Illinois State Genealogical Society Blog

This is your last chance to get in on the Early Registration pricing for the upcoming ISGS 2012 Fall Conference , to be held in Rockford, Illinois on Friday, October 19, 2012 and Saturday, October 20, 2012. Save By Registering Before September 30, 2012 ISGS Members and Non-Members can save by registering on or before September 30, 2012.  Register and pay online using this link or print the registration form using this link (opens in PDF via Adobe Reader), pay by check and make sure your form is postmarked by September 30, 2012 to be eligible for the discount. Not a member of ISGS? Click here to join now! Individual membership is $30 a year. WANTED: Future Genealogists for Youth Workshops on Saturday, October 20, 2012 There is still room in the Youth Workshops, but sign up TODAY! The ISGS Youth Workshop will teach children from grades one through twelve the basics of genealogical research. Youth in 1st – 4th grade will: Learn how to complete a family tree and make c

On Tuesday, October 9 , at 8 PM Central, Leslie Albrecht Huber, will present, Jumping Over Hurdles in German Research , which will help you conquer common dilemmas such as record access, language, and immigration. To attend this webinar, register at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/309951654 . Last week's webinar, Grandma did What!?: Researching your Famous and Infamous Relatives , presented by Gena Philibert-Ortega, is now available to ISGS members in the Members Section of the ISGS website ( http://ilgensoc.org/members.php ). Upcoming Webinars October 9 – Jumping Over Hurdles in German Research with Leslie Albrecht Huber. Register at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/309951654 November 13 – Sidestep Genealogy with George G. Morgan Register at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/559302166 December 11 – Ready-Set-Plan! Developing a One-Step Research Plan with J. Mark Lowe, CG Register at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/226300078 For the complete

The Illinois State Genealogical Society is pleased to announce a major donation to its War of 1812 Pension Match Challenge from the Indiana Genealogical Society in the amount of $1,812. In addition, recent contributions received during the Federation of Genealogical Societies ' 2012 Conference in Birmingham, Alabama last month along with the generous IGS gift have pushed the total received so far to $6,912. The ISGS campaign is 70% to completing its goal of $10,000 which will then be quadrupled through an ISGS match and an Ancestry.com match to equal $40,000. These monies will be used in the War of 1812 "Preserve The Pensions" campaign, with the goal of raising $3.7 million to digitize the War of 1812 Pension Application Files held at the National Archives and make them freely accessible online. The digitized pension files will be available for free on Fold3.com - see http://go.fold3.com/1812pensions/ to view the files that are available so far. Please visit the

The McLean County Genealogical Society (MCGS) in Normal, Illinois, was organized in 1966 with the purposes of preserving ancestral records, encouraging the study of family history, teaching genealogy methodology, and promoting genealogical publication. Currently, the Society's membership is made up of over 200 members from around the country. An individual membership is $20/year ($25/year outside the US and Canada) and members receive a monthly newsletter and semi-annual journal, as well as free admission to the McLean County Museum of History. Regular meetings of the Society are held on the third Tuesday of each month (except August and December) at 7:00 PM at the McLean County Museum of History courtroom, 200 N. Main Street, Bloomington, Illinois. Each July, in place of their regular meeting, the society meets at a local cemetery for a program on its history. Members of the public are invited to attend all meetings. A list of upcoming programs can be found on their website at htt

Join us for next week's webinar, Grandma did What!?: Researching your Famous and Infamous Relatives presented by Gena Philibert-Ortega. Finding these famous and infamous ancestors and their stories can give you a unique perspective of their lives and your own family history. Date : Tuesday, September 11, 2012, 8:00 pm Central Description : In order to research infamous ancestors, genealogists have to be knowledgeable about the diverse historical resources available. In this presentation, using various case studies, we will look at manuscript collections, ephemera, newspapers, and repositories available to research your famous or infamous ancestor. Presenter : Gena Philibert-Ortega Gena Philibert-Ortega holds a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and a Master’s degree in Religion. Presenting on various subjects involving genealogy, women’s studies and social history, Gena has spoken to groups throughout the United States and virtually to audiences worldwide. Gena i

[ Editor's note : ISGS is one of the charter societies working with the Federation of Genealogical Societies in its new partnership with findmypast.com ] Partnership makes records available to findmypast.com and creates a vital source of revenue for local societies. Findmypast.com, an international leader in online family history research, today announced a national partnership with Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) to preserve, digitize and provide access to local records from genealogical societies across the country. The collaborative initiative will help preserve genealogical records and provide a vital revenue stream for the societies. Throughout the remainder of 2012, findmypast.com will release records from the following pilot partners: New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, the most authoritative source for research on New York families Illinois State Genealogical Society Williamson County (Texas) Genealogical Society “As we aggressively grow o