Howard County (Maryland) Genealogical Society
Howard County
Genealogical Society
Helping you discover your family history
In December 1976, the HCGS was formed with 21 charter members.  The core consisted of “graduates” of the Howard Community College adult education class in genealogy taught by Columbia resident Connie Catania.
 
The HCGS is a non-profit organization with the mission of aiding and encouraging the study of family history.  Over its 40-year existence it has pursued this mission by collecting and publishing Howard County genealogical records, presenting lectures and programs on genealogy and local history, and assisting local libraries in developing their genealogical collections.  HCGS currently has about 130 members.
 
HIGHLIGHTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE HCGS
 
1976  HCGS is founded with 21 charter members
1979  Publication of Howard County Records Volume I
1981  Publication of Howard County Records Volume II
1982  Publication of Howard County Records Volume III
1982  Production of  first Four Cable TV Shows in “The Family Tree” Series
1985  Publication of Howard County Records Volumes IV and V
1987  Completion of Inventory of Howard County Church Records for Publication in the Directory of Maryland Church Records
1988  Publication of Howard County Records Volume VI
1991  Publication of Howard County Records Volume VII
1991  Production of last of 19 Cable TV Shows in “The Family Tree” Series
1993  Publication of Howard County Records Volume VIII
1993  Sponsorship of All-Day Genealogy Seminar “Voyages of Discovery” at Howard County Community College
1998  Completion of Sorting and Filing Marriage Licenses at Historical Society
2001  Publication of Howard County Records Volume IX
2001  Publication of The Civil War Enrollment and Draft of 1862 in Howard County
2004  Publication of Howard County Records Volume X – an index of the 18,500 names from all the Society’s cemetery record books
2004  Awarded the Norris Harris Prize by the Maryland Historical Society for best compilation of genealogical source records of Maryland (for Volume IX)
2005  Placement of Howard County Marriage License Index (1860-1939), containing over 38,000 records, on the Internet in cooperation with the Howard County Historical Society
2007  HCGS 30th Anniversary Celebration
2007  Awarded two Preservationists of the Year Citations by Preservation Howard County: Carolyn and Charles Denton on behalf of all who helped with recording of Howard County Cemeteries. Doris Edwards on behalf of the team that helped create the Marriage License database.
2007  Publication of transcription of Howard Gazette 1850-51 onto CD-ROM
2010  Publication of Index to Howard County Maryland Cemeteries
2011  Publication of Naturalization Records from Howard District and Circuit Court of Howard County 1840-1906 
2014  Initiation of the HCGS Facebook page www.facebook.com/HowardCountyGenealogicalSociety 
2015  Completion of the Cemetery Evaluation Project in coordination with the Howard County   Cemetery Preservation Advisory Board and the Howard County Government Resource Conservation Division.
2015  Creation of the modernized HCGS website at www.hcgsmd.org
           
 
HCGS FOUNDING MEMBERS   
 
Virginia Alexander, Columbia
Carl G. Auld, Ellicott City
Robert W. Barnes, Perry Hall
Constance B. Catania, Columbia 
Jean M. Hart, Columbia
Shirley Hatheway, Columbia 
Kathryn S. Herndon, Columbia 
Susan E. Inscoe, Columbia
Judith Jenkins, Columbia 
Linda Leber, Columbia 
Oscar & Mae Lucas, Columbia 
Robert E. McKnight, Highland 
Ruth C. Mattson, Columbia 
Mary J. Miller, Silver Spring 
Betty O'Meara, Columbia 
Judith Singley, Columbia 
Bernice Takach, Columbia
Allan Tascher, Columbia 
Raymond W. Watson, Columbia 
Alexander & Zenobia Whitener, Columbia
Jan Goudreau (joined Feb 1977)
 
HCGS PRESIDENTS
 
 
1976-1977       Ray Watson
1977-1979       Connie Catania
1979-1981       Jack Walsh
1981-1983       Eileen Gibbs
1983-1984       Margarette Wood
1984-1985       Clyde Pyers
1985-1987       Susan Johnston
1987-1989       Duane Smith
1989-1990       Peter Lowe
1990-1991       Ed Morrill
1992-1995       Elaine Zimmerman
1995-1997       David Alliger
1997-1999       Duane Smith
1999-2001       Helen Isensee
2001-2002       Donna Mack
2002-2003       Rosemary Leonard
2003-2006       Bill Beck
2006-2007       Vacant
2007-2012       Frank Herron
2013-2016       Dennis Ayers
2016-2019       Davis Gardner
2019-2021       Jerry Kissel
2021-present   Peter Kicza