NGS Issues Apology and Correction

National Genealogical Society Issues a Correction

To its Announcement of the

NGS Family History Writing Contest Award Recipients

At the NGS 2018 Family History Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the National Genealogical Society (NGS) presented awards that acknowledge and honor genealogical scholarship and service during the final evening’s banquet. Among them were the award recipients of the highly regarded Family History Writing Contest.

Unfortunately, the information provided to the NGS Board of Directors was incomplete.

Only one winner was announced at the banquet when there were, in fact, two winners. Morna Lahnice Hollister’s name and her award recognition were accidentally omitted from the final results and therefore her name was not announced. To clarify, the award for this year’s Family History Writing Contest goes to two individuals:

Morna Lahnice Hollister of Simpsonville, South Carolina, with her entry, The Kennedy-Burns Family of South Carolina and New York.

Sharon L. Hoyt, MLIS, CG®, of Saratoga, California, with her entry, Her Sixth Matrimonial Venture: The Many Marriages of Ida May Chamberlain.

“On behalf of NGS and the NGS Awards Committee,” President Ben Spratling stated, “I extend my sincere apologies for the mix-up that occurred in bestowing this prestigious award. I also wanted to publicly recognize Ms. Hollister and her fine work selected by the committee for the award. I extend my congratulations to both winners for their outstanding written family histories.”

Ms. Hollister was also the recipient of the NGSQ 2014 Award for Excellence for Goggins and Goggans of South Carolina: DNA Helps Document the Basis of an Emancipated Family’s Surname, published in the NGSQ September 2014.

NGS Family History Writing Contest Award Recipients

NGS Presents Awards for Excellence in Scholarship and Service

NGS Awards Excellence in Genealogy Scholarship and

Service at Its 2018 Family History Conference

NGS held its annual banquet on Friday evening, 4 May, at the NGS 2018 Family History Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to present awards that acknowledge and honor genealogical scholarship and service. The banquet speaker, Ric Mixter, spoke on the topic “Great Storms of the Great Lakes.” Each year, these awards are presented to organizations and individuals who have made outstanding contributions to NGS programs or have performed outstanding work in the field of genealogy, history, biography, or heraldry.


National Genealogy Hall of Fame
Beginning in 1986, the National Genealogy Hall of Fame program, administered by the National Genealogical Society, has honored outstanding genealogists whose achievements in the field of American genealogy have had a great impact on the field. Qualified nominations are solicited annually from genealogical organizations. Those nominated must be deceased for at least five years and have been actively engaged in genealogy for a minimum of ten years. Their contributions to the field of genealogy in this country need to be significant in a way that was unique, pioneering, or exemplary. Such contributions could have been as an author of books or articles that added significantly to the body of published works, served as a model of genealogical research or writing, or made source records more readily available. Nominees could also have been a teacher or lecturer, or a person who contributed to the field through leadership in a genealogical organization or periodical. Entries are judged by a panel of genealogists from various parts of the United States.

This year, Mary Smith Fay, whose nomination was made by the American Society of Genealogists and the White County Historical Society, was elected to the National Genealogy Hall of Fame.

Mary Smith Fay was one of the country’s most eminent genealogists. She became a professional genealogist after retiring from the Shell Oil Company in 1969. Her research interests spanned the United States from New England to Texas, which led her to author two books and more than three dozen articles, all of which highlighted her genealogical research skills. Her professional work included serving as genealogist for the Howard Hughes estate and investigating claims of those purporting to be his heirs. She was active in numerous genealogical societies and lectured at both local and national genealogical conferences. Fay was born in Burnt Prairie, Illinois, on 27 August 1915; she died in Houston, Texas, on 7 July 2000.

In 1979 she published War of 1812 Veterans in Texas. Eleven years later the Fay genealogy, Edwin Fay of Vermont and Alabama 1794-1876: His Origins from 1656 and His Descendants to 1987 was published. Numerous articles appeared in the major genealogy journals. Notably, “The Three James Hickmans: Identifying Revolutionary War Veterans,” Virginia Genealogist, 41(1997):52-54; “Genealogy of Howard Robard Hughes, Jr.,” National Genealogical Society Quarterly, 71(1983):1-12; “Sheltons of Connecticut to Texas,” The Genealogist, 2:1(Spring 1981):115-23; and “Some Descendants of Richard and Sarah (Best) Tritton of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and New Haven, Connecticut,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 145(1991):125-28.

