New Cedar County website for family history researchers

Those researching their family history in Cedar County now have a new website to assist in their research according to Nancy Thompson, vice-president of the Cedar and Vernon County Genealogy Society.

The website address is https://cedar.mogenweb.org/ and is part of the Missouri USGenWeb Project which provides free information to researchers.

When the previous volunteer of the Cedar County website passed away last year, Thompson was contacted by the State Coordinator regarding the Cedar County site. Because the local genealogical society has members in both Cedar and Vernon counties, this was a perfect fit for the Society, she said.

“The way people research has changed substantially over the last 15 years,” Thompson explained. “Whereas the USGenWeb project began at a time when researchers depended on internet message boards to share family information, such as from a will or a marriage record, researchers now want a copy of vital records to meet genealogical proof standards. The new Cedar County website provides information and links to find those records, for free.”

Laura Hicks, president of the Society, invites everyone interested in researching their family history to attend meetings where programs cover various topics of research. “The upcoming Feb. 19th meeting will be held at 10 a.m. in the El Dorado Springs Library conference room and is free and open to the public,” she said. “Following a brief business meeting, a program on Using Free Missouri Online Newspapers will be given,” she continued.

“You do not have to be researching ancestors from Cedar or Vernon counties to attend a genealogy meeting—only an interest in researching your family, regardless of where they lived.”

Hicks encourages people to look at the website and attend any meeting which interests them.  Programs are currently being planned for 2025. Meetings are held alternately at the El Dorado Springs Library and the Nevada Public Library Annex beginning at 10 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month.

For additional information about meetings or to provide family information or historic photos about Cedar County for the new website, contact the society at Cedar.VernonCoMO@centurytel.net.