New Mexico Genealogical Society

The New Mexico Genealogical Society (NMGS) was organized in 1960 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The original by-laws were written by the six founding members of the society. Later, it was decided that all persons who joined the society before April 1962 would be considered charter members of the society.

Address
New Mexico Genealogical Society

PO Box 27559

Albuquerque, NM 87125-7559

Officers
The first officers of NMGS were Frank Miller, president; Hermann Bohnoff, vice-president; and Martha Gardiner, secretary-treasurer. By the summer of 1962, the first president of NMGS resigned to take a position out of state. Since his vice-president declined to finish off his term, Robert G. Norfleet II instead was appointed in September 1962 as NMGS president.

As of 2010, there have been 29 separate NMGS presidents. Many of the presidents have served for only one year. The current NMGS President is Robert Baca.

Journal
The quarterly journal of the society,The New Mexico Genealogist, premiered in October 1962. Dr. Albert R. Ellwell was the journals first editor, and Mrs. Mary Reeder was the assistant editor.

Early journal articles focused on preparing the membership for active participation in the society by teaching them the methods of genealogical research. Other articles included information about genealogical resources, descriptions of genealogical forms such as pedigree charts, definitions of certain terms, and listings of library acquisitions and member's private libraries. Source material such as cemetery listings, census records and historical letters. There was a query page in the first issue, which has been part of every issue since.

Primeras Familias de Nuevo Mexico
Premeras Familias de Nuevo Mexico is a recognizes, with official certification, the direct descendants of New Mexico's first families. Five categories are available:


 * The Native Americans


 * The Oñate Period, 1598-1680


 * The Reconquest, 1692-1821


 * The Mexican Period, 1821-1846


 * The Territorial Period, 1846-1912

Certification requires proof of relationship to families in one or more of these categories. Certificates are prepared in the applicant's name, and are signed by the NMGS president and the New Mexico Records Chair. NMGS membership is not required. Currently, original certificates are $15, with certificates from supplemental lineages $10 each. Certificates are printed in the New Mexico Genealogist.

Applications forms may be printed from the NMGS website, or by sending a business sized self-addressed envelope (SASE) with the request to:

New Mexico Genealogical Society

Attn: New Mexico Records

PO Box 27559

Albuquerque, NM 87125-7559

Website
The New Mexico Genealogical Society's website can be found at www.nmgs.org. The websitewas named one of the2010 Best State Websitesby Family Tree Magazine. It was the only New Mexico website that was so honored.

50th Anniversary Conference
On October 15-16, 2010, the New Mexico Genealogical Society celebrated its golden anniversary with 50th Anniversary Conference. The conference was held at the Mariott Pyramid Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Nearly 200 people attended the conference, with 145 attending the banquet on October 16th.

Nine speakers gave presentations on the following topics:


 * Dr. Paul Hutton, keynote speaker, "Billy the Kid"


 * Al Regensberg, "Migration around New Mexico"


 * Former New Mexico state historian Robert J. Torrez, "Rio Arriba County" and "Rich and Powerful Hispanic Leaders"


 * Krysten Baca, a genealogist on the Ancestry.comPublic Relations and Conference team, "Getting the Most Out of Ancestry.com" and "Best Strategies for Researching using Ancestry.com"
 * Jim Greene, "www.familysearch.org


 * 'Richard Melzer,"Hispanic Profiles in Courage Since Statehood" 
 * New Mexico State Historian Rick Hendricks, "Research In and About Durango and Parral"
 * Bennett Greenspan, President and C.E.O of FamilyTreeDNA, "FamilyTreeDNA". Greenspan was the banquet speaker.