The Beautiful San Ramon Valley Photo courtesy: Ted Shapas
General Meeting (on Zoom)
Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 10:00 a.m.

Scott Norrick
"Germans to the Midwest, 1848-1900"
Over 46 million Americans have some German ancestry. The largest German immigration wave to America was 1848-1900. This presentation will cover:
- German immigration trends
- Ports of departure and arrival
- Midwest German hotspots
- Local example of German settlement
- Cultural influences brought to the Midwest
- Top sites for researching your German ancestors
Scott's passion is connecting people to their past. While providing a list of names, dates and places for ancestors is a start, Scott enjoys helping others discover the stories of triumphs and tribulations that defined our He does this by assisting clients with breaking down their genealogical brick walls and by helping them document the rich stories of their family history.
His areas of expertise include research in the American Midwest along with the immigration to the Midwest from Britain, Ireland, and Germanic countries. He also does significant research into Civil War records.
He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and a graduate degree from Northwestern University. With over 30 years of family history research experience, he is familiar with all the latest and time-tested genealogical tools. Through his company Ancestral Past, he welcomes the opportunity to assist others on their genealogy journey. He has presented to dozens of genealogical societies, history centers, and libraries. He is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.
Our General Meetings are held on Zoom and members are notified of how to connect to each meeting. The meetings are also open to the public. If you would like to attend, please email our President to request a link.
The video and handout from the January 21, 2024, Lisa Vogel talk, "Travel Yur Tree: Walking In Your Ancestor'srFootsteps" will be available for one month by logging into the member section of our web site.
Newsletter
Our newsletter is published monthly, except for August and December. In it you will find information on our next speaker, a summary of the last speaker's presentation, the date and location of the current month’s Special Interest Groups, educational opportunities available in the local area and on-line, a list of webinars you can access from your home computer and other timely notices of genealogical interest. You can look through this month's newsletter or browse previous issues.
Special Interest Groups

SIG Meetings Will Be Online: Most SIG groups are using Zoom to meet on-line. SIG Leaders will email call-in instructions to SIG members. To be safe, check with your SIG leader before attending any SIG meetings. Review the latest 5 events (on right side of this web page), or click right below on "View Full Listing" to see the latest 10 events.
SRVGS has had a number of Special Interest Groups over the years in addition to the seven that now meet monthly. We encourage members to start their own SIG meetings on topics they are interested in, as a way of learning by teaching. The SIGs come and go, over the years but we promote them and they are a vital part of our Society. There have been SIGs on Macintosh, Azores Research, Using Computers and the Internet, RootsMagic and more. If you are interested in a topic not currently covered please volunteer to lead the group and we will publicize and arrange a meeting time/place. Our SIG on-line sessions are a very convenient place to meet.
Danville FamilySearch Center
The Danville FamilySearch Center (DFSC) address is: 2949 Stone Valley Rd, Alamo, California 94507. The DFSC Director is Kevin Ganschow.
2025 DFSC Hours:
- Monday: 10:00am - 1:00pm & 6:30pm - 9:00pm
- Tuesday: 2:00 - 5:00pm
- Wednesday: 1:00 - 4:00pm
These pay-for subscription websites are available for free, during your visit. It could save you quite a bit of money.
- 19th Century British Library Newspapers
- Alexander Street
- American Ancestors
- Ancestry Institution
- ArkivDigital
- FamNet
- Findmypast
- Fold3
- Geneanet
- Goldie May
- Irish Ancestors
- MyHeritage Library Edition
- NewspaperArchive
- Paper Trail
- Puzzilla
The DFSC needs shift volunteers to help patrons with their research. It's pretty amazing how much you know, and can help others by volunteering. So, to volunteer or if you have other questions, call 925-837-7010 and/or contact the DFSC by email.
Visitors please also know that county guidelines are followed so masks are optional and the six foot rule is no longer required. Those that need to avoid climbing steps should call the center prior to coming. We will unlock the side & back gates so they can enter the building thru the back entrance. Additional information is available on the FamilySearch Wiki.
About the San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society
The San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society (SRVGS) was organized in 1985 with the idea of providing resources, assistance and educational opportunities in a social environment that would allow its members to successfully research their ancestry. To fulfill these goals the society offers monthly meetings with speakers presenting topics covering various aspects of genealogical research. It publishes a monthly newsletter to keep our membership informed of the latest happenings. It offers several Special Interest Groups (SIGs), where members with common interests can meet and discuss their specific areas of research. It provides resources ranging from a large selection of reference books, conveniently kept at the Danville Public Library, to information on local genealogical libraries. It also offers classes for the beginning researcher and those interested in genetic DNA. All this is done within a community of like-minded individuals ready to encourage and assist others and to share their experience.
Facebook Page
We have a public Facebook Page where comments from club officers and visitors are made. Usually the posts are helpful genealogy tips that can be acknowledged and commented on. Join us in educating our genealogy community.
BOD Meetings
We have a Monthly Board of Directors meeting, currently via Zoom, where any member of our Society is welcome to attend. To receive a meeting invitation, please email our president at president@srvgensoc.org before the meeting. The BOD meetings begin on the 4th Tuesday of each month, at 10 a.m. and last between 1-2 hours. The BOD does not meet in August or December. Also, please see our About page for more info about our officers.