Upcoming Events of Interest
Thursday, March 29, 2012, 6:30 PM
Spring Meeting of the Polish Genealogical Society of Massachusetts
How to do genealogical research in Poland
Tim Firkowski, also known as The Genealogical Assistant' will share his experiences researching in Poland. He has visited churches, dioceses and state archives for records for numerous clients who require extensive research. In particular he has done client research in the area of Tarnow and Rzeszow area including the villages of Stryszów, Pstrągowa, Krośno, Niewodna, Frysztak and more. Bring your questions and problems. FREE. Bring a friend.
Location: Polish Center of Discovery & Learning, 33 South Street, Chicopee. Directions: Take exit 12 or 12a off Rt. 91 to Rt. 391 and follow signs for Elms College to the right up the hill. This will be South Street. Look for brick building next to the church. There is ample parking on site, just beyond the building. We will meet in the first floor meeting room. The center is handicap accessible. Come early to visit the display and our Genealogy Room.
April 20-23, 2012
"Polish Identity"
United Polish Genealogical Societies (UPGS) Biennial Conference in Salt lake City, Utah
If you are debating about whether to visit Salt Lake City, perhaps knowing what topics will be covered to help the beginner as well as the advanced researcher will help you decide. Among them:
- Useful Family Search Databases
- Records in the 3 partitions - Austria, Germany and Russia
- Genealogy Societies in Poland today
- Finding your Ancestral Village in American Records
- Family Photos: Repair, Preserve, and Share
- Using Social Media in Research
- Archives in Poland
- Planning a Polish Research Trip
Go to www.upgs.eventbrite.com for detailed information on the program and how to register. The Early Bird Registration is good until March 20th. However, the discounted room rate ends Sunday, February 12, 2012. Don't miss out!
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 6:30 PM
Summer Meeting of the Polish Genealogical Society of Massachusetts
Bread & Roses Centennial Conversation
In January 1912, Lawrence mill workers launched a strike over a pay cut that began in the Everett Mill and soon involved over 20,000 mostly women workers. First to walk out were 400 Polish women textile workers. Lawrence was soon placed under martial law when the city’s mayor requested that the state militia be sent there. The strike precipitated an investigation by the US Congress into intolerable working and living conditions in Lawrence. National and international publicity helped to lead to a settlement in March which provided for increased pay and better working conditions in Lawrence and sparked similar advances in other mill cities across New England. The conversation will answer the questions: What happened in Lawrence on January 12 and why? How did the strike proceed? And, why does the strike still remain so important in labor history?
Our speaker, Robert Forrant, is Professor of History at UMass Lowell and chair of the Lawrence-based Bread & Roses Centennial Committee. He received his PhD in history from UMass Amherst in 1994. Before receiving his PhD, Forrant worked as a machinist at the now-closed American Bosch plant in Springfield, MA and was Business Agent for International Union of Electrical Workers Local 206 at Bosch for several years. In 2009 he published Metal Fatigue: American Bosch and the Demise of Metalworking in the Connecticut River Valley.
FREE. Bring a friend. Location: Polish Center of Discovery & Learning, 33 South Street, Chicopee. Directions: Take exit 12 or 12a off Rt. 91 to Rt. 391 and follow signs for Elms College to the right up the hill. This will be South Street. Look for brick building next to the church. There is ample parking on site, just beyond the building. We will meet in the first floor meeting room. The center is handicap accessible. Come early to visit the display and our Genealogy Room.
Thursday, October 25, 2012, 6:30 PM
Fall Meeting of the Polish Genealogical Society of Massachusetts
Overlooked Municipal Records
Our genealogy research begins with records of births, marriages and deaths, but finding out what our ancestors did between those dates helps us understand their lives. Recent immigrants may not have held public offices, but other useful information can be found in the reports of the boards or committees in the town where they lived. They may have worked building roads or sewers, or received assistance in hard times. Sara Campbell will present a talk on what kind of information may be gleaned from records kept by local towns. Sara has been researching her own family history for over 20 years, including the Szymanowicz and Zawacki families in Easthampton and Northampton. She recently began a working at the Department of Public Works in Greenfield and can often be found in the vault in Town Hall thumbing through the dusty records.
Location: Polish Center of Discovery & Learning, 33 South Street, Chicopee. Directions: Take exit 12 or 12a off rte. 91 to rte. 391 and follow signs for Elms College. This will take you to South Street. Look for brick building next to church. There is ample parking at left of Center. Talk in first floor auditorium. The center is handicap accessible. Come early to visit the display and our Genealogy Room