Programs are usually held on the third Saturday at 2:00 pm several times a year in Athens-Clarke County Public Library’s Multipurpose Room A, but variations in this schedule are not uncommon. Special events and activities are usually held in months without meetings, and may include local after-hours research events, carpooling to out of town programs, research field trips, expos, holiday celebrations, historical preservation, Shared Interest Groups, etc. Although most programs are free and open to the public, membership is encouraged to enable us to bring in quality speakers that will help further our understanding as family history researchers. Dues are also used to purchase resources for local libraries and offset costs to preserve historical data.
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Discover How Others Organize Their Family History Research!
Join the Clarke-Oconee Genealogical Society (COGS) at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 21 at the Athens-Clarke County Library – 2nd floor computer room for an interactive and inspiring afternoon of sharing and learning facilitated by Nona Thornton, current COGS president. All levels of experience welcome! See real-life examples of how…
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Fun With Online Newspaper Archives
Donnie Summerlin, Digital Library of Georgia Saturday, 17 May 2025 | 2 p.m. ET Free and open to the public! Over the last decade, historical newspaper websites have become a valuable online resource for genealogists, historians, and researchers, and many of these resources are freely available to the public. Donnie…
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Creating an Ancestor Sketch
presented by Thomas MacEntee via ZoomSaturday, 12 April 2025 | 2:00 – 4:00 pm EDT View the program with COGS in the Athens-Clarke County Library, 2nd floor computer classroom OR register to receive your own Zoom link https://bit.ly/ancestorsketch. Face it: most genealogists never get around to publishing that family history book based on…
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Breaking the Brick Wall: Researching in Black & White
Presented by Deborah A. Abbott, PhD, live via ZoomSaturday, 15 February 2025 | 2 – 4 p.m. ET | Free and open to the public EXTENDED: The recording and handout for this presentation is now available for COGS members through 22 March 2025 under Member Resources. View Dr. Abbott’s program with COGS in person…
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Translating, Transcribing and Summarizing Documents Using AI
presented by Thomas MacEntee (via Zoom)Saturday, 9 November 2024 | 2:00 – 4:00 pm ESTAthens-Clarke County Library, Multipurpose Room A and via Zoom Learn how to harness the power of artificial intelligence to assist in translating, transcribing, and summarizing a variety of genealogy records. A handwritten baptismal record from the 1800s? No…
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Brick Walls? Start Using Genealogy Wikis to Break Them Down
Saturday, 19 October 2024, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.Athens-Clarke County Library | 2nd floor computer room We have updated information about this program below. Laura W. Carter will begin the program with a brief demonstration of the “Ancestry.com Family History Wiki.” This resource includes two major reference works for family historians.…
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Discover Your Ancestors
A COGS Members-Only Tour and Genealogy Scavenger Hunt at UGA LibrariesSaturday, 14 September 2024, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.UGA Main Library, Instruction Lab Participants must REGISTER by noon 10 September 2024. The registration link was sent to all COGS members in an email on August 16th.(Contact Laura Carter if you have…
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Sunset Sessions
Sunset Sessions: Preserving Family MemoriesAn after-hours, in-person event with COGS Oconee County LibraryWire Park, 1925 Electric Ave, Watkinsville, GA Participants must REGISTER by 8 August 2024 and arrive BEFORE 6:00 p.m.https://athenslibrary.libcal.com/event/12754406 Join Clarke-Oconee Genealogical Society for this SPECIAL AFTER-HOURS event at the Oconee County Library. With genealogy research, as well…
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Preservation Week Kick Off
Preservation Week Kick Off: Heritage Room Open House Saturday, 27 April 2024, 2:00pm – 4:00pm Athens-Clarke County Library, Multipurpose Room A Join Clarke-Oconee Genealogical Society & the Athens-Clarke County Library Heritage Room to kick off 2024’s Preservation Week: Preserving Identities. Bring in family photos, heirlooms, or other items to share…
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Oconee County Library Tour
Saturday, 13 April 2024 at 2:00 p.m. 1925 Electric Avenue, Watkinsville, Georgia We will meet at the Oconee County Library at Wire Park for a tour of the new facility led by Jessica Simpson. We hope you will join us there!
