Illinois State Genealogical Society Blog

Awards Announced At ISGS Annual Conference in Rockford, IL October 29, 2012 – Springfield, IL . On Saturday, October 20, 2012, five individuals were honored by the Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS) with awards for their outstanding achievements in the field of genealogy. ISGS presented the awards at the its annual conference – Family History In Profile – in Rockford, Illinois: ISGS President Janice Fritsch and Rita Welsh Mrs. Rita Welsh – Special Recognition Oregon, Illinois Mrs. Rita Welsh is a retired librarian for the Lee County Genealogical Society. Her wonderful memory for the local, and not so local, facts has made her invaluable to researchers who visited the library in search of their “roots.” Rita was an outstanding example of loyalty, efficiency and willingness to do all she could to help people find their needed information. Janice Fritsch and D. Patrick Gorman D. Patrick Gorman - Community Service Award Dixon, Illinois D. Patrick Gorman h

The Illinois State Genealogical Society is a proud affiliate for the Flip-Pal® mobile scanner which means that when you purchase a Flip-Pal or one of the many accessories, you help support the programs and mission of ISGS. Visit http://flip-pal.com/ISGS to purchase a Flip-Pal. A Special Coupon for ISGS Members and Fans At our recent Fall Conference in Rockford, we had a Flip-Pal on display at the ISGS table for attendees to test drive as well as brochures with a special coupon worth 10% off the purchase of a Flip-Pal mobile scanner. We're excited to share this coupon with you whether you're a member of ISGS or just a fan! Use code ISGS now through December 31, 2012, during the check out process and you'll save 10%! Still More Ways to Support ISGS . . . Did you know that you can shop at a variety of genealogy vendor websites using these links and also support ISGS?  The Shop and Support ISGS program lets you make purchases at Ancestry.com, FamilyTree DNA ,

On Tuesday, November 13 , at 8 PM Central, George G. Morgan, will present, Sidestep Genealogy , designed to help you identify alternative paths to take in your research and hopefully break down those brick walls. To attend this webinar, register at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/559302166 . Last week's webinar, Jumping Over Hurdles in German Research , presented by Leslie Albrecht Huber, is now available to ISGS members in the Members Section of the ISGS website ( http://ilgensoc.org/members.php ). Upcoming Webinars 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 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 copies of our webinar flyer to

As we approach 2013, ISGS’s open positions list has grown due to various life changes we all experience, including a death in our “family,” and the creation of new positions. ISGS fully supports its board members serving in capacities that interest them, which can necessitate moves to new committees, leaving vacancies. Please consider helping ISGS achieve its mission to preserve and disseminate Illinois historical and genealogical materials, and to educate and aid those researching their ancestry. ISGS 2012 Fall Conference Volunteers : The ISGS Fall Conference will be held October 19th & 20th at the Clock Tower Inn and Conference Center, Rockford, IL. Volunteers will help with monitoring sessions, the Youth Workshop, and other essential tasks. Save these dates, and please let us know if you can lend a hand and be a part of our great conference team! Contact Tammy Spearie, isgsvolunteers2012@gmail.com . Church Records Committee Chair : The Church Records project identifi

The ISGS Office will be closed on Monday, October 8, 2012, in observance of the Columbus Day holiday. The office will be open from 10am to 1pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012 . Regular hours will resume on Thursday, October 11, 2012. © 2012, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

In honor of German-American Day, which is observed annually in the United States on October 6, we will have Leslie Albrecht Huber present Jumping Over Hurdles in German Research for our October webinar. Even though the focus is on German genealogy research, many of the concepts could be applied to other ethnic groups. Date : Tuesday, October 9, 2012, 8:00 pm Central Description : Has your German research run into a hurdle? Find out how to jump over some of the most common hurdles such as immigration, access to records, language, and handwriting. Presenter : Leslie Albrecht Huber Leslie Albrecht Huber is a genealogy freelance writer and speaker who specializes in German research and in writing family histories. She has published over 100 articles in a variety of publications including The History Channel Magazine , Family Chronicle , History Magazine , Family Tree Magazine . She has spoken about genealogy research on Good Morning America , National Public Radio , and at l

The September/October 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