Midwest Genealogy Center

Larry took a genealogy class back when the Midwest Genealogy Center was the Genealogy and Local History Branch on 24 Highway in Independence. Larry says that his father was quite a storyteller and the idea of finding the facts behind the stories interested him.

His most exciting find came by pure luck. He had been looking for his great-grandmother’s parents for about five years. He thought they may have been caught up in the cholera epidemic in the 1850s. One day, he typed his great-grandmother’s name into an Internet search and her brother’s name came up. The brother was a Sheriff in Klickitat County, WA. He was also a blacksmith and belonged to an engineer’s fraternity. The association’s publication had just been digitized and indexed. From the obituary, Larry learned that his great-grandmother’s father was a river boat captain on the Ohio River. He was killed in 1855 when his ship was attacked by pirates. Her mother had remarried and moved away.

Why become a volunteer? Larry said, that was a tough question. He was retired and looking for someplace to give his time. He tried several places before he came to the Midwest Genealogy Center. His main goal is to lead patrons to the most accurate information possible. Larry volunteers during special events and when large groups visit the Center.

At first, Larry’s interests were in the printed and microform materials. But lately, he has found himself gravitating to the Ancestry Library Edition website available at all MCPL branches. Larry also recommends Cyndislist.com for links to sites that may not be a hit on an Internet search.

We are grateful for the time Larry spends with us at MGC. If you think you might want to be a volunteer, please call 816.252.7228 or stop by.

Angela M. & Larry G.
Midwest Genealogy Center