A Good Marriage: The Genealogical Society of
Allegany County, Maryland & ACM
Editor’s Note: Within the Appalachian Collection of the College Library, there’s a
place where time-travel occurs several days a week. A place where people who
come for answers may leave with more questions. It’s in this place that you’ll find
the offices and research library of the Genealogical Society of Allegany County,
Maryland (the Genealogical Society).
As the Genealogical Society celebrates its twelfth year of residency at the ACM
Cumberland Campus, I sat down for a socially distanced interview with one of its
officers and volunteer genealogists, Harriet Moore.
President Bonnie Miller poses in the
Obituaries section of research library.
It’s been a
good marriage
between the
Genealogical
Society and
ACM.
Genealogical Society members Pam Williams, Harriet Moore, and Bonnie Miller
stand in front of Allegany County’s Voter Registration books. The oldest voter
records on file are for the town of Flintstone and date back to 1869. continued on page 22
Fall 2020 \ ACCESS ACM 14
Harriet Moore didn’t
consider her family tree
until she was given
a baby book with a blank one in
it. Pregnant with
her second-to-last
child, she phoned
her relatives for help
recording the details.
She quickly went
down the research
rabbit hole.
More than four
decades later, Moore
continues to work
as a self-taught
genealogist. In 1995,
she became involved with the
Genealogical Society, which was
founded in 1977. With a tactful, nononsense
demeanor and memory
like a trap, Moore is
known in the region
as a gifted researcher
with a tenacious
curiosity. She currently
serves as the Society’s
treasurer and pastpresident.
In 2008, she and
her fellow volunteer
genealogists who’ve
traced countless
family migrations
embarked on a journey of their
own when they relocated to ACM’s
College Library.
“Our move from the second
floor of the Cumberland Public
Works Department on Bowen
Street to the one-story College
Library has made it possible for
us to receive additional visitors
and store our collection. It was
an impossible climb for many of
our guests and volunteer staff,”
explains Moore. “The College
Library staff are like family to us.
At the eventual dissolution of
the Society, our records will be
donated to the college for use by
future generations.”
Annually, the Genealogical
Society works with several hundred
individuals who are seeking to
research their family histories
or donate historical documents.
Although some are younger in age,
the majority of people they serve are
retired, many of whom developed
About the Genealogical Society of Allegany County
Led by a Board of Directors under the guidance of President Bonnie Miller, the Genealogical Society of Allegany County, Maryland is a nonprofit
organization of genealogists and member of the National Genealogical Society. In addition to researching and preserving their own
ancestries and family histories for future generations, they skillfully help others connect to their own ancestral pasts. Family history seekers
can access the Genealogical Society’s online records, visit their research library during regular hours of operation, submit queries to the
Society, and arrange for appointments outside of the Society’s hours of operation. The Society’s collection includes vast records of families
from Allegany, Garrett, and Washington Counties, Maryland, as well as counties in surrounding states. More information is available by
calling 301-777-8850 or visiting www.acgsmd.org.
/www.acgsmd.org
