Illinois State Genealogical Society Blog

Did you know there are spies lurking at the Glen Carbon Heritage Museum ? Did you know that March is National Women's History Month? What do these two questions have in common? Well, join us at the Glen Carbon Heritage Museum on March 12, 2011 at 1:00 pm to find out! Local Historian Walter Hall will be presenting informative information and an entertaining presentation on "Women Spies of the Civil War." Mr. Hall is retired from both the Air Force and the Navy, and he is a descendant of several Confederate servicemen, including Commander James D. Bullock, Confederate States Navy and head of the Confederate Secret Services in Europe. Call Sheila Martin , Museum Aide at (618) 288-7121 for more information and to reserve your seat for this unique look at the Civil War. All speakers series presentations are free of charge and open the the public. Reservations are not required, but are appreciated so ample seating can be set up. Glen Carbon Heritage Museum 124 School S...

The family of Sandra Hargreaves Luebking, who passed away last Thursday, February 17, 2011, has announced the following plans for a memorial service: Saturday, April 2, 2011 10:00 am Chapel Hill Gardens West Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois Directions to the service can be found here . © 2011, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

The ISGS office will be CLOSED on Monday, February 21, 2011 in honor of President's Day. The ISGS office will reopen on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 10:00 am. © 2011, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society a

The Illinois State Genealogical Society notes the passing of Sandra Hargreaves Luebking and offers its condolences to her family and many friends in the genealogy community. Many members of ISGS will remember the years of Sandra's service not only in the field of genealogy but at ISGS itself. Here is a list of her many accomplishments and offices she held during her association with us: 1981-1983 Director 1984 Local Society Guidance Chair 1985 1st Vice President 1989-2011 FGS Representative 1994-2005 Intermediate Studies Coordinator for the Genealogical Institute of Mid-America For more information on Sandra, please see the memorial tribute posted at the FGS Voice blog at http://voice.fgs.org/2011/02/in-memoriam-sandra-hargreaves-luebking.html . © 2011, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

The ISGS office will be CLOSED on Monday, February 14, 2011. The ISGS office will reopen on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 10:00 am. © 2011, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

The Illinois State Genealogical Society is proud to announce the creation of a new database at the ISGS website . In honor of Black History Month, ISGS member volunteers have been busy scanning and transcribing a selection of African-American genealogy articles which were first published in the ISGS Quarterly during the late 1970s. Located under Free Databases and titled African-American Genealogy , items so far include these articles: Black Women's Descendants Sought (ISGS Quarterly, Vol. 9, No. 1, Spring 1977) Introduction to Black Genealogy (ISGS Quarterly, Vol. 10, No. 1, Spring 1978) The Negro in Montgomery County, Illinois (ISGS Quarterly, Vol. 10, No. 1, Spring 1978) Register of Slaves (Indentures) and Emancipation of Slaves (ISGS Quarterly, Vol. 10, No. 1, Spring 1978) Published during the exciting post-Roots era when the genealogy community experienced a re-awakening and a renewed interest in African-American genealogy, these articles provide valuable data f...

So, will you be watching? As a reminder, tonight at 7:00 pm CST, Who Do You Think You Are? returns with Season 2.  The first episode of the new season features Vanessa Williams as she searchers for her ancestors in Tennessee. © 2011, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

[ Editor's Note : the following press release was received from the Federation of Genealogical Societies announcing the opening of registration for the FGS 2011 Conference. ISGS the co-host of this year's conference and many ISGS members are volunteering their time and skills to make this important event happen. ] “Pathways to the Heartland” - A Conference for the Nation’s Genealogists February 2, 2011 – Austin, TX . Registration for the 2011 Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference , scheduled for 7-10 September 2011 in beautiful Springfield, Illinois, is now open. This year’s conference theme is “Pathways to the Heartland,” and the local host is the Illinois State Genealogical Society. This year's conference offers an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in researching their family history. Over 165 educational sessions and 13 luncheons are designed to balance the needs of genealogists at all levels, exploring a variety of records, strategies, and other...

Due to weather conditions, the ISGS office will not be open on Wednesday, February 2, 2011. The ISGS office will reopen on Monday, February 7, 2011 at 10:00 am. © 2010, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

ISGS Announces New Members-Only Website Section Includes Access to Illinois-related Genealogy Databases and Indices February 1, 2011 – Springfield, IL . The Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS) announces the addition of a new Members Section to its recently revamped website at http://www.ilgensoc.org . Active members of ISGS can now access various databases and indices created by ISGS members and volunteers including: Civic and Fraternal Organization Lists : Indexes extracted from various sources such as annual reports, conference programs and more. Organizations include the Masonic Veterans Association of Illinois. Data includes names, membership dates, death dates, locations, addresses and more! Professional Membership Lists : indexes extracted from various sources such as annual reports, bulletins, conference programs and more. Organizations include Illinois State Dental Society, Illinois Bar Association and others. Data includes names, membership dates, death dates, marr...