Illinois State Genealogical Society Blog

ISGS Newsletter Now Available - May-June 2013

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:40:00 +0000

The May/June 2013 issue of the ISGS Newsletter is now available to both ISGS members and non-members.

Visit the ISGS website at http://www.ilgensoc.org and click ISGS Newsletter to download the current issue (in PDF) and to view past issues going back to January/February 2008.

© 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

ISGS Office Closed Monday, May 27, 2013

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:58:00 +0000

The ISGS Office will be closed on Monday, May 27, 2013 in honor of Memorial Day.

Regular hours will resume on Thursday, May 30, 2013.

© 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

Upcoming Webinars - June 2013

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:13:00 +0000

Join us on Tuesday, June 11, at 8:00 PM Central, when Luana Darby, will present, The Research Calendar: A Resource You Cannot Live Without. To attend this webinar, register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1792803534084357632.

Last week's webinar, Timelines: Placing Your Heritage in Historical Perspective, presented by Laura Prescott, is now available to ISGS members in the Members Section of the ISGS website (http://ilgensoc.org/members.php).

Upcoming Webinars

June 11 – The Research Calendar: A Resource You Cannot Live Without
Presenter: Luana Darby
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1792803534084357632

July 9 – Common Surnames: Ways to Identify Your Ancestors in a Crowd
Presenter: Juliana Smith
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5387125736981834496

August 13 – Getting to Here from There: Following your Ancestor’s Migration Trail
Presenter: J. H. "Jay" Fonkert
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8033182932596979200

For the complete list of upcoming webinars, including the entire 2013 schedule, visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=234.

And don't forget to spread the word! Forward this email onto your friends and colleagues, post the information to social media sites and/or your blog/website, or print out a few copies of our webinar flyer to hand out at your local society meetings. The flyer can be accessed at http://ilgensoc.org/upload/menu/2013webinarbrochure.pdf.

Support the ISGS Webinar program by making a financial contribution, which will help ISGS expand its educational offerings in a virtual manner. To learn why we need your help, or to make a contribution, please visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=345.

Please direct any questions to the ISGS Education Committee at isgseducation@ilgensoc.org.

Society Spotlight: Decatur Genealogical Society

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Cahill Tarr) — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:58:00 +0000

The Decatur Genealogical Society (DGS) is the oldest and one of the largest genealogical societies in Illinois. Membership of 600 includes many persons from out of state. Organized in 1964, DGS is a non-profit, non-sectarian, educational society with the following purposes: to encourage the science of genealogy, to help others gather genealogical information, to preserve and publish material of historical and genealogical nature, all for educational purposes. They operate entirely on membership dues, volunteer labor, publication sales, and private donations.

An individual membership currently is $15/year and offers the following benefits:

Receive the Central Illinois Genealogical Quarterly.
Place free queries in the Quarterly.
Submit material on the Central Illinois area for publication in the Quarterly.
Receive the bi-monthly newsletter Central Illinois News, which contains information on coming events, new acquisitions, and research tips.
Full use of the DGS Library during open hours and the ability to check out books (those with an individual membership may check out three books, those with a family membership may check out six books).
Participate in projects to preserve important records.

General meetings of the Society are held on the fourth Sunday in February, April, June, and September, at the DGS Building, 1255 West South Side Dr. in Decatur. Each November the DGS Annual Meeting is held off-site. In addition, DGS hosts a Genealogy Fair in the spring, and a four-week genealogy class in the fall. These meetings and events are open to the public.

DGS has an extensive reference collection, which is housed at the Decatur Genealogical Society and Library located at 1255 West South Side Drive, Decatur. The library is open Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (except for national holiday). In cases of inclement weather, visitors are advised to call the library at 217-429-0135 to make sure they are open. The library is open to the public, however, they do ask a nominal donation for use by non-members.

The DGS Library has something on every county in Illinois, every state, and even some foreign countries. They have a large collection of miscellaneous books covering subjects such as: Bible, Black History, Church, Colonial/New England, General Reference, How To, Immigration, Land, Mayflower, Military, Who’s Who, etc. There is also an extensive collection of Family Histories. DGS also exchanges periodicals with over 150 other genealogical societies and has a separate room of periodicals. There is a Surname Card File and a Location Card File to help find articles within these periodicals. Some of the library's most popular collections include:

The original Macon Probate Records 1829-1975
City Directories for Decatur, Macon County, and other contiguous counties.
Family Vertical File – ten file cabinets full of miscellaneous tidbits filed by surname.

