy the WCGS community.  However, we also have members scattered across the United States who do have ties here.  Those members enjoy th...

A post at the end of May looked at colonial North Carolina and how the Mecklenburg and Halifax Resolves were like bookends of political sentiment among the populace in the journey to American freedom. Let's look at the timeline of extra-legal assembly that was happening in 1774- 1776.  First Provincial Congress: New Bern, August 25, 1774 - No more complaining. Resist! Bear in mind that all thirteen colonies had just spent the spring of 1774 looking on as Britain imposed the five coercive acts that stripped more and more representation and freedom from the colonists of Massachusetts. They watched Boston suffer and pushed back to avoid the same fate. In North Carolina, this meant trying to make nice with Britain with conciliatory language while simultaneously gearing up to participate with other colonies in the upcoming Continental Congress (Fall of 1774). The First Provincial Congress adopted a statement to Britain and the King, a document called the New Bern Resolves that whi...