The Summer 2026 issue (Vol. 9, Issue 4) of the Wake Genealogy Watch newsletter is now available online for reading or download. Visit the WCGS website or click here: Wake Genealogy Watch, Summer 2026 . This issue includes: · Barbara McGeachy shares a summary of our coffee gathering in April. · A reminder to check out the updated Newsletter Cumulative Index, complete up to this issue · Jane Albright presents the Pleasant Grove UMC project to protect the historical graves of Free People of Color. · Four videos to boost your genealogy skills with AI and DNA skills · Two websites that give you historical context for your Revolutionary research and might even inspire a trip or two · Tips and resources to research the Loyalist you might find in your family tree, and how to recognize them. · Registration details for our upcoming local meet-ups and virtual meetings Photo Note : Please refer to the online edition where you can enlarge the photos to acc...

This article was previously posted in our newsletter, Wake Genealogy Watch, Vol 6.4, Summer 2023  under the title  A Useful Find: NC Schools & Academies, 1790-1840.  I often discover interesting records by accident as I am researching other things. I found a lot that I was not looking for as I researched things for the Wake Cemetery Survey. This record is one you will find interesting if you have early NC ancestors. - CD  You will find a digitized copy of North Carolina Schools and Academies, 1790-1840, A Documentary History at NCDigital for your research and browsing pleasure. Created by Charles Lee Coon and published in 1915, “ North Carolina Schools. ..” is a collection of education related postings that appeared in the weekly Raleigh Register during the 1790-1840 time frame. The book is an attempt to portray education as it existed in North Carolina during the fifty years immediately succeeding 1790.  While the volume covers all NC counties of that time...

The Winter 2026 issue (Vol. 9, Issue 2) of our award-winning newsletter, Wake Genealogy Watch, is now available online for reading or download. Visit the WCGS website or click here: Wake Genealogy Watch, Winter 2026 This issue includes: Recap and photos of our Fall 2025 events News from the NCGS Fall Conference A house history from WCGS member Gayle Williams focusing on history, genealogy and evolution of building materials through 200 years of maintenance and preservation A revisit of the WCGS Surname Search feature at our website A fantastic workflow for identifying and researching your Revolutionary Ancestors Our winter calendar of upcoming events A new cumulative index to all published issues of Wake Genealogy Watch Dive in and explore all the resources and stories designed to enrich your genealogy journey. Be sure to visit the last page for the link to the index! Photo Note: If you choose to read a printed version of this newsletter, some of the photos will be difficult to view du...

The Fall 2025 issue (Vol. 9, Issue 1) 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, Fall 2025 .   This issue includes: A recap of our Find Your Family event in May. Registration details for Barbara McGeachy’s expanded fall genealogy classes—now 11 topics (up from 8). Practical how-to articles to guide your research. A review of Belle Long’s same-name study on multiple Joel Lanes, with a link to her original work. Ed Webb’s success story of using the BIRLS/FOIA process to successfully acquire his father’s BIRLS military record packet. A video tutorial on using AI tools to turn ancestor profiles into narratives, bios, and research plans. Cynthia Gage shares the NUMIDENT Social Security dataset for 20th Century Ancestors. Information on ordering a WCGS member nametag. A full calendar of upcoming events. Dive in and explore all the resources ...

Did you miss the Summer 2024 feature about Major General Calvin Jones, M. D. of Wake Forest in the Wake Genealogy Watch newsletter? If so, here is your reminder to seek out the feature to correct that mistake! Ed Morris, the former executive director of the Wake Forest Historical Museum shares his vast knowledge on Jones and illustrates why he can truly be called an early Wake County renaissance man. Jones was a soldier, medical man, entrepreneur, educator, politician and founder of a school that would eventually become Wake Forest University. This is not guilding the lilly. There is much more to know. I don't want to spoil Ed's masterful telling of the story, so I will direct you to it with the encouragement to keep a sharp eye. You don't want to miss how Major General Calvin cleverly saved North Carolina from being a battleground state in the War of  1812. He was truly a masterful strategist! Dr. Calvin Jones  of Wake Forest. Portrait  photo by Ken Bennett, Wake Forest...

The Summer 2025 issue (Vol. 8, Issue 4) 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, Summer 2025 .   This issue features: Details and Registration for three WCGS events that are fast approaching. Barbara McGeachy shares a special family heirloom written in WWII code. Tips to pull more clues from a WWI registration form that just what is included on the form. A special announcement about one of our own members. Learn about the excellent research guides available at NARA. Take a trick or two from this short and simple AI use case to make extracting information from your documents easier and quicker. A busy summer events calendar that you won’t want to miss! Dive in and explore all the resources and stories designed to enrich your genealogy journey!   Photo Note : If you choose to read a printed version of this newsletter, some of the photo...

Hello Wake researchers,  The Winter 2024 Issue (Vol. 7 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 2024   Features in this issue include: A big change to our Wake Treasures Journal sharing policy that is sure to please members and new visitors alike! An in-depth article about creating a family history in scrapbook style from Christopher Hunt Robertson. Chirstopher has shared several of his engaging ancestor scrapbooks with us in the past. A feature article on the Shiloh Community near Morrisville. Shiloh started as a freedmen’s village in the 1830’s. One of our WCGS members has strong family ties to this community. Focus on a little known and often overlooked resource – Historic and Architectural Resources of Wake County, North Car...

The Fall 2023 Issue (Vol. 7 Issue 1) 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, Fall2023 .  Features included in this issue include: Several updates including news about our Homepage, Journal, and a new Board Position – Diversity & Inclusion Officer. The Reading Room features a review and link to an amazing family history book written by Brian Griffis. You will want to read The Life and Times of Lucius Griffis (1839 – 1918) to see what Brian accomplished with his strategy of searching way beyond the expected sources for his Wake County ancestor who lived through the Civil War and Reconstruction. Barbara McGeachy shares an important FamilySearch tip for location resources. Instructions to access the Upchurch Enrolled Family files online. These files hold ...

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 Fall 2022 Issue (Vol.6 Issue 1) 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, Fall 2022   Features included in this issue include: Meet our new President in Training, Saundra Cropps. Multiple Hints to help you get the most from the Wakecogen Homepage. Techniques to reunite your “not my family” photos with their proper relatives. Explore four easy to master tools to identify your autosomal DNA matches. Read about early Jamestown ancestors in the GenealogyBank.com series – Jamestown Who’s Who by Melissa Berry. WCGS membership benefits update. Upcoming events and more. 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 refer to the online edition where yo...

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 Summer 2021 Issue (Vol.4 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, 2021 This issue contains the following topics: ·          Get details on our newest Special Interest Group for WCGS members - Family Tree Maker 2019. ·          Ted Bainbridge offers several solid tips for tracking ancestors that disappear from one census to the next. ·          Sometimes you need a large space to expand your tree drawing efforts - either your own or your DNA matches and shared ancestors. You will want to read the ideas on budget friendly white board alternatives including some easy-to-use Microsoft tools. ·          Meet WCGS Webmaster - Cynthia Ga...