Pat Dake, a charter member of the Chautauqua County Genealogical Society, is pictured during a recent meeting.

CASSADAGA – Pat Dake was the guest speaker at the recent Chautauqua County Genealogical meeting held at the Cassadaga American Legion Hall on St. Patrick’s Day.

Dake has been doing genealogical research for more than 50 years. In 1970, Ms. Dake and a few others held a seven-week workshop on “How to Do Genealogy,” and then began the Chautauqua County Genealogical Society. She served as the president, the vice president, the secretary, the treasurer, a trustee and curator of the Barker museum. In 2006, Dake moved to Salt Lake City where she continued teaching genealogy and helping families with their research, and recently returned to this area.

Gail Dash is the current president of the society, with Ruth Nichols as the vice president. Wayne Leamer is the newsletter editor and Debbie Kotar is the treasurer. The society has a research room in the Barker Library in Fredonia which is storing many histories of families.

For more information on the genealogical group, write to P.O. Box 404, Fredonia, NY 14063. New members are always welcome.