FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Digging into the past just earned one local librarian a place in history. The Allen County Public Library is celebrating John D. Beatty, Senior Genealogy Librarian at the renowned Genealogy Center, who has been elected a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists (ASG) — one of the highest honors in the field.
Only 50 Fellows worldwide hold this distinction at any given time, making Beatty’s achievement a rare honor shared by just 176 genealogists since the society was founded in 1940. He joins the 2025 class alongside Scott Andrew Bartley and Allen R. Peterson.
For Beatty, the recognition is nothing short of a career-defining milestone.
“Being elected a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists is the capstone of my career,” Beatty said. “I have dedicated my career to advancing the field of family history research, and this honor leaves me humbled and deeply grateful.”
Beatty has been a cornerstone of the ACPL Genealogy Center since 1984, earning a sterling reputation among historians and family researchers worldwide. Known for his encyclopedic knowledge, published works, and passion for uncovering ancestral stories, he has played a key role in building one of the largest public genealogy collections in the country.
As principal bibliographer, Beatty has helped patrons trace family roots from local Hoosier lineages to global migrations. His published works explore German American families, early American ancestry, and Irish historical narratives, including his recent genealogical study “The Vick Genealogy: The Study of an American Family in White and Black.” He also served as principal editor for “History of Fort Wayne and Allen County, Indiana, 1700–2005,” the first comprehensive county history in nearly a century.
Curt Witcher, manager of the Genealogy Center and longtime colleague, praised Beatty’s impact:
“John’s election to the ASG is well deserved. Over four decades he has advanced our Genealogy Center’s reputation, produced significant research, and mentored countless future researchers. This honor acknowledges not just his achievements, but the value he has brought to our library and the wider genealogical community.”
With this latest milestone, Beatty doesn’t just preserve history — he becomes part of it.
For more information about the Genealogy Center, visit www.genealogycenter.org.