Additionally, the Stephen Decatur NSDAR Library is housed in the DGS facility. DGS also has an extensive yearbook collection, which not only contains those from schools in Macon County, but in surrounding counties as well. For more information visit the DGS Library page on their website.

The Society has been busy over the years, having published 80 book on Macon County, 95 books on other Illinois counties, and 8 for out of state locations. They also sell 81 Sangamon County, Illinois, publications that were given to them when the local Sangamon County society disbanded. These cover: cemetery; census; land; military; funeral home and many other miscellaneous types of records. Visit their Publications page to see a list of all the publications they have available for sale.

In addition to the books DGS has already published, they are currently working on the Wabash Railroad Employees Hospital Log 1909-1912, updating two Macon County cemetery books, and compiling other counties Honor Roll books.

For additional information about the Decatur Genealogical Society, visit their website, or contact them by email at Decaturgensoc@att.net.

Illinois State University Yearbooks Online

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Cahill Tarr) — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:13:00 +0000

Anyone who has family members that attended Illinois State University (a.k.a. Illinois State Normal University prior to 1964) will be happy to learn that a near-complete collection of yearbooks, published from 1892 to 1994, is available to view online. The digitization project was completed in 2012 through the support of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI).

Each yearbook is fully digitized, cover to cover, and available to view for free. Visit http://library.illinoisstate.edu/unique-collections/archives/yearbooks.php to access the collection.

Illinois State Genealogical Society 2013 Fall Conference Announced

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Wed, 08 May 2013 17:23:00 +0000

October 25 & 26, 2013, at Timber Creek Inn & Suites in Sandwich, Illinois

May 8, 2013 – Springfield, IL. The Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS) announces its 2013 Fall conference to be held on October 25 and 26 in Sandwich, Illinois, at the Timber Creek Inn & Suites and Convention Center.

Using The Way They Were as this year’s theme, a variety of presenters will offer lectures to assist attendees in identifying the “they” in genealogical research. In addition, a focus on “were” will explore the importance of capturing family stories and ancestor anecdotes to round out a family’s history.

Besides attending genealogy focused lectures and social events, conference goers can visit the Sandwich area which offers a variety of venues for historical sightseeing. These include area museums, tours of the Naper Settlement in Naperville, and the world famous Mies van der Rohe glass home, as well as the Farnsworth House, on the banks of the nearby Fox River.

Conference details will be available soon at the ISGS website at http://www.ilgensoc.org. For room reservations, contact the Timber Creek Inn & Suites at (866) 992-7335 or visit http://www.timbercreekinnandsuites.com (mention the ISGS conference to secure the group rate).

Questions about the ISGS 2013 Fall Conference can be emailed to the Conference Chair, Howard Manthei, at isgspublications@ilgensoc.org.

Mark your calendar! We look forward to seeing you in Sandwich this Fall!

May 2013 Webinar – Timelines: Placing Your Heritage in Historical Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:59:00 +0000

Timelines are an invaluable tool for genealogists. Join us on May 14, where Laura Prescott will give us some pointers in her presentation Timelines: Placing Your Heritage in Historical Perspective.

Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2013, 8:00 pm Central

Description: Match historical events to an ancestor's life, or synchronize one ancestor's life events to another's using genealogical software as well as everyday software programs to create a graphic profile and timeline.

Presenter: Laura Prescott

Laura G. Prescott is a researcher, writer, and speaker. She offers a unique mix of history, genealogy, and technology to find answers and ancestors. She graduated Dartmouth College, BA (History). Her specialties include manuscripts and online research. She is a professional genealogist, past president of APG, and a consultant at Fold3.com. More at lauraprescott.com.

Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6182542135328835840

Recording and Handout Available to ISGS Members: For ISGS members who cannot attend the live webinar on May 14, a recording of the webinar, along with the handout, will be made available in the Members Section of the ISGS website at http://ilgensoc.org/members.php. If you're not already a member of ISGS, visit Join ISGS! at http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=8 for more information.

Spread the Word: Forward this email onto your friends and colleagues, post the information to social media sites and/or your blog/website, or print out a few copies of our webinar flyer to hand out at your local society meetings. The flyer can be accessed at http://ilgensoc.org/upload/menu/2013_Webinar_Brochure.pdf.

