Darien, Connecticut
The MIDDLESEX GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY (MGS) was established in Darien, Fairfield County, Connecticut, USA in 1983 to help those interested in genealogy search for details of their family heritage and to provide guidance to that end. The Middlesex Genealogical Society is directed by its Board Members .
The Society holds at least four general meetings during the year with programs and speakers and has established a genealogy section at the Darien Library which is located at 35 Leroy Avenue in Darien just to the North of Exit 11 on Interstate I-95.
IMPORTANT NOTE! The Middlesex Genealogical Society was named for Middlesex Parish in Fairfield County (Southwestern Connecticut) and not Middlesex County which is further upstate in Connecticut.
MGS PROGRAMS
MGS Programs are held at the Darien Public Library,(Lower Level) 35 Leroy Avenue, starting at 2 p.m. The Library is close to Exit 11 on Interstate 95 and also near to the Darien train station.
There is no registration fee for these programs and the general public is invited. Contact Program Chairman, Pete Kenyon (203) 655-0320 for further information.
UPCOMING MGS PROGRAMS 2008
Save these dates: (all programs begin @ 2 p.m.)
January 26, 2008. COLONIAL SHIPS' LISTS--DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE THROUGH NARA will be presented by CASEY ZAHN. This talk will cover crew's lists, ship's cargo, and other resources available to researchers through the National Archives and Records Administration.
March 15, 2008. RESEARCHING YOUR SCOTTISH ROOTS WITHOUT EVER LEAVING HOME will be prsented by DIANE RAPAPORT. Diane describes her presentation as sharing resources for "armchair" genealogists, with tips from her popular "Scottish Genealogy" column in The Highlander magazine.
May 17, 2008. RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSES--UNCOMMON SOURCES IN COMMON PLACES will be presented by VIRGINIA BANERJEE. Common places can yield uncommon sources and records often missed. This program focuses on the "rest of the material" in repositories that we use all the time and is illustrated with finds from Virginia's own research.
MGS Books and Resources
Books pertaining to genealogy and related subjects can be found in almost every section of the Darien Library. Click this link for An MGS Catalog of Genealogical Holdings in the Darien Library.
The largest and most concentrated genealogy collection is in the Glanville Reading Room in the back of the Mezzanine. Here you will find books belonging to the the Society next to those owned by the Library.
Help on the Society's resources is available from the Library Information Desk and by special request, an appointment can be made for members to assist genealogists who need help in a specific area.
In addition, genealogy books can be found in the Main Reading Room, the Mezzanine (circulating books) and the Children's Room.
COMPUTER GENEALOGY
Pictured at right is MGS Member Alan Wyland at the Family Search Workstation -- currently the busiest workstation in the Darien Library. The Family Search facility is located in the genealogical area of the Glanville Reading Room.
Here you will find a computer with the ability to read Compact Disks complete with a printer and the Family Search database comprising some 50 compact disks.
Family Search is a leading genealogical database, programmed and maintained by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (also known as the Mormons) in Salt Lake City Utah. This database is also available on-line at at www.FamilySearch.org
It comprises:
The Ancestral Genealogical File(AGF), a World wide collection of family ancestral records with over 29 million entries, which have been given to the LDS by people all over the World.
The International Genealogical Index (IGI), which is a collection of over 120 million christenings and marriages of people who are now deceased, from microfilmed parish and other vital records from all over the World.
The Social Security Index of people for whom death benefits have been applied for.
The Military Index of veterans who fought and died for their country in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts and
The Catalog of the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City, the largest genealogical library in the World.
Some Census information is also available on compact disks under the Robert Fatherley Memorial CD Collection; it is hoped to add a number of genealogical books on CD to this collection in the near future.
Click this link for Darien Town Records that have been copied by the LDS.
Click this link for Fitch Home Cemetery Records.
Click on this link to get an alternative listing for the Fitch Home Soldier's Cemetery.
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this file. You can download it for free.Click this link for Old Rowayton Cemetery Records.
Take a look at these linked Bookmarks
- Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet.
- Library of Congress
- National Archives and Records Administration
- L.D.S Family Search
- Ancestry.com
- UK & Ireland Home Page.
- Genealogy Databases Available at the Darien Library
For Information write to The Middlesex Genealogical Society, PO Box 1111, Darien, CT 06820-1111 Annual Dues $20.00 (single) $25.00 (couple)
Revd Evan Williams & family at Nantcwnlle Vicarage, Cardiganshire Wales in 1892.
The Middlesex Genealogical Society, PO Box 1111, Darien, CT 06820-1111
