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.

The Amelia Island Genealogical Society will hold its annual meeting at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, November 15, 2021 at the Community Room of the Fernandina Beach Public Library, 25 N 4th St. Following the election of officers and approval of the budget for the next year there will be time for our popular show-and-tell, a.k.a. the “Ancestor Road Show”. Members are invited to bring heirlooms, photographs, scrapbooks or other items for general display, and give a short (3 minutes) verbal presentation on these items.

Come join us on 21 Feb 2023 at 7:00pm in the Fernandina Branch Library community room. Where Kyle Adkins, a licensed director of funeral homes in Florida will present an in-person presentation on the use of death and funeral home records for genealogical research.

This month’s program, facilitated by the AIGS Library Committee, will showcase the Genealogy Room of the Fernandina Beach Branch of the Nassau County Public Library, which has an extensive collection of books of interest to family history researchers. The AIGS library contains over one thousand volumes, including genealogy magazines. The main focus is on local history, colonial history and ‘how-to’ books about genealogy, but it also has a large collection of military books, as well as books covering research in many states and countries. Join us and learn about the actual collection and how to locate materials in it. Please note the different day of the week and starting time!

Join us on 19 September at 7pm in the Community Room at the downtown Fernandina Beach branch library when speaker Judy Frey will be discussing the different types of certificates available through this program and will provide instructions to guide descendants through the steps to prepare their application and the related documents. She will also highlight the various resources of records available on Florida counties.

Join us on October 17 at 7pm in the Community Room at the downtown Fernandina Beach branch library for a virtual presentation by Susan Well from the Genealogical Society of Sarasota. She will reveal what information to expect from a deed, how to extract the relevant facts from the mostly unfamiliar wording and how to interpret the land description. Susan Well has twenty-five years’ experience in real estate sales and appraisal and will share how you can use the nature of the land records’ office to your advantage when approaching the personnel who work there, either in-person or online.

Join us for a fascinating presentation on how the region’s agricultural sector persisted, despite serious challenges, and continued to contribute significantly to the county’s economy by the late 20th century. Commercial agriculture in Nassau County dates back to the 18th century when a highway was constructed from the northern colonies to St. Augustine, leading to the establishment of plantation systems. After the Revolutionary War, Nassau County was transferred back to the Spanish, who re-established plantations, initiating the first land boom. In the 19th century, the area saw battles between Americans and Seminoles, leading to the relocation of the Town Seat of Government from Fernandina to Sand Hill. The 20th century witnessed the boom of the timber and Long Leaf Pine industry, with significant developments in agriculture, marked by the introduction of County Agricultural Agents in 1915 and the growth of the truck farming industry in South Florida in the 1920s. The Great Depression and subsequent decades brought challenges, but the region’s agriculture persisted, contributing significantly to the county’s economy by the late 20th century. David Hebert Speaker David Hebert is an Extension Agent I in Nassau County, FL. This presentation is based on his research of a collection of historical documents.

The Amelia Island Genealogical Society will hold its regular monthly meeting at 7pm on the 3rd Tuesday, 20 February 2024, in the community room at the Fernandina Branch Library. The public is invited to join us as we listen to a presentation by Terry Talbert on Scottish immigration, Culloden to the Carolinas.

The Amelia Island Genealogical Society will hold its regular monthly meeting at 7pm on the 3rd Tuesday, 17 September 2024, in the community room at the Fernandina Branch Library. Speaker for the evening will be John H. Hendricks of Callahan, Nassau, Florida.