The first MCGS picnic was held 24 June 1938 at ANCESTRAL GROVE in Whitnall Park near golf course at 6751 South 92nd Street, Hales Corners, Wisconsin. And the last MCGS picnic held at ANCESTRAL GROVE was in 2005. Annual picnics continue each July at the Milwaukee Central Public Library.

MCGS Fifteenth Anniversary 1935 - 1950 Booklet:

One June 24, 1938, we took formal possession of the Grove. We brought our lunches, ate beneath the friendly trees, exchanged anecdotes, sang songs, visited, or did whatever our fancy dictated.

MCGS Reporter Volume 24 Number 2, May 1993, page 44:

56th Annual MCGS Picnic

Directions

Take Grange Avenue to 92nd Street and turn south. One to two miles from Grange, you will see the golf course/parking lot to the right. There is a road that goes to the bottom of the hill and a gravel road which branches off from it. This gravel road is usually open for the Society to use. The gravel road goes right up to the ANCESTRAL GROVE site where you may park along the roadway.

View article in the Reporter online in the MCGS Members Only section

MCGS Reporter Volume 25 Number 4, November 1994, page 116:

Mr. Lewis M. Hatch was one of the twelve persons present at the first organizational meeting to form the Milwaukee County Genealogical Society. In 1938 he (along with MCGS member Alice Hatch Thayer) donated a tree in Ancestral Grove, in honor of their ancestor, John Alden. It was Mr. Hatch who proposed the name "Ancestral Grove" located in Whitnall Park, Hales Corners, WI..........

The MCGS had a tree planted in memory of Lewis Hatch in Ancestral Grove.

View article in the Reporter online in the MCGS Members Only section

1954 October 21 - The Milwaukee Sentinel

Ancestral Grove Thrives

Each of the leafy monuments bears a metal marker designating the individual to whom the tree is dedicated and the name of the donor.

View article

MCGS Reporter Volume 37 Number 4, November 2006, page 109:

MCGS In-door Picnic, a First

Rather than hike down to Whitnall Park for the annual MCGS picnic, it was held in the Milwaukee Central Library instead. And a big success at that!!! MCGS member and the library's Arts and Humanities Coordinator, Virginia Schwartz, created the delightful picnic area in Room 1 with colorful tablecloths, vases of wild flowers and mint all enhanced by a fine display of antique picnic baskets!! In addition, she provided coolers of ice-cold lemonade into which picnickers could add fresh mint if they chose.

Members brought books, tapes, and publications to be sold, exchanged or given away. Genealogical problems and brick-walls were shared and ideas and solutions were sought. In the future, if some picnickers brought online computers, even more problems may be solved. Plan ahead and save the date of fraday, July 27th, 2007 so you can join in the fun!

View article in the Reporter online in the MCGS Members Only section.

TREE	YEAR	TYPE	ANCESTOR and/or REMEMBRANCE	DESCRIPTION	DONATED BY
1	1938	elm	United States Constitution		Miss Nuna E R Whitcomb; dedicated by State Regent of DAR: Mrs W E Stuart
2	1939	maple	Miss Nuna Elizabeth Rhoda Whitcomb	founder of MCGS	Mrs Hull Clark Blanding
3	1938	?	Gen. James Cudworth		by descendant Miss Nuna E R Whitcomb
4	1938	?	John Whitcomb	colonial founder	by descendants the Whitcomb family
5	1938	?	Miles Standish	Mayflower passenger	by descendants Mrs Charles W Hutchinson and Mrs Harlow S Roby
6	1938	?	John Alden	Mayflower passenger	by descendants Lewis M Hatch and Mrs Alice Hatch Thayer
7	1938	?	Mrs Clara Louise Little	for outstanding achievement	Mrs Hull Clark Blanding
8	1939	elm	Col.James Dala Watson	of Georgia, Spanish American and World War I Veteran	Max Bodenbach
9	1939	elm	Richard Sawtelle		by descendant Clara Harrington
10	1940	elm	George D and Helen H Raab	George (artist)	Mrs C D Lord
11	1940	elm	Rev. John Mayo		by descendant Miss Whitcomb and Mrs Hickox
12	1940	elm+?	Nathaniel Hawthorne family		by descendant Mrs Caroline Hawthorne Ryan
13	1942	maple	Kirby Proctor Raab		by his grandmother Mrs Helen Hammond Raab and grandfather George Raab
14	1943	elm	Mrs Charles W Hutchinson (Ada Hubbell)		Hutchinson family
15	1943	elm	John Howland	Mayflower passenger	by descendant Mrs Robert J Lacy
16	1944	elm	Jeremiah Curtin	noted linguist and writer	by second cousin Miss Eleanore Curtin and family
17	1944		Michael Rodenkirch	a German pioneer	by gr-grandaughters Mrs O W Senglaub and Mrs G G Kaspari, dedicated by gr-gr-grandson Michael Senglaub
18	1946	elm	Werner Trimborn		by descendants Mrs Anna Dietz and daughter Helen
19	1946	elm	Mr John Morton and Rachel Tayler Wylie		Miss Rachel Mary Campbell
20	1946	elm	George Hall	a Revolutionary soldier	by descendant Miss Romayne Rubson
21	1946	maple	Dr Price Sawtelle		by descendant Mrs Clara E Harrington
22	1947	elm	August Nicholas Ritz	a story from Switzerland to Milwaukee	Mrs Eugene Ralph Schmidt
23	1947	elm	James and Mary Chilton	(father and daughter) Mayflower passengers	Mrs Hull Clark Blanding
24	1947	elm	Oliver VanValin		Mrs Anthony Ganz
25	1950	maple	Mrs Lydia Keller		Eleanor Curtin
26	1951	oak	Ellerson family		Celie Ellerson Nieman
27	1951	maple	Miss Eleanor Curtin		Mrs Clara B Harrington
28	1951	oak	John Jost Herkimer		Mrs William F Casselman
29	1951	maple	Mrs John G Ragsdale		Mrs Hull Clark Blanding
30	1952	maple	George Orlo Stearns		Perry J Stearns
31	1952	oak	Mrs August N Ritz		Mrs E R Schmidt
32	1954	maple	Mrs Harry H Heming		Mrs Clara Harrington
33	1954	maple	Emery Darling Wright		Mrs E P Davis
34	1954	oak	Mathias Burgardt		Mrs Charles Cleveland Thoms
35	1955	oak	Governor William Bradford		by descendant Mrs Arthur Knudson
36	1955	maple	Mr Lewis M Hatch		Mrs Clara E Harrington
37	1955	?	Mr Kenenlm Winslow		Mrs Blanding, by descendant Mrs Harold B Reyer, Casselman
38	1957	oak	Mrs Fred E Zindler		Zindler family, Mrs. Lord
39	1957	oak	Mr J W Woodworth		Mrs Knudson and Mrs Woodworth
40	1957	maple	Mr Benjamin Robinson		Mrs E P Davis
41	1957	oak	Mrs Edith Nevins Bartlett		Mrs Hull Clark Blanding
42	1958	maple	Mr Lewis Morris	signer of the Declaration of Indepence	Mrs John B Wilkinson
43	1958	oak	Claus Thomas	early resident of Milwaukee	Mr & Mrs Charles C Thomas
44	1958	maple	Conrad Mizer	early resident of Milwaukee	Miss Helen Dietz
45	1959		Mrs Clara E Harrington		MCGS - In Memorium
46	1959		Mrs Hull Clark Blanding		MCGS
47	1959		Mrs Wm F Casselman		MCGS
48	1960		Robert E Burns-Poet		Mrs J B Bobst
49	1960		Mr Blanding		Mrs Hull Clark Blanding
50

Milwaukee County Genealogical Society REPORTER: Vol. 23, #2, May 1992, page 44-46:

Dedication of Marker
Ancestral Grove, Whitnall Park

July 23, 1943
by Mrs. John F. Ragsdale

From September of 1937 to April 1939, the United States celebrated the 150th
anniversary of the formation of the United States of America.

Throughout the nation, thousands of programs were presented and great nunbers of
trees were dedicated in honor of the event.

At thls time, the Milwaukee County Genealogical Society was a mere handful of
people who were intent on searching for their ancestors and bound together by a
common desire to collect and preserve the records and tradiions of their early
forebearers , who had come, one and all, from some foreign shore. From Norway and
Sweden, from Holland and Germany, from France and Italy, from England, Ireland,
Scotland and Wales - frrom many lands they came, either remotely or recently. They
came to escape the old world oppression and to carve from the wilderness a New
World of freedom and opportunity, and their example of faith and courage and
sacrifice has afforded us an ever increasing source of inspiration and
admiration.

The Society was led and eminated by the tireless enthusiasm of the organizer and
founder of the Society, Miss Nuna E.R. Whitcomb, whose work and writings have
since won for her national recognition.

To some of us, it seemed eminently fitting that WE, also dedicate a tree to the
constitution, in token of our profound reverence for the Founding Fathers who
gave to us that imortal charter of our liberties. Then, with this idea, was
coupled the thought that by the planting of trees in honor of our forebearers,
we could pubicly express our pride in our ancestry, and at the same time create
interest in the study of genealogy and family history, for the benefit of
posterity.

The Milwaukee Park Commission graciously granted us leave to create such a
project, and on a summer day in 1937, they conducted our comittee on a tour of
Whitnall Park, which we had chosen as our preferred location. After a survey a
spot whlch Ms Whitcomb considered ideal, a sequestered little strip which was
lying "far apart from the maddening crowds", with its old stone wall overgrown
with native shrubs and wild flowers, was an ideal settlng for our proposed
memorial. And thus it was that the place on which we stand today has become our
particular bit of hallowed ground.

Then began our quest for a name and among the many good suggestions, "Ancestral
Grove", was proposed by Mr. Lewis M. Hatch, the one active male mmber of the
society and it was unanimusly adopted. And may I here say, that with the
passing years, we are increasingly pleased with our selection and never more so
than today, when we proudly present it to the public by means of this very
attractive and artistic marker.

Following months of anticipation and preparation came the great day of our first
dedication ceremony on June 24, 1938. Like the pioneers of old from whom we are
all descended, we came to take formal possession of our claim. In the shelter
of the friendly trees, we spread our lunch on the unmown grass. There were no
picnic tables or chairs as Whitnall Park was in its infancy. We ate, sang old
songs of yesterday and exchanged anecdotes of the things of long ago. Some of
you were there that day and can recall every precious detail of the occasion and
treasure, as I do, its memories.

Afternoon-or CONSTITUTION ELM, the beautiful tree which can be seen in the
background today and estimated to be approximately 150 years old, was dedicated
by Mrs. W. Z . Stuart, then the State Regent of the Daughters of the American
Revolution.

For Ms. Whitcomb, it was a gala day indeed-a day of analloyed joy and
satisfaction. For her, we had a double surprise. We dedicated in her honor, a
maple tree which was planted on the very spot where she had indented with her
heel, the place it should go, believing it was to be dedicated to the
Genealogical Society. A beautiful decorated cake in honor of her birthday was
presented, which also occurred near the date of our ceremony.

For three successive years, Ms Whitcomb was with us as we returned here to
picnic, sing, renew our faith in our heritage of freedom, and to dedicate one or
more trees each year in honor of the ancestors of exteemed members and
benefactors.

Today, we can honor her only in grateful rememberance. A few months after she
had participated in our 1940 program, she went from our midst, "Out through an
open door" to use her own words as expressed in a little poem of which I believe
she was the author, and of which she gave me a copy. I should like to relate:

"Death is only a door
Set in a garden wall
On gentle hinges it swings
As the shadows fall .

Across the lintels are green leaves,
Beyond, the light lies still
Many weary and willing feet
Pass over that sill.

There is naught to trouble any heart
Nothing to fear at all
Death is only a door
In a garden wall".

Ms. Whitcomb's ardor for the pursuit of genealogy did not come by mere chance or
accident. It was inherent in her nature to love freedom and to revere American
tradition, for in her veins mingled the blood of many courageous pioneers and

famous patriots.

To her, we owe much-The Milwaukee County Genealogical Society, which she
organized in 1935, The Wisconsin Genealogical Society, founded in 1939, and this
ANCESTRAL GROVE which without the former we should have had no inspiration for
the latter .

In her name and in her memory we have carried on her unfinished tasks. Under the
capable leadership of her life-long friend, Mrs .Clara Harrington, who succeeded
her as president, the work has continued without interruption.

Our progress of dedication has gone on from year to year, until now at the
beginning of our sixth year, we again came together to share our old-fashioned
lunch under the trees, to refresh our souls with music, to welcome our friends,
to dedicate trees and to accept this beautiful and particularly appropriate
marker, so generously presented by Mr. and Mrs. Caselman, both of whan are
descendents of many distinguished pioneer families.

To both of them, we are deeply grateful and we accept their generous gift. Let
us consecrate our lives to the sacred task of preserving in safety and security
the records, relics, tradition and the principles of their ancestors and ours,
who by their struggles and sacrifices have established for us a heritage worthy
of our highest respect and deserving of our deepest devotion.

It is because of the Faith and Courage of our noble fathers that we may assemble
as we do today, representing many nationalities, religious denaninations, and
various political beliefs, each justly proud of the part our ancestors played in
the building of the world's greatest republic.

Thus it is, with the sense of profound gratitude to each and all of loyal friends
and members who have cooperated to make possible this happy occasion, I dedicate
this marker to the ANCESTRAL GROVE of the Milwaukee County Genealogical Society.

View article in the Reporter online in the MCGS Members Only section

ANCESTRAL GROVE in Whitnall Park

PUBLISHED BIOGRAPHIES

Biography of Matthias Burgardt (1812-1888), 1954 by Mrs Charles Cleveland Thoms

A typewritten biographical sketch of Matthias Burgardt, an early settler of the Waukesha-Milwaukee County, Wis., area, presented before the Milwaukee County Genealogical Society at Ancestral Grove, Whitnall Park, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, June 25, 1954, by Mrs. Thoms.

A copy is located at the Wisconsin Historical Society Archives in Madison, WI

Information from WorldCat.org