Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society
Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society -- Kalamazoo, MI

Welcome to the KVGS website!

We serve historians and genealogists who are interested in the Kalamazoo River Valley region - and around the world, too.  Join us!

Welcome All!

Members and guests, we look forward to seeing you at our November 18 general meeting. This event is hybrid (Portage District Library, 300 Library Lane, Portage, MI, and on Zoom). Socializing and refreshments begin at 6:30 pm at the library, with a short business meeting starting at 7:00 pm.
 
KVGS members can expect to receive a meeting reminder email with a Zoom registration link a few days before the meeting. You can also register on Zoom through the website  EVENTS page.
 
Immediately following the business meeting, Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, will present Quaker Resources in the Family History Library and Other Archives.  Might you have some Quaker ancestors in your family tree? Learn how to find and use valuable Quaker resources to further your research.
 
Quakers were among the earliest settlers in North America, and as they moved west, they were some of the earliest settlers in the newly-opened territory. The Quakers were amazing record-keepers. The Family History Library in Salt Lake City has hundreds of resources for Quaker research, some of which have been digitized. In addition, several archives at Quaker institutions of higher learning contain sizable collections of Quaker resources. The Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College, the Quaker Archives at Guilford College, the Friends Collection at Earlham College, and many more offer significant learning opportunities about our Quaker ancestors.
 
Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, owns Heritage Detective, LLC, and provides professional genealogical services in research, education, and writing. She speaks on various genealogical topics at national, state, and local events and loves helping people uncover and share their family stories.
 
KVGS has recently added something new: monthly Genealogy Help sessions from 10 am to 12 pm at the Portage District Library Heritage Room on Thursdays following our general meeting. Need help with a genealogy research problem? Wondering what to do next in your family history search? Bring your questions to discuss with KVGS volunteers at the Portage District Library Heritage Room on Thursday, November 21, from 10 am to 12 pm. Just drop in and see what another point of view can do to help solve your problem.
 
Suppose you missed an earlier program, such as Library of Michigan Reference Librarian Matthew Pacer's excellent September presentation, Collections of the Library of Michigan. You will find program recordings and handouts from many programs under our website's MEMBERS section and then in the RECORDINGS/HANDOUTS section. Please remember to sign in as a member first.
 
We look forward to seeing you Monday evening, November 18. Perhaps you have a friend you would like to bring with you. Remember, guests are always welcome at our meetings!
 
See you there!
 
KVGS Board
 

KVGS on Social Media and Other Sites

KVGS is on more than just our own website.  Visit us at the following links to check out our "footprint" on the Internet.
 

KVGS Memberships

 
 
We are an organization member of the National Genealogical Society. Visit the NGS website at:  https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/
 
Genealogy Calendar of Events:  https://ConferenceKeeper.org
 
 
We are an organization member of the Michigan Genealogical Council. Visit the MGC website at:  https://mimgc.org/
 
Genealogy Calendar of Events:  https://mimgc.org/events-calendar/

Nov
14
Michigan Pioneer Certificate Meeting
  Join KVGS members as they research their ancestors who lived in MI before Dec. 31, 1880 to apply for the Michigan Pioneer Certificate.  Contact ...

Nov
16
2024 MGC Fall Family History Event with Angie Bush, MS
  The Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society is a member of the Michigan Genealogical Council and is pleased to provide you with information about the 2024 ...

Nov
18
Gen Meet/Program: Annette Burke Lyttle, Quaker Resources in Family History Library & Other Archives
  Please join us on November 18 at 7:00 pm for our November general meeting. Immediately following the business meeting, Annette Burke Lyttle, CG, will present Quaker Resources ...

Nov
21
Drop-in Genealogy Help Sessions
    Need help with a genealogy research problem? Wondering what to do next in your family history search? Bring your questions and problems to ...

Dec
2
Board Meeting
  Monthly board meetings are open to members. Come see the Board in action. Currently, the Board is meeting by Zoom.  If you want to ...

Visit Us on Flickr
Stop over to Flickr.com to see the images uploaded from the KVGS collection. Visit https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikvgs/