Our History

On January 10, 1978, sixteen people interested in family research met in the library of Blessed Sacrament Elementary School in Chatham.  They agreed to become a branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society.  The meetings would be held the second Friday of every month (except July and August) in the Blessed Sacrament Library.  Their aim was to collect and preserve records of use to family historians and help each other in their research.

The first major project was to transcribe the Kent County cemeteries.  A number of those present had taken a genealogy course at St. Clair College in which Arnold Cemetery in Chatham Township had been transcribed.  The cemetery transcription committee, under the direction of Eileen Richards and Dick Laurie, was set up and 259 volunteers completed all the cemetery transcriptions by 1983.

The group’s collection of records and books was kept in the local history section of the Chatham-Kent Public Library at first.  Later, as the collection grew, a room was rented by on the second floor of the Chatham-Kent Public Library where we are presently located.  Our Family History Library is open to the public as a research library (not a lending library) Wednesday to Saturday 1-5 pm staffed by volunteers when available.  In addition to cemetery transcriptions, members transcribed census records, collected church records, newspaper transcriptions, and death notices.  The branch gratefully accepted donations of family histories as well as other books and maps useful to research in Kent County, Ontario.  Our Family History Library now also includes digital resources, scanners, a copier and computers with access to a variety of online resources and services to help visitors begin or continue their family research.

The membership grew in that first year to more than 65 by the end of 1978.  Over the years, members continued to support Kent Branch and the Society. Today, membership to the society continues to provide us with resources to ensure we are promoting family history, educating people about genealogy, preserving for the future and making sure access is available to all genealogists and historians.  Meetings and educational presentations were held in various Chatham school libraries and senior residences and are now held at the McKinlay Funeral Home Reception Centre at 463 St. Clair Street, Chatham, on the second Friday of the month.