Polk County Genealogical Society, Inc. Headquartered in Bolivar, Missouri, USA

UPCOMING MEETING:
May 7, 7 p.m. Program by Carolin Kesper, German foreign exchange student

Proposed Amendment to the Bylaws-Vote at May meeting

MEMORIAL DAY: PCGS will be offering a Memorial Day Flower placement service for those who want or need us to place flowers on gravesites. Flowers will be placed on the grave between May 14 and May 24, 2026. This year Memorial Day is May 25.
Flower choices (order online or pay by check to PCGS):

Push-in bouquet $25.00

Order online

Small saddle $50.00

Order online

Large saddle $100.00

Order online

All orders must be turned in and paid for by May 9, 2026.

Color choices vary based on availability. More information is available on the form. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to email or call.

Here is the link to the informational form (Google):
https://forms.gle/epUCd9D339g5mx376
Fill out a separate Google form for EACH grave decorated.
We look forward to helping you with Memorial Day flowers.

PCGS offers preservation services for your documents, letters and other important items. For more information, please contact us.
Archival Services Pricing

NEW SHIPPING CHARGES:
Purchase of $25.00 or under: $8.00
$25.01 - $40.99: $12.95
Above $41: Free Shipping

Because of the high cost of shipping and handling, we have added shipping charges to ALL of our merchandise. In person orders have no shipping charges, so feel free to come visit us during open hours.

FamilySearch Affiliate Library
Being a FamilySearch Affiliate means that patrons can access in our facility over 400 million digital images only available at FamilySearch centers and affiliates. We are excited to join this exclusive group of research centers. Come visit us and check out the new service!

Follow us on social media for genealogy hints, tips, and ideas and PCGS updates.
https://www.facebook.com/pcgsmo
https://www.instagram.com/pcgsmo/
https://twitter.com/pcgsmo
https://youtube.com/@pcgsmo
https://www.historypin.org/en/person/65041

Check out our Facebook page for weekly trivia questions!

New on our website:

Obituary Files updated, April 2026
Ancestors page updated, April 2026

MEMBERS ONLY section added--email us for details

President's Corner

Gratitude is one word that comes to mind frequently these days. In relation to PCGS, we owe a great debt of gratitude to so many individuals. Many people make the work here possible and support the mission of the organization. It is like a pebble thrown into a pond and the ripple effect spreads out over the surface area far from where the small pebble was initially thrown. Perhaps Mother Theresa said it best in her quote: "I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples."¹Together we accomplish so much. More than we ever could as individuals. We are glad that you as members choose to join with us and support our mission of preserving history and supporting genealogical research.
Our members support us first by paying membership dues. Dues help to pay the bills from supplies needed to the postage required to send out a newsletter. Your support as members also tells us that you care about the preservation of Polk County’s history and genealogy.
Monetary donations are also given throughout the year. All of these, no matter the size, help to pay utility costs, insurance, repairs, and the list goes on. These donations are essential to keep the society operating.
Our volunteers work many hours on various projects as well as helping those who request help via email, telephone, or come in the door. Without them, none of this would be possible. Their faithful service makes all the difference in the work of PCGS.
Some offer their support by caring enough to preserve the history of the area.
When they see something that needs to be preserved; they work to get the material into the proper place. Others support by just caring about the work and keeping informed about events and activities.
Some provide needed supplies such as hand sanitizer, paper towels and soap.
Each gift makes a difference and helps in some way.
Gifts of genealogical research are made. These might include family research or private papers. All help in increasing the materials available.
Ultimately all of the above support our mission statement: Polk County Genealogical Society, Inc. promotes genealogical research by providing educational and research opportunities, offering community services in related fields, and collecting, preserving, and publishing genealogical and historical records.
Gratitude - yes, we are grateful for all that everyone does to make our mission possible. Without the support of many, our work would not be possible.

Cay Sergent, PCGS President

1 Goodreads. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2021, from https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/49502-i-alonecannot-change-the-world-but-i-can-cast

Requesting research from PCGS:
Visit our Resources page - see the price chart for research.

