For those following along, here is the latest Upchurch and Allied Families Association Newsletter. September 2026  - Features include a DNAarticle and Upchurches in the News. 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...

The Spring issue (Vol. 8, Issue 3) of our award-winning newsletter, Wake Genealogy Watch, is now available online for reading or download. Visit the WCGS website or click the link here: Wake Genealogy Watch, Spring 2025 Features in this issue include: • Barbara McGeachy shares recent acquisitions at the NC Archives! • We share an exciting update about the Wake Cemetery Survey hard copies. • Enjoy a recap of our most recent WCGS Meetup, the Archive and Library tour. • Learn how  to use a BIRLS file and how to obtain files on your 20th century veteran kin. • Details of the local beginning genealogy classes taught by Barbara McGeachy this spring. • Learn how to wring every drop of information out of the index files we find online. • Read biographical profiles on renowned Wake County Civil War photographers, Esley Hunt and Joshua P. Andrews. • Explore the use of AI for simple editing tasks to make you more time for your writing efforts. • A super-sized calendar of eve...

The Summer 2024 Issue (Vol. 7 Issue 4) of our award-winning newsletter, Wake Genealogy Watch, is now available online for reading or download. You can visit the  WCGS website   or access through this link -  Wake Genealogy Watch, Summer 2024 .    Features in this issue include: Our updated slate of officers for the WCGS Board of Directors Past president Carla Stancil reflects on the progress and challenges faced by our society during her tenure. Ed Morris, retired executive director of the Wake Forest Historical Museum, shares his vast knowledge of Major General Calvin Jones, M.D. of Wake Forest. You will be amazed at his many accomplishments and contributions to Wake County. Cynthia Gage made some very special discoveries about her ancestors using the resources at places of higher learning. She shares her tips with us. A clean up and preservation guide to help you know what to do and who to c...

The Spring 2023 Issue (Vol.6 Issue 3) of our award-winning newsletter, Wake Genealogy Watch, is now available online for reading or download. You can download the latest newsletter through this link –   Wake Genealogy Watch, Spring 2023 Features in this issue include: RootsTech Roundup 2023: All the Tools, All the DNA, All the AI, All the Stories A review of our February Meet Up at Johnston County Heritage Center Brenda Carbon has shared a great case study exploring Ancestry’s new ethnicity SideView feature. Several Cemetery queries and cleanup projects in our area looking to make local connections Pointers to two really good blog posts that cover some basic yet fundamental concepts for working with Genetic Genealogy Our handy events calendar will help you save the dates, so you don't miss a single moment of WCGS excitement. Photo Note : If you choose to read a printed version of this newsletter, some of the photos will be difficult to view due to size constraints. Please refe...

The Winter 2023 Issue (Vol.6 Issue 2) of our award-winning newsletter, Wake Genealogy Watch, is now available online for reading or download. You can visit the  WCGS website   or access through this link -  Wake Genealogy Watch, Winter 2023 Features included in this issue include: Details on a super OLLI class that will be taught by WCGS Member, Barbara McGeachy – Genealogy:   Starting with the Basics Links to a host of online resources that are outside the traditional research sites A super timeline/map visualization video packed with historical context for the American First Colonies (1565 – 1700) Family History Guides to each state that provide rich access to a world of records and research strategies from your pc or cell phone The latest Enslaved Persons research resources International research groups and blogs for Germany and France Wake County Civil War Pension File li...

The Spring 2022 Issue (Vol.5 Issue 3) of our award winning newsletter, Wake Genealogy Watch, is now available online for reading or download. You can visit the  WCGS website   or access through this link - Wake Genealogy Watch, Spring 2022   Features included in this issue include: WCGS Website news including several updates, some volunteer requests and a briefing from our program director, George Thomas. Get ready for the release of the 1950 Census with information pulled from NARA, History Hub and the US Census Bureau, including an interesting sidebar on how census data crunching needs drove early tech development. Visit Facebook nostalgia groups for novel ways to gather information and connect with others – old friends, cousins and researchers. We have a Wake Cemetery Survey Project update for you. We review a new website - Early American Sources. Handy Zoom tips will help you navigate meeti...

The Winter 2022 Issue (Vol.5 Issue 2) of our award winning newsletter, Wake Genealogy Watch, is now available online for reading or download. You can visit the  WCGS website   for access.  Features included in this issue include: Read about two different and important local projects with the common goal of connecting descendants of enslaved persons and their Wake County ancestors. Reading Room features the first book from archivist and genealogist, Donna E. Kelly. The book details the Cary and Eva Powell family of southwestern Wake County. See the latest updates to the NC Archives records from the Cold War Era (1946-1989) and read an Archive blogpost featuring the papers of Carl D. Stancil as illustration of the changes. Meet our newest WCGS team member, Barb Myers. Barb is the new Facebook page administrator as well as the new Content Curator for the Journal. Cyndi Deal walks you through th...

