The Chautauqua County Genealogical Society will hold an open house on Tuesday, July 16 from 1 to 7:45 p.m. in the Garland Room of Barker Library/Museum, 7 Day St., Fredonia. The business meeting will commence at 6:30 p.m. The speaker for the evening will be Society Vice-President Ruth Nichols, “How I found my Irish Roots, the story of my Davis Family.” The public is invited to attend. The Barker Museum will also be open during these hours. Members of the Society will be available to guide members through the many family research books available in the Garland Room. The complete volume set of the Mayflower Society is available as well as hard copy volumes of famous early families in America. Individual family genealogy lists and family histories provided by local families are available for research purposes.

Over the years members of the Society have researched and compiled local information available for viewing and purchase by the public. A Guide to Chautauqua County, NY Cemeteries and Burial sites by Virginia W. Barden, Lois M. Barris and Norwood Barris, includes over 200 burial sites, dates of use, religious affiliation and info on availability of gravestone transcriptions. School and government records include, Emigrants Aided in Chautauqua Co., NY, 1853-1876, compiled by Lois Barris. Chautauqua County School District records, compiled by Society volunteers. Also, the Chautauqua County Tax Assessor Records by Towns, edited by Donna J. Johnson. The Holland Land Company Sales in Chautauqua Co., NY 1803-1810, by Virginia W. Barden. The Genealogical Index to the Dunkirk Evening Observer, by Lois Barris. Lois Barris compiled 19th Century marriages and 1818-1899 death notices as reported in the Fredonia Censor. These are just a few of the publications available for viewing and purchase. Military information is also available.

The Chautauqua County Atlases of 1881, 1867, Jamestown City atlas of 1888, Jamestown wall map of 1856, Cattaraugus Co. Atlas of 1869, the 1854 wall map of Chautauqua County are some of the information available on CD for research and purchase from the Society. These were digitized by Dr. Sheil.

From 3 to 5 p.m., families are invited to bring school age children to view President George Washington’s Genealogical chart and have fun with family history research.

Genealogy charts, list of family research websites will also be available.

Follow us on our new, updated website, ChauGen.org. And our new face book page, administered by Andrew Kolstee, society member and trustee.

For further information contact Gail A. Pugh Dash, President, 595-3593 or gaildash@yahoo.com.