Make a Contribution: Support the ISGS Webinar program by making a financial contribution, which will help ISGS expand its educational offerings in a virtual manner. To learn why we need your help, or to make a contribution, please visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=345.

© 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

Society Spotlight: Elgin Genealogical Society

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Cahill Tarr) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0000

The Elgin Genealogical Society (EGS), in Elgin, Illinois, began in 1973 around the kitchen table of founder Pat Lose. Before long the group outgrew the table and required a much larger room. The meeting rooms at the Gail Borden Public Library (GBPL) in Elgin were the perfect option because not only was its location convenient to most members, the Library had a wonderful collection of research materials.

The group officially organized in 1976 with its stated goals of bringing together persons who are researching family history; informing people of the value of and need for preserving family and local history; providing information, methods, and practices of family research; fostering idea sharing; seeking, preserving and making available material concerning past and present families; and encouraging officials to preserve public records and genealogical collections and make them accessible to interested persons.

EGS members are spread throughout the US with ancestral interests all over the globe. With its various program topics the Society assists in improving its members’ research methods and organization. EGS gives back to the genealogical community by providing Elgin and Kane County data through its website and records provided to GBPL for its website.

Currently, an individual membership is $20/year. In addition to the numerous educational programs provided EGS, members also receive a quarterly newsletter either by email or postal mail.

EGS meets twice a month at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove, Elgin. The morning meeting convenes on the first Tuesday each month at 9:30 AM and the evening meeting at 7:00 PM. Both meetings are always open to the public. EGS also has a Writer's’ Group, which meets on the second Thursday of each month from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM at the Gail Borden Public Library.

In partnership with the GBPL, our volunteers extract vital records information from Elgin historical newspaper microfilms, which is then input into the Local Newspaper Index database held on the library’s website.

The EGS website provides many free databases for genealogists such as death records from various funeral homes and the Warner Monument Company, church records from St. John Lutheran and Faith United Methodist, indexes for Elgin divorce and probate records, and much more. The website also provides a surname list and queries viewable by the public but postings are reserved for members only.

Our EGS genealogist will conduct research at the GBPL and the Elgin Area Historical Society Museum for a $10 donation for up to one hour. These donations are used purchase historical and genealogical reference materials for the GBPL genealogy section.

EGS is a sponsored group of the GBPL. GBPL holds an exceptional collection of genealogy materials that EGS contributes to through a 50/50 program. EGS donates 50% towards the purchase of certain materials and GBPL provides the other 50%.

Since the 1990s EGS has provided over $20,000 in scholarships and grants to assist local graduate students studying in the field of library sciences, museum studies or history, and organizations furthering genealogy or local history.

For additional information about EGS, visit their website or contact them by email at ElginGS@aol.com. You can also follow their blog or find them on Facebook.

Upcoming Webinars - May 2013

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 14:17:00 +0000

Join us on Tuesday, May 14, at 8:00 PM Central, when Laura Prescott will present Timelines: Placing Your Heritage in Historical Perspective. To attend this webinar, register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6182542135328835840.

Last week's webinar, Digging Through Documents Word by Word, presented by Debbie Mieszala, is now available to ISGS members in the Members Section of the ISGS website (http://ilgensoc.org/members.php).

Upcoming Webinars

May 14 – Timelines: Placing Your Heritage in Historical Perspective
Presenter: Laura Prescott
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6182542135328835840

June 11 – The Research Calendar: A Resource You Cannot Live Without
Presenter: Luana Darby
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1792803534084357632

July 9 – Common Surnames: Ways to Identify Your Ancestors in a Crowd
Presenter: Juliana Smith
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5387125736981834496

Announcing the ISGS 2013 Ancestor Photo Contest

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:26:00 +0000

One of the most common questions about the ISGS website seems to be: Who are those people in the photos?

The photo above and all the photos you see in the header of the ISGS Website were winners in the 2012 ISGS Ancestor Photo Contest. ISGS is happy to announce the 2013 ISGS Ancestor Photo Contest and asks this question: wouldn't it be great to see our own ancestors' photos up there?

