OUR STORY

The Pike County Genealogical Society began March 1999. Meetings were held in someone's home. In 2000 Judge Rochne Calhoun offered a spot in his Ben Franklin building rent free if the Society fixed it up at their cost. It was then we finally had a home. Most of our large collection began with our founders sharing their vast collections by donating what they could. Among it’s founders: Marvin & Donna Darnell, Bill & Mollie Price, Claudia Wells, Pat Lynn, Mae Dameron, Margie Smith, Betty Knebehler, Nina Peden, Archie Ross, Harriet Worrell, Bowen Rogers and many others.

In March 2012 the Pike County Commissioners came up with the idea of a county museum using the old jail. Since the old jail was built in 1883 they felt tearing it down would be a waste and a loss of county history.  They contacted our society and together we went to work to create something for displaying and preserving Pike History.

We are a registered 501(c)3 Non-Profit organization that runs soley off of tax-deductable donations and memberships. Our society is organized by a group of dedicated community volunteers and are eager to expand our Pike County History!

WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER

The library itself houses Pike history thru cemeteries, plat books, obituaries, census, probate items, personal property tax books, marriage listings, real estate tax books, surname files, family histories, and military resources. The Missouri room offers books on Missouri and other states. We also have a collection of other counties as well.

You will find a vast resource of Pike County’s past. You will experience genealogy at it’s finest. We offer free classes, resources, and the volunteers to make it all happen. From creating & publishing our newsletter called “The Echo”, Keeping our website going, keeping projects going, keeping the library open, collecting mail & emails for research, Doing the research requests, keeping up with phone calls and email, teaching classes, working the local festivals, to keeping copies of cemeteries buried on properties through land records. We have all sorts of volunteers who care enough to go that extra step.

We are always adding to the library.  From our cemetery project for the past 7 years which includes the picture of the person’s tombstone, a pic of the person (if available), Death certificate (if available), obituary, and a bio if there is one. All  on the same page of a person. We are working on a resource for the poor farm;  we are gathering info on the Love, Poor Farm, Little Africa, Busch, Buckskin and other little lost cemeteries through funeral home records and death certificates from 1910-1970.

• Free Tours of our Library/Museum throughout the year for private parties and local events
• Library/Museum is open seasonally (March-November) every Thursday  from 1pm-4pm, Saturday from 9am-1pm or by appointment
• Beginner Genealogy Classes
• Society Memberships (Annual or Lifetime)
• Assistance in family research & Dousing graves (witching) *please note we charge a fee if traveling is required: $25 for the first hour, $10 for every 30 minutes after.*
• Quarterly "Echo" Newsletter for PCGS updates and fun Pike County History for members
• County books and other items for sale in person and online!
• Genealogy for Beginners tip book ($5.00)
• Classes for the kids at kids camp @ Camp Inlow
• Meetings open to the public on the first Tuesday monthly at 1:30 pm
• We share photos and stories on social media via our Facebook group "Diggin Up Bones!".

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Pike County Missouri Genealogical Society & Jail Museum is to foster and nurture an interest in genealogy by providing instruction, information, and inspiration, while encouraging Society Members and others in the development of family histories and genealogical records, for the benefit of future generations.

OUR BOARD

Our current board members are: Sharon Coose - President, Marie Haught - Vice President, Martha Huff - Secretary, Audrey Jones - Treasurer, Betty Jo Wendel - Elected board member.

Embrace the gift of family by learning a about yourself through your ancestors. Start your journey now. May those who came before you be never forgotten.