Fairfax Genealogical Society of Fairfax County, Virginia A Worldwide Research Group Our 36th Year

  About FxGS

The Fairfax Genealogical Society was established in 1974 as a non-profit organization to promote fellowship and cooperation among persons who are conducting genealogical research, to further the use of sound  genealogical methods, standards of accuracy, and scholarly research, and to aid those doing research in our area.   We currently have over 400 members, including not only many who live in or near Fairfax County, but also many who are searching for information in our area.  We are pleased to also have the membership of several libraries and other societies nationwide.  We would like to hear from you, especially if you have problems using this web site!  You may send us e-mail at:  webmaster  or write at: Fairfax Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 2290 Merrifield, VA  22116-2.

Officers, Committee Chairs, and Other Activity Coordinators

Here are many of our activities:

• Programs.  Open to visitors as well as FxGS members,  our programs are designed to aid researchers at all levels in learning methods to solve genealogical problems and research techniques, historical information, sources of records, and social customs.   Our regular meetings generally have a featured speaker and numerous opportunities to share stories and information and to help one another solve research problems.   Refreshments and conversation follow the program.

Meetings are usually held the fourth Thursday of the month, September through May, excluding December.  We meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Lecture Hall of Kilmer Middle School, 8100 Wolf Trap Road, Vienna, Virginia.  Any changes from this schedule will be posted on the home page of this web site. Meetings include a guest lecture with a question-and-answer period and a social period with refreshments.  Admission is free and visitors are welcome.

We welcome suggestions for programs, comments, and questions.  You may contact  our Vice President and Program Chair at Program.

Click here for the schedule of programs.

Click here for a printable map and directions to the meetings.

• Annual conference.  Open to all, the annual spring FxGS conference is an all day, in-depth presentation by nationally known genealogists designed to enhance your genealogical research skills. In recent years we have adopted the highly successful "conference" format with lectures in several tracks These tracks are designed to provide something of interest for every level of genealogist. In addition, there is always opportunity to visit with many vendors with genealogical resources and examine their products.

• Audio tape library.  The Society maintains an audio tape library of past monthly meetings and conference programs.  These are available for loan to members at the monthly meetings.  You may contact Chuck Mason, our Tape Librarian.  Click for list of tapes:    By Date.     By Category.

• Education.  Our Education Committee provides educational opportunities through classes, field trips to local research facilities, and special interest groups. The 2006-2007 class program expects to address a broad range of topics plus field trips and a Genealogy Fair.  Classes are held 10AM to Noon on the Saturday following the Thursday night monthly meetings of the Society.  Click here to see our schedule. 

• Newsletter.   We publish a newsletter five times a year which keeps our members informed of upcoming events of our Society and other local societies and research facilities.  It also includes book reviews, surname queries, and articles of genealogical interest. 

Members may submit queries for publication in the newsletter.  Since the newsletter is exchanged with many other genealogical societies throughout the U.S. the reach of queries extends nationwide. 

We receive newsletters and quarterlies from many other genealogical societies which are available in our "Browsers Box" at our monthly meetings and then filed in the Virginia Room, Fairfax City Regional Library.

We encourage the submission of articles and news items of interest to genealogists, particularly Bible records.  Transcriptions of records related to Fairfax County are particularly needed.  Review copies of new books are welcome. 

Send us comments, news, and ideas for articles!  Our newsletter editor is available at Newsletter.

• Projects.  Our society has recently completed a Fairfax County genealogical resources pamphlet project and is working on an 1890 Census substitute project.  Visit the Projects Page to find out more about these undertakings.

• Records.   We aid in the coordination of preservation efforts in the County and support efforts of the  Virginia Room  of  The Fairfax County Library.  Members make donations to the Virginia Room Book Fund which is used to purchase Fairfax County and other materials of genealogical interest for the Virginia Room collection.  We also publish Fairfax County records of genealogical interest  (see Publications below).  Our Records Committee is chaired by Records.
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• Cemetery Project Publications.  We have recorded, indexed, and published the information of genealogical significance on the gravestones in the over 350 noncommercial cemeteries in our County.  Visit our Cemetery Project Page to find out more about the project and the six-volume series Fairfax County, Virginia  Gravestones.  We are offering a 15% discount for the purchase of a complete set.   Gordon Erickson chairs our sales committee and can be reached at (703) 719-6968.  You may contact Judi McGarvey editor of the Gravestones volumes.  

  Volume VI of Fairfax County Gravestones Now Available  This 510-page volume completes a project which has spanned two decades.  It contains a Master Index of all six volumes and corrections, additions and updates to inscriptions and information contained in the first five volumes.

  The Society now has a contract with Heritage Books to sell the Cemetery Books to the general public at Heritage Books of Westminster, MD (Ph: 1-800-876-6103).  (On the web site click on Advanced Search and enter: Fairfax County Virginia  Gravestones in the Title box)
  
    Members only can also buy the books at a discount from the Society via the Members Only Order Form.

• Special Interest Groups.  We have several Special Interest Groups (SIGs). You may go to a list of them with points of contact and information on meetings here.  You can contact the SIG Coordinator at  Vacant, or (703)-Vacant.

• Affiliations.  Our society belongs to the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) and the National Genealogical Society (NGS).   Members sit on the Advisory Board of the Fairfax County History Commission.

• Support to national programs.  Along with donations to the Virginia Room, donations to the Malcolm H. Stern National Archives Gift Fund of the NGS support microfilming projects at the National Archives.

• Membership.  In addition to participation in our many activities,  members receive a $20 discount off the Conference registration fee, a 20 per cent discount on all FxGS publications, the privilege of borrowing cassettes of past Programs and Conferences, participation in our Surname Exchange List, and a 40 per cent discount off an annual subscription to the Federation of Genealogical Societies' FGS Forum.  Annual dues are $22.00 for an individual plus $5.00 for each additional member of a household.  To join, fill out a Membership Application and the Surname Exchange List Form.  If you have questions you can contact our Second Vice President and Membership Chair at Membership.

• Surname exchange list.  A Surname Exchange List for current members is compiled and published annually.  Update your surname exchange entries by submitting a Surname Exchange Form in the Members Only section of our web site.  For more information you may contact our Surnames Coordinator at Surnames.

• Members Only Section of the Web Site.  If you've forgotten how to get into the Members Only Section; send an email to the Web Master with your name and Member Number.

• Members Only Email List.  If you've changed your email address; please send an email to the Web Master with your new address plus name and Member Number.

• Society Citations & Certificates of Appreciation.  Those members making a significant contribution to the Society during the year are commended at our end of the year meeting.

• FxGS Logo Shirts.  Our new FxGS shirts are available for members to purchase through the following link to Wick’s Sports Lettering of Alexandria: FxGS Shirts

• Lecturers Available.  Several FxGS members will present lectures and workshops on various topics.  Click here for details.

• Need Help?   We've Got "Volunteer Lookups".   Try our new Researchers List!

• Interested in local Revolutionary War Soldiers?  Click here to see our information.

• Launching Colonial Census Substitute Project.  The Society is sponsoring (and Mount Vernon Genealogical Society is supporting) a project to list the currently available documents that provide census-type information for the colonial era.  Click here for details.