Family History and Genealogy. Local. National. International.

Our Vision

The JCGS Vision is to engage and educate individuals in discovering, analyzing, and preserving family history.

The purposes of the Society are to:

  • Bring together persons who are researching family history and promote fellowship and cooperation among them.
  • Foster, stimulate and share ideas, information, methods, and ethical practices in family genealogy and DNA research.
  • Collect, preserve, and make available material on family history, with special emphasis on research data concerning past and present families in Jefferson County, Washington.
  • Encourage those officials in charge of public records and genealogical collections to preserve and make them accessible to interested persons.
  • Provide educational opportunities through membership meetings, seminars, and special programs, both in-person and online.

20140621_095851About Jefferson County Genealogical Society

The Jefferson County Genealogical Society (JCGS) was established in 1983 in Port Townsend, Washington, when a small group of people interested in genealogy met on 15 October to establish a society committed to the collection and preservation of data on Jefferson County inhabitants and support members in their family history research. To that end, an on-going endeavor to “track down” an ever-increasing body of vital records, obituaries and other sources valuable to the genealogist has been undertaken.  We have cataloged and indexed more than 250,000 records. Visit the Free Online JCGS  Database.

JCGS 1984 to 2020: A Brief 30-year History. 

Additionally, through educational and library resources, we offer our members an opportunity to expand their research skills to further their own genealogy research. Join us! See our Membership page to find out about becoming a member of JCGS. The organization is completely managed, operated, and maintained by dedicated volunteers.

Officers

Board of Directors

Cathy Beatty-O'SheaPresident
unfilledVice president
Karla CrossRecording Secretary
Mary StolaasCorresponding Secretary
Barb PetersonTreasurer
Dora WhitakerEducation Committee
Karla CrossMembership Committee
Diane JohnsonMember-at-Large
Cathy Beatty-O'SheaResearch Center Coordinator

If you are interested in joining the board or volunteering in general, drop President Cathy Beatty-O’Shea a note.

The Resource Collections

**The Jefferson County Genealogical Society library and collections are housed in the Research Center off of Highway 19 about five miles south of downtown Port Townsend. The JCGS is in the same building as the Jefferson County Historical Society research building at 13692 Airport Cutoff Rd, Port Townsend, WA. For hours, fees, and information on the JCGS collections, visit the Research Center page

See the Membership page to learn about member benefits and how to join JCGS.