News Archives

Editor Barbara Vines Little opens this issue with her column “In This Issue: Clues and Answers,” and the theme holds throughout: this issue features a collection of documents that offer genuine clues—and sometimes real answers—to stubborn research problems. The centerpiece, transcribed by Lisbeth Chandler, is a remarkable 1759 Fairfax County deed in which George Mason … Read more

This issue opens with Thomas W. Jones’s glowing review of Barbara Vines Little’s A Researcher’s Guide to Virginia’s Historical Records, a 658-page masterwork he calls essential for anyone researching Virginia’s past. From there, dive into Susan Lynch Aumaier’s fascinating detective story “When Marriage Bonds Disagree,” which untangles how competing 18th-century transcriptions of Brunswick County marriage … Read more

Featured Articles Proving Marriages Without Marriage Records: Legal Enforcement, Dissenting Churches, and Virginia’s Marriage Gap, by Susan Lynch Aumaier. Marriage records are among the most sought-after documents in genealogical research, yet in many regions they never existed, were never recorded, or did not survive. Understanding why marriages disappear from the record—and how to prove them … Read more

4 September 2026: The website search feature is now working. If you experience issues accessing the results, please email us and include a detailed description of what happened along with a screenshot of any error messages. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ VGS recently implemented a new search feature that allows you to search across all Newsletter and Magazine PDF … Read more

Dear Members and Friends of VGS, Our VGS Virtual Fall Conference is almost here—this Friday and Saturday, October 3–4. We have an exciting lineup of sessions designed to help you tackle tough research problems and open new doors in your family history. Friday brings DNA strategies for uncovering maternal surnames, treasures hidden in older Southern … Read more

The May 2025 issue of the Magazine of Virginia Genealogy is now available online to members, and the print copy is on its way. To access the digital version, members should log in to the website and then click on Publications > Magazine of Virginia Genealogy Archive. The editor notes “In This Issue: Road Blocks,” that connecting problem ancestors, … Read more

Book Talk with David Poole | Trusted Source Join the Library of Virginia for a talk with journalist David Poole, founder of the Virginia Public Access Project, who will discuss his new book, “Trusted Source: How a Virginia Nonprofit Gained Bipartisan Support in an Era of Political Polarization.” Poole worked as a newspaper reporter before … Read more

The book is at the printer!! Once we have a ship date, we’ll update this notification and post it on the VGS Facebook page. Members and anyone who signed up for notification, (see button below), will receive an email. Sign up to receive an email notification when A Researcher’s Guide to Virginia’s Historical Records by Barbara Vines … Read more

The February 2025 issue of the Magazine of Virginia Genealogy is now available to members, and the print copy is on its way. To access the digital version, members should log in to the website and then click on Publications > Magazine of Virginia Genealogy Archive. An excerpt from “In This Issue: Following the Trail,” … Read more

In addition to the feature articles, you’ll find upcoming events, the President’s message, a book review of Tea & Toil at the Woman’s Club, and the “Glad You Asked That” column. 

The Tidewater Genealogical Society, Newport News, Virginia, is looking for a family member interested in accepting a collection of records donated to the society in 2019. The records relate primarily to the Knudson and Sutton families in Gloucester County and Hampton, Virginia. Other surnames include West, Price, Hartman, and Eveland. Other locations include Rochester, New York, and … Read more

On 30 April 2025, Virginia Humanities announced the Mellon Foundation’s $15M emergency funding for humanities councils. This investment by the Mellon Foundation will help stabilize many councils after the sudden cancellation of federal operating grants by NEH in early April. This emergency funding will help provide support to all 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils … Read more

The Virginia Genealogical Society is seeking proposals from dynamic and engaging speakers for our virtual 2025 Fall Conference. The submission deadline is 31 May 2025. OVERVIEW Date: Friday-Saturday, 3–4 October Virtual: All sessions will be livestreamed, and video recordings will be available to all registrants for 60 days. Deadline for submissions: 31 May 2025 Notification … Read more

In addition to the feature articles, you’ll find upcoming events, the President’s message, a book review of Tea & Toil at the Woman’s Club, and the “Glad You Asked That” column. 

The latest issue of the Magazine of Virginia Genealogy is now available to members and the print copy is on its way. An excerpt from “In This Issue: It’s Probably Not About Your Family,” reminds us there are no shortcuts to finding your family and that discovering new resources and methodologies are more likely to … Read more

Featured Articles Genealogy of a House, Farmville, Virginia by Sara Martin. Poplar Hill stayed in the same family for more than 100 years. The original Woodson wooden house was used as tenant housing after a brick structure was built around 1830 and has been lost to history. The grandest renovation transformed it into what is now … Read more