History
Established January 1974 by 11 members under the original name “Manasota Society for Genealogical Research,” the Society set forth objectives including conducting workshops, creating obituary files, hosting speaker programs, and donating books to libraries. The Society was renamed in 1978 and incorporated as the Manatee Genealogical Society in 1979, with the Central Library serving as its primary venue.
MGS Projects
To sponsor projects that promote and preserve genealogical knowledge, MGS has engaged in various initiatives:
- Newsletter: "Cracker Crumbs," initiated in 1989 and published for nearly 30 years
- Tombstone Inscriptions: Documentation of cemetery inscriptions in Manatee County, FL, from 1850 to 1980 (published 1982)
- Surname Index: Compiled for the Tombstone Inscription Survey
- Cemetery Surveys: Comprehensive surveys conducted by the Society
- Census Extractions: Data extracted from Manatee County censuses for the years 1860, 1870, 1880, 1885, and 1895 (completed 1985)
- Obituary File: Creation and maintenance of a repository of death notices
- Library Donations: Contributions of books to the Manatee Central Library
- National Support: Donations to the National Genealogical Society (NGS) and the National Archives Records Administration (NARA) to support the digitization of Veteran Bounty Land Records (2025)
Through these efforts, the Manatee Genealogical Society remains devoted to the advancement and preservation of genealogical research and historical understanding.
