Jan AlpertJanet Nutter Alpert inherited the passion for family history from her father, Charles A. Nutter, who spent most of his life knowing very little about his family. By the age of four, Jan’s father had already lost his mother, brother, and all four grandparents. The mysteries of Charles’s mother’s family had always tugged at his curiosity, but it was not until he retired that he had the time to dive head first into family history. Before too long, he joined NEHGS and spent countless hours doing genealogy. 

On several research excursions, he took his daughter Jan, and their bond grew deeper with every new discovery. She recalls fondly, “Every year, I would take a vacation week to join my dad. We visited many states, including those in New England, where we would visit the library at NEHGS. When my dad passed, I spent more time researching my own mother’s family. I am a big user of NEHGS and have tapped into its many resources, including tours, programs, and more recently, online classes.” Jan is a loyal NEHGS member who contributes annually with IRA distributions. She is also a member of the Henry Bond Society, having included NEHGS in her estate plans. “My husband and I make annual gifts to a range of causes,” continues Alpert, “but when I think about my legacy and estate contributions, I choose to contribute to organizations that will survive and be there in the future. It is important to me to direct funds not only to a lasting institution but also in support of something with perpetual value. For me that is transcriptions and books, such as Bob Anderson’s amazing Great Migration Study Project. I know that NEHGS scholarship and facilities are going to be around in 100 years for future generations.”