The Spring 2021 Issue (Vol.4 Issue 3) of our award-winning newsletter, Wake Genealogy Watch, is now available online for reading or download.   You can visit the WCGS website   or access through this link - Wake Genealogy Watch, Spring 2021 This issue contains the following topics:           Read about the role Wake County’s creation played in a tumultuous historical event as we celebrate her 250th year.           RootsTech Roundup – Read about and access all the wonderful online content. It is still free and will be for one year.          WCGS GenHelp - This summary of one of the sessions shows what types of questions are asked and the range of guidance that is offered.           Ted Bainbridge spotlights Cyndi’s List, the invaluable aggregate genealogy site, and offers tips for searching and navigating the site.           Esley Hunt was a po...

The Winter 2021 Issue (Vol.4 Issue 2) of our award winning newsletter, Wake Genealogy Watch, is now available online for reading or download. You can visit the WCGS website or access through this link - Wake Genealogy Watch, Winter 2021   This issue contains the following topics: Wake Treasures Journal search tips – We have over 20 years of content online available for our members to use. These tips will get you started. Get details on the GenHelp sessions which return in 2021 to give guidance for your research. An overview of the three new Wake Resources webpages that webmaster Cynthia Gage has curated for us. Ann Myhre shares her experiences finding cousins in unexpected places. Dr. Ted Bainbridge recounts his efforts to explore and verify a family history tradition. Meet More of our Board Members – Barbara McGeachy, Carla Stancil, and Linda Hames. Unexpected resources that may help enrich your ancestors’ stories and...

The Fall 2020 Issue (Vol. 4, Issue 1) of our award winning newsletter, Wake Genealogy Watch, is now available online for reading or download. WGW is free for all, members and followers alike. You can visit the WCGS website or access through this link - Wake Genealogy Watch, Fall 2020   This issue contains the following topics: Ted Bainbridge offers companion articles about revisiting your research and using original documents to get the most out of your research.  Meet our new Board Members. Olivia Raney Family History Library renovation sneak peek. Barbara McGeachy profiles two valuable local learning resources - Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and Raleigh Senior Tech Ed Cynthia Gage digs deeper into advanced newspaper research with some search strategies that will find gems in the press to add to your ancestor's story  Details on a recent gift of genealogy books to Thornton Library. A curated list of gene...

The Summer 2020 Issue (Vol.3 Issue 4) of our award winning newsletter, Wake Genealogy Watch, is now available online for reading or download. You can visit the  WCGS website  or access through this link -  Wake Genealogy Watch, Summer 2020   This issue contains the following topics: •    A reflective look at the collective history that we are making as we pass the time    during the Covid 19 pandemic. •    Links to NC Archives’ Your Story is North Carolina’s Story Project. They hope to capture, preserve, and share our collective pandemic experience. •    Links to the National Emergency Library for your homebound research emergencies. •    Cynthia Gage shows how exhaustive newspaper research will give you a better version of an event. Don’t just find one article and quit looking. •    Strategies for researching challenging surnames. •    Book review - M...

The Spring 2020 Issue (Vol.3 Issue 3)  of our award winning newsletter, Wake Genealogy Watch, is now available online for reading or download. You can visit the WCGS website or access through this link - Wake Genealogy Watch, Spring 2020 This issue contains the following topics: • Facebook for Genealogy - a survey of the many groups found within the walls of Facebook relating to all topics of research, historic context, techniques and even genetic genealogy. Harness the power of Facebook for your research. • Cynthia Gage shares a very useful tip about tracing newspaper articles to their original location for the most complete coverage and details. • Reunion planning guides and tips. • A heads up on an upcoming workshop featuring Thomas Jones. It is close enough for a road trip. You may want to mark your calendar. • A query request from one of our readers. • Another very full calendar of events.  As always we welcome your articles, comments, or ...

Happy New Year, fellow Wake researchers. TheWinter 2020 Issue (Vol.3 Issue 2)  of our award winning  newsletter  Wake Genealogy Watch , is now available online for reading or download.  This issue contains the following topics: • Get Acquainted with the new  Wake Treasures  Journal Team • Ann Myhre shares some very useful tips for tackling foreign language translations • Popular tips, technique, and historical context of 2019 from the WCGS Facebook feed • Ted Bainbridge shares important points to consider when evaluating sources, information, and evidence • Cyndi Deal explores the workflow and challenges of researching that Native American family lore • Another very full calendar of events  As always we welcome your articles, comments, or other items for the newsletter, so please contact Cyndi at  newsletter@wakecogen.org  if you have something to share. Photo Note : If you choose to read a printed version of...