by Betty Jo Stockton
 

I was fairly new to serious genealogical research when I attended my first DAR meeting in Fairfax, Virginia. Sitting across the table from me was a lady whose name tag read Edna Barney. Since one of my elusive ancestors was Caroline E. Barney, my radar went into gear. I introduced myself and asked about her Barney surname. She explained that since Barney was her husband's line, she did not know much about it - but her husband was president of the Barney Family Association, why didn't I contact him? Of course, I did - and that opened up a whole new area of research.
 

To that point, I'd never heard of Family Associations, but they have proven to be a goldmine of information . Cliff Barney, the Barney family guru, was able to place Caroline in a family, tell me where to find the family Bible, then led me to discover that Caroline's father, John Barney, was well-known in the Vermont Masonic Movement before 1800. This led to contact with the Masonic organization in Vermont. Members of that group later honored Mother and me at a breakfast meeting and presented me with the "John Barney" medal (complete with biography and portrait).
 

There are literally thousands of groups associated with a specific surname or group of surnames. Many of the more common names will have several groups - by area of the country, descendants of a particular line, or simply a divergent group of folks.
 

Family associations vary in activities and goals. Some have annual or bi-annual reunions, often in the area where the progenitors of the family settled. Many produce books or reprint early family histories with updates and indexing. Others have products related to the family - coats of arms, maps, tableware, etc.
 

Most groups publish a newsletter of some sort with information on various parts of the family, contacts, and queries. This is a great way to find long-lost relatives and tie into family lines. I generally send in a set of queries at the time I join the organization. Often the editor of the newsletter will have information "on the spot" which will be sent to you or included with your query. Some publications are well-produced, professional looking products with photos, indexing and loads of information. Others are simply typed and photocopied sheets. Regardless, you are likely to find something of use. If nothing else, it greatly increases the number of folks who will try to help you with your family research.

The best way to locate a Family or Surname Association is to use the reference book Directory of Family Associations by Elizabeth Bentley [RG 929.1 Ben 1993-94], which is an oversize black softcover book available in many libraries. You might also use: A Directory of Family "One-name" Periodicals, J. Konrad, ed. at RG 929.1 DIR [1988]   Most libraries will have at least one directory of this type. The Genealogical Helper publishes a list of family associations each year in its March/April edition.

Family associations are fairly inexpensive (generally ranging from $10-15) and usually include a year's worth of publications, unlimited queries, and great contacts.

You may very well discover that that particular group is not for you - but you may make contacts regardless. When I joined the Curtis/Curtiss society, I soon discovered that their emphasis was on the descendants of the colonial New England line rather than my later Indiana folks. But out of my query in that publication came a response from another "misplaced" Curtis, who was also looking for Indiana folks. If you discover that the group doesn't fit in with your lines, you are out very little money and may be well ahead. A year's membership will be enough to let you know whether you want to renew.

The Internet has also opened up new contacts with Family Pages - sometimes the web pages of established family association and others that are on the Internet only. Mailing lists on the web - found through RootsWeb or other sites - serve much the same purpose. Cyndi'sList at: www.cyndilist.com has a long list of family and surname associations. Or a search on your particular name on the Internet will find lots of leads.

My personal favorite Family Association is: The Barney Family Historical Association [$15.00 for two years. It includes a 36-48 page professional-looking quarterly, unlimited queries, and loads of help. Address is: 7503 Ridgebrook Dr., Springfield, VA 22153. They also have a website at  http://www.barneyfamily.org. How about letting us know of your favorites?

[Written by Betty Jo Stockton for Treasure Chest News, the newsletter of the Central Florida Genealogical Society, February, 1999. Permission is granted for use in any genealogical or family history newsletter, provided this credit is attached]