Genealogical Society to hold fundraiser at Matus Winery

The Ohio Genealogical Society’s Huron Chapter is hosting a fundraiser in an effort to continue helping people learn more about their family’s history.

The fundraiser, set for 4 to 10 p.m. July 27 at Matus Winery, 15674 Gore Orphanage Road in Wakeman, seeks to have something for everyone.

“Obviously they will have their Wine Vine, basically wine shots, which are amazing and sure to impress any wine connoisseur,” said Diane Meyer, president of the chapter. “There will also be pizza, snacks and a musical performance at 8 p.m. by Acoustic Scotty, a singer/ songwriter from Milan.

“Fifty percent of the wine sales will go to the winery and the other half to us,” she added. “It will be a great partnership, and I hope people can come out for a good time and give their support.”

Meyer said the money made will fund the classes they have at the chapter.

“We hold classes to give people the tools to find their ancestors,” she said. “The class, which provides the book for free, will show you how to get started. The desire might be there but you need some idea as to where to begin. We are here to help you with that.”

Meyer, who has been working in genealogy since 1986, said her passion is driven by discovery.

“I just think it is so interesting,” she said. “You are really starting to see a boom in genealogy with Ancestry.com and 23andMe being widely advertised. The interest is there and is more accessible than ever before with the various services online. I feel people are generally curious as to where they came from and how their family got to certain places geographically.”

Meyer said her genealogy ties her family to the Mayflower.

“I had an ancestor on the voyage that played a huge role in both American and world history,” she said. “My grandkid pointed it out, so we decided to take a trip over to Massachusetts and see family there and look at historic documents of our lineage. It’s really fun and exciting to learn this stuff and trace my ancestry to former Massachusetts Gov. Thomas Dudley.”

Meyer said people should know their genealogy.

“It is your story,” she said. “What your family did is part of who you are and should be looked into. There is the possibility of learning about something negative an ancestor might have done, but you take the good with the bad and learn how your family overcame that situation. The big thing is learning how to get the historic records. They aren’t all on the Internet, so you actually have to go to these places. These are really fun trips, and we are at an advantage being on this side of the country. It is a fun hobby, and I encourage everyone to give it a try and see what they find.”

The chapter will hold its next class Sept. 17 at the Milan Library, 19 Church St. People can sign up for the class at the library.