Prince George's County
Celebrates 300 years of history 1696-1996

FAMILY HISTORIES: TRACING YOUR FAMILY TREE

Do you know your family history? Where did your ancestors originate? Were they early Prince Georgians? Were they more recent arrivals? There is much to be said for tracing the family history.

Genealogy is a fun and rewarding hobby. It's easy to start and you can leave it and then pick up again at any time with ease. Your ancestors will always be there waiting for you to find them --they are very patient.

To begin, start with yourself and record the facts about your life, and those of your parents and grandparents. Record the basic information on a family group sheet. Record the basic information for each family separately: one sheet for your parents, one sheet for your grandparents, etc. Be sure to make complete notes of where you found the information you are recording. Always list the sources of even the smallest bit of information, and record your information with care.

To acquire a better understanding of the people listed on your family group sheets you will need to seek out the following items: newspaper clippings, military records, obituary/death notices, photographs, etc.

Contact relatives or family friends to find out more about the family and the people in it. For example, visit and talk with your grandparents and older family members. Always take along a notebook so that you can take notes during your visit. If a visit is not possible then a letter or telephone call could be helpful.

In order to find wills, deeds, probate, land and marriage records you will need to visit the courthouse to continue your research. This information will get you started on your journey.

HELP IS AVAILABLE:

Remember, tracing your roots can be very rewarding and very time consuming. If you should hit an impasse, don't get discouraged. Help is always available.

There are two organizations available to assist you in your research, the Prince George's County Genealogical Society and the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society. Both organizations are available to answer your questions.

The Prince George's County Genealogical Society celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1994. The society has grown from a handful of people interested in tracing their ancestry to over 500 members nationwide. The society conducts meetings 10 months a year, from September through June. Each meeting features a speaker and topic pertinent to a particular aspect of genealogical research. The meetings are held at the Greenbelt Public Library in Greenbelt, the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Visitors are always welcome. In addition to meetings, a bulletin is published for members. Each issue contains material relative to Prince George's County research, abstracts of original material from the Maryland State Archives, bible records, a calendar of events, book reviews and queries.

A full service library, the Rainwater-Miles Research Center, is located in the Belair Stables Museum in Bowie. While concentrating on Prince George's County and Maryland, the holdings are, in many respects, nationwide in scope. Books, periodicals and microforms of land, census, wills and probate, cemetery, and passenger and immigration records are available for patron use.

For more information on the Prince George's County Genealogical Society or phone (301)262-2063. For Library information call (301)805-7993 on Wednesdays.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN FAMILY RESEARCH:

The Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Prince George's Chapter, was offically chartered in April 1995. As a nonprofit volunteer organization, the society works to highlight Black History in Prince George's County and to encourage the historical and genealogical studies of African Americans currently residing in the county. The Society meets the third Saturday in September, November, January, March and May. Members conduct workshops, speaker forums, discussion groups, on-site research, speakers bureau, exhibits and networking. Visitors are always welcome at the meetings, which are held at St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church on Brinkley Road in Ft. Washington..

For more information on the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc. contact President Carolyn Rowe at (301) 292-2751.

Prince George's Tricentennial Home page.

Support our county history by joining the Prince George's Co. Historical Society
These pages were created as a part of the 1996 PG County Tricentennial celebration. Additional history resources are listed on the bibliography page. These pages are not being updated. They are now located on the Prince George's County Historical Society's web site. Contact links: web site manager - Society information. You can search the entire site through this search form.: