Illinois State Genealogical Society Blog

On October 20, 2011, FamilySearch updated the Illinois Probate Records collection containing images from 1819-1970. The collection is not indexed , but researchers can browse through images by clicking here . The collection description at FamilySearch : Collection of probate records, which includes will, indexes, and other documents created to track the distribution of estates of deceased individuals who lived in Illinois. Probates were generally recorded in the county of residence. This collection covers probate records created by Illinois courts, 1819-1970, but the content and time period of the records will vary by county. A few additional county court records are also present. Additional records may be added to this collection. Check the wiki or browse the collection to determine current coverage. Learn more about Illinois Probate Books in this article at the FamilySearch Research Wiki. © 2011, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

Thanks to our society's association with FGS, RootsTech is extending a very attractive discounted rate of $99 for three days only to any members of our society who would like to participate in this one-of-a-kind, dynamic conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. RootsTech is a leading edge conference designed to bring technologists together with genealogists, so they can learn from each other and find solutions to the challenges they face in family history research today. More than 3,000 people attended the inaugural conference in 2011 and their feedback on RootsTech was overwhelmingly positive. Don't miss out in 2012! Take advantage of the special $99 registration rate and we look forward to seeing you at RootsTech 2012! A new family history and technology conference February 2-4, 2012 Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah FGS registration discount is available October 27 to 29 Use the promotion code FGS when registering to receive the FGS discount rate A

Here's your chance to win your own  Flip-Pal™ Mobile Scanner ! Enter The Flip-Pal™ Birthday Giveaway running from October 26 through October 31, 2011 and you could win! You must enter the sweepstakes using this link on Facebook. The contest is open to residents of the United States and Canada - more details below: Grand Prize A Flip-Pal mobile scanner Creative Suite—with Craft Edition DVD + a deluxe case + a battery charger! There are 3 Grand Prizes, each valued at $259.97! 2nd Prize A Flip-Pal mobile scanner! There are 5 Second Prizes, each valued at $149.99! 3rd Prize A Deluxe Carry Case! There are 10 Third Prizes, each valued at $29.99! Prize Eligibility Only persons residing in Canada and United States who are at least 21 years of age can enter. Sweepstakes Starts: October 26, 2011 @ 12:00 am (MDT) Sweepstakes Ends: October 31, 2011 @ 11:59 pm (MDT) Need more Details?  Read the Official Rules © 2011, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

Greg Cox will present, “Genealogical Resources of the Illinois State Archives and IRAD” at the Saturday, November 19, 2011 meeting of the British Interest Group of Wisconsin & Illinois (BIGWILL) from 10:00 am until 12:00 noon at the Community Church, 5714 Broadway, Richmond, IL. The Illinois State Archives in Springfield is a repository for an extremely diverse range of records which can be useful to genealogists. The Illinois Regional Archives Depositories (IRAD), located on seven university campuses, house and service local government records such as county board proceedings, land deeds, tax records, voter registration, naturalization records, probate records, court files, etc. Greg Cox, Archivist of the Illinois State Archives, has lectured to many audiences about the resources of the archives. BIGWILL, a genealogical special interest group for those who wish to research family history and ancestry in the British Isles, meets at 10:00 am on the third Saturday of January, M

If you aren't in the habit of researching records in Cook County, Illinois prior to the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, then the term "Sam Fink Index" probably means nothing to you. Click here to access (you must have a subscripton to Ancestry.com to access the images). Here is an idea of what the Sam Fink Index is and why it is important: Marriage records with the word FINK in the license field were transcribed from a microfilm copy of the typescript Chicago Marriage and Death Index compiled by Sam Fink. Mr. Fink's compilation of pre-1872 marriages was an attempt to recover information about early Cook County marriages lost in the Great Fire of Chicago on October 8–10, 1871. The index includes the names of the bride and groom, the date of the marriage and the newspaper in which the marriage appeared. The Sam Fink Index was microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah and a copy of this microfilm is located at the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) at Nor

Last month, ISGS held a contest in conjunction with a survey about genealogy education.  We’d like to offer a big “thank you” to everyone who completed the survey.  We received over 200 responses and this will certainly help us plan for educational opportunities in the future. Of those who entered the contest, five people were randomly drawn to receive a free one-year membership to JustAJoy.com .  Our lucky winners were: Judy Osland Gordon Schmaus Robin Kessell Mary Jo Vepley Barbara Coakley Congratulation to our winners!