Monday, Feb. 08, 2010

New genealogical society officers sworn

A new slate of officers for the Los Baños Genealogical Society was sworn in at their January Business/Board meeting. Each officer swore to promote personal research, help others with common ancestors or areas of growth, promote knowledge of history and progress through group effort.

2010 officers included Arleene Haywood, president; Arland Hillyard, vice president; Jay Eves, treasurer; Josie Bosworth, secretary; and Naomi Pendus, Joe Cox and Patty Stringfellow, directors.

The society was established in 1978 and has come a long way in promoting the studying of its ancestral line and preserving local history.

Their library has about 2,000 books to share with researchers. Membership is open to all who are interested in searching their own family lines. Society members won't do the job for you but will gladly show you how to do it by sharing their expertise.

Most monthly meetings include a very knowledgeable genealogical speaker who presents a workshop that is free of charge to members and other interested people.

The society has published two books on the Los Baños Cemetery and one on the Dos Palos Cemetery. These books contain all the information the society could gather from cemetery records and grave stones. Members also published a book on burials in the San Francisco area that includes many records that survived the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.

There are many more publications for sale at reasonable prices for genealogy searchers to help in their research. Merced County births and deaths in seven volumes are also available in the library and for sale.

Interested parties may call membership chairperson Betty Bettencourt at 826-4882 for membership information.