Fay served as president of the Houston Genealogical Forum in 1968; as State Chairman, Lineage Research Committee for the Texas Society, DAR, 1973-1976 and 1979-1981; and as a trustee for the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) 1983-1995. She was certified by BCG in 1974, became a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists in 1997, and an Honorary Admiral, Texas State Navy. In December 2000, the Mary Smith Fay Genealogy Library of the White County Historical Society, Carmi, Illinois, was named in her honor.

NGS Fellow

Fellowship in the National Genealogical Society recognizes a valued servant of the NGS. This year’s Fellow was presented to Melinde Lutz Byrne, CG®, FASG, of Derry, New Hampshire.

Since 2006 Melinde Lutz Byrne has edited the National Genealogical Society Quarterly with Thomas Jones, PhD, CG, CGLSM, FASG, FUGA, FNGS.  As editor she has made a major contribution to NGS by continuing and enhancing the Quarterly’s standing as a premier scholarly journal of genealogy.  She has authored or co-authored thirty books, including the monumental Great Migration, Immigration to New England, 1634-1635. She also has written more than sixty articles as well as numerous editorials and reviews. She is the director for genealogical programs at Excelsior College and at Boston University (BU), including BU’s Essentials, its Genealogical Research Certificate Program, and the Summer Seminar Series. A past president of the American Society of Genealogists (ASG), she was elected a Fellow of ASG, which reinforced her status as a nationally recognized genealogist.

The Shirley Langdon Wilcox Award for Exemplary Volunteerism

The Shirley Langdon Wilcox Award for Exemplary Volunteerism recognizes a volunteer whose generosity of spirit and time has greatly benefited the National Genealogical Society and the genealogical community in general over a period of years. Pamela S. Pearson of Somerville, New Jersey, was the recipient of the Shirley Langdon Wilcox Award for Exemplary Volunteerism.

Pam Pearson offered to assist the editors of the NGSQ.  Pam manages and tracks the flow of submissions of articles through their arrival, editorial reviews, field reviews, revisions, and contracting.  She routinely handles all incoming and outgoing correspondence with authors and field reviewers, and the editors. She organizes and documents each editorial decision at each stage of the review process.  

Pearson also manages the balloting for the annual Award for Excellence for an NGSQ article chosen by the editorial board.

Award of Merit

The Award of Merit is presented to an individual or non-profit genealogical or historical organization to recognize exceptional contributions to the field of genealogy over a period of five or more years, which has significantly aided research or increased interest in genealogy.

In recognition of her efforts on behalf of the National Genealogical Society, the Board of Directors has awarded Shirley M. De Boer of Grand Rapids, Michigan, its 2017 Award of Merit.

De Boer has been a very active member of the Western Michigan Genealogical Society for many years.  She has served as the society’s recording secretary, vice president, program chair, research chair, volunteer coordinator, and a contributor to the society’s quarterly magazine the Michigana.

De Boer has taught many genealogy classes, lead research trips to various research facilities, worked on local genealogy projects, and spoken at conferences. She wrote the National Genealogical Society’s Research in the States Guide for Michigan. She has also published a number of pamphlets and indexes including “Cite Your Sources?’ and “Memorial to the Pioneer Women of the Western Reserve” as well as an index to the Grand Rapids Newspapers based on “The Story of Grand Rapids” edited by Z. Z. Lydens.

In recognition of her efforts on behalf of the National Genealogical Society, the Board of Directors has awarded Nancy Simons Peterson of Portola Valley, California, its 2017 Award of Merit.

Nancy Simons Peterson, CG, served the California Genealogical Society for more than a decade. Her search for her maternal ancestors led ultimately to the publication of the definitive San Francisco research guide. “Raking the Ashes: Genealogical Strategies for Pre-1906 San Francisco Research,” first published in 2006 and revised and updated in 2011, it continues to be the society’s best seller. Peterson volunteered countless hours as the society’s research director. She co-led numerous research tours and served on the board of directors for three terms. Her research, writing, editing, and lecturing skills were always in demand, and she generously gave her time for an endless variety of projects.

