President's MessageDear MGS members and friends, I hope everyone has had a wonderful summer and found some time to relax, enjoy family and friends, and perhaps even make a little progress on your family history research. As summer winds down and we look toward fall and the back-to-school season, I am excited about the programs and activities ahead for MGS. We will kick off our fall season on Saturday, September 19, with a special presentation at a new venue for MGS - Hibernian Hall, 186 Greyrock Place in Stamford, home of the men's and ladies divisions of the Ancient Order of Hibernians of Stamford. We are very grateful to the AOH for inviting us to hold our program at their hall and for welcoming MGS members and guests to their community. For those driving, convenient parking is available in the City of Stamford's Bedford Street Garage directly behind Hibernian Hall (garage entrance at 17 Forest Street). The Hall has private access from the garage, including an entrance from the lowest level, making it especially convenient for our attendees. Our program is planned for 1:30-3:00 pm, followed by a social hour at Hibernian Hall's on-site pub. I am particularly excited about this format. In addition to an informative genealogy program, we'll have an opportunity afterward to relax, continue the conversation, and get to know fellow MGS members, our guests, and members of the AOH community. Our speaker will be Toni McKeen, presenting "Genealogy: Where Every Family Story Starts." Whether you have never researched your family history, have been meaning to get started for years, or have spent decades building your family tree, Toni's presentation will offer something for everyone. Beginners will learn practical first steps, common pitfalls to avoid, and how to develop a research plan. More experienced genealogists will have an opportunity to revisit the fundamentals through a fresh lens and learn about newer resources and techniques, including online collections, DNA tools, artificial intelligence, and other developments that are changing the way we research our families. Toni will also discuss techniques particularly useful for researching immigrant ancestors, including Irish, Italian, and other families whose stories helped shape our local communities. Whether you're starting your first family tree, considering a genealogy "do-over" using today's best practices, or looking for new ideas to tackle a longstanding research challenge, I think you' ll find something valuable in this presentation. I hope you will join us for this first program of our fall season and stay afterward for the social hour at Hibernian Hall’s on-site pub. Please consider bringing a friend or family member who may be interested in genealogy or family history. This is a great opportunity to introduce someone to MGS - and to meet members of the AOH community who share our interest in family heritage and history. I am looking forward to an exciting fall for MGS and, most importantly, to seeing many of you again on September 19. With appreciation, In This Issue- Upcoming Events -September 18-19: New York State Family History ConferenceJoin the NYG&B this fall for New York's largest statewide gathering of family history researchers, genealogists, and history enthusiasts. This year's theme, New Perspectives, Best Practices, explores fresh approaches to understanding New York family history.
The conference will feature more than 30 livestreaming programs and additional on-demand sessions to watch at your own pace:
Note: All the livestreaming programs are subsequently made available on demand through November 16, 2026. Whether you are just starting to build up your genealogy skills or are ready to tackle more advanced issues, this conference provides participants with the opportunity to learn from experts and connect with others who share their interests. Researchers, genealogists, and all those interested in family history gather for the New York State Family History Conference, the largest statewide family history event held in New York. Over the years we've traveled to places like Albany, Buffalo, Kingston, Syracuse, and Tarrytown--all while hosting hundreds of other researchers online. Last year's conference featured in-person and virtual programming as well as on-demand viewing of all 35 sessions. See Conference Details and Register. In This IssueSeptember 19: Genealogy: Where Every Family Story StartsSaturday, September 19, 2026 - 1:30-3:00 pm Presented by Toni McKeen Hibernian Hall Presentation followed by a social hour at Hibernian Hall's on-site pub.
