February Gathering

John Joseph Osborne grew up as an orphan and an only child—at least that’s what family and friends were always told. There was never any talk of his childhood or teenage years, and there was even some uncertainty as to where he had been born. It was as though he had sprung from thin air fully formed. If anyone knew the real story, they weren’t sharing it.

But mysteries have a way of begging to be solved. In 2011, a granddaughter’s curiosity, and then questions, began to percolate. How and when had he been orphaned? Where had he grown up and with whom? Who were his parents? How does someone without a family or ancestry understand who he or she is? It was time to reconnect John Osborne with his story.

Amy Whorf McGuiggan will take us on a compelling genealogical journey of discovery, beyond the names and dates on vital records, to reclaim the lost branches of John Osborne’s ancestry. To do so, she had to expand her research beyond commonly available records to include both public and private institutional records. These records are often considered unavailable, but Amy did the work required to gain access.

Along the way, John Osborne’s personal story—a story of survival against the longest of odds—is unearthed after being buried for more than a century. Amy’s work could be a master class in writing family history and in good old fashioned genealogical legwork. She will probe the question of whether learning and knowing something that was previously unknown—and that one has gone through life blissfully unaware of—actually matters.

PCGI Gatherings and Lecture Series are FREE for PCGI Members. 

A $5 fee is required for nonmembers. 

Become a member today and get free admission to our monthly gatherings, lectures and workshops, plus additional perks! 

The Zoom link will be sent to you upon registration and again 3 days prior to the event. You also have the opportunity to see the lecture in person at the E. Bridgewater Public Library on Febrauary 5, at 11:30 if you would rather see it in person. Purchased tickets can be used either in person or virtual.