What being a member means to me...
I have been conducting my family genealogy research on and off for close to 20 years with deep roots to the South Amboy area going back to the early 1800's. My research started out with the purchase of the Family Tree Maker software and gathering information from family members. This lead to visits to the NJ State Archives, local libraries, cemeteries, churchyards and more in an effort to help build out my family tree.
While reading one of the local newspapers, I became aware of an open house that the South Amboy Historical Society (SAHS) was conducting in May 2015. On a whim, I decided to attend thinking maybe I could speak to someone about how to further my genealogical research. My first impression upon entrance to the open house was the large attendance as well as the vast materials that were presented. I was greatly impressed with the organization and how friendly and engaging members and attendees were to me and my questions.
While perusing the exhibits, I got to meet some local authors regarding historical aspects of both South Amboy and Sayreville. For those that don't know, South Amboy was much large in the 1800's and areas such as Sayreville, Old Bridge, and Monroe were previously part of South Amboy. One of the areas of interest I had was in researching family members who may be interred in the Christ Church Cemetery in Morgan. Much to my surprise, the SAHS has a project in place to map out the Christ Church Cemetery to help identify interment locations and are in the process of working directly with the Church to digitize their records; which may include birth, marriage, death and other events.
While not yet convinced to become a member, I decided to attend the next meeting; which was only a few days after the May 26, 2015, open house. I planned on sitting back to observe what the SAHS was all about and whether or not it made sense to join. A number of topics were discussed including upcoming events such as a member walk through Broadway, a dedication of the first air mail flight in NJ, representation at the Middlesex County History Fair and more. I truly enjoyed listening to the discussions and personal stories detailed by the membership. I hadn't really given much thought about becoming a member prior to the meeting, however, by meetings end, I knew I was going to join. Whereas my family might think I'm a little nuts, dare I say ghoulish, for spending time in cemeteries looking at headstones, I knew I was amongst kindred spirits who detailed their stories of finding and exploring cemeteries and church yards to further their own research interests.
I personally believe that each individual has his or her own rationale for becoming a member; however there are a few things I encourage people to consider regarding membership. In no particular order, one should consider becoming a member of the South Amboy Historical Society if:
You have deep or not so deep roots to the community and would like to know more about the local history
You are researching your family genealogy and can use some assistance from local experts and need access to local resources
You are civic minded and want to assist in preserving local history
You have a passion for history and/or genealogy and want to assist others in the community
Come attend a meeting and see if membership is right for you.
