I hope a rainy day turns up soon. I need one for map perusal. I must share with you this wonderful early North Carolina survey map found at Grand Lodge in Raleigh during our October meetup at the Grand Lodge. This beautiful map from 1808 was displayed well in their facility. I was so fascinated with this one that I grabbed the information from the card beside it so I could hopefully find a version  that was viewable online.  Fortunately for us, it is also available to view at the Library of Congress.  Behold:  To David Stone and Peter Brown, Esq. : this first actual survey of the state of North Carolina taken by the subscribers is respectfully dedicated. Published in 1807   printed in 1808 It is such an interesting map because you can see our state starting to evolve from a colony of settlements to the collection of county centers of govenment that we know now. Yet, look very closely at the entirety of this map. You will see counties that do not exist today and ...

The last Wakecogen meetup on Oct. 21 to the Grand Lodge of  North Carolina certainly proved the point that Masonic records are an excellent resource to fill in the details and context of your male ancestors' lives. If you are trying to build a fan club, these records should certainly be part of your arsenal. They might also help pin down locations for your predecessor.  Our hosts for the outing, Jonathan Underwood (Grand Secretary) and Matthew Robbins (Assistant G. S.) have graciously provided us with access to information to contact the Grand Lodge for lookup requests as well as the various repositories of records that are available online.  Thanks go to Jonathan and Matthew and the Grand Lodge. Links to Masonic Records Whether you are looking for someone in Wake County or elsewhere in North Carolina*, you should check these resources. We were given a handout with several links. The handout is available  here . Hope you find something that helps your research! * Te...

Masonic Lodge records are an excellent source to fill in the details and context of your ancestors' lives. Join WCGS for our next in person meetup.   The tour will be led by  Matthew Robbins,  Assistant Grand Secretary. A Tour of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina 2921 Glenwood Avenue Raleigh, NC, 27608 Saturday, Oct 21 at 10am Chartered in 1771 by the Duke of Beaufort and reorganized in 1787, the Grand Lodge of North Carolina was formed before North Carolina joined the Union and before George Washington was elected president of the United States. The Freemasons of North Carolina can claim a rich and successful heritage. Its members, including governors, legislators, teachers, professors, merchants, and farmers, have been at the forefront of the State's successes since before the Revolutionary War. Its members presided over the formation of the State and the adoption of the Bill of Rights, the extension of educational opportunities to State citizens via the establishm...