Morris Area Genealogy Society President s Annual Report

Transcription

1 Morris Area Genealogy Society President s Annual Report President This was the second year of the Special Interest Groups (S.I.G.). We combined the successful German (S.I.G.) led by Jim Short with the Eastern European (S.I.G.) led by Bob Stein. Several members were interested in both areas of research and asked that we combine the meetings. We obtained quite a few new members through participation here. It meets from 10 AM to 12 Noon on the third Tuesday of the month at the Morris County Library. Our Computer Genealogy (S.I.G.) combined with our Family History Writing (S.I.G.) led by Ruth Daniels generally meets from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM on the fourth Friday of the month at the Morris County Library. This SIG has attracted several new members as well. Beginners Genealogy (S.I.G.) led by Lyn Foster is held on the third Monday of the Month from 1 PM to 3 PM following the Indexing Committee session at the Morristown Morris Township library. Here again, this SIG attracted a number of new members. While many genealogical societies are losing members, our programs and SIGs have attracted significant membership growth. Bob Stein May 2008 Vice President and Program Chair The following programs were scheduled for the year: September 4, 2007 Ruth Daniels Lyn Foster Betty Short Jim Short What is Available at the Morris Area Genealogy Society? CG and Writing Special Interest Group Basic Genealogy Special Interest Group Eastern European Special Interest Group German Special Interest Group October 2, 2007 Jim & Jan Gunnis So You Want to Go To the Family History Library at Salt Lake City" November 6, 2007 Leroy May Locating the Descendents of Police Chief Cavanaugh December 4, 2008 Holiday Party

2 February 5, 2008 Bob Stein Lyn Foster Joan Wadsack Workshops Finding Great Grandpa s Home Town Beginning Genealogy Resources Available at the Morristown Family History Center March 4, 2008 Catherine Medich Tracing Your Civil War Ancestor April 1, 2008 Lisa Kerr Ilowite 20 th Anniversary of MAGS Finding a Women s Maiden Name May 6, 2008 S. David Phraner The Morris Canal, A Mountain-Climbing Waterway June 3, 2008 Nancy Ronning Their Times and Their Places Jim Short Vice President and Program Chair Recording Secretary As Recording Secretary, I took the minutes of the regular meetings and provided copies of the minutes from each meeting at the following meeting. There were nine meetings in all. I also took the minutes of three Board meetings held during the past year and ed copies to the Board members. I put copies of all the minutes in our files at the Morristown/Morris Township Library. Ginny Walton Recording Secretary Corresponding Secretary Mail was picked up at the Convent Station Post Office and delivered to the appropriate officer or committee head by Linnea Foster. Correspondence was minimal, including a letter response for research help, a phone call response for genealogy how-to, and a grievance card. Alan Zimmerman MAGS Corresponding Secretary

3 NJH&GC Archives MAGS material that has accumulated at the Morristown/Township Library has been archived in the NJH&GC by their archivist. Existing material has been reviewed, sorted, filed in a Finding-Aid now listed on the library website. Additional material has been found and added to bring many of the files up to date. The work continues and more material will be added as it is located. Work has started to update the MAGS Policies and Procedures for inclusion in these archives and on the MAGS website. Alan Zimmerman Summary of Treasurer s Report This year, we have a recorded membership of 304. However, this is not exactly as it appears. Eight of these memberships are Libraries or other Genealogy Societies. Thus, 296 seems to be a more accurate membership number. However, also included are the payments for Genealogy Day. There were 29 payments for Genealogy Day; so that number should be subtracted from 296. Giving 267 members. Of the 267 members, 36 are family memberships. Thus, I will subtract 36 individuals from the 267 members. These 36 spouses have paid $5. Total income for dues is then approximately = 231 x $15 = $3465 Spouses: 36 x $5 = 180 Libraries 8 x $10.= 80 Dues for next year: 10 x $15= 150 Total dues income: $3875. Salmon Fund Donation $802. Genealogy Day Income $835 Approximate Total Income $5512 Annual Costs: Newsletter Printing $ $ $ $412. = $1717. Newsletter Mailing Costs $ $ $160. +$80. + $180. = $753. Insurance: Cumberland: = $353. Speakers: approx: $100. $125. $125. $125. $100. $100. = $675. Annual Report Fee $ 25. Supplies, Photo Copies, etc = $220. Hospitality (incl. Genealogy Day) = $446. Rental (for Genealogy Day) = $230. Gifts (librarians, $142. Henry E. Weis, Treasurer Approximate Total Costs $4561.

