Napa Valley Genealogical Society upcoming events

Program: Grandma Said What? (18 Jun 2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Grandma Said What?

Gathering and Verifying Your Family’s Oral History

Presented by Sara Cochran

We will define what oral history is and talk about strategies to interview your family. Then we'll go through the process of verifying a family story!

Members: FREE! (no need to register)
Non-members: $5 donation — Please register to pay

Sara is a full-time professional genealogist with over thirty years of research experience. Her research has taken her to nearly every state in the USA and Ireland. She especially enjoys breaking down brick walls, discovering the stories of black sheep ancestors, and helping individuals preserve their photographic legacy.

Sara holds a Boston University Genealogical Research Certificate, a Bachelor’s Degree in Library Science, and is an alum of the ProGen Study Group. She is a member of DAR and other lineage societies, the Association of Professional Genealogists, and the Genealogical Speakers Guild.

You can find her online at TheSkeletonWhisperer.com.

Visit NVGS at Napa Farmers Market (20 Jun 2026)

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Visit NVGS at Napa Farmers Market

Next Chance: Sat, Jun 20

Join NVGS at another great Farmers Market!

Once again, Napa Valley Genealogical Society will host a booth at the Saturday Farmers Market in downtown Napa. We'll be there four Saturdays in 2026.

Get free resources
Ask questions
Chat with people who love family history!

Pick up your favorite fruits and veggies.

Swing by our booth and say hi. Bring a friend or two!

Jun 20, Aug 22, and Oct 24 — Only 3 chances left
8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Napa Farmers Market, 1100 West St, downtown Napa
Map It

Hope to see you there!

Round Table: Our Revolutionary War Ancestors (6 Jul 2026)

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Our Revolutionary War Ancestors

Host: Sue Ziemski

Do you have ancestors who fought in the American Revolution? What research did you do to uncover their stories? We want to hear all about them!

Members and Friends: Join us at our monthly round table! Each month, we choose a theme to spark the conversation, then gather on Zoom to have a great time sharing our tips, tricks, and stories.

Program: Early California Families (16 Jul 2026)

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 20:00:00 GMT

NVGS is proud to host historian Anthony Ray, a University of Utah scholar
who studies early Napa, Solano, and Sonoma families.

The Higueras of Napa and Sonoma

Presented by Anthony Ray, University of Utah

In many ways, the Higueras were no different than most other Alta California families. However, when delving into the archival record, we find stories of hardship and perseverance.

This presentation will look at the lives of Nicolas Higuera and his five daughters, giving a rare glimpse into the experiences of women in nineteenth-century Spanish-Mexican Californio society.

Members: FREE! (no need to register)
Non-members: $5 donation — Please register to pay

Anthony Ray is a Salt Lake City-based genealogist, historian, musician, and theologian. At the age of twelve, he became interested in his family history, sparking a life-long passion for learning about long-forgotten ancestors.

As a historian, his research focuses on the family stories he has unearthed to produce new insight into his own ancestry and on the broader historical landscape. He has conducted research throughout California, Arizona, and northern Mexico and focuses on his Alta California and Mexican ancestry.

Originally from southern California, Anthony has also enjoyed a professional career as a tenor and countertenor. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in music from California State University Los Angeles, a Master of Arts in history from the University of Utah, and a Master of Arts in theology from St. John’s School of Theology in Collegeville, Minnesota.

Program: It’s Academic! Finding Your Ancestors in Records of Higher Learning (20 Aug 2026)

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 20:00:00 GMT

It’s Academic!

Finding Your Ancestors in Records of Higher Learning

Presented by Cindy Brennan

Not only do college and university libraries contain a plethora of information on faculty and students, but the academic library is usually the storehouse for the surrounding community. You may discover your ancestors’ records there, even if they did not attend the university.

Members: FREE! (no need to register)
Non-members: $5 donation — Please register to pay

Cindy Brennan has been an avid family history researcher for more than 25 years after finding a photograph of her husband’s family from 1899. He had no clue who the people were and so down the rabbit hole she went!

Cindy has been the Newsletter Editor of Sonoma County Genealogy Society’s Monthly Newsletter since 2009. The many articles she continues to research and publish led to a desire to share this information through presentations with other genealogists and family historians.