Laura Murphy DeGrazia Retires as Editor of The Record, Ian Watson Appointed

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Cover of The Record July 2022

Laura Murphy DeGrazia, who has edited The Record since January 2018 and previously served as co-editor, will retire following the October 2022 issue. At the conclusion of her tenure, she will have produced 34 issues of The Record, 20 as editor between 2018 and 2022 and 14 as co-editor between 2011 and 2014. She was named a Fellow of the NYG&B in 2013. Widely recognized across the genealogical field for her expertise, her work has appeared in numerous publications including The Record, the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and the New England Historical and Genealogical Register. In addition, she was a member of the New York Family History Research Guide and Gazetteer editorial team and has been a Board-certified genealogist since 1998. She is also a past president and former trustee of the Board for Certification of Genealogists.

NYG&B President D. Joshua Taylor noted, “We are immensely grateful for Laura’s steadfast stewardship of The Record. Her professionalism, dedication, and commitment to scholarship were evident with each issue she produced. Her work will benefit New York researchers for many generations.”

In Ms. DeGrazia’s stead, the NYG&B has appointed Ian Watson as lead editor. Mr. Watson, a native of Rochester, New York, has been involved in genealogy since he was a teenager. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Germanic linguistics from Harvard University and a Ph.D. from Rutgers University, where he studied with cognitive sociologist Eviatar Zerubavel. Before returning to genealogy, he taught information design at universities in Iceland and Norway and worked for travel personality Rick Steves. Among his genealogical publications are a forthcoming book on immigrants to New England in the 1630s, a book on the genealogy of the Catawba Nation of South Carolina, and several articles in The American Genealogist and the New England Historical and Genealogical Register.

Upon his appointment, Mr. Watson remarked, “I’m excited at the chance to work with genealogists who are passionate about preserving the history of my home state. It’s a privilege to partner with the farsighted team at the NYG&B. And it’s an honor to steward The Record, which has been a leading voice in the genealogy world for more than a century and a half.”

NYG&B President D. Joshua Taylor added, “We look forward to Mr. Watson’s tenure as editor of The Record. Each issue will benefit from his background and expertise as an editor, writer, and researcher. We look forward to the future of The Record under Mr. Watson’s steady leadership.

Mr. Watson was selected following a national search and will begin his tenure with the January 2023 issue.

Published since 1870, The Record has become New York’s longest-running and most respected peer-reviewed journal for those researching New York families. The Record is published by the NYG&B quarterly and is available online.