Between April 1 and May 31, 2013, ISGS is asking members to submit photos of their own ancestors for use on the ISGS website. If your photo is selected, it will be displayed on a rotating-basis in the top banner of the ISGS website along with other member-submitted photos. You can view all the pervious years' winners at http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=156.

Not only will you be credited with the photo submission, but you'll also be able to provide a brief biography of the person or persons in the photo.

Click here for more information and instructions on submitting your ancestor photos!

NOTE: You must be a member of ISGS to participate in the 2013 ISGS Ancestor Photo Contest.

ISGS Newsletter Now Available - March-April 2013

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 21:05:00 +0000

The March/April 2013 issue of the ISGS Newsletter is now available to both ISGS members and non-members.

Visit the ISGS website at http://www.ilgensoc.org and click ISGS Newsletter to download the current issue (in PDF) and to view past issues going back to January/February 2008.

© 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

Society Spotlight: Marissa Historical & Genealogical Society

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Cahill Tarr) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:30:00 +0000

The Marissa Historical & Genealogical Society (MHGS) in Marissa, Illinois, was organized in 1969 with the goal of nurturing in others an interest in history and genealogy. MHGS serves three Illinois counties: southern St. Clair, Randolph, and Washington. Currently, an individual membership is $25/year. Members receive the society's quarterly publication and can use the library at their convenience.

Regular meetings of the Society are held on the fourth Thursday of the month (except July, November, and December) at 7 PM in the Academy Building in the Village Park on South Main Street in Marissa. MHGS meetings are open to the public.

The Society Library/Museum is located at 608 South Main Street in Marissa. It is open on Wednesday afternoons from 12 to 3 PM. However anyone wanting to do research at other times may call for an appointment (618-295-2562 or 618-295-2559). Library holdings include:

Newspapers for Sparta, Marissa, and Nashville on microfilm
Censuses on microfilm
Various county histories
Cemetery records
Church records
Family histories
Family file, containing information submitted by other researchers

Their newspaper collection, along with the obituary indexes to the Marissa and Sparta newspapers, are among the most popular library resources. For additional details on the library's holdings, refer to the Resources page of the MHGS website. The Society also has a small museum containing many artifacts from the area, including a display of old Bibles.

MHGS has several publication for sale, including two of their newest, WWI Marissa Area Veterans and "Branching Out" Surname Index & Table of Contents 2009-2012. They are also working on an obituary index for Sparta newspapers from 1931 to 1941. For a complete list of publications, refer to the Books – Sale Items page of their website.

For additional information about the Society, visit their website, or contact them by email at marissahgs@frontier.com.

ISGS Voted Best State Genealogical Society at About.com

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:37:00 +0000

Some great news! The Illinois State Genealogical Society has been voted as the Best State/Provincial Genealogical Society in the About.com 2013 Genealogy Readers' Choice Awards!

According to the About.com article which you can read here:

Readers have nominated their favorites for the 2013 About Genealogy Readers' Choice Awards and then voted from among the finalists in eleven categories, ranging from genealogy software and apps, to websites and blogs. Voting for the 2013 About Genealogy Readers' Choice Awards was open from February 19 through March 19, 2013, with winners announced on March 27, 2013. The polls were audited and validated by our tech team to produce the final results.

It is a great honor for ISGS to win this award and we thank not only all those who voted for us, but also all the hard-working volunteers who bring their passion and skills to ISGS. We could not do what we do without our members and our volunteers.

And a special shout out to the other finalists in the Best State/Provincial Genealogical Society category this year! Please click here to read more about each of them and their fine programs and projects.

© 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

April 2013 Webinar – Digging Through Documents Word by Word

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:57:00 +0000

Join us on April 9, for an opportunity to learn how to effectively analyze the documents you use in your genealogy research. Debbie Mieszala will present Digging Through Documents Word by Word and show us how.

Date: Tuesday, April 9, 2013, 8:00 pm Central

Description: Proper scrutiny of each piece of information in a document is essential to understanding that item’s evidentiary value. Studying every word’s meaning and context ensures that evidence has been properly analyzed and comprehended.

Presenter: Debbie Mieszala, CG^SM

Debbie Mieszala, Certified Genealogist^SM, specializes in forensic genealogy, 20th century research, and the Midwest. She does genealogical research for the military to locate relatives of service members missing in past wars, and formerly did adoption-related research as a Confidential Intermediary in Illinois. A national-level lecturer and author, she has taught at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research. Debbie’s work has been published in NGS Magazine, The Digital Genealogist, and OnBoard! As a member of the BCG Outreach Committee, she writes press releases on newly certified genealogists. She has attended IGHR and NIGR, and holds a certificate in paralegal studies.

Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3231307790843086592

Recording and Handout Available to ISGS Members: For ISGS members who cannot attend the live webinar on April 9, a recording of the webinar, along with the handout, will be made available in the Members Section of the ISGS website at http://ilgensoc.org/members.php. If you're not already a member of ISGS, visit Join ISGS! at http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=8 for more information.

Spread the Word: Forward this email onto your friends and colleagues, post the information to social media sites and/or your blog/website, or print out a few copies of our webinar flyer to hand out at your local society meetings. The flyer can be accessed at http://ilgensoc.org/upload/menu/2013_Webinar_Brochure.pdf.

Make a Contribution: Support the ISGS Webinar program by making a financial contribution, which will help ISGS expand its educational offerings in a virtual manner. To learn why we need your help, or to make a contribution, please visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=345.

© 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

Changes to the ISGS 2013 Webinar Schedule

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 21:37:00 +0000

Due to scheduling conflicts, the Illinois State Genealogical Society webinars for October 2013 and November 2013 have been switched. The new schedule is as follows:

October 8, 2013 at 8 PM Central - Up In Smoke!! What To Do When the Courthouse Burns, with Peggy Clemens Lauritzen

November 12, 2013 at 8 PM Central - Little Houses on the Prairie: Midwestern Research Techniques, with Diana Crisman Smith

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Action Required

If you have already registered for either of these sessions, you will receive an update email from GoToWebinar with the new date and time. Use the information provided in this new email to attend the live webinar.

If you had previously added the webinar to your Outlook calendar via the link provided at registration, remove the current calendar entry first, then use the "Add to Outlook" link in the GoToWebinar update email to add the corrected version back to your calendar.

If you added either of the sessions to your calendar manually, make sure to update your calendar entry with the new information provided in the GoToWebinar update.

ISGS Website Updated

The ISGS website has been updated to reflect the new schedule. If you would like to register for either of these sessions (or any other upcoming webinars), please visit http://www.ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=227. A corrected version of the webinar brochure can also be found there.

If you have any questions, please direct them to isgseducation@ilgensoc.org.

ISGS Office Closed Monday, March 25, 2013

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:06:00 +0000

The ISGS Office will be closed on Monday, March 25, 2013 due to inclement weather.

The office will be open from 10am to 1pm on Wednesday, March 27, 2013.

Regular hours will resume on Thursday, March 28, 2013.

© 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

Upcoming Webinars - April 2013

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:46:00 +0000

Join us on Tuesday, April 9, at 8:00 PM Central, where Debbie Mieszala, will present, Digging Through Documents Word by Word. To attend this webinar, register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3231307790843086592.

Last week's webinar, Back to Your Roots: Planning a Successful Heritage Research Trip, presented by Lisa Alzo, is now available to ISGS members in the Members Section of the ISGS website (http://ilgensoc.org/members.php).

Upcoming Webinars

April 9 – Digging Through Documents Word by Word
Presenter: Debbie Mieszala, CG
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3231307790843086592

May 14 – Timelines: Placing Your Heritage in Historical Perspective
Presenter: Laura Prescott
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6182542135328835840

June 11 – The Research Calendar: A Resource You Cannot Live Without
Presenter: Luana Darby
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1792803534084357632

2013 Family History Conference and Book Fair

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 22:05:00 +0000

2013 Family History Conference and Book Fair

8:00 am to 4:00 pm - John A. Logan College Route 13 & Greenbriar Road, Carterville, IL
Presented by Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D.
Web: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilgssi/conf2013.html
Registration: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilgssi/reg_form.html

The Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois and John A. Logan College
Saturday, August 10, 2013
8:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.

Ray Hancock Conference Center
John A. Logan College
Route 13 & Greenbriar Road, Carterville, IL

Featured Speaker

Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D.

Certified Genealogist & Certified Genealogical Lecturer

Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS, has edited the National Genealogical Society Quarterly since 2002. He is a trustee and a past president of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, past board member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, and recipient of its 2011 Professional Achievement Award and its 2004 Grahame T. Smallwood Jr. Award of Merit.