*THE BEST WAY to request a lookup is to email us with your request before sending payment and we will let you know if we can help you with your search. Remember to please be specific with your request, giving the full name of the person you are looking for, with any relevant dates and Polk County place locations. Email info@pcgsmo.com

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Please remember to be patient with the volunteers--at PCGS the volunteers know the collection and have helped hundreds of people just like you find that probate, obituary or long lost family history. They also have a love of the craft and travelers. We have all visited those places where the staff grunts and points to the genealogical section. Not here at PCGS! You will always be greeted with enthusiasm and helpfulness. Be generous--share your data with the facility and leave as large of a donation as you can. Those donations and your support are what keep our doors open and the lights on, four days a week year round. We look forward to your visit!

Susan Sparks, Past President

Did you know?

PCGS is 32 years old!

The PCGS Research Facility (original Carnegie Public Library) is 111 years old!

The Polk County Genealogical Society was established in 1994. Interested parties first met for an organizational meeting in February 1994. The first program and business meeting was held in April 1994 at the Bolivar UMC fellowship hall (now the Open Hearts Methodist Church). At the time, the Society was a special interest group of the Friends of the Polk County Library and was supported financially by the Friends. The first name of the Society was the Bolivar Genealogy Group, but the name was soon changed to the Polk County Genealogical Society.

In 1996, the Society became independent of the Friends of the Library. The first publication for sale by the Society was published in 1998. There are now over 80 publications available for purchase at the Society’s library. The Society incorporated in August 1999 and became a not-for-profit corporation in January 2001. The Society does not receive any funding from local or state entities. All money comes from donations of individuals, research fees, and sales of society publications.

In October 2001, PCGS purchased the Carnegie library building located on the town square of Bolivar, Missouri and completed renovation of the ground floor in the summer of 2002. The Polk County Genealogical Society Library was opened to the public in July 2002. The lower floor houses the research collection. While the Society focuses on Polk and surrounding counties, there is material from across the United States, including a large selection from Tennessee and Kentucky. Researchers also have access to Ancestry.com, Fold3.com (a military site), and Newspapers.com. The only fee charged is for copies. The all-volunteer staff is available to help at any time.

The upstairs was renovated in 2005 and houses the collections that have been given to the Society. Finding aids are created for these collections which helps researchers find information valuable for them without having to go through the whole collection. Also, this floor contains the old Polk County records dating back to 1835. Court docket books, probate record books, and court cases are housed on this floor.

The Society continues to promote and encourage the preservation of local and family history through informative programs, classes and special events. The Polk County Genealogical Society Research Facility’s regular hours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monthly meeting are held the first Thursdays of each month at 7 p.m. (Exceptions to our regular schedule and open days are listed on our website www.pcgsmo.com.) PCGS has welcomed visitors from all over the United States and Canada and hope to continue to do so for many years to come!

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY:
If Bolivar schools are closed because of weather, the library will also be closed. If Polk County is under a Winter Weather Warning, the facility will be closed.

There will be no night meeting, either, if school is closed on a Thursday.

If bad weather develops on a Thursday afternoon before the regular monthly meeting, members can call 417-777-2820 to find out the status of the meeting. Winter Weather and Tornado Warnings will mean automatic cancellation of meetings.

Click here for school closings list at ky3.com

CLOSING DATES FOR 2026:
Monday, January 19 (MLK Jr. Day)
Monday, February 16 (President's Day)
Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day)
Friday, June 19 (Juneteenth)
Saturday, July 4 (Independence Day)
Monday, September 7 (Labor Day)
Monday, October 12 (Columbus Day)
Wednesday, November 11 (Veteran's Day)
Monday - Sunday, November 23 - November 29 (Thanksgiving break)
Monday, December 21 through Sunday, January 3 (Christmas break)
We will open at 10 a.m. on Monday, January 4, 2027

GEOCACHING--Geocaching is an activity in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers (called "geocaches" or "caches") anywhere in the world.
PCGS is now part of the geocaching community.

For more information, please see this website Grandma's Little Stash
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=48059b6f-fd44-4c45-88ae-07c7d0d0be53

Business meetings are the first Thursday of every month at the Polk County Genealogical Society Research Facility, on the square in Bolivar, MO

Business meetings are the first Thursday of every month at the
Polk County Genealogical Society Research Facility, on the square in Bolivar, MO