October 1, 2023
Striking for Pennsylvania - The 1863 Pennsylvania Campaign
Presented by Scott Mingus

In the summer of 1863, 160 years ago this year, one out of every seven Confederate soldiers that fought at Gettysburg arrived there after marching or riding through York County. Nearly 10% of the Union Army of the Potomac also came through the county before engaging the Confederates at Gettysburg. Author Scott Mingus will discuss the three different Confederate commands that invaded York County (Jubal Early's division from June 28-30, Jeb Stuart's cavalry on June 30-July 2, and the lesser-known James Nounnan raid from Dillsburg to Dover on June 28-29). He will also relate the feverish efforts of the local farmers to protect their horses, livestock, and private property, as well as the desperate attempts of a motely collection of local home guard troops and state emergency militiamen to slow the Rebels. He will also briefly discuss the battle of Hanover and the defense of the world's longest covered bridge at Wrightsville.​
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For more details, see the Meetings page.

May 7, 2023
Tour of Saint Luke's Union Church Cemetery
Presented by June Lloyd and Jean Robertson

St. Luke Lutheran Church at New Bridgeville in Chanceford Township celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2022. As part of that celebration, Jean Robinson and June Lloyd put together a cemetery walk. The well-received tour is being repeated for the South Central Pennsylvania Genealogical Society. 

For more details, see the Meetings page.

April 2, 2023
​Researching Pennsylvania's Civil War Draft Records
Presented by Jonathan R. Stayer, President, South Central Pennsylvania Genealogical Society

Although thousands of men from Pennsylvania served in the Civil War, many others had no military service during that conflict. Some even purposely avoided service for religious or other reasons. Nevertheless, most males between the ages of 18 and 45 living in the Commonwealth between 1862-1865 were subject to conscription at some point. The resulting draft records can provide additional documentation of an ancestor’s life during that period. From a researcher who has been immersed in these records for almost forty years, learn about the implementation of the state and federal Civil War drafts and the records they produced. This program will review the available sources and provide suggestions for accessing them to uncover hidden details about your nineteenth-century ancestors.

Details, registration, and viewing options here:
https://www.scpgs.org/meetings.html​

February 5, 2023
African American Genealogy - Strategies, Tips, and Resources
Presented by Rodney Barnet

This program will focus on the unique challenges that African American researchers face in their genealogical research. Many techniques are the same for all researchers, but there are many more obstacles presented to the African American researcher because of their unique and often painful place in American history. There are some topics that are difficult to talk about but must be addressed in order to successfully research this area of genealogy. Whether you are a beginner or a more advanced researcher, there will be something for everyone. This presentation will also go into some more in-depth topics including DNA analysis and software tools that are also available.

Details, registration, and viewing options here:
https://www.scpgs.org/meetings.html

January 8, 2023 - ​"Show & Tell & Ask"

​This meeting will provide an opportunity for “education and enlightenment” with a program of sharing research findings and seeking assistance with research roadblocks. Come ready to talk about your latest genealogical discoveries or about some new, exciting source of information upon which you stumbled. Bring your research questions and problems to see if anyone in the group can offer helpful suggestions. Possibly you have an old family photograph or treasured heirloom that has an unusual story associated with it. Share that story with us! We hope that you will join us for an interesting and entertaining afternoon!

For details - ​https://www.scpgs.org/meetings.html

​November 6, 2022 - Revisiting Online Research of German Ancestors
Presented by Richard K. Konkel, Esquire

This presentation will examine the vast number of original German genealogical records that are currently available online for the amateur or more advanced researcher. The primary websites examined will be archion.de, matricula-online.eu, familysearch.com, and ancestry.com , as well as websites of regional archives in France and Switzerland. Many of these websites have greatly expanded their records in recent years, and some are actively currently adding new records.

​Free Registration: 
​https://www.yorkhistorycenter.org/event/south-central-pennsylvania-genealogical-society

October 2, 2022 - Indian Languages Influence in the Susquehanna Region  
Presented by Charles "Chip" Kauffman

From the first inhabitants who migrated into the Susquehanna River area thousands of years ago to the period of European settlement in the 1600s to1800s, many American Indian languages were spoken by diverse tribes who made the area their home or passed through on trade or exploratory ventures. Although most early languages are dead, their legacy lives on in the Susquehanna Valley through place names from Iroquoian and Algonquian languages once spoken in the area. This presentation will cover 17th century European contact with the region’s early inhabitants and how those contacts shaped place names we take for granted in York and Lancaster Counties. Highlighting this will be origins and meanings of such names as Susquehanna, Codorus, Chickies, Turkey Hill, Conewago, Accomac, Tuckahoe, Conestoga. 

Free Registration: 
​https://www.yorkhistorycenter.org/event/south-central-pennsylvania-genealogical-society

August 28, 2022 - Using Online Deeds in Family History Research
Presented by Lynn Nelson, Certified Genealogist®
(Note: This presentation is an in-person only event and will not be available online or recorded)

Deeds are one of the most valuable but underutilized resources for family history research!  These days, with the wide availability of deeds online, you can research them from the comfort of your own home.  Learn how deeds can break down brick walls, reveal your ancestors’ stories, help you trace the history of your property, and more. An overview of deeds, tips for using them, and a live, step-by-step demonstration using York County deeds online will show how easy it is to use this wonderful resource to grow your family tree.

Free registration:
https://www.yorkhistorycenter.org/event/south-central-pennsylvania-genealogical-society

Join us as we honor the latest recipients of the Henry James Young Awards. This year, the honorees are Rebecca Anstine and Cindy Hartman (posthumously). Light refreshments will be served.

More details and free registration here.

May 1, 2022 - Researching the History of Institutionalized People in Pennsylvania
Presented by Tyler Stump, Pennsylvania State Archives.

Since the early 19th century, the state of Pennsylvania has operated nearly 50 different state institutions for people with intellectual and mental disabilities. Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians lived in these institutions. Today, the Pennsylvania State Archives holds the historical records created by these institutions, which are invaluable resources for researchers and genealogists. Join archivist Tyler Stump to explore this important part of Pennsylvania’s history and to learn more about what kinds of information can be found in the archives’ collections.

For details and free registration, visit ​https://www.scpgs.org/meetings.html

Tyler Stump has been an acquisitions archivist at the Pennsylvania State Archives since 2016. He mostly works with historical PA government records. He’s has published several pieces about the history of Pennsylvania’s prisons and state-run institutions, most recently an article in Pennsylvania History about Farview State Hospital, an institution in Wayne County. Tyler grew up in the Baltimore area, but his family has lived in the York Township/Dallastown area since the mid 18th century. He currently lives in Camp Hill, PA with his wife Andra (who is also an archivist at the PA House of Representatives Archives).