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Introducing 10 Million Names
presented by Cynthia Evans via ZoomSaturday, 16 March 2024 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Athens-Clarke County Library, 2nd floor Computer Lab and via Zoom There are at least 44 million descendants of enslaved individuals alive today, but slavery separated families, erased names, and obscured facts. The 10 Million Names Project, recently…
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FamilySearch Digital Library
presented by Doug WhiteSaturday, 10 February 2024 at 2:00 p.m. EasternAthens-Clarke County Library, Multi-Person Room A or via Zoom Are you using the FamilySearch Digital Library? This resource has over 500,000 genealogy books, family histories, maps, yearbooks, and more that you can access free! The FamilySearch Digital Library can connect…
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The Tax Man Cometh
presented by Larry W. Thomas Saturday, 18 November 2023, 2:00 – 3:30 pm ET Athens – Clarke County Library (Athens, GA), MP-Room A or via Zoom Do not overlook the wealth of information found in tax records. Our ancestors were taxed on their land and other possessions and these records…
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Navigating Digital Archives for Genealogical Research
presented by Danielle Gilman, PhD and Marissa Vassari, MLIS Saturday, 14 October 2023 | 2:00 pm Athens – Clarke County Library, Multi-purpose Room B Join COGS and the A-CC Library Heritage Room in celebrating American Archives Month in October! Many archives and libraries in Georgia digitize archival materials and make…
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Genealogy After Dark
Friday, 11 August 2023 | 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. | Arrive 5:45 – 5:55 p.m. Oconee County Library, Watkinsville, GA Join the Clarke-Oconee Genealogical Society, A-CCL Heritage Room, and the Oconee County Library for a fun evening of after-hours genealogy activities. Please be sure to register in advance. All attendees…
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What Are Your Stories?
Saturday, 15 July 2023 | 2:00 p.m. Athens – Clarke County Library, Multi-Purpose Room B It is important to capture and share family stories, and new tools make this easier than before. During this program, we will show some of these tools. Please bring to the meeting one way you…
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Finding the Anderson Cemetery
presented by Amy RickmanVirtual | Saturday, 13 May 2023 | 2:00 p.m. EDT Cemeteries are major resources when hunting family. This presentation will describe the trail Amy followed to find these ancestors, strategies for finding old cemeteries, and more about the Anderson cemetery in Farmington, Georgia. Attendance is free and…
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Genealogy Creations: Ways to Use and Share Your Genealogy Research
presented by Nona Knecht Thornton Saturday, 22 April 2023 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Athens-Clarke County Library Multi-purpose Room A, Athens, GA Nona K. Thornton will show examples of ways she has incorporated family history into gifts for family, home décor, and displays for family reunions. Many of these are…
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Dowered or Bound Out: Records of Widows and Orphans
presented by Judy G. Russell, JD, CG®, CGLSM The Legal Genealogist® Saturday, 21 January 2023 at 2:00 pm EST via Zoom All registrants will have access to the program recording for 30 days! Widows and orphans have always had a special place in the law. But it’s not always the…
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Military Records for Family History Research
Saturday, 12 November 2022 at 2:00 p.m. EST via Zoom and in-person Military records are a great resource for learning about people in your family and there are more than most of us know about. On November 12, Laura W. Carter will provide a brief overview of military records, including some you…
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Tracing Family Ties
Friday, 23 September 2022 | 5:45 – 9:00 p.m. EDT Oconee County Library Want to learn more about genealogy resources? What about the items and materials available at the Oconee County Library’s Ivy Room? Join the Clarke-Oconee Genealogical Society, Oconee County Library, and the Athens-Clarke County Library Heritage Room for…
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What’s New in Family Tree Maker Software Q & A Discussion
Saturday, 20 August 2022 | 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. EDT via Zoom Join us for a live, interactive, Q & A discussion with Family Tree Maker Ambassador Mark Olsen who will provide an overview of Family Tree Maker software and then answer all your questions, including the latest version, updates, features, and…
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New – 1950 U.S. Census Indexing Marathon in July
Clarke – Oconee Genealogical Society’s 1950 U.S. Census Indexing Marathon in JulyAthens – Clarke County Library Computer LabWednesday, 13 July 2022, 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.& Saturday, 16 July 2022, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.Don’t forget to bring your FamilySearch login information! Participants in our May Marathon enjoyed it so…
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1950 U.S. Census Indexing Marathon
Clarke – Oconee Genealogical Society’s1950 U.S. Census Indexing Marathon at the Athens – Clarke County LibrarySaturday, 21 May 2022, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.& Wednesday, 25 May 2022, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.Don’t forget to bring your FamilySearch login information! Let’s help index the 1950 U.S. Census together! Sign up…
Members and guests are encouraged to stay after COGS’ programs to enjoy light refreshments, ask questions, share genealogy finds, or merely catch up with friends.
Please consider volunteering to provide a refreshment at one of our future programs.
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Clarke-Oconee Genealogical Society 