Southington Genealogy Club Gives Members A Glimpse Into the Past

Every family has a story to tell.

That's the belief of the Southington Genealogical Society, where residents from across the state meet to help each other discover their pasts.

Everyone's journey is different, according to Southington Genealogical Society President Deanna Dailey. Some people become interested in tracing family lines when a loved one dies. Others want to trace genetic diseases and others look to genealogy to identify family heirlooms.

"For a lot of us it's become a hobby, but people come for all different reasons," Dailey said. "I think there's a growing interest in it, not only because of recent shows like the 'Faces of America' and 'Who Do You Think You Are' on TV, but also because the last of the WWI veterans have passed away, and people are trying to preserve our heritage."

For member Ray Thomas, who co-founded the club in 1984, his journey into the world of genealogy began in the early 80's when visiting his grandfather's plot at Walnut Grove Cemetery in Meriden.

"I asked the sexton for the three names at the plot and he told me there were seven people buried there," Thomas said. "My interest began from there."

Today, meeting at the Southington Police Department once a month, a range of 15 to upwards of 40 members and guests meet, depending on the topic.

Dailey said many seniors and an increasing mix of younger people - seven teens have been attending recently - meet to help each other progress in their genealogical journeys, learning techniques from guest speakers and holding workshops.

"There's so much more involved with family history than collecting names on a little chart," Daily said. "There's house histories, researching military histories and so much more. It's really fun."

And everyone finds something interesting, said Dailey. Her journey helped her discover a relative in the Second Continental Congress and a Revolutionary War veteran. Thomas discovered both of his great grandparents on his grandfather's side were bigamists.

"I noticed one of their second wives stated she was a widow on one document but on her second marriage claimed she was divorced," Thomas said. "It turns out her second husband divorced her because he found out her husband was still alive."

With the helpful use of the Internet and lots of support, members like Andrew and Jean Dignazio can trace Jeanne's family back to France in the 1700's.

"It's interesting to find out exactly what towns your descendants came from and put a face and place to a name," Dignazio said. "I've been doing this since I retired at least 10 years ago, we enjoy it."

Genealogy meetings are free and open to the public. Dailey said there's no pressure to become a member, which entails a yearly fee of $10. Members receive cards from the Connecticut Genealogy Society, which gives members access into town vaults to view records.

The club also cleans up the Merriman Cemetery twice a year as a service to the community.

When visitors attend a meeting, they're given a welcome packet including a "starters kit" of sort explaining how to begin searching through history. The best advice? Start at home, Dailey said.

"We always tell everyone you want to start with yourself and see what you have at home, and then work backwards," Dailey said. "And the genealogical process is never over. If someone says they've completed their histories, they haven't done it right."