A Good Marriage: The Genealogical Society of
Allegany County, Maryland & ACM
continued from page 14
Fall 2020 \ ACCESS ACM 22
an interest in their family histories
following the loss of their elders.
“Our resources and genealogists
are a draw for people from all
over the country and even from
overseas. We’re amazed at how
far people will travel to come to
Cumberland to use our collection.
It’s not simply about local families
researching their roots; it’s families
whose ancestors took the National
Road west to settle in other
territories,” she continues.
The Genealogical Society’s
vast physical resources include,
among others: tax records, census
records, wills and marriage records,
obituaries, canal boat data, land
grant surveys, cemetery burial
inventories, voter registration
books, and donated family archives.
“We really are the best source for
research information in the County,”
Moore smiles.
Following the release of family
tree-focused websites like Ancestry
or My Heritage, and DNA testing
companies like AncestryDNA,
23andMe, or Orig3n, the
Genealogical Society found itself
receiving more queries and visitors.
“The online resources like census
records and ship manifestos are
fantastic, but the accuracy of
some of the family trees can be
questionable. You need to check
the trees with verifiable sources.
That’s where a genealogical society
like ours can help. We can connect
people with invaluable digital and
physical resources. ”
Moore recommends DNA testing
for individuals whose ancestry is
simply unknown. “It’s a wonderful
resource for helping with adoption
cases. They the test results can
point you in the right direction for
additional research.”
Moore cautions individuals who
wish to delve into their family roots
to be prepared to find information
contrary to family lore.
“You have to have an open mind,
be able to navigate dead ends,
and be ready to handle surprises.
Families keep secrets. Information
won’t fall into your lap. You have to
verify what you find. And sometimes
you have to accept that not everyone
has an illustrious ancestry.”
For her, a family tree isn’t about
tidily ordered names and a family
crest; it’s a chance to imagine an
ancestor’s life. What prompted
their decisions? How were they
impacted by historical events?
What did they value as important?
Where did they work and how did
they spend their time?
One of her favorite research
victories involves someone she
knows well: her husband, Carl.
Growing up, he only knew the
names of his grandparents on
either side. After considerable
research, Moore has traced
his family “back to boat” – his
ancestors’ journey to America –
and to his fifth great-grandfather.
Together, they traveled to the home
of one of his ancestors in Ohio.
As they stood inside on its wide
floorboards, they imagined the
newly named ancestor’s home
as it once was – perhaps, for the
briefest of moments, traveling to a
different place in time.
Ask Questions … Now
The Society has found that family information frequently gets lost with the passing of
loved ones. Its genealogists encourage individuals to speak with multiple members of their
families, and record those conversations to make future genealogical research easier. Ask
older families to share information for their deceased family members: names, dates, places
of birth, marriages, military services, occupations, schooling, etc. Templates for recording
this type of information are available online.
Hours of Operation
Monday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Wednesday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
(Currently, 2nd and 4th Wednesday)
Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
A Change of Plans
Serving your community
requires that you listen
to the needs expressed
by your community. It’s a simple
truth but one that’s guided Allegany
College of Maryland for nearly 60
years. So when secondary students
and their teachers in Somerset
County expressed increased
interest in accessing Early College
(sometimes called Dual Enrollment)
courses, ACM responded quickly.
In June, the college moved its
Somerset Education Site from
its Georgian Place location to the
Somerset County Technology Center
(SCTC). Dr. Tom Striplin, ACM dean
of Arts and Sciences, welcomed the
change, noting that the college was
“excited about this new partnership
and the ability to be an education
resource for Early College students
and individuals pursuing their college
dreams.” He lauded SCTC’s leadership
staff for “being wonderful to work with
throughout the process of moving.”
SCTC is located at 281 Technology
Drive in Somerset, Pennsylvania.
ACM’s Somerset Education Site’s
phone number is 814-445-9848.