Pioneer Groups to volunteer with?

[nuclearfuels]

Trying to find groups I can volunteer with, that research early LDS Pioneers.

Any suggestions, other than "google it" which I already did.

[Calm]

Familysearch had a section on looking for early LDS records and iirc they mentioned research efforts, though it may have been limited to indexing.  Still lots of genealogists are history buffs.  I would look on familysearch, even contact them about possible groups.

Daughters of the Utah Pioneers might have suggestions even if you don't have pioneer ancestors.  I don't know if they still limit membership to women.

Mormon History Association might have suggestions.

Edited February 4, 2018 by Calm

[Scott Lloyd]

42 minutes ago, Calm said:

Familysearch had a section on looking for early LDS records and iirc they mentioned research efforts, though it may have been limited to indexing.  Still lots of genealogists are history buffs.  I would look on familysearch, even contact them about possible groups.

Daughters of the Utah Pioneers might have suggestions even if you don't have pioneer ancestors.  I don't know if they still limit membership to women.

Mormon History Association might have suggestions.

Is there any reason you chose not to mention Sons of Utah Pioneers, which is the male counterpart to Daughters of Utah Pioneers?

 

[Calm]

Because I didn't know they existed.

My grandmas were members of DoUP.  It was a big thing for one of them.  I have some book published by them.  There is also a building dedicated somewhere around where I live with their name on it (possibly Springville Museum as it is the only one jumping in my brain at the moment).

I might have seen stuff by SoUPs around, but if I did, it didn't take.

Now I know, definitely add them to the list.  You know of any others?

Edited February 4, 2018 by Calm

[Scott Lloyd]

Here's a link to the Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel Database which is compiled and kept by the Church History Department.

https://history.lds.org/overlandtravel/

It's a very good database. I know the man who originated it and built it up for 30 years or more. He was very dedicated. Mel Bashore by name. He was given an award by the Oregon and California Trails Association for his work on the database.

Calm mentioned FamilySearch. The Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel Database is now linked in with FamilySearch.org, giving a seamless experience in researching one's ancestors who were Mormon Pioneers.

 

Edited February 4, 2018 by Scott Lloyd

[Scott Lloyd]

13 minutes ago, Calm said:

Because I didn't know they existed.

My grandmas were members of DoUP.  It was a big thing for one of them.  I have some book published by them.  There is also a building dedicated somewhere around where I live with their name on it (possibly Springville Museum as it is the only one jumping in my brain at the moment).

I might have seen stuff by SoUPs around, but if I did, it didn't take.

Now I know, definitely add them to the list.  You know of any others?

Here's a link to the home page of the SUP National Society website:

https://www.sup1847.com/

While I'm at it, I'll link to the DUP site as well:

http://isdup.org/

Both groups have been around for generations, and they do sponsor some joint activities. Here's one I covered last summer at which Elder Holland was the featured speaker:

https://www.lds.org/church/news/elder-holland-shares-family-pioneer-stories-with-sons-and-daughters-of-utah-pioneers?lang=eng

 

Edited February 4, 2018 by Scott Lloyd

[Scott Lloyd]

The Mormon Historic Sites Foundaiton is a group dedicated to researching, preserving and memorializing sites and events in Church history:

http://mormonhistoricsites.org/

[Calm]

46 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said:

Here's a link to the home page of the SUP National Society website:

https://www.sup1847.com/

While I'm at it, I'll link to the DUP site as well:

http://isdup.org/

Both groups have been around for generations, and they do sponsor some joint activities. Here's one I covered last summer at which Elder Holland was the featured speaker:

https://www.lds.org/church/news/elder-holland-shares-family-pioneer-stories-with-sons-and-daughters-of-utah-pioneers?lang=eng

 

I was never interested in any history later than 1600 AD save if needed to know for the purpose of understanding mythologies and religions.  I have been forced to study some LDS history, but I will admit I don't go much out of my way to do it so haven't ever paid close attention to historical associations or looked for them out of curiosity or interest to join myself.

I suspect there are a number of groups around because I know my former extreme distaste (very annoying to my grandmothers) and current grudging 'if I have to' attitude is not typical, even if more are neutral about modern history rather than passionate.

I do try to do a thorough job of it...as much as possible with resources at hand, which include a number of texts on my shelf...when I have to deal with it.

Edited February 4, 2018 by Calm

[Scott Lloyd]

Mormon Trail Association.

I was acquainted with this group in the '90s but have lost touch with them. I see that they still have a website up.

http://www.mormontrails.org/

It was founded by the late Stanley B. Kimball of Southern Illinois University, who was the foremost expert on the Mormon Pioneer Trails.

 

Edited February 4, 2018 by Scott Lloyd

[Scott Lloyd]

The Mormon History Association is an eclectic group of scholars, amateur historians and enthusiasts. Their primary activity is to hold an annual conference with separate location each year. The one last year was in St. Louis, and the one coming up this year is Boise, Idaho.

https://mormonhistoryassociation.org/

There are a lot of solid Church members involved, including historians from the Church History Department and scholars from BYU. But be advised it is a mixed bag, with members from many different faith groups or no faith group at all represented, and includes some who might be regarded as critical of the Church. To give you an idea, Will Bagley, Michael Quinn, LaVina Fielding Anderson are all very active in the association. So is Richard E. Turley (former assistant Church historian and now head of Church Public Affairs), Richard N. Holzapfel (Church History scholar, recently retired from BYU), and Matt Grow (of the Church History Department). Elder Steven E. Snow, General Authority Seventy and Church historian and recorder, comes to all the conferences, though I'm not sure he is formally affiliated with the association.