- Annual Library Lock In,
at the Helen Warner Branch, Willard Public Library, 36 Minges
Creek Place, Battle Creek. Willard has a very robust collection of
records to aid genealogists in their Local History Collection at the
Helen Warner Branch. Learn more about how to use their collections, and
volunteers will be on hand to help new researchers. Space is limited so
please pre-register with
local history librarian George Livingston at 269-968-8166 or
glivings@willard.lib.mi.us
March 27 - Craig K. Kempf from Kempf Funeral Home. The history of
funeral customs, including embalming, viewing, burial, and photographing
the dead during the last 150 years in America.
April 24 - Sharpshooters in the Army of General Grant - A New Discovery
In Calhoun County History by Chris Czopek. Chris has discovered that two
men from the local Nottawaseppi Huron Potawatomi tribe fought for the
Union in the Civil War. He will talk about who they were, how they
fought as Sharpshooters in the army of General Grant, and what happened
to them after the war was over. Chris Czopek is the author of Who Was
Who in Company K, a book about the Native American Sharpshooters
from Michigan in the Civil War. After the program, there will be a book
signing. If you are interested in Civil War history ... or the story of
our local Potawatomi tribe ... don't miss this event!
May 22 – Using DNA for Genealogy Research by Ivan Gilbert.
Ivan Gilbert is currently the director of the LDS Family History
Center in Kalamazoo. He is a native of Hastings, Michigan and has
researched all branches of his family tree for about 40 years.
After enduring a 30-year “brick wall” in upstate New York on his
paternal Gilbert line, eight years ago he found a few sketchy clues from
census, land, and probate records connecting him to a colonial Gilbert
family, but no proving documentation could be found.
Since the y-DNA signature for the early Gilbert immigrant had already
been established from other descendants (with the results available
online), Ivan had his y-DNA analyzed by Family Tree DNA in 2006 to see
if this new tool for genealogists could validate the connection.
In his talk, Ivan will provide an introduction to genetic genealogy,
share his experience with it, and provide insight for using this new
technology to break down those “brick walls” where no historical
documents exist.
June 26 – Identifying Old Photos by Mary Butler. Learn clues to
identifying dates of old photos based on internal evidence such as
clothing, hair styles and props.
