General Meeting

As part of the third system of fortifications built for harbor defense, Fort Clinch was constructed from 1847 to 1867. Serving in three wars, the Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World War II, the fort never saw battle and was never fully completed. Frank Ofeldt III will share with us how life was for the soldiers that were stationed there during these periods, based on their own accounts, letters and diaries. Frank A. Ofeldt III began as a Fort Clinch volunteer in the fort’s interpretive program in the 1980s. After college, he pursued a career with the Florida Park Service, for which he has served almost 30 years. He can often be found at the Fort portraying a Sergeant of Engineers. Frank is an avid reader, researcher, and collector of American military antiques, and authored a book on Fort Clinch. He often speaks to civic organizations regarding the military history of Amelia Island.

Chip Kirkpatrick will speak about his hobby of historical metal detecting, and in particular about an amazing piece he found on the Florida/Georgia border. It is a strange antique silver Scottish medallion, heavily engraved with illustrations, phrases and mottos, with direct links to William Wallace (Braveheart), Robert the Bruce and Chip’s own family. It is believed to be brought here by one of the Highlanders under Oglethorpe when he founded the colony of Georgia, and was likely lost in combat when the militia came to Amelia Island to avenge the murder of two Scots. Chip Kirkpatrick Shortly after his retirement from BellSouth/AT&T, Chip Kirkpatrick was introduced to metal detecting. Since then, he gave up fishing and has been spending his time searching for historical relics in NE Florida and SE Georgia, which he offers to schools, museums and libraries. He has received several awards for his finds, and has been published in magazines in the US, UK and Scotland. Kirkpatrick offers a free recovery and return service for anybody who has lost an item of personal value.

Using Cluster Research to Get Past Brick Walls Our ancestors were each surrounded by Family, Associates, and Neighbors. By researching them, we discover additional records pointing to our own ancestors. Join us in person for a webinar on this interesting topic by Drew Smith. Drew Smith Drew Smith developed an interest in genealogy as a child, and he began to engage in serious family history research in 1992 after the death of his favorite aunt. In 2009, Genealogical Publishing Company published his first genealogy book, Social Networking for Genealogists. His second book, co-authored with George G. Morgan, is Advanced Genealogy Research Techniques, published in 2013 by McGraw-Hill. His most recent book is Organize Your Genealogy: Strategies and Solutions for Every Researcher, published in 2016 by Family Tree Books. He is currently working on a new book. Drew regularly speaks at conferences and meetings of national, state, and local genealogy societies, especially on topics linking genealogy and technology.  Together with George G. Morgan, Drew has been the co-host of The Genealogy Guys Podcast since September 2005. Beginning in 2016, he hosts the Genealogy Connections Podcast.

Join us at the Fernandina Branch Library community room on 21 June at 7pm for a webinar by Sharon Tosi Lacey, Chief Historian at the U.S. Census Bureau. The title is Parchments to Printouts: A History of the Census 1790-1950, and the presentation will cover the changes and adaptations of the decennial census from inception through 1950, with a special focus on Amelia Island and surrounding area.

Join us for a presentation by Sharon Clark Driscoll about the use of DNA in genealogical research. Hear about some of most successful commercial DNA testing companies, FamilyTreeDNA, 23andMe, and AncestryDNA, and what they have to offer. Learn how to find matches and recognize possible false positives. In addition, find out about markers and how to use genetic health risk reports.

Come join us at 7pm, Tuesday, 16 August 2022, at the Fernandina Branch Library for a free presentation by John Strasburg concerning military records and their usage in your genealogical research. Military records can be a rich source of genealogical information, but many researchers steer clear because they don’t feel confident working with them. Become more comfortable around military records by joining guest presenter John Strasburg as he describes the various records available and how to obtain them. Whether experienced with military records or just getting started, everybody will come away from this program with something new. John Strasburg is a genealogist who specializes in military records research and enjoys helping others discover their ancestral past. A retired U.S. Coast Guard commissioned officer, John holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from SUNY Stony Brook, a master’s degree in library & information science from the University of South Florida, and a certificate in genealogical research from Boston University’s Metropolitan School, Center for Professional Education.