The Columbia-Marion County Public Library partnered with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — utilizing the church's free data base, FamilySearch.org — to host a family history event last Saturday.
Mona Swayze, technical services librarian for the South Mississippi Regional Library, coordinated the promotion and registration of participants. Elder Tipton, local volunteer for the church, stated that “this event was a great success and several of the attendees found their lineage back to the 1500s and one going back farther to about 1050 A.D.”
Elder and Sister Tipton, plus eight other local full-time LDS missionaries and four members of the Columbia congregation, gave one-on-one assistance to those in attendance. The local members are Lynne Breland, Medetta Story, Ruth Altman and Earl Altman.
Elder Tipton also stated that "our church building here in Columbia houses a Family History Center that the public may visit to access their Family Search records along with ancestry.com and it is all absolutely free."
There are seven computers in the center and it is located at 805 W. Lakeview Drive in Columbia. The center is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 3 to 6 p.m. and Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. The center can be reached by phone at (601) 736-5845 and is under the direction of Barbara Sandifer. There is always a two-member staff on hand to assist patrons of the center with any help they may require.
Pictured Above: Assisting in the event were, back row, from left, Collins Worlton, Bridger Streadbeck, Nathan Hunter, Carlton Baird, Spencer Olsen and Taylor Boardman, and front row Christiane John, Kylie Crosby and Kathy Tipton. | Photo Submitted
