Sussex County Genealogical Society

Sussex County Genealogical Society Sussex County Genealogical Society is open to everyone with an interest in finding their roots!

The Sussex County Genealogy Society (SCGS) is committed to promoting family research. As part of our mission various members facilitate ongoing discussion groups and special interest groups. Our groups are open to anyone interested in genealogy and you do not need to be a member of SCGS to participate. Of course we would be delighted if after attending some of our groups you decide to become a mem

ber. Our annual dues are $25 for an individual or $30 for a household of two or more individuals. Dues are used to support the activities of the organization, primarily our educational and outreach activities.

08/23/2026

Ever have one of those nights?

08/16/2026

U is for Unindexed Records
One of the most important things a genealogist can learn is that not everything is online, AND, not everything that is online is searchable. Indexes and search engines have transformed genealogical research, making it possible to locate records in seconds that once required days in an archive. But digitization and indexing projects are ongoing and far from complete, and some of the most valuable records ever created have never been indexed at all. There are millions upon millions of interesting and relevant records that will not appear in any search results. Knowing how to find and work with unindexed records is a skill that can open doors that keyword searches simply cannot.

Unindexed records require a different research approach — patient, systematic browsing through pages or rolls of film rather than typing a name into a search box. This can feel daunting at first, but it is often richly rewarding. Some of the most exciting genealogical discoveries happen when a researcher slows down and works through a collection page by page, finding records that no one else has thought to look for because they didn't know the collection existed.

The Maryland State Archives and the Maryland Center for History and Culture both hold significant collections that are partially or entirely unindexed, making them fertile ground for researchers willing to look beyond what a search engine can find.

Tip for beginners: Before concluding that a record doesn't exist, ask yourself whether the collection you need has actually been indexed. Archivists and librarians are invaluable resources — don't hesitate to ask them what unindexed collections might be relevant to your research.

Tip for experienced researchers: When browsing an unindexed collection, keep a careful record of what you have searched and what you found — or didn't find. Unindexed collections can be time consuming to search, and a good research log will save you from duplicating that work in the future.

Now it's your turn! Have you ever made a surprising discovery by browsing through an unindexed collection — and what were you looking for when you found it?

08/16/2026

Check this out now! Whether you are reading ancient texts, or 19th century letters, decoding and dating old writings can be a challenge. Check out these amazing resources, including full tutorials, compiled by the University of Chicago. (Don't worry about the title, the skills discussed can apply beyond Medieval Manuscripts.) Please share with friends! https://guides.lib.uchicago.edu/c.php?g=813534&p=5805557

08/10/2026

Many of the early settlers in Virginia were Quakers who had left England to escape persecution and in search of religious freedom. When the Quakers first began to arrive, however, the earlier colonists were not pleased to see them.
In 1659 the House of Burgesses passed a bill making it illegal to bring Quakers into Virginia, to allow them to assemble on one's property, or to print or distribute their books and pamphlets. The Act also required that all Quakers be arrested, imprisoned without bail, and deported. The Preface to the Act justified it by saying,
"Whereas there is an unreasonable and turbulent sort of people, commonly called Quakers, who contrary to the law do daily gather together unto them unlawful assemblies and congregations of people, teaching and publishing lies, miracles, false visions, prophecies and doctrines, which have influence on the communities of men, both ecclesiastical and civil, endeavoring and attempting thereby to destroy religion, laws, communities and all bonds of civil society..."
Soon, however, the Quakers and other "dissenters" (such as Baptists and Presbyterians) proved themselves to be trustworthy and industrious neighbors, and these types of laws were repealed or went unenforced.
Notwithstanding their rocky start, some of colonial Virginia's most prominent and well-regarded citizens were Quakers.
The image is titled "Quaker Clothing" (artist identified as "Collins") and is in the Quaker archives at Guilford College.

07/17/2026

Have you tried this amazing resource? The United States Postal Service "Postmaster Finder" lists the Postmasters for US Post Offices, back to the days of Ben Franklin. More records and more Post Offices are added every week. You can search by name or location. May entries even contain some history about the specific post office. Check it out here: https://about.usps.com/who/profile/history/postmaster-finder/

07/05/2026

We are excited to announce that 10 Million Names's work will be the subject of an exclusive television broadcast airing over the July 4th weekend and the following week on ABC News. In collaboration with 10 Million Names, Good Morning America host Robin Roberts will uncover the extraordinary human story behind one of the nation’s most iconic landmarks: the White House. In a genealogical breakthrough years in the making, Roberts will sit down with the first confirmed living descendants of an enslaved individual who helped build it.

Please look for specific broadcast times for the special in our follow-up post this coming Friday.



Read more: https://hubs.ly/Q04ngNfJ0

07/05/2026

DELAWARE SNAPSHOT 📸
Delawarean’s One-of-a-Kind Signature
When Delaware delegate George Read signed his name to the Declaration of Independence, he became one of a kind among those who inked their names on the famous document. Read had voted against independence while Thomas McKean voted in favor, leading to the well-known story of McKean sending for Caesar Rodney, who rode to Philadelphia to break our delegation’s tie. At that time, Read is said to have favored trying to find a diplomatic solution to the colonies’ difficulties with Great Britain. But his change of heart secured him an odd place in American history: Read was the only person who signed after voting against independence.
– Compiled by robin brown, writer in residence
Delaware Public Archives
General Photograph Collection
U.S. Senate Historical Office Portrait
Portrait: Undated, hand-tinted
ID: 1325_003_036_

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111 Adams Avenue
Lewes, DE
19958

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