German Genealogy Society                    

Palatines to America - German Genealogy Society

West Virginia Chapter

May 2, 2009 West Virginia Chapter - Spring Chapter Meeting at the Robert C Byrd Health Sciences Library at WVU, Morgantown, WV . Doors open at 9am. Speaker Intro at 9:40 am. Programs: Scanning your Research Photos and Documents by Bruce Chase. What's New in Online Genealogy with Susan Arnold. Business meeting and elections at 12 am. Box lunch at 12:30. Register by Apr 28th to participate in Box lunch. Contact Susan Arnold at 304 282-9278 or email susan.arnold@mail.wvu.edu for information on meeting, parking permit lot, directions, etc.

Historical markers on roads leading into the state say that West Virginia was settled by the Germans and the Scots-Irish. Many Germans did settle in that part of Virginia that was to become West Virginia on 20 June 1863. Born of adversity during the Civil War, WV is the only state to be designated by Presidential Proclamation.

Pictured from left to right are members and 2007 WV National Conference Committe: Annie Garletts, Theresa Blake, Janice Hardman, Odell Miller, current President, Bob Hardman and Phil Davis. Not pictured is Norma Davis who was taking the picture.

In 1982, the Morgan County (WV) Historical and Genealogical Society was the site of discussion and planning for a provisional chapter of the Palatines To America. With publicity and a lot of work, the WV Chapter was launched at a meeting in Morgantown, WV on April 16, 1983 with its charter being issued by the national organization.

Throughout the years the chapter has continued to have a spring annual meeting & conference and a fall conferences with speakers – typically at a location along the North Central WV I 79 corridor. The chapter produces a newsletter – PalAm Mountaineer and works with members to help them uncover their WV German ancestors.

WV Chapter has sponsored three National Conferences and annual meetings. All have been held at WV University Evansdale Conference Center, Morgantown, WV. The first was held in June 1986 and the second in June 1994. WV sponsored their third National Conference and annual meeting in conjunction with the National Board June 21 - 24, 2007.

2009 Officers are: Odell Miller, President; Steve Arnold, Vice-President; Mary Wagner, Secretary; Treasurer: vacant; At large directors, Sandy Evans and Susan Arnold. Newsletter editor is James Evans

The WV Chapter Links:

WV University – Regional and Local History collection at Wise Library
WV Division of Culture and History’ s extensive materials.
The Hackers Creek Pioneer Descendants library with history and genealogy of West Virginia, especially the central part of the state.
WV GenWeb Pages - links to lots of genealogy in the state.
West Virginia Genealogy site - include free genealogy lookups, a databases with some West Virginia data, and free and paid online resources for West Virginia genealogy research.
Genealogy Records, Biographies, Cemetery Records, Census Records, Family Tree Search, Free Family Tree, Vital Records, etc

Contact us by E-mail
Palatines to America - West Virginia Chapter
240 Waitman Street
Morgantown, WV 26501-7532
Or call us at 304 292-2991

Palatines to America, German Genealogy Society .... Webcoordinator
Web Design & Development by CKFS Web Page Design, LLC