Mahlon Erickson, OGS World War I Index Project Chairman, will present “The 100^th Anniversary of the War to End All Wars” as we approach the centennial of the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France on November 11^th, 1918.

Erickson began researching his family history at age 15 (1975) on a visit to his grandmother. His first visit to the Oklahoma Historical Society Library was in late summer of 1975.

He served as corresponding secretary for the Payne County Genealogical Society for over 10 years. Erickson wrote "Of Days Past..." a genealogy column in the Stillwater NewsPress for about 10 years. He published the Beckwith Newsletter for 20 years. He has published several volumes on north central Oklahoma records, most notably "Payne County OK Cemetery Index" and the "Pawnee County OK Cemetery Index".

Erickson was a member of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War graves registration committee for 15 years. He also was the Graves Registration Officer for Department of Oklahoma SUVCW for 10 years. His current major project is a Pre-1920 Death Index for all of what is now Oklahoma (currently at 602,000+ entries).

Erickson taught Jr. High Science in Stillwater for 23 years. He left the education field and was a geologist in OKC for 7 years. He returned to education and was a Physical Science and Environmental Science teacher at Emerson Alternative High School in OKC. He is now teaching middle school science at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School in Edmond.