Whether you've never researched your family history, have been meaning to get started for years, or have spent decades building your family tree, this presentation offers something for everyone. For beginners, Toni will explore practical first steps, common pitfalls to avoid, and the many resources available today to help uncover your family's story. You'll learn how to begin with confidence and develop a research plan that can lead to surprising discoveries. For experienced researchers, this presentation offers an opportunity to revisit the fundamentals through a fresh lens. Genealogy has changed dramatically in recent years, with new online collections, DNA tools, artificial intelligence, and research techniques opening doors that didn't exist just a few years ago. Even seasoned genealogists may discover new strategies, overlooked sources, and ideas that can breathe new life into longstanding research challenges. Many of the techniques discussed can be especially valuable when researching immigrant ancestors - including Irish, Italian, and other families whose stories helped shape our local communities. Whether you're starting your very first family tree, considering a genealogy "do-over" using today's best practices, or simply looking for new ideas to improve your research, you'll leave with practical tips, renewed inspiration, and a deeper appreciation for the stories waiting to be discovered in every family. Every family has a story. Come learn how to find yours. A New Venue for MGS This program will mark MGS's first presentation at Hibernian Hall, home of the Ancient Order of Hibernians of Stamford and the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians of Stamford. The AOH and LAOH have graciously invited MGS to use its Hall for our September program, and we look forward to welcoming both MGS members and members of the wider community. Following the presentation, attendees are invited to stay for a social hour at Hibernian Hall's on-site pub - a chance to meet Toni, talk with fellow genealogy enthusiasts, and get to know members of MGS and the AOH and LAOH in a relaxed setting. Please feel free to bring a friend or family member interested in genealogy, family history, or learning more about MGS. Get Directions to Hibernian HallParking Convenient public parking is available in the Bedford Street Garage directly behind Hibernian Hall. Enter the garage at 17 Forest Street. Hibernian Hall has direct access from the lowest level of the garage. There is a pedestrian exit with a sign on the left that says that says ACCESS TO BROAD ST and a little sign on the right that says ENTRANCE TO AOH PUB, HIBERNIAN HALL & GREYROCK PL. Get Directions to Bedford Street Garage
In This IssueOctober 15: Making the Most of FamilySearch for New York ResearchThursday, October 15, 2026 - 6:00-7:00 pm - Online via Zoom Presented by D. Joshua Taylor Sponsored by New York Genealogical and Biographical Society This is a free program, but registration is required.
FamilySearch offers far more for New York research than many genealogists realize. D. Joshua Taylor will look beyond the search box to explore New York–specific collections, catalog tools, full-text search, images-only materials, and underused pathways to records. Designed for researchers who already use FamilySearch but suspect they are missing something, this session highlights practical strategies to uncover records, context, and clues that can significantly advance New York research projects.
D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS, FUGA, is the President and CEO of the NYG&B and a nationally known and recognized genealogist. Previously, Joshua held senior leadership positions with Findmypast and the New England Historic Genealogical Society and has volunteered in leadership positions for the Federation of Genealogical Societies and other organizations. A prolific author and popular speaker, Joshua has been a coordinator for courses at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) and is the recipient of RootsTech’s Distinguished Presenter Award. He has been a featured genealogist on Who Do You Think You Are? and was a host on the PBS series Genealogy Roadshow. Joshua holds a Master of Library Science degree in Archival Management and a Master of Arts degree in History from Simmons College. See Making the Most of FamilySearch for New York Research. In This Issue- Recent Past Events -June 6: Using Autosomal DNA for 18th and 19th Century MysteriesOn Saturday, June 6th, MGS Members in good standing were invited to attend a Zoom presentation of the Connecticut Ancestry Society. It was presented by Blaine Bettinger, PhD, JD. The topic was: "Using Autosomal DNA for 18th and 19th Century Mysteries."
