"Rationing for Victory: The Role of the OPA in WWII America"
Speaker: Seema Kenney, Professional Genealogist
This presentation explores the critical role of the Office of Price Administration (OPA) in managing rationing, price controls, and public behavior on the American home front during World War II. Through a detailed timeline, historical documents, and firsthand recipes and reactions, it examines how the U.S. government mobilized citizens, regulated scarce resources, and fought inflation—one coupon, token, and regulation at a time. Discover the paper trail of policy, enforcement, and everyday adaptation in a nation at war.
A wife, mother of 3, and entrepreneur, Seema is an experienced software instructor and a professional genealogist. Based on over 20 years of research, her known roots are deep in New England as well as England, Germany, and Sweden, with DNA research now adding a line in The Netherlands. She has a certificate in Genealogical Research from BU, completed ProGen and is an active member of several societies and part of the NERGC planning committee.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
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.
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.
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 13
OGS Computer SIG
Jim Ike will present the first part of a video series posted by the Sacramento Public Library with the speaker, Evan Wilson, Professional Genealogist working for Ancestry Pro Genealogists. Evan will be speaking on the ...
Jim Ike will present the second part of a video series posted by the Sacramento Public Library with the speaker, Evan Wilson, Professional Genealogist working for Ancestry Pro Genealogists. Evan will be speaking on “Court ...
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 ...
