Illinois State Genealogical Society Blog

On March 9, 2012, FamilySearch added to new databases of interest to Illinois researchers. Illinois, Births and Christenings, 1824-1940 (506,916 entries as of 3/9/12) Illinois, Marriages, 1815-1935 (636,536 entries as of 3/9/12) Also of note, the Illinois, Probate Records, 1819-1970 image collection was updated on February 22, 2012.

ISGS has a Prairie Pioneers Certificates database online that lists the certificates issued as part of the Prairie Pioneers Certificate project that honors Illinois pioneers.  The database lists the pioneer’s name, along with the county, the year they came to Illinois, and the ISGS Prairie Pioneers Certificate number.  This searchable database is available to anyone under the Free Databases section of the ISGS Website . Pioneers Added Since November 2011 William Young Elijah Potter Stephen Wheeler Samuel Prevo Mary Orth Henry Taylor William Henry Long Harrison Morrical Jacob Bughman Absalom Bradshaw

The March/April 2012 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. © 2012, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

On Tuesday, April 10, at 8 PM Central, D. Joshua Taylor will present, Going Digital: Organizing Your Research Files Electronically , where you will learn how to take your paper research notes, logs, and documents and convert them into your own personal “digital archives.” To attend this webinar, register at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/916785542 . Upcoming Webinars April 10 – Going Digital: Organizing Your Research Files Electronically with D. Joshua Taylor Register at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/916785542 May 8 – Some Great, Seldom-Used, Resources: A Genealogical Potpourri with Timothy Pinnick Register at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/542750318 June 12 – The War of 1812 – America’s “Forgotten” War with Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG Register at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/361887982 For the complete list of upcoming webinars, visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=234 . And don't forget to spread the word by printing out a few

One of the most common questions about the ISGS website seems to be: W ho are those people in the photos at the top of the page? The photo above and all the photos you see in the header of the ISGS Website were winners in our 2011 ISGS Ancestor Photo contest. ISGS is happy to announce the 2012 ISGS Ancestor Photo Contest and asks this question: wouldn't it be great to see your own ancestors' photos up there? Between now and May 31, 2012, 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 2011 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. Visit the 2012 ISGS Ancestor Photo Contest page at http://ilgensoc.org/

For the past few months, since their introduction on the ISGS Website, the ISGS Forums have been available to members only. In case you aren’t familiar with the forums, they can be accessed at http://ilgensoc.org/forum.php . What does this mean? Only ISGS Members can post new messages and respond to existing messages; however, all the information is now available for the public to read. This will help get your query or research question a wider audience. What’s in the ISGS Forums? Here are some of the current topics: About ISGS Forums Brick Walls Free Lookups Illinois Genealogy Resources Queries Research Questions You can learn more about the ISGS Forums at http://ilgensoc.org/upload/menu/ISGS_Forum_Instructions.pdf (opens in Adobe Reader). Want to suggest a new topic? Simply contact the ISGS Webmaster at isgswebmaster@ilgensoc.org with your suggestion. You can help spread the word by posting the link on social media (Facebook, Twitter), telling your genealogy frien

“Photo Retouching in Genealogical Research” will be the theme of the Saturday, March 17, 2012 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. Presented by Larry L. Pepper, owner of Pepper Photography, which specializes in photographic restoration and archiving. Using digital imaging software, Larry has carved out a niche as a specialist who digitally restores images that are faded, cracked, and heavily damaged, and then creates new photographs resembling the like-new condition of the old originals. Additionally, Larry provides advice regarding the safe storage of paper documents and photographs. 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, March, May, July, September and November at the Community Church, 5714 Broadway (2 blocks west of

Join the Illinois State Genealogical Society in celebrating Women's History Month by attending the March webinar, Desperately Seeking Susan: Finding Female Ancestors . Date : Tuesday, March 13, 2012, 8:00 pm Central Presenter : Amy Johnson Crow, MLIS, CG Amy Johnson Crow, MLIS, CG, is a researcher, editor, webmaster, and database developer. She is the Genealogical Content Manager for Archives.com. Amy has also served as a database and website consultant for libraries and societies. She is a former webmaster for the Federation of Genealogical Societies. Amy earned her Master of Library and Information Science degree from Kent State University, where she concentrated on digital libraries and digital preservation. Description : Changing surnames and scant records -- it's enough to make a genealogist ignore the female half of the family tree. This webinar will explore sources and methodologies to help you find those elusive female ancestors. Register : https://www3.gotom