Even though our 18th and 19th century ancestors have been dead for decades, their DNA still survives in their descendants. We learned how to use autosomal DNA to attack and potentially solve genealogical mysteries and brick walls for ancestors who were born or lived in the 1800's, 1700's, and beyond. Blaine Bettinger, Ph.D., J.D., is a professional genealogist specializing in both DNA evidence and AI for Genealogy. He has been a leader in the field of genetic genealogy and has contributed to several aspects of genetic genealogy methodology and analysis through his research, his lectures, the books he has written, and the social media groups that he founded and oversees. Connecticut Ancestry Society was founded in 1954 as the Stamford Genealogical Society and is the oldest genealogical society in Connecticut. The organization’s name was officially changed to Connecticut Ancestry Society, Inc., in 1989. The Society's membership now extends throughout North America with only about half living in Connecticut. The Society sponsors workshops and lectures and has a scholarly journal, Connecticut Ancestry, which is published semi-annually. In This Issue
June 13: Middlesex Parish 250 Historic Tour14 local sites packed with Revolutionary history!MGS encouraged everyone to explore the Museum of Darien's "Revolutionary Road Trip" program om June 13, 2026. As part of the nationwide America 250 celebrations commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the Museum of Darien and several historic sites throughout Middlesex Parish (Darien and Rowayton/Norwalk) hosted an afternoon of local history exploration and Revolutionary War-themed activities. The Revolutionary Road Trip featured guided visits to historic sites, exhibits, and family-friendly activities highlighting the region's Revolutionary-era history and the people and places connected to America's founding. It was a wonderful opportunity to experience history close to home while reflecting on the upcoming semiquincentennial celebrations taking place across the country in 2026. The local historic sites were:
In This IssueJune 25: MGS Meet and GreetWe had an informal social gathering for MGS members and friends on Thursday evening, June 25, at Sunset Grille in Norwalk. Tom Williams talked about his ancestor in World War II. Steve Flynn showed us a new folder he has created that promotes MGS. Peter talked about finding the town where his great great grandfather lived in Canada. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow MGS members, spend time with our leadership team, and enjoy good conversation in a relaxed setting.
In This Issue- Articles of Interest -Siege of YorktownBy Peter Biggins
Yorktown today is an unincorporated area in York County, Virginia. It's population was 221 as of the 2020 census. It was named for the ancient city of York in Yorkshire, Northern England. It was founded in 1691 as a port on the York River for English colonists to export tobacco to Europe. Yorktown on the Kings HighwayYorktown is on the 1,300-hundred Kings Highway ordered in 1664 by King Charles II to unite the colonies. It runs from Boston, Massachusetts to Charleston, South Carolina. It includes the Old Kings Highway that runs through Darien, Connecticut. The Kings Highway united the colonies, perhaps more so than anticipated. In 1781, 117 years later, British Lieutenant General Charles, Earl Cornwallis, surrendered at Yorktown, on the Kings Highway, effectively ended the Kings rule in North America. In 1789, eight years after the Siege of Yorktown, Christopher Colles created a road atlas for 512 miles of the Kings Highway that start in Stratford, Connecticut (25 miles north of Darien) and end in Yorktown, Virginia. The Library of Congress has put this atlas on line at: A survey of the Roads of the United States of America.
Yorktown is on map 79. Below is an excerpt of map 79 that includes Yorktown, where the Siege of Yorktown occurred at mile 213 in York (213 miles from Annapolis). Yorktown is called York. The street is present-day Main Street. Also shown is Gloucester across the York River.
The town is most famous as the site of the siege and subsequent surrender of General Charles Cornwallis to General George Washington and the French Fleet during the American Revolutionary War on October 19, 1781. This British defeat at Yorktown effectively ended the war in North America. See: Yorktown, Virginia. Map of the Siege of YorktownIn Yorktown, in the fall of 1781, General George Washington, with allied American and French forces, besieged General Charles Lord Cornwallis's British army. On October 19, Cornwallis surrendered, effectively ending the war and ensuring independence. See: Siege of Yorktown.
The Nelson House.