In recognition of her efforts on behalf of the National Genealogical Society, the Board of Directors has awarded Gladys Cajke of Wahoo, Nebraska, its 2017 Award of Merit.

Gladys Cajka has spent thousands of hours fulfilling genealogical requests from all over the United States and other countries. She has researched records throughout Saunders County, Nebraska, in every county office, churches, cemeteries, and town and city halls. She has worked tirelessly for almost forty years on genealogical research and has contributed to the ongoing pursuit of preserving the history of Saunders County.

Cajka was instrumental in organizing and maintaining the research room at the Saunders County Museum.

Family History Writing Contest
The highly regarded Family History Writing Contest encourage NGS members to write a narrative genealogy that covers at least three generations and not more than four generations of their family. This year the award goes to two individuals:

Morna Lahnice Hollister of Simpsonville, South Carolina, with her entry, The Kennedy-Burns Family of South Carolina and New York.

Sharon L. Hoyt, MLIS, CG®, of Saratoga, California, with her entry, Her Sixth Matrimonial Venture: The Many Marriages of Ida May Chamberlain.

National Genealogical Society Quarterly’s Award for Excellence

The NGSQ Award for Excellence is presented for an outstanding article published in the NGSQ in the previous calendar year. For 2017, the editors have chosen George Washington Cottrell of Texas: One Man or Two? by Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL, of Avenel, New Jersey, published in the September 2017 issue of the NGSQ.  

Award for Excellence: Genealogy and Family History Book

This year’s recipient was Albert E. Fiacre, Jr., of Hartford, Connecticut. The title of his entry was Ancestors, Descendants, and Related Families of Jacob Smith, Sr. (1773-1834) and his Wife, Margaret Smith (1777-1834).  This award is for a specific, significant single contribution in the form of a family genealogy or family history book published in the past five years. Entries serve to foster scholarship and/or otherwise advance or promote excellence in genealogy.  

Senior Rubincam Youth Award

Ryan Bobo of Meridian, Indiana, was the winner of this year’s Senior Rubincam Youth Award for students in grades ten through twelve or between the ages of sixteen and eighteen. The title of his entry was A Genealogical History of Ryan Bobo. The Senior Rubincam Award was established in 1986 to honor Milton Rubincam, cg, fasg, fngs, for his many years of service to NGS and to the field of genealogy. The award encourages and recognizes our youth as the next generation of family historians.  

We congratulate all of the award recipients.

NGS Presents Awards Honoring Editorship and Service to NGS

National Genealogical Society Presents Awards

Honoring Excellence in Newsletter Editorship and Service to NGS

NGS honored excellence in newsletter editorship for genealogical and historical societies and family associations, as well as service to NGS with the presentation of several awards at the Opening Session of the NGS 2018 Family History Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on 2 May 2018. The Opening Session was a keynote presentation, entitled “Coming Along the Towpath: The Erie Canal and the Peopling of the Great Lakes States” by John Philip Colletta, PhD, FUGA, after which NGS President Ben Spratling, JD, presented the following awards.

The President’s Citation

Kenneth H. Thomas Jr. was awarded the President’s Citation. This award is given in recognition of outstanding, continuing, or unusual contributions to the field of genealogy or the Society.

Kenneth H. Thomas Jr. of Decatur, Georgia, received the NGS President’s Citation for his outstanding work writing a weekly column on genealogy for forty years in the Sunday Atlanta Journal-Constitution, one of the largest daily circulation newspapers in the United States. He began this column in May 1977. The current Sunday edition circulation is three hundred thousand. Over the years, Thomas has brought attention to the field of genealogy by writing about the latest news, books, advances in technology, research techniques, conferences, and now DNA. His column is believed to be the longest continuously published genealogy column in the United States.

Each year, the NGS Newsletter Competition recognizes the hard work, long hours, and creativity that editors devote to their newsletters. A panel of three judges reviews each newsletter on material interest, variety, organization, quality of writing and editing, readability, and attractiveness. This year’s categories and winners are:

Family Association Newsletter

Winner:  The Hungerford World Tree, the newsletter of The Hungerford Family Foundation, Inc., in Bonita Springs, Florida, edited by Charles C. Morgan.

