The Jefferson County Genealogical Society has announced plans to disband and end family history research assistance by the end of the year or early in 2024.
“It has been challenging to attract society members to take on officer and board member positions in recent years,” JCGS President Christine Merseal said in a written statement. “The society held on to hope during the last several meetings that a member would step forward. However, that is not the case.”
A group of Jefferson County Library employees and patrons established the JCGS in 1996 to help Jefferson County residents research their family history. Every month, the JCGS has held meetings and speaking events at the Northwest Branch of the Jefferson County Library, 5680 Hwy. PP.
“I’m incredibly proud of the Jefferson County Genealogical Society’s work to promote and encourage family history research,” Merseal said. “Our members have worked hard over the years. Genealogy is a passion we all enjoy.”
Merseal is a charter member of the organization. Throughout the history of JCGS, she has served as president for five non-consecutive terms, for a total of 10 years.
She said the society will likely disband sometime between Dec. 31 and mid-January 2024.
“In July, the JCGS executive board voted to recommend the disbandment of the society due to a lack of interest by any member to fill the position of president in 2024,” Merseal said. “Initially, this recommendation was to be presented to our members at the September 2023 meeting for approval. However, to move forward promptly, we asked for a member vote via email by August 22. The vote was unanimous to disband.”
Ginger Brickey, JCGS member and head of the genealogy department at the Jefferson County Library Northwest Branch, said the society does not have enough active members.
“Having been involved with other local organizations, I’ve noticed these types of organizations are dying away,” she said. “It’s really a shame. With these organizations, you have to have a functioning board to remain a nonprofit. If you don’t have the participation, you lose your nonprofit status.
“If you get in a position where you don’t have active members who play an active role, it falls apart. A lot of small organizations have that concern right now, that there are not enough active participants able to volunteer their time.”
Merseal said JCGS currently has 75 members throughout the U.S. The group had more than 100 members at its peak.
“The Jefferson County Genealogical Society has been discussing disbandment since 2019,” Merseal said. “It was seriously considered during the pandemic. In 2022, when things began to open up again, I decided to serve one last term as president. The hope was that another would step up when my term was complete.”
According to the society’s website, it has an agreement with the Jefferson County Library’s Northwest branch to house donated genealogical collections and the society’s own publications. Brickey said the genealogical services, archives and collections will remain at the library, despite the disbandment.
She said the library has access to local, state and national resources for family research. It also houses physical collections donated to the library, including photos, news clippings and even a wedding dress from the 1930s.
Brickey said the society’s publications that weren’t previously donated to the Northwest Branch are being dispersed to libraries across the state. Once the society has finished giving away the materials to various libraries, the remaining collection will be available at the Northwest branch.
The society also will sell its remaining publications at half price at the Family History Day event to be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Northwest branch. The event, organized by the genealogical department of the library, will provide support to those interested in researching family history and will include local and statewide speakers, Brickey said.
For more information about the event, visit jeffcolib.org.
Brickey said the impending JCGS disbandment doesn’t mean the end of genealogical support and resources in the county. She plans to revive monthly genealogical discussions at the Northwest branch.
“I was just looking through a stack of old (JCGS) newsletters today,” Brickey said. “I saw in one dated September 2006 that they used to hold monthly discussions at the library. I think we’ll put that back into action.
“It’s just an idea at this point, but it will give people a great opportunity to talk about their family history and ongoing research in a laid-back and relaxed setting.”