Grace Episcopal ChurchyardThomas "Scotch Tom" Nelson, William Nelson, and signer Thomas Nelson, Jr. are buried at Grace Episcopal Churchyard on Main Street in Yorktown. Lieutenant General Charles, Earl CornwallisBritish Lieutenant General Charles, Earl Cornwallis, surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia, on October 19, 1781. He was born Charles Edward Cornwallis V in 1738 in Mayfair, London, England. He attended Eton College and Clare College, Cambridge. He married Jemima Tullekin Jones in 1768. They had two children. Charles Cornwallis died in 1805 in present-day Uttar Pradesh, India. Cornwallis received orders to choose a position between the York and James rivers and construct a fortified naval post to shelter ships of the line. In complying with this order, Cornwallis put himself in a position to become trapped in the area of Yorktown. With the arrival of the French fleet under the Comte de Grasse and General Washington's combined French-American army, Cornwallis found himself cut off. After the Royal Navy fleet under Admiral Thomas Graves was defeated by the French at the Battle of the Chesapeake, and the French siege train arrived from Newport, Rhode Island, his position became untenable. He surrendered after about three weeks' siege to General Washington and the French commander, the Comte de Rochambeau, on 19 October 1781. Cornwallis, apparently not wanting to face Washington, claimed to be ill on the day of the surrender, and sent Brigadier General Charles O'Hara in his place to surrender his sword formally. Washington had his second-in-command, Major General Benjamin Lincoln, accept Cornwallis's sword. See: Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis. Trumbull Painting in the Capitol Rotunda of the Surrender of Lord CornwallisIn 1789, John Trumbull from Connecticut sketched a number of dignitaries whose portraits he intended to use in the Surrender of Lord Cornwallis other paintings. In 1791 he traveled to Yorktown, Virginia, where he sketched the landscape of the surrender site. The painting was completed and hung in 1820 in the rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., along with three other American Revolution paintings: Declaration of Independence, Surrender of General Burgoyne, and General Washington Resigning His Commission. The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis painting depicts the surrender of British Lieutenant General Charles, Earl Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia, on October 19, 1781. Included in the depiction are many leaders of the American troops that took part in the siege of Yorktown. In the center of the painting, British General Charles O'Hara is standing in a red coat at the head of a line of British officers and soldiers, with his sword. Next to him on horseback is American General Benjamin Lincoln, about to accept the sword. French troops stand to the left of the British. General Rochambeau is on horse and closest to the British. American troops stand on the right of the British. General George Washington is on horseback between O'Hara and the American flag. Thomas Nelson, Jr. to the right of George Washington, holding the American flag. Next to Nelson is Marquis Lafayette. Cornwallis is nowhere to be seen.
In This IssueHow I Found Cornwall, CanadaBy Peter Biggins For the last 20 years, I have known that my great great grandfather, Patrick Biggins was born and raised in Ireland, emigrated to Canada, and after some years emigrated to the United States.
U.S. CensusesIn August 2005, I found the Patrick and Bridget Biggins household in five U.S. censuses for Will County, Illinois: 1840 in Lockport and 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 on a farm in Romeoville. Patrick and Bridget are from Ireland. Bridget died between 1850 and 1860. They have seven children. The first was a girl born between 1825 and 1830 but appears only in 1840. The second, Ann, was born in Canada in 1835 according to the 1850 census. So I knew Patrick and Bridget lived in Canada sometime between Ann's birth in 1835 and 1840, when they were living in Illinois. The last five children (including my great grandfather) were born in Illinois. In December 2025, I found daughter Ann in the Francis and Ann Gaffey household in five U.S. censuses from 1860 to 1910 censuses. The 1880 and 1900 censuses say she was born in Ontario--not just Canada. Then I knew Patrick and Bridget lived in Ontario. But Ontario is a big province. I did not know where in Ontario. Also, her birth year varied between 1834 and 1836. OntarioIn April this year, I did some research on Ontario around 1835. Upper Canada in 1841 became part of the province of Ontario. At that time, Ontario extended along the St. Lawrence River from its border with Quebec, to Thousand Islands, to Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and the eastern part of Lake Huron. Irish immigrants to Ontario came as early as 1820. They increased in small numbers to organize land settlements and mostly to work on canals, timber, railroads. The Great Migration encouraged immigrants to settle in Canada after the War of 1812. Worried about another American attempt at invasion and to counter the French-speaking influence of Quebec, colonial governors of Canada promoted settlement in backcountry areas along newly-constructed plank roads within organized land tracts, mostly in Ontario. Source: Great Migration of Canada. Increasing numbers of Irish, a growing proportion of them Catholic, were venturing to Canada to obtain work on projects such as canals and roads. Settlement schemes offering cheap (or free) land brought over farming families. In the Upper Canada religious census of 1842, Roman Catholics were 15% of the population, mainly drawn from the Irish and the French settlers. I found a list of Irish canal workers called The McCabe List. This is a petition, signed by mostly Irish canal workers in Ottawa, in 1829. It has been put online by Ulster Ancestry at: The McCabe List. But, it did not include Patrick. Drouin CollectionOn May 19 this year, I went to Darien Library and did a search on Ancestry Library Edition. Somehow I got the idea to do a search for daughter Anne. I did a search for Ann Biggins, born in Ontario, Canada, in 1835, her father Patrick. That did not work. Then I changed Biggins to Beggan. It worked! I found: Anne Bugan baptized on November 22, 1835, in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. There was a link to the Drouin Collection of Ontario, Canada, Catholic Church Records, 1802-1967, which was created by Joseph Drouin. In the 1940s the Drouin Genealogical Institute began microfilming records pertaining to French Canadians throughout French Canada and America. Consequently, this filmed set of records has become known as the Drouin Collection.