4 MAGS Newsletter Editor Objective: to publish an informative newsletter four times a year The Newsletter Editor: gathers information, articles and photographs creates/organizes the layout in a 16 page format arranges for the printing and mailing of the Newsletter to members This year we published our usual four quarterly issues of the Morris Area Genealogy Society Newsletter. All were printed at Digital and Print Communications (DPC), Morristown. We continue to run our Morris County Marriages, supplied by Linnea B Foster, our New Acquisitions at the Morristown-Morris Township Library, Bible Records from the Adelaide J Howell collection, and our Queries in most issues. We completed the synopses of the Iron Era. There has also been an assortment of other articles and photos. Our printer, DPC, now does all the collating, folding, wafering (approximately 300 copies each issue) and mailing (database provided by membership) except for late and new subscribers/members. DPC bills us and I retrieve the extra copies and deliverer them to our storage cabinet at the Morristown-Morris Township Library where they are kept for use by the membership chair as needed. Stu Shippey continues to scan and create PDF files for posterity. Ruth Phibbs Daniels - MAGS Newsletter Editor Liaison to Morristown/Township Library I continued to provide contact and communication between MAGS and the Morristown/Morris Township Library. This liaison is particularly important since MAGS no longer meets at the Morristown Library. Claire Kissil

5 Membership There were 259 members on May 1, From May 1, 2007 to April 30, 2008, thirty five (35) new members joined and twenty five (25) did not renew. Ten of the new members are meaning they will technically start their membership on June 1, As of May 1, 2008 there will be 269 membership units. This includes the ten new members. Of the 269 current members 174 are from New Jersey and 95 are out-of-state. The break-down by membership type is as follows: Institution - 8 Family - 34 Courtesy - 17 Individual Total As you know the membership chairman prepares a mailing list for the newsletter. The newsletter is mailed to each member in June, September, December and March. The normal procedure is to send it by bulk mail. There are circumstances during the year when I, as membership chairman, mail out the newsletter first class. These circumstances are as follows: (1) A new member joins during the year and requires back newsletters and (2) A member renews after the December newsletter is mailed. MAGS policy is not to mail the December newsletter until their dues is paid. I kept track of the number of newsletters I mailed each quarter. The break-down is as follows: June newsletters (only 1 left). September newsletters. December newsletters. March newsletters. I did this in order to help us plan the total number to print out for each quarter. As of May 1, 2008, there are 42 members already renewed (08-09). This is an unusually high number for the start of the membership year. If I add the 10 new members for this means we have 52 members whose dues is already paid for the new membership year. The new membership year will start on June 1, 2008 and end on May 31, Ruth Willis - Membership Chairman. Hospitality The Hospitality chair remained unfilled but various members stepped up to provide refreshments throughout the year. MAGS Research Requests for research have been very few. However, because of additions of indexes to the MAGS website, we ve fulfilled requests for copies of information from publications and manuscripts. Ruth Daniels, Evelyn Huey, and Claire Kissil are available to answer requests. Linnea B. Foster MAGS Research Coordinator

6 Indexing The MAGS Indexing Group continues to meet the third Monday of each month, September through June at the Morristown-Morris Township Library. The group is working on indexes to the Images of America series for the Morris area, has completed six, and presented them to the Library. The indexes also have been added to the MAGS website along with indexes to Chester, New Jersey: A Scrapbook of History, Mount Arlington: A Pictorial History, and Rockaway Borough: A History. Members of the Indexing Group are Helen Benz, Eleanor Casagrand, Martha Corson, Ruth Daniels, Linnea Foster, Bogert Holly, Evelyn Huey, Judy Weinstein, Henry Weis, and Lois Weis. Linnea B. Foster Indexing Group Coordinator Publicity As in years past, I have submitted articles by to the following newspapers: morris@starledger.com ipeditors@njpublishing.com (the Independent, a free paper serving Chatham, Madison, and the nearer segments of Union County (Berkeley Heights, Summit, and New Providence). newsroom@dailyrecord.com hometowns@dailyrecord.com Lacking a fax, I deliver to the Chatham Courier, Madison Eagle and affiliates in Hanover and Morris Plains by hand. All these papers have been consistent about publishing our notices and guests have mentioned that the articles have induced them to come to our meetings. Our articles also go to websites: Mcnjgen1@optonline.net NJMorris-L@rootsweb.com (our own site) Salmon-colored flyers go to all SE Morris County local libraries as far west as Mt. Arlington and Long Valley and as far north as Montville, plus the Sussex and Somerset County libraries, also Summit, New Providence, and Berkeley Heights libraries. Ruth Lufkin, the dynamo of the Family History Interest Group at Bernards Twp. Library, lays a good bundle of them out at FHIG night. Again, newcomers have noticed these and come. Family History Centers from Scotch Plains in the south to Fardale at the top of the state, from Clinton to Ledgewood get flyers, as do genealogy clubs in Metuchen, Passaic, and Westfield. Certain college and university libraries get flyers; Drew, Fairleigh Dickinson, St. Elizabeth, and Morris County College, also the NJ Historical Society in Newark, and the Historic Morris Visitors Center. Senior Centers in Chatham, Madison, Parsippany, Randolph, and Mendham also get postings. Morristown High School, Mendham High School, and Boonton High School get flyers if the topic seems to be of local interest. Martha P. Corson Publicity Chair

7 Website Anna Nagy has continued as our Webmaster even though she has moved out of New Jersey. In this role, she: Updated MAGS website regularly providing up-to-date information on programs and other activities Published indices completed by Indexing Group to the website Responded to requests from visitors to the MAGS website (with help from Lyn, Ruth and Bob) Maintained list of surnames being researched by MAGS members on website. Forwarded any contact requests to appropriate MAGS member Anna Nagy web master