Retired from a thirty-year career in higher education and professor emeritus at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., Tom works full time as a genealogical researcher, writer, editor, and educator. He coordinates courses at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, and Samford University's Institute on Genealogy and Historical Research; and he teaches in Boston University's Genealogical Certificate Program. Tom's research has encompassed records of every state east of the Mississippi, as well as Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Texas, England, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, and Wales. He specializes, however, in Georgia and Virginia and is most interested in solving "brick-wall" genealogical problems.

Tom writes and speaks frequently on genealogical methods with broad application across geographic areas, time periods, and levels of expertise. He is known for meaty lectures benefiting genealogists of all experience levels.

Finding "Unfindable" Ancestors

The failure of common research practices to identify ancestors does not mean they are nfindable. This session will describe and demonstrate nine approaches to locating difficult-to-trace ancestors.

Going Beyond the Bare Bones:

Reconstructing Your Ancestors' Lives

Learn how to extract information from frequently used genealogical sources to create biographies that bring ancestors to life.

How to Avoid Being Duped by the Internet

The Internet brings increasingly bountiful amounts of information to genealogists' desktops—some valid, some erroneous, and much of unknown accuracy. Attendees will learn practical strategies for discriminating between correct and misleading information. They also will learn how online genealogical information—even if its accuracy is unknown—can lead to valid conclusions about ancestors.

Missing Something?

Getting the Most out of Genealogical Evidence

Attendees will learn five ways to get more information from the genealogical sources they use: paying attention to all of the evidence in the sources; examining each source's context; using an entire series; paying better attention to what is not in the source (using negative evidence); and combining sources to build a case.

Historical & Heritage Book Fair

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 21:48:00 +0000

Heritage and Historical Book Fair
Saturday, April 6, 2013
10:00 am to 3:00 pm
St. Luke’s Parish Hall, 226 N. Church St., Belleville, IL
Web: http://www.stclair-ilgs.org/bookfair.htm

St. Clair County Genealogical Society
PO BOX 431
Belleville, Illinois 62222-0431
http://www.stclair-ilgs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SCCGS TO HOST BOOK FAIR

BELLEVILLE, Ill. – Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 6, 2013, when the St. Clair County (Ill.) Genealogical Society hosts a Heritage and Historical Book Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the St. Luke’s Parish Hall, 226 N. Church St., Belleville.

Genealogical and historical societies from St. Clair and surrounding counties are being invited to bring their publications for sale. It’s an opportunity for them to showcase their organizations and activities, and provides a one-stop shopping and networking service for family history researchers. Admission is free to the public.

Updates on participating organizations are on the Society’s website at www.stclair-ilgs.org, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SCCGS#.

Genealogy Day - April 20th - Fountaindale Public Library

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 21:31:00 +0000

Genealogy Day at the Fountaindale Public Library
300 W. Briarcliff Rd, Bolingbrook, IL
Web: www.fountaindale.org
Saturday, April 20, 2013
9:30 am to 4 pm

Join us for fantastic free program and learn the skills you need to make a difference in your family history research! Door Prizes! Society Booths! Author Book Signings!

Tina BeairdHomesteading Records

Steve Szabados
Naturalization – Beginning of your U.S. Family Heritage

Craig Pfannkuche
Using Railroad Records in Family History Research

300 W. Briarcliff Rd, Bolingbrook, IL
Phone: 1-630-759-2102
ddudek@fountaindale.org

Space is limited, please register online at www.fountaindale.org or by calling the library at (630) 685-4176. Participants are asked to bring a brown-bag lunch or preorder a lunch from Brooks Café. (Form on back of this flyer) Beverages will be provided. Due to limited parking, please carpool or make arrangements to be dropped off for this event! Call the library for more information.

March 2013 Webinar – Back to Your Roots: Planning a Successful Heritage Research Trip

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:50:00 +0000

Want to learn how to make the most of your visit to an ancestor's homeland? Join us on March 12, where Lisa Alzo will show us how with her presentation Back to Your Roots: Planning a Successful Heritage Research Trip.

Date: Tuesday, March 12, 2013, 8:00 pm Central

Description: Learn how to plan that dream trip to your ancestral homeland, including how and what to pack, book affordable travel and accommodations, how to create a workable itinerary, key tips for visiting archives and villages, and other secrets to make it your most memorable trip ever!

