Minnesota Genealogical Society (MGS)

MGS is Minnesota's premier genealogy and family history organization. 

We help people with Minnesota connections trace their family's history. When people discover MGS, they don’t just discover their ancestry. They discover themselves. 

Member Megan visited our Hoffman Research Library to learn more about her Irish ancestor who lived in New York in the 1850s. She hoped to identify which village in Ireland he emigrated from, and more about his occupation as a boat captain. Aided by our library volunteers, Megan found out he captained a two-person canal boat hauled by mules, carrying coal to New York City. Further searching led to a connection to a 2nd cousin, and to the name of the Irish village that was his original home. She’s excited to travel to the Emerald Isle and make further discoveries.

It was thrilling when one of our talented research volunteers was asked to assist the city of Minneapolis in locating descendants of John W. Cheatham, the first Black fire captain to serve the city. She found several family members, who attended a city ceremony to honor him by renaming a street near his station in South Minneapolis.

These sorts of things happen regularly at our library. As Megan discovered, the Hoffman Research Library at the Minnesota Genealogy Center is a treasure chest for any family history researcher. Over 250 people from around the world visit our library each month to consult our 30,000 books, maps, and microforms. The extensive collection of resource materials covers not just Minnesota, but every state in the US and many countries around the world – such as Ireland. Computer stations, microform readers, printers, scanners, and online resources equip researchers for success – and so do the volunteers who are eager to assist.

Maintaining these research tools – hard copy and digital, including American and ethnic genealogy databases and FamilySearch affiliate records – costs nearly $20,000 each year. But that isn’t all that MGS does. Patrons can attend free monthly webinars on topics that open new avenues for research. We offer classes as well, from Genealogy 101 for beginners to the two-day North Star Genealogy Conference, now in its 17th year. Our instructors educate the community about finding family, and publish a monthly newsletter and the quarterly journal, Generations. 

Your tax-deductible gift to the Minnesota Genealogical Society will ensure these resources are ready for you to find YOUR  ancestors and personal history. Please donate today.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and our fantastic volunteers, 

“Thank you!”