Welcome to the Willamette Valley Genealogical Society's webpage!
Contact Address:
Willamette Valley Genealogical Society
PO Box 2083
Salem, OR 97308
Email: WillVGS@yahoo.com
Willamette Valley Genealogical Society
PO Box 2083
Salem, OR 97308
Email: WillVGS@yahoo.com
WVGS Newsletters
Our newsletter format has changed to include stories, research, tips, and profiles. (see the May issue for an example). Click below for highlights. Full issues are available on our Member Page.
One of the major advantages of membership with the WVGS is access to our quarterly publication ‘The Beaver Briefs’.
Go to our [Materials] page to see a complete list of the articles from all 56 years of this publication along with a master surname reference index covering the last 19 years.
Go to our [Materials] page to see a complete list of the articles from all 56 years of this publication along with a master surname reference index covering the last 19 years.
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Society Dues for 2024
As most of you know, the WVGS resumed annual membership dues in 2024 in order to reconcile our annual expenses. This decision was really unavoidable. Dues for one year’s individual membership will be $30.00 (formerly $25), and $40.00 for a Family (formerly $30). Individual Life memberships are currently $250.00 ($200.00 for those 70 and over).
As always, membership includes an emailed color PDF copy of the Beaver Briefs and access to all the content on our Member’s page. Mailed B&W printed copies of the Beaver Briefs are available to members for an additional $10.00 ($20.00 for non-members).
As always, membership includes an emailed color PDF copy of the Beaver Briefs and access to all the content on our Member’s page. Mailed B&W printed copies of the Beaver Briefs are available to members for an additional $10.00 ($20.00 for non-members).
The Library Volunteer Research Help Program
The Willamette Valley Genealogical Society has volunteers at the Salem Public Library to help you with your genealogy questions. Currently, our help desk hours are: 11:00-5:00 Tuesday-Saturday (closed Sunday and Monday). We also hold a help desk session once a month at the Monmouth Public Library.
Our very competent volunteers do research on family connections all over the country and world, not just in Oregon. And, don’t forget that the Ancestry.com Library Edition is available for free to Salem Public Library patrons.
We are here to serve our library patrons, and our volunteers are very excited about being back at the library helping patrons with their genealogical questions and research.
Our very competent volunteers do research on family connections all over the country and world, not just in Oregon. And, don’t forget that the Ancestry.com Library Edition is available for free to Salem Public Library patrons.
We are here to serve our library patrons, and our volunteers are very excited about being back at the library helping patrons with their genealogical questions and research.
Genealogy Class 2024
Dates: Mondays, September 30th, October 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th,
& November 4th (6 classes)
Time: 10:00 am to 1:00 PM
Location: Center 50+, 2615 Portland Rd NE, Salem
Contact: The Senior Center, (503)588-6303
Insructor: Liz Tice, WVGS
Cost: $10 for each 3 hour class, $12 for non-Salem residents
Willamette Valley Genealogical Society will have a series of genealogy classes on a variety of genealogy topics. You can sign up for each one separately, or all of them. Each one will have a presentation and hand-out on the topic. You may bring your own laptop/tablet.
Class Schedule
& November 4th (6 classes)
Time: 10:00 am to 1:00 PM
Location: Center 50+, 2615 Portland Rd NE, Salem
Contact: The Senior Center, (503)588-6303
Insructor: Liz Tice, WVGS
Cost: $10 for each 3 hour class, $12 for non-Salem residents
Willamette Valley Genealogical Society will have a series of genealogy classes on a variety of genealogy topics. You can sign up for each one separately, or all of them. Each one will have a presentation and hand-out on the topic. You may bring your own laptop/tablet.
Class Schedule
You can Register online at: https://www.cityofsalem.net/community/seniors-and-center-50/register-for-center-50-classes-and-activitiesClass 1 Sept. 30, 2024: How to Get Started, Forms, Sources, Family TreesClass 2 Oct. 7, 2024: Ancestry.com and Family SearchClass 3 Oct. 14, 2024: Vital Records and sourcesClass 4 Oct. 21, 2024: Military Records & Land RecordsClass 5 Oct. 28, 2024: Native American Research, Immigration& Ethnic SourcesClass 6 Nov. 4, 2024: Googling and Free Genealogy Sites
The WVGS Member Help Program
WVGS members share their knowledge and abilities with their fellow members. If you are a member and would like assistance from another member, click on the Member Page button above. On the Member Page you will find instructions on how to send your request for assistance. You can find similar instructions in the Member Mutual Assistance section of the WVGS monthly newsletter.
If you are not currently a member of the WVGS, click the [Membership] buttton at the top of this page for details on how to become one.
If you are not currently a member of the WVGS, click the [Membership] buttton at the top of this page for details on how to become one.
Special Notice:
Statewide birth certificates are now available at the Oregon State Archives (OSA) for the first time from mid 1903 through 1922 (birth records are restricted for 100 years from the date of birth). They are sent from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) in Portland to the OSA. Some of the earlier year's records aren't complete, because the counties didn't always send the records in to the state.
The OSA is allowing the WVGS to publish their index of the Oregon 1916 birth certificates. This index was compiled by volunteers at the Archives and includes birth name, date of birth, county, names of parents and additional updates such as later name changes. A copy of the 1916 index in searchable PDF format is available on our [Member Page], and the birth certificates for 1903-1922 are available at the OSA.
See the [Membership] page for information on how to become a WVGS member with full access to the 1916 index along with all issues of our 'Beaver Briefs' quarterly publication, many other WVGS documents, and publications from societies we exchange with. Members also receive discounted pricing on search requests (see the [Research] page for more information).
The OSA is allowing the WVGS to publish their index of the Oregon 1916 birth certificates. This index was compiled by volunteers at the Archives and includes birth name, date of birth, county, names of parents and additional updates such as later name changes. A copy of the 1916 index in searchable PDF format is available on our [Member Page], and the birth certificates for 1903-1922 are available at the OSA.
See the [Membership] page for information on how to become a WVGS member with full access to the 1916 index along with all issues of our 'Beaver Briefs' quarterly publication, many other WVGS documents, and publications from societies we exchange with. Members also receive discounted pricing on search requests (see the [Research] page for more information).
If you have difficulty locating the resources you seek, send us an email at the address above.
If you are having any difficulty with our site such as a broken link, please let us know at: webmaster@wvgsor.org
If you are having any difficulty with our site such as a broken link, please let us know at: webmaster@wvgsor.org
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