Seneca Maryland FamilySearch Center

Center Contacts and Hours
The Seneca MD FamilySearch Center is a research center dedicated to teaching and researching genealogy and family history. We strive to link families together past, present, and future. The center has seven dedicated computers and a printer/scanner. It is staffed by volunteer consultants and specialists ready to answer your questions and assist you in your research. We serve the Germantown community and the larger Rockville and Poolesville areas. All services are free!

Location Map:
 * Location Map
 * This FamilySearch Center is located in Germantown MD

Address:


 * 18900 Kingsview Rd, Germantown, MD 20874-1413 United States


 * Language: English

Phone:


 * 1-301-972-5897

E-mail:


 * MD_Seneca@familyhistorymail.org

Open Hours: Effective 1 June 2021


 * Wednesdays: 6:30 - 8:30 pm
 * Saturdays: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
 * Additional hours may be arranged by leaving a phone message or sending an email.
 * NOTE:
 * The Seneca Maryland FSC will be closed when MCPS has weather-related closures or early release.

Planned Closures:


 * Saturday, 30 September 2023
 * From Wednesday, 22 November 2023 through Saturday, 25 November 2023
 * Saturday, 23 December 2023 through Saturday, 30 December 2023

Class Schedule
Family History Training in the FamilySearch Center

2 -- 1 hour to 1 1/2 hour classes scheduled every month on the 2nd Saturday:

Check in time is 10:15 a.m. for the 1st class

Check in time is 11:30 a.m. for the 2nd class


 * 12 August Classes are Organizing Your Family History Research, followed by Scanning and Tagging Photographs and Documents
 * 9 September Classes are Breaking Through Research Brick Walls, followed by Organizing Your Family History Records
 * 14 October Classes are Migrating Information From Ancestry to FamilySearch, followed by Organizing Your Family History Research

Walk-ins are welcome or call/email ahead to confirm your seat. If you are unable to attend on a 2nd Saturday, contact us during our business hours to arrange a more convenient time.

Currently Available Class Topics

Basic FamilySearch User

Creating Source Citations for Your FamilySearch Family Tree

Scanning and Tagging Photographs and Documents

Organizing Your Family History Records

Planned Future Topics

Organizing your Family History Research

Uploading Photos & Documents to FamilySearch

What to Do When You Hit a Brick Wall in Your Family History

Please suggest your own topics to cover. We would love to hear your recommendations!

Staff Training Meetings
Available by request

See Online Training Resources shown below

Applications and Collections

 * FamilySearch: The largest collaborative genealogy application in the world, with millions of users and billions of on-line records. It is always free to use, and is available in 30 languages. Use our computer to open, record, and research your family tree.
 * FamilySearch Catalog: Use our computer to access the FamilySearch Catalog to find historical digital images about your family history.
 * OCLC WorldCat: Use our computer to access the world's largest network of library content to help you with your family history.
 * Book and Map Collection: Includes local maps and books, 26 volumes of LINEAGE BOOK National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, BEFORE THE SEARCH An Adoption Searchers's Primer , and more.

Databases and Software
FamilySearch Center Portal The FamilySearch Center Portal gives free access on center computers to premium family history software and websites that generally charge for subscriptions, including:


 * Ancestry (Institution Version): Ancestry gives you access to thousands of collections of records from around the world, including immigration, census, voter, vital, and military records; newspapers and periodicals; family trees; photos and images; directories, maps, court, land, wills and financial records, stories, memories, and histories; and detailed records about births, marriages, deaths, land ownership, and much more.  It is the largest for-profit genealogy company in the world.


 * Alexander Street Press (American Civil War records & more): Research Data: Contains indexed, searchable information on over 4 million soldiers and thousands of battles, together with 15,000 photographs. Letters and Diaries: Contains approximately 100,000 indexed pages of diaries, letters, and memoirs, including 4,000 pages of previously unpublished manuscripts, such as the letters of Amos Wood and his wife and the diary of Maryland planter William Claytor.  Images, Photographs, Posters, and Ephemera: Provides a vivid history of the American Civil War with over 1,400 images.  Women and Social Movements in the United States:  Organized around the history of women in social movements in the United States between 1600 and 2000 A.D.
 * American Ancestors (New England Historic Genealogical Society): Created by the New England Genealogical Society, the American Ancestors website allows searches in a variety of different databases including, 19th-century newspapers, court and probate records, genealogies, journals and periodicals, and immigration records.


