The Villages Genealogical Society
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Upcoming Monthly Program
 
July General Monthly Meeting
On-line via Zoom
Wednesday, July 23, 2025 / 10:00 a.m.
Featured Guest Speaker:  David Ryan
 
David RyanTopic:  Why Can't I Find My Irish Ancestors?
Irish family history research has a well-deserved reputation for being difficult. Often it can seem nearly impossible. Where do you go to research once you have exhausted the typical sources? It is very easy to overlook the fact that there is so much material that isn't online. From land records, probate indexes and many other collections, there are a lot of overlooked resources that might help with your research. This presentation will look at some of the most common barriers we encounter when researching our Irish ancestors and offer some potential solutions.
 
Speaker's Bio:  David Ryan is a genealogist, speaker and oral historian based in Cork city, Ireland. He has worked as a professional genealogist for the past decade. He recently completed a Masters in Public History and Cultural Heritage at the University of Limerick. He has also served on the Executivve Board of the Association of Professional Genealogists since 2022.
 
For more details, visit our Coming Events listing. To attend this Zoom Meeting you need to register in advance - click HERE.)
 
 

 

Upcoming Monday Evening Webinar
 
Live Webinar / August 4, 2025 – 7:00 to 8:00 pm
Researching in the National Archives
Featured Guest Speaker:  Annette Burke Lyttle, CG®
 
Annette Burke Lyttle
Topic Info:  The National Archives (NARA) contains treasures for out genealogical research. Many are available online and many more must be consulted in person. In this presentation, we will concentrate on how to use the NARA online catalog and finding aids to locate records of our ancestors and their interactions with the federal government.
 
Presenter Info: Annette Burke Lyttle, CG®, owns Heritage Detective, LLC, providing professional genealogical services in research, education, and writing. She speaks on a variety of genealogical topics at the international, national, state, and local levels and loves helping people uncover and share their family stories. Annette is a course coordinator for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the British Institute. She is a published writer whose research interests include Quaker ancestors and ancestral migrations in the U.S. She is past president of the Association of Professional Genealogists as well as The Villages Genealogical Society, and editor of The Florida Genealogist.
 
For more details, and to register to attend, visit our Coming Events listing.
 


 
 
Admission to in-person meetings of The Villages Genealogy Society
is limited to VGS members and paid guests.
You must be a resident of The Villages, FL for membership.
 
 
 

Upcoming Events
July 21, 2025
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Best Practices SIG Meeting
  Coordinators: Annette Burke-Lyttle & Pat Adams Topic: Church and Cemetery Records   The SIG accepts new members throughout the year, but those who join after ...

July 23, 2025
10:00 am
VGS General Monthly Meeting
Guest Speaker:  David Ryan   Topic:  Why Can't I Find My Irish Ancestors? Irish family history research has a well-deserved reputation for being difficult. Often ...

August 4, 2025
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Jewish Genealogy SIG Meeting
Prior to the meeting date, SIG members will receive an email about the upcoming meeting.   Coordinators:  Phil Goldsmith & Jerry Schwartz    

August 4, 2025
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Researching in the National Archives
  Guest Speaker:  Annette Burke Lyttle, CG®   Topic Info:  The National Archives (NARA) contains treasures for our genealogical research. Many are available online and ...

August 8, 2025
10:00 am to 11:50 am
Genetic Discoveries SIG Meeting
  Our special summer format (June - September) is a hands-on, get together to help folks move forward with their genetic discoveries and to discuss ...
Facts and Tips
A centiMorgan (cM) is a measurement of how likely a segment of DNA is to recombine from one generation to the next. A single centiMorgan is considered equivalent to a 1% (1/100) chance that a segment of DNA will crossover or recombine within one generation.
[DNA]

If you don't provide the sources for your information, then that information is practically worthless to other researchers.
[Sources & Evidence]

Early immigration included St. Augustine in 1565, Jamestown, Virginia in 1607 and Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620.
[Immigration]