The Charles Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping and Trial

On March 1st 1932 Charles Lindbergh Jr, the son of legendary aviator Charles Lindbergh, was kidnapped from his bedroom in East Amwell, New Jersey. More than 2 months later, the baby was found dead alongside the road near the Lindbergh home. Police eventually arrested Br......More

On March 1st 1932 Charles Lindbergh Jr, the son of legendary aviator Charles Lindbergh, was kidnapped from his bedroom in East Amwell, New Jersey. More than 2 months later, the baby was found dead alongside the road near the Lindbergh home. Police eventually arrested Bruno Richard Hauptmann, a German born carpenter from New York City. Hauptmann's subsequent trial, dubbed the Trial of the Century, resulted in his conviction and execution. The crime and trial have fascinated historians for the past 90 years. Debate over his guilt and conspiracy theories abound. Speaker James Calaski uses his law enforcement background to examine the investigation, trial and analyze the various theories and myths surrounding this fascinating case.

GSBC: To Be Announced

GSBC: Hidden Clues, New Paths: Creative Approaches to Finding Elusive Ancestors

General Meeting, Monday, 23 June 2025 @ 7 pm Hidden Clues, New Paths: Creative Approaches to Finding Elusive Ancestors with Ree Hopper In-person at Ridgewood Public Library Open to GSBC members and non-Members Uncover your family's hidden stories through innovative re......More

General Meeting, Monday, 23 June 2025 @ 7 pm Hidden Clues, New Paths: Creative Approaches to Finding Elusive Ancestors with Ree Hopper In-person at Ridgewood Public Library Open to GSBC members and non-Members Uncover your family's hidden stories through innovative research strategies! This presentation, featuring actual case studies, will demonstrate creative approaches to breaking through genealogical brick walls. Learn how to analyze naming patterns, explore social networks of your ancestors, and leverage both direct and indirect records to piece together your family story. Discover why questioning sources – even original ones – is crucial. Learn why examining relationships with godparents, friends, neighbors, and associates can provide crucial clues, and understand the importance of critical thinking when evaluating both modern and historical sources. Perfect for beginner or experienced genealogists seeking fresh perspectives to solve their most challenging family history mysteries. Ree Hopper is a Certified Genealogist and a long-time GSBC member.

GSBC: To Be Announced

GSBC: To Be Announced

GSBC: Show and Tell: Share Your Artifact and Its Story

Monday, 28 July 2025 @ 7 pm In-person at Ridgewood Public Library Open to GSBC members and non-Members Summary: We invite you to bring something related to your family history or research and share with the group at our July meeting. Perhaps you’ve inherited your g......More

Monday, 28 July 2025 @ 7 pm In-person at Ridgewood Public Library Open to GSBC members and non-Members Summary: We invite you to bring something related to your family history or research and share with the group at our July meeting. Perhaps you’ve inherited your grandmother’s candlesticks. Or maybe you have a portrait of an ancestor or a snapshot taken long ago at a family gathering. You may have found documents relating to your family’s past in Europe centuries ago. Even if you don’t possess any keepsakes from your ancestors, you may be able to show us a printout of their Ellis Island passenger manifest or a picture of the village in which they lived. Please bring your item to show to the group (of course, don’t bring anything that is extremely valuable or fragile), and tell us a little bit about the person it belonged to or how you received or discovered it. Please bring just one item and limit your talk to two minutes!

GSBC: To Be Announced

GSBC: To Be Announced

GSBC: Buried in the Garden State: The Who, What, When, and Where of NJ Burial Records

General Meeting, Monday, 29 September 2025 @ 7 pm Note Date Change Buried in the Garden State: The Who, What, When, and Where of NJ Burial Records with Mark A. J. Szep In-person at Ridgewood Public Library Open to GSBC members and non-Members Summary: Explore the m......More

General Meeting, Monday, 29 September 2025 @ 7 pm Note Date Change Buried in the Garden State: The Who, What, When, and Where of NJ Burial Records with Mark A. J. Szep In-person at Ridgewood Public Library Open to GSBC members and non-Members Summary: Explore the many burial and burial-related records available to New Jersey genealogists. Records to be discussed include transit and burial permits, burial card indexes, day books, grave registers, plot records, cemetery transcriptions and our ancestors’ headstones and burial markers. Focus will be placed on what types of burial records exist, where those records can be accessed and what information can be gleaned from them.

GSBC: Book Talk: Italians of Newark

General Meeting, Monday, 27 October 2025 @ 7 pm Book Talk: Italians of Newark with Andrea Van Benschoten In-person at Ridgewood Public Library Open to GSBC members and non-Members Between1880 and 1924, more than 4 million Italians immigrated to the United States. Tens......More

General Meeting, Monday, 27 October 2025 @ 7 pm Book Talk: Italians of Newark with Andrea Van Benschoten In-person at Ridgewood Public Library Open to GSBC members and non-Members Between1880 and 1924, more than 4 million Italians immigrated to the United States. Tens of thousands flocked to Newark and reshaped a city. In 1887, St. Philip Neri’s Church became the first official Italian parish in Newark, a huge improvement over holding services in the basements of existing churches. Many immigrants settled in the Old First Ward, which once claimed the title of largest Little Italy in New Jersey. It wouldn’t last, however, as the midcentury push for urban housing led to the forcible displacement of more than 4,600 people. Clubs like the Spilingese Social Club sprang up to provide support and camaraderie, and dishes like giambotta made their way into everyone's kitchens. Author Andrea Lyn Cammarato–Van Benschoten traces the roots of Newark’s Italian communities.

GSBC: To Be Announced