"DNA Case Study Through 2 States and the Cherokee Nation"
Speaker: Kate Penney Howard, Genetic Genealogist and Speaker
Attend at the Oklahoma History Center or via Webinar
Explore an old tangled web of family secrets with this intriguing DNA case study set against the backdrop of a 1928 murder in the mountains of Kentucky. Enter into the courtroom drama surrounding a disputed paternity, and discover how modern DNA resources and methodologies can shed light on ancestral mysteries.
Kate Penney Howard is a genetic genealogist and speaker specializing in endogamy and breaking down challenging research barriers with DNA. She brings decades of experience in family research and hundreds of successfully solved genetic genealogy cases. Past speaking engagements include RootsTech, East Coast Genetic Genealogy Conference, the International Congress on Medieval Studies, and Untangling Our Roots.
.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Meetings start at 6:00 pm in the Chesapeake Room of the Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, Oklahoma City (across from the State Capitol–see map)
Monthly programs are free for members and non-members alike, but we encourage you to join! Your membership dues help us to provide more and better resources for the genealogical community of Oklahoma.
Annual OGS Endowment Fund Drive 2025-2026
A Fund for the Future of the Oklahoma Genealogical Society
As the calendar year end approaches the OGS is starting our annual campaign to grow our endowment fund. The purpose of the endowment is to give our organization a stable cash flow to maintain our organization into the future. We started the endowment fund with the Oklahoma City Community Foundation a few years ago. Our endowment stands a few hundred dollars below $100,000 at the present time. Through the endowment we will receive 5% of our average total from the previous year to add to our treasury each fall.
The goal of our 2025-2026 campaign is to add $40,000 to our endowment. The Kirkpatrick Family Fund has agreed to match our $30,000 collection with another $10,000 to give us the $40,000 addition. An anonymous donor for the last few years has agreed to get us started toward the $30,000 with a $7,500 donation. Over the past year we have collected donations from our friends and members of about $7,263 in which the OGS Board has committed for our endowment. This leaves us $15,237 to raise for our share of the $40,000 goal. The OGS Board has also committed some of the funds from the Cleveland County Genealogical Society donation towards our goal.
We have until August 2026 to raise the rest of the funds to get the matching funds from the Kirkpatrick Family Fund. As before we have setup donation levels to honor those members and friends that will be making donations. Go to our website www.okgensoc.org for more information on donating, what kinds of donations that can be made and the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.
If you have additional questions, please let us know at president@okgensoc.org or call 405-637-1907. You are also welcome to speak directly to our friend Jennifer Meckling with the Oklahoma City Community Foundation at j.meckling@occf.org or 405-606-2951.
If you would like to give now, just click the button.
Below are a few suggestions for Giving Tiers, but any donation to our Endowment Fund, no matter how large or small, is greatly appreciated.
OGS GivingTuesday Solicitations Dec 2, 2025
The Oklahoma Genealogical Society (OGS) is excited to join #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide. Occurring this year on December 2nd, #GivingTuesday is held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (in the US) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday to kick off the holiday giving season and inspire people to collaborate and to give back in impactful ways to the charities and causes they support.
The Oklahoma Genealogical Society is committed to the mission of bringing together interested persons for discussion and exchange of information, to study research methodology, issuing publications, collecting and preserving data, and assisting members with their genealogical research and writing. With your generous gift of $50, $25, or an amount of your choosing, we can enhance our multiple projects, monthly meetings, and seminars to ensure that we are both meeting our mission and providing members with the quality content you have come to expect from OGS.
Since 1955, OGS has brought together interested persons for discussion and the learning of the field of genealogy. We both assist parties in their genealogical research and preserve materials that is forever available for future generations. In addition, OGS is an all-volunteer run, tax exempt organization that strives to be open and accessible to all interested in researching their family history. As such, 100% of your support helps us fulfill our mission and to facilitate innovative programming.
Those who are interested in joining the OGS #GivingTuesday initiative can visit okgensoc.org and click on the “donate” button. For more details about the #GivingTuesday movement, visit the #GivingTuesday website, givingtuesday.org.
New Info for Members Only
Dr. J Clyde Wheeler's Pastor's Register Books of
Marriages & Funerals
Dr. J. Clyde Wheeler was a minister at the Crown Heights Christian Church (CHCC) in Oklahoma City for 31 years.
J. Clyde grew up in a small mining community in the Virginia Appalachian Valley, son of a miner and itinerant preacher. He received his divinity degree from Lexington Theological Seminary and honorary doctorates from Phillips University, Oklahoma City University and Findlay College. Before moving to Oklahoma City, he served at Disciples of Christ churches in Kansas City and Detroit
While the minister at Crown Heights church, he became President of the Oklahoma City Ministerial Alliance, was active in many community organizations, and worked with the Oklahoma Council of Churches. Recognizing his contributions to the community, two Oklahoma City mayors declared J. Clyde Wheeler Days in 1965 and 1976. Dr. Wheeler retired from active ministry in 1976 but continued conducting weddings and funerals while an interim minister at several city churches. Dr. Wheeler died in 1998 at the age of 86.
During his career, he conducted more than 1,000 weddings and 1,000 funerals which have been indexed by The Oklahoma Genealogical Society. A digital record image of Dr. Wheeler's entry may be purchased for a small fee.
To search the indexes of marriages and funerals he performed members must be logged in and the link will be found under the 'Member Login' menu item at the left side of the webpage.
First Families of the Twin Territories (FFTT)
A Project of the
Oklahoma Genealogical Society
An Invitation to the Descendants
of the Early Settlers of Oklahoma
(prior to November 16th, 1907)
Are you eligible to become a member?
Read more about it here...
An Invitation for Settlers & Builders of Oklahoma
The Settlers and Builders of Oklahoma, under the jurisdiction of the Oklahoma Genealogical Society, was founded to recognize, honor, and perpetuate the memory of the residents that helped build the new State of Oklahoma from statehood, 16 Nov 1907 through 31 Dec 1929. Note: Anyone that resided in the Twin Territories prior to statehood is also eligible for the OGS First Families of the Twin Territories Lifetime Membership. You can nominate anyone you believe should be honored for their contribution(s) to the settling and/or building of Oklahoma. Get more information here.
December 1
OGS Monthly Meeting
Kate Penney Howard will present "DNA Case Study through 2 States and the Cherokee Nation"
Meeting topics will be annouced about two weeks before the meeting. Our meetings are currently a hybrid meeting with in-person and Zoom attendees. Go to the OGS Computer SIG area of our website for Zoom ...
Meeting topics will be annouced about two weeks before the meeting. Our meetings are currently a hybrid meeting with in-person and Zoom attendees. Go to the OGS Computer SIG area of our website for Zoom ...