 * ArkivDigital (Swedish records): ArkivDigital is the largest private provider of Swedish Church Records and other historical records online! All images are newly photographed color images of the original documents.
 * FamNet (New Zealand records): The online family history network for those who have New Zealand roots.
 * FindMyPast (United Kingdom records): Findmypast makes it easy to research your UK ancestry and create your family tree. Search census records and trace births, marriages, and deaths to bring your family history to life. Please note that not all of the content from Findmypast is available in FamilySearch centers.  1911 British Census (accessed through the Findmypast website)-The 1911 UK Census is a record of everyone who lived in England and Wales in 1911. It provides a unique snapshot of the lives of those who lived at that time.


 * Fold3.com (Military records): Search or browse millions of historical documents and photos. Fold3 has refocused their efforts on gathering the best online collection of military records and stories. The Fold3 name reflects military history and honor, since traditionally, the third fold in a flag-folding ceremony honors and remembers veterans for their sacrifice in defending their country and promoting peace in the world.
 * Geneanet (European records): This resource, available in centers in the United Kingdom only, contains English parish records, directories, census, civil registration, surname mapping, and selected army and navy lists.
 * Irish Ancestors: Irish Ancestors aims to be the one-stop starting point for all Irish ancestral research, mapping surnames and surname variants in all the major sources and providing easy links back to all the underlying records.
 * My Heritage Library Edition: Used by millions of people worldwide to help research family history, build a family tree, and add photos, historical records, and more.
 * Newspaper Archive: NewspaperArchive.com features articles from historical newspapers around the U.S. and the world. Discover fascinating news in archived newspapers hundreds of years old-including obituaries, birth announcements, sports articles, comics, and more-to fill in the life stories you are interested in. All historical newspapers are full-page and fully searchable.


 * 19th century British Newspapers: This fully searchable database of the British Library's newspaper holdings provides a complete run of 48 national and regional Victorian British newspapers for the 19th century from 1800 to 1900. These support the study of colonial history, genealogical research, politics, urban studies, and media courses.
 * Paper Trail: This site provides access to 19th Century Westward American Migration documents.
 * Puzzilla--Premium Services: Find new research opportunities on descendant lines in Family Tree.   FamilySearch Browser Extension may be downloaded to your personal computer (laptop or Chromebook) to access these Premium Portal sites while logged on to the FamilySearch WIFI.  This premium website browser is provided through the FamilySearch Center Portal and by following the instructions there. Request information and WIFI assistance in the FamilySearch Center.
 * Please note that access to the Premium Websites are only available when you are connected to the FSC WIFI. This means you will not be able to connect at home. Users connected to the FamilySearch WIFI must agree to the WIFI terms of agreement.  Entering the websites of these providers through their regular, public URLs will not provide access to the full versions that have been authorized for FamilySearch Center use.

Hardware and Equipment

 * The Center has seven personal computers with high speed internet access.
 * One networked printer, photocopier, scanner. Printing for research use is free.
 * WIFI available for family history research.

Center Services
Learn at the FamilySearch Center or arrange for our staff to teach and assist at your location.

Staff Research Specialties

 * FamilySearch Family Tree
 * FamilySearch Features including Premium Portal Sites
 * FamilySearch App
 * Ancestry.com
 * How to do volunteer indexing
 * Individual Staff Members have research experience in many areas including Africa, early American, Native American, Japan, and in areas of Europe including Denmark, Yorkshire and Sussex in England, Sicily and Piemonte in Italy, and more.

Resources in the Local Area
DC Stake FamilySearch Center

Links
Online Training Resources
 * RootsTech 2023
 * FamilySearch Help Center
 * FamilySearch Community
 * BYU Library/Family History Classes and Webinars

Online Genealogy Records by Location
 * Using the FamilySearch Research Wiki: A comprehensive video presentation explaining the Wiki, navigating it, and some especially useful pages. Case studies demonstrate using the Wiki for genealogical research. Editing and adding articles to the Wiki are covered.

Volunteer at the Center:
Want to volunteer or help other researchers? All types of volunteers are needed: Email us at MD_Seneca@familyhistorymail.org
 * Volunteers already familiar with some aspect of genealogical research, OR
 * Volunteers who are willing to learn while researching their own families.
 * All regular staff volunteers need to be available to work their assigned shift. Substitute volunteers serve to fill in when a regular staff member cannot attend their normal rotational shift.
 * Volunteers needed to assist with keeping the computers updated.
 * Volunteers always needed to index historical records (either at the FamilySearch Center during normal business hours, or on your own time at home on your own computer). Help someone else find their ancestors by Indexing!