Wichita Genealogical Society

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Wichita Genealogical Society

The Wichita Genealogical Society meets the third Saturday of every month except December at 1 pm. Go

09/03/2026

On September 12th, military historian Michael Strauss will be at the Midwest Genealogy Center for an engaging all-day seminar exploring three centuries of American military history.
Beginning with the Colonial Wars, Mr. Strauss will guide attendees through the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and World War I, examining how each conflict shaped the development of the United States and influenced the course of world history. Along the way, participants will gain insight into the historical context of these wars as well as research strategies for discovering and documenting the military service of their ancestors.
This free, in-person event will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Midwest Genealogy Center. Whether you are interested in military history, genealogy, or both, this seminar offers a unique opportunity to learn from one of the nation's leading military genealogy experts.

Register Here: https://www.mymcpl.org/events/120482/generations-conflict-researching-ancestors-colonial-era-wwi

05/26/2026

You may remember my April 18th presentation on AI for genealogists, the book mentioned was finally released May 21: AI Photo Restoration and Enhancement: For Genealogists and Family Historians.

This is an easy-to-follow guide for Genealogists and Family Historians that helps them preserve their family's photographic history. All the examples were created in ChatGPT and Gemini.

The book includes over 300 images, scores of prompts, and examples that guide family archivists through restoring damaged or deteriorated photographs. In addition to being an instructional guide, it is also a great idea book for treatments to try on your photographs.

A preview is on my website at http://www.phototree.com and available at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2HKF1ZX.

Good luck with your photographic treasures, Gary W. Clark.

05/25/2026

Memorial Day hits differently when you research your family history. 🇺🇸 Every name in a military record was someone’s entire world.

05/09/2026

Someday, the recipes, photographs, stories, and memories passed down through generations will become part of your family history.

Don’t wait.

Take the photos.
Ask the questions.
Write down Mom’s stories while you still can.

The little details you preserve today may become the treasures your family holds onto tomorrow. ❤️

04/24/2026

I had the privilege of speaking at today’s volunteer luncheon about the Wichita Genealogical Society and the work we’re doing in our community. From our Memory Lab to transcription projects, this organization is built on people who care deeply about preserving history.
If you’ve ever wanted to get involved in genealogy, this is where it starts. Come join us.

04/17/2026

Don’t forget—our next Wichita Genealogical Society meeting is tomorrow!

Join us for Photo Restoration: The Latest One-Click Tools, presented by Gary Clark. This program will explore how today’s tools can bring old, damaged photographs back to life—restoring details, correcting color, and even transforming images into something frame-worthy.

If you’ve ever looked at a faded or damaged family photo and wondered what could be saved, this is a session you won’t want to miss.

📅 April 18, 2026
🕐 1:00 PM
📍 Wichita Advanced Learning Library

This program is free and open to the public. Bring a friend and come learn what’s possible with today’s restoration tools.

04/05/2026

Genealogy is like an Easter egg hunt... you know it's there, but where???

But here's the truth.
Those "missing" records usually aren't gone... they're just hiding.
Try this
* search with spelling variations
* use wild cards (* and ?)
* check nearby locations
* look at neighbors and witnesses
Most breakthroughs don't come from luck, they come from knowing where to look next.

What's the hardest records you've tried to find?

03/17/2026

Genealogists don’t need luck… but let’s be honest—it helps 🍀
Ever had a “lucky” find? 👀
💡 Truth: What feels like luck in genealogy is usually: • searching creatively
• checking multiple records
• and not giving up
One record leads to another… and suddenly it looks like luck 😉
Tell me—what’s your “lucky” find?

03/07/2026

Major genealogy update!
Crista Cowen announced during her presentation at RootsTech, Ancestry has finished digitizing Revolutionary War pension files, and they are now fully text searchable. This means you can search inside the documents themselves and potentially find ancestors mentioned in testimonies, affidavits, and family statements. If you have Revolutionary War connections, this is definitely worth a new search.

03/02/2026

Oh the names you will see
On your family tree!

Some were shortened,
Some were changed,
Some rearranged across the sea.

If your ancestor vanishes from view,
A different spelling may be waiting for you.

Theodor Geisel — better known as Dr. Seuss — was the son of German immigrants who kept their surname. Many other families adapted theirs after arriving in America.

Müller became Miller.
Schmidt became Smith.
Names were translated, simplified, and reshaped to fit a new language and a new life.

If someone seems to disappear from your records, the clue might be hiding in a name change.

Because every branch of your family tree has a story — even the spelling.

👇 Did your family name change along the way?

Address

PO Box 3705
Wichita, KS
67201

Website

http://www.wichitagensoc.org/

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