Woman’s Committee of the Council of National Defense Registration Cards: The Largest Census of American Women You’ve Never Heard About
Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 6:30 pm – John Gillum Branch of APL, 2505 Steck Ave, Austin 78757. Hybrid.
After America entered World War I in 1917, the Council of National Defense ordered the establishment of women’s councils as a domestic defense, where they registered over 4,000,000 women to provide services during the war. The data compiled represent the largest forgotten census of American women ever conducted.
This presentation will introduce attendees to the history of the Woman’s Committee of the Council of National Defense and the registration cards they created. It will cover where to find these records and how to use them in telling the stories of the women in their family history.
O
ur speaker will be presenting virtually.
About our Speaker:
Amber Oldenburg is a genealogist, lecturer, and social media manager with a degree in Family History Research from Brigham Young University-Idaho, where she currently serves as an online instructor in their Family History Research program. She specializes in Midwest and Great Lakes states research.
December – no meeting; see you January 26, 2027!
Now is the time to renew your membership with AGS in 2026. Our memberships are based on the calendar year: January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026.
Annual dues remain the same as last year:
$35 – Individual Membership
$50 – Family Membership (two people residing in the same household) ,br.
$500 – Lifetime Membership
Benefits of membership include:
- Monthly newsletter filled with helpful tips.
- Access to the AGS website’s
- Members-Only Portal
- Meeting presentation videos
- Select speaker handouts
- AGS Board Minutes, plus much more!
Need more reasons to join? Check out a sampling of some of the last years of presentations, many recorded and available behind the member wall!
July 2025 – Revolutionary Choices: Exploring Loyalist and Patriot Roots at 250 Years – Kathryn Lake Hogan
June 2025 – Translating, Transcribing and Summarizing Documents Using AI – Thomas MacEntee
April 2025 – Organizing Your Ancestors: From Ancestral Mess to Historical Success – Jennifer Lava
March 2025 – Genealogical Ephemera – Jenna Cooper
January 2025 – From Hobby to Profession -Teresa Devine
November 2024 – Facts & Fables: Crafting Your Family Narrative – Kate Penney Howard
October 2024 – Researching Your Family History at the Clayton Library – Carl Smith
September 2024 – DNA Doe Project – Rhonda Kevorkian
June/July 2024 -WikiTree Basics pt I & II – Sarah Kroh
April 2024 – AI & Genealogy: Trouble Ahead? – Thomas MacEntee
March 2024 – Roll Call! Researching Your Veteran Ancestors: Civil War, WWI and WWII – Melanie McComb
February 2024 – European Immigrant Ancestors – Nancy Loe
January 2024 – It Might Be Time…To Write That Book – Shirley Salzmann Meyer
And so much more!
The Austin Genealogical Society gives you the tools to be a better genealogist.
• SIGs: AGS had several special interest groups (SIGs) that met regularly, and we launch new ones as our members want them. You can find notifications of DNA North at their Facebook page, Capital Area DNA SIG. If you are interested in others, or want to help with starting one, let us know!
• Monthly Membership Meetings: We showcase an expert on genealogical research methods and new technology. All presentations are designed to help our members become better genealogists.
Meetings are typically held on the 4th Tuesday evening of each month.
We are currently meeting in a hybrid model, with rotating locations around Austin and via Zoom.
• Research Trips: Further your research by visiting genealogy libraries and archives across the US. We had a successful trip to the Clayton (Family History Research Center at the Clayton Library Campus) in Houston on a Saturday in July 2025 and are planning a trip to the Family Search Library in Salt Lake City, Utah from October 11-17, 2026. If you’re interested in joining us, sign up HERE or contact us at communications@austingenealogicalsociety.org. We look forward to more trips in the future!
• Seminars: We bring in known experts for an extended seminar. In October 2025, we welcomed Blaine Bettinger for a hybrid full-day seminar and are currently thinking about our next event in 2027.
Visitors are always welcome at any of our meetings. So please come, and bring a friend!