Olympia Genealogical Society, digging up ancestors for 50 years!

Shirley Stirling portrait

Would you like some free, in-person, and local help with a family tree? Whether you are looking to prove a familial link to Martin Luther King, find siblings you’ve never met, prove an ancestor arrived in the US at Ellis Island, or find a connection to the Mayflower, the NFP Olympia Genealogical Society offers a helping hand! Since 1974, they have promoted the study of family and local histories and assisted members, friends, and the South Puget Sound community with their genealogical journeys.

Meet Ann Olson and Alma Greenwood. They are two of the 13 founding members of OGS and reminisced with others at a recent celebration of the group. “When starting out, always begin with yourself and move backward in time,” recommends Ann Olson, referring to a beginner’s first “baby steps.”

Ann Olson and Alma Greenwood at the recent Olympia Genealogical Society (OGS) 50th celebration. May 18, 2024.

The group started after a public library presentation series in the early 1970s at the old Carnegie Library. Afterward, several people simply started talking together and decided they needed something locally to help pool resources and assist each other. That was long before Ancestry.com (1997) or Finding Your Roots (2012). Ann Olson explains, “It gradually grew, word of mouth. We also promoted and raised money to rent a place to meet once we couldn’t fit in people’s homes. I remember hanging up old shirts to sell in garage sales! It was a love we all had of genealogy and family research that kept us going!”

Alma explained that her interest in genealogy came partly from the expectation people had that, as a professional librarian in the Olympia library, she must know all about family history. “That term was never mentioned during my graduate classes in librarianship,” she laughed. “I thought, well, I don’t know anything about my own family history. So, I started doing a little, and you don’t just do a LITTLE! It’s something that becomes a disease. I know - I infected my own family!” Alma’s eldest daughter, Kathy Thompson, spoke up, “Back in the day when she started genealogy, we used to go on annual family vacations, but to graveyards! It was like, ‘Okay, what graveyard are we going to see this year!’”

Past OGS president assembled to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Olympia Genealogical Society (OGS). Front: Norman Dodge, Eileen Dodge, Jerri …

What you might find

In addition to their own families, both Alma and Ann have assisted many individuals with their family research and even lineage groups as registrar, a voluntary board position tasked with helping applicants prove their lineage for the purposes of lineage society membership – and there are many! Ann pointed out that Alma and Jean Laws, both professional librarians, have helped many individuals. Part of the fun is that you never know what you might find! And she gave credit to Jerri McCoy, featured in the “Pilgrim and Witch” story in JOLT last year, who has helped innumerable people, including in her current position as Mayflower historian. Jerri piped up, “When I first found that I had an ancestor accused of being a witch and actually killed for it, my cousin often said, ‘How dare they!’ On the other hand, my husband turned to me and said, ‘That explains a few things!’”

Ancestors and An-brothers

The OGS 50^th celebration lasts the entire year of 2024. This writer attended one event, a party, and was touched by a story told by another attendee. She explained how her family got interested in genealogy during a family trip and the kids were delighted with the stories told by relations and all the pictures and items shared. She wondered, though, about the concept that her children were not related by “blood.” They adopted their children, and their two girls came out of long-term foster care. She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t have to wonder very long. On the way home in the car, her youngest, a five-year-old, asked from the backseat, “Grandma told us all about our ancestors, but do we have an-brothers too?” Forty years later, thanks to DNA, this little girl found her actual biological “an-brothers.” Her birth father had passed away, but she’s now connected with her brothers. Genealogy and DNA testing can take people so much further now than ever before.

OGS President Andy Carters at the recent Olympia Genealogical Society (OGS) 50th celebration.

Big interest but dwindling resources

During the state centennial in 1989, the Olympia Public Library held Washington Ancestor workshops, which were so popular that people had to be turned away. The public interest continued to grow. Over the years, as levies to fund public libraries failed, OGS stepped in and purchased a treasury of family history books and even computers. Still, with limited and changing priorities, the genealogy space dwindled, and books donated by OGS started to disappear, finding their way to online sales and also being given away by the library and discarded, making way for other uses of the space. By chance, a few members saw what was happening and alerted the board. OGS intervened, saving a good portion of the collection. Now, to the rescue, the City of Lacey will host the books within the new (planned) museum in Lacey. The City of Lacey and OGS have signed a memorandum of understanding agreement. Their partnership will enable a much-needed public genealogical library. OGS President Andy Carter stated, “We are looking forward to getting easy access to and expanding our collection, and invite anyone interested in starting their genealogical journey to contact us.” Watch the JOLT calendar for further OGS events.

OGS meets on the second Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. from September through June. Starting September 12, they will host hybrid meetings at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1925 Boulevard Rd SE in Olympia. Annual dues are $30 per individual, $35 for a couple/family, and $15 for students. For new members joining between April 16 - August 31, 2024, the remainder of the current membership year is included with the next full year’s membership!

For more info, contact President Andy Carter at president@olygensoc.org  or https://olygensoc.org to attend in person or via Zoom.

Shirley Stirling, of Lacey, writes about good things people in Thurston County are doing. If you’d like to nominate someone to be profiled, contact her at shirley@theJOLTnews.com or comment below.