Presenter: Lisa Alzo

Lisa A. Alzo. M.F.A. is a freelance writer, instructor, and internationally recognized lecturer, specializing in Slovak/Eastern European genealogical research, writing your family history, and using the Internet to trace female and immigrant ancestors. She is the author of nine books, including the award-winning Three Slovak Women, and hundreds of magazine articles, and writes the blog "The Accidental Genealogist" http://www.theaccidentalgenealogist.com.

Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8438226523594802432

Recording and Handout Available to ISGS Members: For ISGS members who cannot attend the live webinar on February 12, a recording of the webinar, along with the handout, will be made available in the Members Section of the ISGS website at http://ilgensoc.org/members.php. If you're not already a member of ISGS, visit Join ISGS! at http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=8 for more information.

Spread the Word: Forward this email onto your friends and colleagues, post the information to social media sites and/or your blog/website, or print out a few copies of our webinar flyer to hand out at your local society meetings. The flyer can be accessed at http://ilgensoc.org/upload/menu/2013_Webinar_Brochure.pdf.

Make a Contribution: Support the ISGS Webinar program by making a financial contribution, which will help ISGS expand its educational offerings in a virtual manner. To learn why we need your help, or to make a contribution, please visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=345.

© 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

ISGS Nominated for Best State/Provincial Genealogical Society

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:02:00 +0000

Great news! The Illinois State Genealogical Society has been selected as a finalist in the About.com Readers' Choice Awards for 2013 in the category of Best State/Provincial Genealogical Society!

Why ISGS? To quote the post at About.com:

A large number of genealogical societies have re-invented themselves in recent years, embracing social media, virtual education, digital publishing, and other tools to reach a far-flung audience. To highlight the vibrancy and necessity of some of today's genealogical societies, I've given them their own category in the About.com Readers' Choice Awards. To keep things on a somewhat equal playing field, nominations are being accepted for state (provincial, departmental, etc.) genealogical societies only. I think we already all know how great the national and regional societies are.

Your vote is needed!

Between February 19, 2013, and March 27, 2013, you can vote for your favorite genealogical society (we hope it is ISGS!) Click here to learn more and vote!

© 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

Upcoming Webinars - March 2013

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 22:34:00 +0000

Join us on Tuesday, March 12, at 8:00 PM Central, when Lisa Alzo will present Back to Your Roots: Planning a Successful Heritage Research Trip. To attend this webinar, register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8438226523594802432.

Last week's webinar, Best Genealogy Present You Can Give Yourself: Citing Your Sources, presented by Harold Henderson, is now available to ISGS members in the Members Section of the ISGS website (http://ilgensoc.org/members.php).

Upcoming Webinars

March 12 – Back to Your Roots: Planning a Successful Heritage Research TripPresenter: Lisa Alzo
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8438226523594802432

April 9 – Digging Through Documents Word by Word
Presenter: Debbie Mieszala, CG
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3231307790843086592

May 14 – Timelines: Placing Your Heritage in Historical Perspective
Presenter: Laura Prescott
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6182542135328835840

For the complete list of upcoming webinars, including the entire 2013 schedule, visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=234.

And don't forget to spread the word by printing out a few copies of our webinar flyer to hand out at your local society meetings. The flyer can be accessed at http://ilgensoc.org/upload/menu/2013webinarbrochure.pdf.

Support the ISGS Webinar program by making a financial contribution, which will help ISGS expand its educational offerings in a virtual manner. To learn why we need your help, or to make a contribution, please visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=345.

Please direct any questions to the ISGS Education Committee at isgseducation@ilgensoc.org.

ISGS Office Closed Monday, February 18, 2013

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:33:00 +0000

The ISGS Office will be closed on Monday, February 18, 2013 in observance of the President's Day holiday.

The office will be open from 10am to 1pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013.

Regular hours will resume on Thursday, February 21, 2013.

© 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

ISGS Newsletter Now Available - January-February 2013

noreply@blogger.com (ISGS Publicity) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 23:29:00 +0000

The January/February 2013 issue of the ISGS Newsletter is now available to both ISGS members and non-members.

Visit the ISGS website at http://www.ilgensoc.org and click ISGS Newsletter to download the current issue (in PDF) and to view past issues going back to January/February 2008.

© 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society