Honorable Mention: The Timen Stidden Society Newsletter, the newsletter of The Timen Stiddem Society, a family association whose ancestor was among the seventeenth century settlers of New Sweden (now Wilmington), Delaware, edited by Richard L. Steadham.

Newsletter for a County/Local Genealogical and/or Historical Society for societies with less than 500 members

Winner: The Newsletter of the Irish Family History Forum, the newsletter of the Irish Family History Forum in Long Island, New York, edited by Jim Regan.

Honorable Mention: The South Plains Roots, the newsletter of the South Plains Genealogical Society, Inc., in Lubbock, Texas, edited by Sharon Hall.

NGS also recognized several individuals for their dedicated efforts in support of the NGS 2018 Family History Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The Award of Honor

The Award of Honor was presented in recognition of dedication and sustained service in support of the conference. Recipient of the award was the Western Michigan Genealogical Society, Mindy Koole, President.

Certificates of Appreciation

Certificates of Appreciation were given to recognize the committee chairs who spent countless hours preparing for the conference. NGS is aware that there would be no conference if it were not for the volunteers’ efforts and commitment. So honored were: Local Host Committee Chair, Mindy Koole; Registration Chair, Roger Moffat; Local Publicity Chair, Donald S. Bryant; Volunteer Co-Chairs, Sue Irvine and Maureen Doyle Nelson; Social Media Chair, Denise Fedko; Tom Koselka, and Katherine Willson.  

NGS Presents Its Filby Award

The National Genealogical Society Announces

the Winner of the Filby Award

Timothy Gleisner and Bill Forsyth from Pro Quest

Today the National Genealogical Society (NGS) presented the Filby Award along with its $1,000 prize to Timothy Gleisner, former Head of Special Collections at the Grand Rapids Public Library at the Librarians’ Day event of the NGS 2018 Family History Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Created in 1999 by NGS, the award is named for the late P. William Filby, former director of the Maryland Historical Society and author of many core genealogical reference tools that genealogists have relied on for decades. It is presented annually at the NGS Family History Conference and has been sponsored by ProQuest and Mr. William Forsyth since 2006.

During his time at the Grand Rapids Public Library, Gleisner sought to find, and preserve all aspects of the city’s history and culture. He worked at the library and throughout the city to share his knowledge. He made available archival documents that tell the stories of Western Michigan families and the communities’ past history. He left the Grand Rapids Public Library to work at the Herrick District Library as assistant director in Holland, Michigan, and recently accepted a position at the Archives of Michigan in Lansing, Michigan, where he serves as the manager of Special Collections.

Paths to Your Past: A Guide to Finding Your Ancestors 2018 Edition

NGS Publishes the 2018 Edition of

Paths to Your Past: A Guide to Finding Your Ancestors

The National Genealogical Society is delighted to announce that the 2018 edition of Paths to Your Past: A Guide to Finding Your Ancestors will be available for purchase on 2 May. Its author Pamela Boyer Sayre CG®, FUGA, has completely revised and updated this comprehensive reference guide for family historians and genealogists.

Paths to Your Past is an excellent primer for those just getting started on building their family tree and a valuable reminder to all family historians and genealogists about the various methods and sources we need to consider in our daily work. 

The author discusses how to find and use records, including the US Census, military records, land and probate records as well as vital records of birth, death and marriage. The book also reviews how to use sources on the Internet; the importance of documenting and citing your sources; and how to keep research logs and ancestor charts. Throughout the book, the author refers readers to additional courses and books to enhance their knowledge of important topics such as genetic genealogy. Also included are references to local, state, and federal repositories. 

Pamela Boyer Sayre is a professional researcher, 

educator, author, and national lecturer. She has 

developed, coordinated, and taught courses at 

several, prestigious genealogical institutes and 

is a former board member of the National 

Genealogical Society. Sayre co-authored 

Online Roots: How to Discover Your Family’s History

and Heritage with the Power of the Internet 

and is a former editor of the Association of 

Professional Genealogists Quarterly.

Paths to Your Past will be available for purchase at the NGS 2018 Family History Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2-5 May, and at the NGS online store on 2 May.