Illinois State Genealogical Society Blog

In honor of Memorial Day, here is a listing of Illinois Veterans Databases from the Illinois State Archives: Database for the Illinois Veterans' History Project Database of Illinois War of 1812 Veterans Database of Illinois Winnebago War Veterans Database of Illinois Black Hawk War Veteran s Database of Illinois Mexican War Veterans Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls Database Database of Illinois Civil War Veterans Serving in the U.S. Navy Database of Illinois Civil War Veterans of Missouri Units Database of Illinois Spanish–American War Veterans Database of the 1929 Illinois Roll of Honor Database of Illinois Soldiers' and Sailors' Home Residents © 2010, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

There are many times when researching Illinois ancestors, that you need to consult the laws in place at the time your ancestor was living .  The Western Illinois University Libraries site has started a new website entitled Laws of Illinois which lists not only current state laws but also the following time periods: Prior to Statehood Northwest Territory Indiana Territory Illinois Territory The Road to Illinois Statehood Illinois State Constitution The State of Illinois 1818-1839 1840-1849 1850-1859 1860-1869 1890-1920 Recent/Current © 2010, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

Not only will genealogy play in Peoria, but genealogists will too! On Saturday, October 23, 2010 the Illinois State Genealogical Society and their co-host, the Peoria County Genealogical Society, will be holding their Fall Conference in Peoria, Illinois at the Historic Hotel Pere Marquette. The conference theme is "You Have Family - You Have History." The society has added a new Youth Workshop to teach students how to discover their own history. As usual, the conference will include great speakers and exhibits. The conference also offers great networking opportunities and the many sights and activities Peoria has to offer. 2010 Fall Conference Registration Form  (downloads in PDF) 2010 Fall Conference Online Registration Form © 2010, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

Thanks to our Recording Secretary, Julie Cahill Tarr (who has her own genealogy blog at GenBlog !) for pointing out this resource: the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society which is available for the years 1950 - 2006 in an online, searchable database. The JISHS digitization is one of many such projects at the Northern Illinois University Libraries and we are grateful to have such a genealogy resource available online. © 2010, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

[ 52 Weeks to Better Genealogy is a series of genealogy challenges developed by Amy Coffin of the We Tree blog and hosted by GeneaBloggers ] The Illinois State Archives maintains a variety of records and resources to help the genealogy researcher with roots in the Prairie State.  Managed as part of the Secretary of State's office, the Archives has a strong web-presence with not only online databases but links to helpful information for family history researchers. Online Databases While it isn't possible to list each and every database available online , here are some highlights: Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre–1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index (1916–1950) Database of Illinois Servitude and Emancipation Records Illinois Regional Archives Depositories (IRAD) In addition to those  records held by the Archives, several regional universities across the state act as depositories for specific collections.  With over 4

The Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois is holding a workshop on Saturday, June 5, 2010 entitled " What Can That Cemetery Tell You? " at Stonefort Community Center. Presenters include Carol Crisp, Richard Kuenneke, Mike McNerny, and Jeanette O'Boyle, who will cover a variety of topics pertinent to cemetery research including effigy stones and how to "dowse" for graves. More information is available on the GSSI flyer (opens in PDF). © 2010, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

ISGS Board Members at NGS 2010 (front - l to r) Janice Fritsch, Jane Haldeman, Donna Pond, Nancy Blackwell (rear - l to r) Kim Kasprzyk, and Carole McCarty NGS 2010 Convention in Salt Lake City, UT, April 30, 2010 © 2010, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

Welcome to the blog of the Illinois State Genealogical Society ! This blog is one of many new social media endeavors we are undertaking in order to spread the word about our society as well as the many genealogy resources available to those whose ancestors settled in and even passed through the Prairie State. In the upcoming weeks, you'll learn more about ISGS, its members, its publications and services as well as upcoming events like our Fall Conference held in Peoria, IL on Saturday, October 23, 2010. © 2010, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society