Sacramento German Genealogy Society

Type: Non-profit
 
Purpose:
The Sacramento German Genealogy Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, was founded in 1983 to promote the search for family histories of members who have a German heritage, to increase the understanding of the cultural diversity of life in the German-speaking areas of Europe and in the United States, to encourage and provide the means for members to share their genealogical findings through meetings and a quarterly journal, and to promote the collection and preservation of family history materials.
 
organization logo
Contact Information:
 
Membership:  Join SGGS
  • Membership Plans: Individual (1 person) or Couple (2 people)
  • Mailing Options: Bulk Mail (U.S. only), 1st Class Mail (U.S. & Canada), Foreign
Membership Benefits:
  • Quarterly journal Der Blumenbaum
  • Access to the website’s For Members Only section
  • Annual seminar admission discount
  • Surname and pedigree chart posting
  • Handshake Packet service
  • Emailed event and news notifications
Events:  SGGS Calendar
  • Monthly study group (workshop) and general meetings
  • Annual all-day seminar
  • Participation in some community events (e.g., Christkindlmarkt, Family History Day)
Research (or Focus) Areas:
No restrictions.
 
Research Services:
Offers German Handshake Packet to members for a fee. It is a set of customized German-language letters of introduction intended to be used by someone traveling to Germany for the purpose of genealogical research. More information
 
Library (or other resources):
  • Several shelves in the local FamilySearch Library, a branch of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City
  • Reference books at general meetings
  • SGGS website
Store/Publications:
  • back issues of the Der Blumenbaum journal (mail order)
  • genealogical research tools (mail order)
  • German genealogy-related books, maps and merchandise (sold at meetings)
Resources:
Sacramento FamilySearch Library
Located in Sacramento County, California
www.sacfamilysearchlibrary.org
Contains German reference books donated by SGGS. Includes a complete set of the SGGS journal Der Blumenbaum and all books in the German Immigrants in American Church Records (Roger P. Minert, Ph.D., A.G.) series.
 
Root Cellar Library Room in the California State Archives (6,000 books)
Located in downtown Sacramento, California
California State Archives: www.sos.ca.gov/archives
Online library catalog: “Root Cellar’s Library” page on www.rootcellar.org
A genealogical research library that includes several shelves of German reference books.
 
Located in City of Sacramento, California
 
Historical society (originally a German health club) with a library containing records of its German members since the 1920s. Also contains many German historical and cultural books, most in the German language. An online index does not exist.
 
--Immigration/emigration group expertise (i.e., Mennonites, Huguenots, etc.)
 
(none)
 
--Surnames (these names should be authorized to be shared with other member organizations by the submitting individuals. They should be surnames about which the societies/organizations have genealogical information; rather than surnames about which they are seeking information. 
 
Surnames and related information posted by members – “Surnames Query” page on www.sggs.us
 
Pedigree charts submitted by members over a period of 30 years (currently accessible only to SGGS members) – “Pedigree Charts & Index” page on www.sggs.us