Lycoming County Genealogical Society
Programs are open to the public and free of charge
Membership ($15/year) in the society will be available but is not required.
Members have access to the Genealogy Library, which includes access to Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com, and many other print and digital resources.
All programs begin at 1:pm and are held at the
Thomas T Taber museum, 858 W 4th St, Williamsport
Events
2025 Events
Mike DiRocco
The Lost Babies of Mt. Carmel Section of Wildwood Cemetery in Williamsport
Presented by Mike DiRocco
October 25, 2025, 1 p.m.
Thomas T. Taber Museum
Mike DiRocco will present the story of his nearly three-year search for a lost grave and
his discovery of over 90 other lost graves.
The search was for the grave of one of his grandfather’s brothers, a child who had been stillborn. While looking through the old, worn books at the office of Wildwood Cemetery, he discovered records as far back as 1917 for more than ninety babies who were buried in an area designated as unconsecrated ground.
What is that and how was it found among acres of cemetery land? Who were those
babies, and why were they buried there?
DiRocco will discuss the clues, the dead ends and all the help he received along the way on his remarkable journey of finding and memorializing the names of these babies who were almost lost to time.
Programs are presented in the Conference Room of
the Thomas Taber Museum
Doors open at 12:30, presentations start at 1 PM
Nancy McCurdy
Ancestry Pro Tools
Presented by Nancy McCurdy
September 27, 2025, 1 p.m.
Thomas T. Taber Museum
Join us on Saturday, September 27 at 1 pm when member Nancy McCurdy will review Ancestry Pro Tools, an optional paid add-on to an Ancestry subscription with advanced features for exploring and managing your family tree.
The LCGS will host a special presentation by Mark Avery on the early history of Brandon Park and its little-known benefactor, Andrew Boyd Cummings.
Avery will explore how the beloved 43-acre green space nearly didn’t become a park and share insights into the lives of Cummings and his sister, Jane Cummings Brandon—the park’s namesake.
Saturday, September , at 1:00 p.m. at the Thomas T. Taber Museum Community Room
Avery, an agronomist with a deep interest in American history, genealogy, and family lore, brings a personal connection to the story. His grandfather, Lone Hock, lived just a block from Brandon Park, inspiring Avery’s lifelong appreciation for this local treasure.
Admission is free and the public is warmly invited to attend.
Mark Avery
I grew up on Spook Hollow Rd. in Linden, PA and spent much of my childhood in Williamsport.
I have been an agronomist for the past 35 years, and work with farmers and other crop specialists throughout the northeast. But my real passions are American history, genealogy and solving the family mysteries.
Early history of Brandon Park
Presented by Mark Avery
May 31, 2025, 1 p.m.
Thomas T. Taber Museum
My presentation will be about the early history of Brandon Park and how it almost didn't become a park.
I will also delve into the life of Andrew Boyd Cummings, benefactor of the 43-acre hay field that became the park, and his sister, Jane Cummings Brandon, for whom the park was named.
My grandparents lived at 1017 Baldwin Street - a block from Brandon Park, where my grandfather, Lone Hock, was the park superintendent during the 1960s and early 1970s. This gave me an opportunity to spend a lot of time at Brandon Park as a child and I continue to visit the park on a fairly regular basis. Needless to say, I have a special fondness and appreciation for Brandon Park and have also been interested in its history...especially the very earliest history with regard to its benefactor, Andrew Boyd Cummings and his sister, Jane Cummings Brandon.
Elaine Decker
Vice - President of the LCGS, author of Williamsport Past & Present, owner of Developing History and a professional researcher of Lycoming County Properties will share new and interesting ways to utilize the collection at the LCGS library to shed new light into ways to dig deeper into your genealogy.
Treasures of the LCGS Library
Presented by Elaine Decker
April 26, 2025, 1 p.m.
Thomas T. Taber Museum
This is an interactive presentation of some of the most intriguing, interesting and sometimes overlooked materials from the LCGS Library.
See rare maps, books, historical documents and more and learn about our digital collections and online resources.
You will have the opportunity to examine many of the items and learn why they are important and often overlooked, resources for researching your ancestors.
Nancy McCurdy
Nancy McCurdy’s passion for genealogy began in her teens, inspired by family stories of Native American and Mayflower ancestry. With the advent of the Internet and DNA testing, she delved deeper into genealogy and genetic genealogy. Over the past 20 years, she’s honed her skills and now shares her knowledge to assist others.
GPS, TTT, and What I Learned from the Experts
Presented by Nancy McCurdy.
March 29, 2025, 1 p.m.
Thomas T. Taber Museum
This presentation by genealogy professional and LCGS member Nancy McCurdy will cover various genealogy strategies, tips, and case studies. Nancy will introduce a few of the “experts” that she references with links to their videos and webpages.
Event Dates 2025
March 3-29-2025
April 4-26-2025
May 5-31-2025
September 9-27-2025
October 10-25-2025