Western Wayne County Genealogical society

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About WWCGS

The Western Wayne County Genealogical Society (WWCGS) explores various methods of tracing ancestry and promotes education both for beginners and more experienced genealogists through speakers, workshops, and seminars, addressing topics of interest. The society also records and publishes material of interest to genealogists.


In addition to offering instruction to assist the family historian, the goals of WWCGS are to promote the gathering and exchange of methods and techniques for pursuing family histories and preserving public records of importance to genealogists. Any person who is interested in pursuing their family history is welcome to join the society or to attend meetings as a visitor.

WWCGS covers the following Michigan cities:

Livonia, Northville, Redford, Westland, Canton Township, Wayne, Romulus, Garden City, Plymouth, Huron Township, Belleville, Van Buren Township, and Sumpter Township. We are proud to have members from all over the United States.

Our History

Founded in 1976, the first formal meeting was held February 18 of that year at the Carl Sandburg Library in Livonia, Michigan with 20 people present.


Upon establishment, the purpose of the society was to form a group of people interested in the exchange of information in one’s genealogy, biography, and history. It continues to encourage and assist other interested persons in researching, compiling, and preserving one’s records of this nature.


Parking lots for cars become part to the American landscape in the 1920s.  Image shows autos parked at ball park near Washington, D.C. in 1923.

Non-Profit and Affiliations

The society is a member of the National Genealogical Society, a non-profit organization founded in 1903 composed of more than 9000 individual members and over 500 genealogical and historical societies and libraries, representing over 500,000 individual genealogists. In addition, the society is also affiliated with the Michigan Genealogical Council, a non-profit organization founded in 1972, with over 150 member societies in Michigan, representing more than 7,500 individual genealogists.


The Western Wayne County Genealogical Society is a registered State of Michigan non-profit organization and a federal 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization.


WWCGS Operations

WWCGS is governed by a Board of Directors and consists of officers serving up to three consecutive one year terms with elections held annually in May. WWCGS functions through the volunteer efforts of its members.


Our Executive Board organizes current activities, initiates new areas of society involvement in its vision and is the revolving force of example for membership participation. The Board supervises the finances of the society in keeping within the mandates of the members and the society’s by-laws and is responsible for administrative directions of its standing and special committees.


Books and Historical Papers

WWCGS ACTIVELY SUPPORTS

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

WWCGS membership is as varied as their family histories. By celebrating and embracing both this diversity and full inclusion, we honor and support the history that is the tapestry of our country and our world.


As WWCGS individual members put together the material of their personal family histories while together we learn, research, and record each of our stories, we reflect segments of the fabric of our Society, and the tapestry of our world. Each member’s personal and family history is like one square of the patchwork quilt that is the fabric composing the Western Wayne County Genealogical Society and one stitch of the tapestry that is the human race.


WWCGS recognizes the contributions of our Indigenous peoples, People of Color, Asian and Pacific Islanders, European and Middle-Eastern ancestors that have made our history into the fabric that composes our character. WWCGS continues to strive and hold a place for those who may not be able to breach the genealogical walls caused by the loss of records of lineage and oral traditions regardless if due to war, genocide, enslavement, oppression, subjugation, or discrimination.


WWCGS acknowledges that we are not a perfect union, so we strive to fully include all peoples regardless of age, race/ethnicity, national origin, religious beliefs, gender, disability, military service, veteran status, economic status, gender identity, sexual orientation, and political ideology.


DNA is helping people expand the details of their family histories. It is WWCGS’s hope that our members and visitors will remember that the DNA of each and every human is a story worth telling – that every human deserves the right to live, love and belong.



president

Velaine Nagy

Trustee

Stephanie Smith

Vice president

Harvey DeWitt

trustee

Sandra Wilson

treasurer

Raul Rodriguez

trustee

Angela MacLellan

corresponding secretary

Annette Linn

Recording Secretary

Jamie Fidler

immediate past president

Harvey DeWitt

2024-2025 Executive Officers

2024-2025 Committee Chairs

librarian

Shirley Connors

newsletter editor

Harvey DeWitt

Membership chair

Angela MacLellan

research assistance team lead

Velaine Nagy

hospitality | Logistics

Raul Rodriguez

hospitality co-chair

-

hospitality | greeter

-

Web admin

interim archivist

Jamie Fidler

program chair

cemetery committee chair

Transcription guild team lead

John Mills

2024-2025

Standing Committee Members

Research assistance team

Jan Pierzchala

transcription team volunteers

Mary Dela Mora

Marcia Korzeniowski

Velaine Nagy

cemetery committee

Beverly Blankertz

Jack Engebretson

Sherry Green

Karen Moran

Velaine Nagy

Richard Posthuma

society delegates

NGS Delegate

Stephanie Smith

NGS ADMIN

Harvey DeWitt

MGC delegate

Velaine Nagy

MGC delegate

John Mills

HSM Contact

Open

Western wayne county genealogical society

Become a Member

Members gain access to our members only area that includes our monthly newsletter, past + present meeting handouts on a variety of genealogy topics, research assistance, networking with other genealogists as well as information on all events and field trips hosted by our society. Choose your membership and pay online -OR- feel free to join or renew by mail.


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Organization

$20 for 1 person | 1-year

$25 for 2 people | 1-year

$20 for an organization | 1-year

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Hello from Michigan!

CONTACT US: info@wwcgs.org

or MESSAGE: president@wwcgs.org

Western Wayne County Genealogical Society

P.O. Box 530063

Livonia, MI

48153

© 2024

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