Jane E. Wilcox, MS, FGBS, has been elected as a Fellow of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society (NYG&B). This honor is bestowed by the NYG&B on noted New York scholars in recognition of their esteemed work in and impact on the fields of genealogy and family history.
As a scholar, educator, and author, Ms. Wilcox has made significant contributions to the field of genealogy, particularly in the context of New York families. Her unwavering commitment to researching and writing the forthcoming New York State Archive Guide: For Family Historians, Biographers, and Historical Researchers on behalf of the NYG&B is a testament to her expertise and dedication.
Ms. Wilcox has been a longtime member of the NYG&B’s Family History Advisory Committee and the New York State Archives Advisory Committee. She also previously served on the NYG&B Record editorial board. Additionally, Ms. Wilcox is a 2024 honoree of the NYG&B’s Preservation in Action series, which spotlights family history leaders whose work inspires, educates, and has a lasting impact.
As an educator, Ms. Wilcox has been an instructor at numerous genealogical institutes focusing on New York research, including courses at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR), the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). In addition, she has spoken at national, regional, and local events, including the National Genealogical Society (NGS) Family History Conference, the NYG&B's New York State Family History Conference, the National Archives at New York City, and the Women’s Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, New York. For eight years, her online radio show, The Forget-Me-Not Hour: Your Ancestors Want Their Stories to Be Told, featured an array of guests and topics that provided hours of education and discussion for family historians and genealogists.
Ms. Wilcox's colonial New York expertise is evident in her speaking topics about probate records, civil vital records, tenant farmers, and New York repositories and reflected in years of well-received client reports. She has researched on-site at numerous repositories across New York State, plus in multiple other states with New York-related collections.
Ms. Wilcox joins 17 other distinguished individuals with this esteemed recognition.