The Georgia Genealogical Society will return to in-person events with its annual Genealogy Picnic on June 4.

To be held from 9 a.m. until noon at the Georgia Archives, the picnic is actually more of an educational seminar. The focus will be court records and how the Georgia Archives can help in your research. I know I have been very lucky in finding great material in the Georgia Supreme Court records. I’m always hoping an ancestor was sued in the local courts, thus creating an interesting record.

After announcements, the first presentation will begin at 9:10 a.m., followed by a second presentation, then a panel discussion. The Georgia Archives building will close for lunch promptly at noon. Some attendees will probably bring lunches and eat outside, while others will grab a bite at a nearby restaurant. When the building reopens from 1-4 p.m., those returning can dig into some of the records discussed.

The event is free. If you wish to attend remotely, there will be a link at gagensociety.org to sign up, or you can find a recording of the meeting online later. Check the society’s website, above, for more information. The Georgia Archives website, georgiaarchives.org, has a wealth of records, as well as directions to the facility.

Cobb County Commuter Railway

Todd DeFeo will speak at the Georgia Archives Lunch and Learn virtual presentation on June 10 at noon. His topic will be “Cobb County’s Commuter Railroad: The Atlanta Northern Railway, which ran from 1905 until 1947,” subject of his latest book. He is editor of railfanning.org and has written histories of railroads from various parts of the country. This event will be on Microsoft Teams. Once you have registered at georgiaarchives.org, you will be sent the link.

Joining a lineage society

Recently, I was asked, “Which lineage society should I join?” I responded, “Are you qualified?” The person answered yes. “Are you going to be active?” I asked. Well, not necessarily, he answered. He just felt that, with all the genealogy work, and prior lineage society memberships of family members, he ought to join one. What do readers suggest?

Contact Kenneth H. Thomas Jr., P.O. Box 901, Decatur, Ga., 30031 or www.kenthomasongenealogy.com.

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