About Us--Who We Are

Mission and Purpose | Non-Profit Corporation | Board of Directors

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.

The purposes of this Society shall be:

1) To encourage the interest in and study of genealogy and the practice of genealogical research, particularly, but not limited to, the ancestry of its members and individuals who now live in, or formerly lived in Polk County, Missouri.

2) To encourage and educate members in the art and practice of genealogical research, compilation and careful documentation and otherwise promote scholarly writing; to maintain and elevate genealogical standards.

3) To encourage the interest in and the expansion of the resources, equipment, and physical facilities which will be the private property of the Society. The gifts and bequests of books, materials, manuscripts, photographs, and financial contributions to the Society, would thereby enable the Society to remain in a constant state of growth and progress.

The Polk County Genealogical Society Research Facility is open four days a week and staffed entirely by volunteers from the Polk County Genealogical Society, a non-profit corporation. The society and its facility is supported entirely by membership fees, research fees, book sales and donations. Over 60 percent of our membership is from areas other than Polk County, Missouri.

Collage of PCGS Group Pictures (not all members were present)
Please visit our Facebook album to see larger versions of each picture with names included

Board of Directors

Cay Sergent, President

Cay grew up where there were more cows than people. However, she has lived in Polk County for over 40 years. After 32 years as an educator, she is happy now to volunteer her time for causes that she believes are important. She loves to look through old family photos, even if they are not hers and delights in hearing stories from the past. She believes that while the history books often tell the stories of the kings, queens and popes – the real story lies with the ordinary men and women who lived out each day in very common ways. She is passionate about saving those stories and memories for future generations.  

Betty Doyle, Vice President

Betty grew up in the city but, during her high school years, she moved to Polk County. She attended Southwest Baptist University and studied accounting. She is a long-time member of the Bolivar United Methodist Church and serves on the Missions committee. Betty is retired and busy doing volunteer work at PCGS and the Polk County Christian Social Ministries, including the Share Your Christmas program. She enjoys researching her family history as well as helping others. Awards include the Bolivar United Methodist Women’s group Special Mission Recognition award in 2005 and, in 2013, the Bolivar Rotary Club Civic Service Award.

Leta Gass, Secretary

Leta Matthews Gass is a fifth-generation Polk Countian and has documented her family back to the
beginning of the county, receiving the very first certificate in the First Families of Polk County, Missouri program for her descendancy from Matthew Glaves Campbell. Leta is married to Charles and they have one daughter, Valary. Leta began volunteering at the library in July 2003, after retiring from 30 years of teaching. She now serves the facility as the archivist, creating finding aids for the collections and preserving/repairing documents, photos, etc. that have been given to the library. She has served the group as president, treasurer, and is currently the secretary. 

Julie Trout, Treasurer

Julie Wollard Trout is a sixth-generation Polk Countian. Julie is a charter member of the Polk County Genealogical Society, which was formed in 1994. She has been interested in genealogy her entire life but the start of her active research came after a visit to a family cemetery at age 13. She graduated from Bolivar High School and then Southwest Baptist University with a degree in History and Sociology. She graduated from the National Genealogical Society Home Study Course in 1995. She is married to Brian and has two adult sons (plus a new daughter-in-law), one daughter in high school and two new grandkids. Julie tries hard to balance her time between being a wife, mom, grammy and genealogy. She spends lots of time on her computer late at night researching!

Lou Kemp, Director at Large

coming soon 

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Copyright 2003-2025, Polk County Genealogical Society, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Last revised: 2026

Located on the southeast corner of the courthouse square in Bolivar, MO