The image shown above is one of 16 images of baptism and marriage records from November 24, 1834, to December 5, 1835, at St. Columban Church in Cornwall. This image has 8 entries on pages 26 and 27. Anne is top right on this image. The indexer saw the surname as Bugan, which is understandable when you look at the picture below. The search engine connected my entry of Beggan with their Bugan.
When I first read the entry for Anne, I could see the date, the name of Anne Beegan to the left, the word Clergyman, the name Anne, the names of Patrick and Bridget Beegan, two people named Stewart (probably the godparents), and the names James Bennett (probably the priest). But a Gemini AI report was generated by our son Edward. This allowed me to read the whole entry, and that is what is shown above. Anne's baptism was on November 22, 1835. The parents were Patrick and Bridget Beegan. The godparents were Neil and Anne Stewart. The clergyman was James P. Bennett, Missionary Priest. Anne was 10 days old when she was baptized, so her birth date was November 12, 1835. CornwallAnne was baptized in Cornwall, a city in Eastern Ontario, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, where three places converge: the provinces of Ontario and Quebec and the U.S. state of New York. Cornwall is
On a trip to Vermont in July, we took the ferry from Plattsburgh, New York, to Grand Isle. The car behind us was from Quebec, I asked the driver if he had ever been to Cornwall. He said "Yes, I go there all the time." So, at least I have been able to meet someone who has been to Cornwall. Maybe, I will get there myself some day. St. ColumbanAnne, was baptized by Father James Bennett at the Catholic church of St. Columban. The church was built in 1829. It was the first Catholic Church in Cornwall and is still there. It is located at 36 Fourth Street West in Cornwall, a half mile north of the St. Lawrence River. Today, it is part of the Archdiocese of Ottawa-Cornwall. It was originally part of the Diocese of Kingston. The Gemini AI report generated by our son Edward informed us that James Bennett was born in Queens (now Laois) County, Ireland, about 1801. He became first resident pastor of St. Columban Church in November, 1834. I found the following paragraph in The Story of St. Paul's Parish, Toronto, by Rev. Edward J. Kelly, Toronto, 1922, page 62. The Reverend James Bennett was born in Queen's County, Ireland, about 1801, and was ordained for the Diocese of Kingston. In 1831 he was appointed assistant at Kingston, and in the following year made the tour north of York . . . . He then returned to his former mission, when he was sent for a brief period to the London district. His next charge was Peterborough, where he remained until November, 1834, when he became first resident pastor of Cornwall. Early in 1842 he assumed charge of Adjala and Tecumseth, which he relinquished in the early part of 1843. His next appointment was Oshawa, Whitby, etc., which began in June, 1843, but he died on August 31 of the same year at Kingston, whither he had gone a week previous. Ann Biggins GaffeyIn summary, Ann Biggins Gaffey was born in 1835 in Cornwall, Ontario. Her family moved to Lockport, then Romeoville, Illinois. She married John Gaffey, a farmer, in 1857. They had eight children. They lived in Lemont, Illinois, and Jaspar County, Indiana. Ann died at the home of her daughter Margaret Gaffey Rowe in Chicago in 1914 and was buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Indiana. In This IssueJD's New York Corner - Brian R. Bill VFW Post DarienBy Sara Zagrodzky
On August 22, 2026, the Darien VFW hall was renamed to honor a local Navy SEAL Brian R. Bill, KIA on August 6th, 2011, when Extortion 17 was shot down in Saydabad, Afghanistan. The VFW hall is now the Brian R. Bill Memorial VFW. There is also a connection to another late board member Pete Kenyon. The SEAL prep program that Pete was connected to was part of Brian Bill’s training. This young man, Brian, who was passionate about family and serving our country, gave the ultimate sacrifice. The Darien VFW hall is a historical landmark that once housed the chapel for the Fitch Soldiers' Home in the 1800's. Terry Gaffney, gave a great message about the similarities in
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