Wisconsin STate Genealogical Society

Join WSGS!

Membership in the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society is open to any person or organization who is interested in genealogy.  You can join others that have an interest in Wisconsin genealogy and history.  Gain access to resources and knowledge that can make your membership pay for itself.

 

Membership in the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society includes:

• Subscription to the award-winning WSGS Newsletter offering research tools, articles of interest and program/course listings for affiliate organizations throughout the state.  Published four times per year, members receive an electronic version of the newsletter sent directly to their e-mail address.  Print copies of the newsletter are available to members for a nominal fee.
• Webinars
  • ​Archived recordings of monthly webinars presented by nationally-known genealogical speakers since 2013.
  • The DNA Boot Camp Series of 12 webinars presented by Mary Eberle and Thomas MacEntee giving a basic introduction to genetic genealogy, discussing some of the most popular websites currently being used, and how to use DNA as evidence in your research.
  • The Hack Genealogy Boot Camp webinar series presented by Lisa Alzo and Thomas MacEntee which teach the basics of genealogical research, setting goals, organizing your data, self-publishing, blogging, and more!
• Online access to the member’s only section of the WSGS website:
  • Newsletter archives beginning with the October 1954 issue; 
  • Webinar archives of presentation recordings and handouts back to 2013.  These hour-long lectures feature a variety of local, regional, and nationally-known speakers discussing topics that range from uncovering the hidden gems in Wisconsin libraries, national and international archives, and courthouses, to beginning search methodologies, organizational skills, and ethnic research strategies.  Members have unlimited viewing privileges of these webinars.
  • Research materials:
    • Wisconsin Place Names
    • Milwaukee County Marriages Index (Book A)
    • Pioneer & Family Certificate Indexes (three volumes)
    • Every name indexes for some of the early years of the WSGS Newsletter
    • Wisconsin Families was a quarterly magazine that the Wisconsin Genealogical Society started with the June 1940 issue.  They published four issues of this magazine before it was discontinued.
    • Green County Cemetery Inscriptions and Index to Gospel Herald January 1846 - June 6, 1850
    • And anything else we may add!
• Discounted fees for:
  • WSGS’s semi-annual conferences (i.e., Spring Gene-A-Rama™ and Fall Seminar);
  • Wisconsin Historical Society classes and workshops
• Pioneer, Century, Military and Homestead Certificates
• Free queries for publication in the WSGS newsletter
• Voice and vote at all WSGS meetings 

The WSGS membership year runs for one year from the date of joining WSGS. Memberships may be prepaid for a maximum of two years.

 

When purchasing a membership through PayPal please allow 2-3 business days for processing.  You will receive an email confirmation with your log in and password once your membership has been processed.

Membership Categories

• Individual -- $40.00

The basic voting membership with all rights and privileges including the quarterly WSGS Newsletter in electronic format and access to the Members-Only Website (if you provide WSGS with your e-mail address).

• Family -- $50.00

Two qualifying individuals residing at the same address. Together they receive access to the Members-Only Website (if an e-mail address is provided; one login per membership), one copy of the WSGS Newsletter in electronic format, and each has one vote.

• Youth -- $15.00

One individual under 25 years of age. Includes all voting rights and privileges, the quarterly WSGS Newsletter in electronic format, and access to the Members-Only Section of our Website (if you provide WSGS with your e-mail address).

• Supporting -- $75.00
• Patron -- $150.00
• Benefactor -- $250.00

​These membership categories include all of the benefits and privileges of the Individual membership category but also provide extra support to the Society. Amounts above the Individual membership fee can be claimed as a tax deductible donation.

• Affiliate -- $30.00

Any Wisconsin-based genealogical or historical membership society, or the like, may be granted affiliate membership upon application. Affiliated Societies will be entitled to the WSGS Newsletter in print, and to one vote. Additionally, they may identify themselves as, "An Affiliate of the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society," on their communications, publications, website and advertising.

Affiliates of the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society receive the following benefits:

• A vote in the election of WSGS Board members.
• The WSGS Newsletter in print.
• One member of an Affiliated Society may attend WSGS conferences at the member rate, even if they are not a personal WSGS member.
• FREE ADVERTISING
  • Publication of Affiliate events on the online WSGS Events Calendar by notifying the WSGS office of them.
  • A link from the WSGS Affiliates web page to the Affiliate's website.
  • Mention of the Society's name, address, and website address in the syllabus of each WSGS conference.
  • One free quarter-page advertisement per year in the WSGS Newsletter (or a discount on a larger ad).

(Please note that Affiliate Membership does not grant the Affiliate WSGS' tax exempt status. Each organization must file for its own tax exempt status per IRS guidelines.)
 

Please use the separate Affiliate Application Form to apply for this membership category.

 

Other Options

• Institutional Newsletter Subscription -- $30.00

Libraries, archives, and other genealogical or historical societies not based in Wisconsin may subscribe to the WSGS Newsletter. This is a subscription only, not a membership, and therefore comes without membership or voting privileges.

• Surcharge for Print Newsletter -- $20.00

For those WSGS Individual, Family, Youth and Life members who choose to receive the quarterly WSGS Newsetter in print format. This surcharge is to help defray printing and postage costs.

• Foreign Memberships -- Please inquire

All payments must be in U.S. funds. Credit cards can only be accepted with online membership applications or renewals.

Print and Mail in Membership Application Form or Affiliate Membership Application Form

 

OR

 

Pay for your Membership Online 

(If you wish to add the print newsletter to your membership, select your one- or two-year membership and add it to the cart, and then Continue Shopping to return to this screen and select your one- or two-year print newsletter option.)

 

PLEASE NOTE: While payment for membership and renewals may be submitted online via PayPal, the actual membership must still be processed manually by the WSGS Office. Please allow 7-10 days for processing. You will receive an e-mail from the Office when your membership or renewal has been processed. Thank you!