Illinois State Genealogical Society Blog

The Champaign County Genealogical Society (CCGS) was established in 1969. On Friday, April 25, 1969, eleven genealogists met to form an organization dedicated to encouraging each other in their desire to discover ancestors. Some had roots in Champaign County, while others had no ties at all to the county. They not only worked on their own family histories, but contributed to making records easily available to all. The purpose of the CCGS is to: Promote genealogical and historical research. Aid in the publication and preservation of genealogical and historical records and manuscripts. Provide programs designed to assist both the beginning and the advanced genealogist. CCGS serves all of Champaign County and currently has around 150 members from around the country. New members are always welcome, whether you are researching Champaign County ancestors or not. The Society enjoys encouraging and assisting others in their genealogy quest. An individual annual membership currently co...

Join us on Tuesday, July 9 , at 8:00 PM Central, when Juliana Smith will present, Common Surnames: Ways to Identify Your Ancestors in a Crowd . To attend this webinar, register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5387125736981834496 . Last week's webinar, The Research Calendar: A Resource You Cannot Live Without , presented by Luana Darby, is now available to ISGS members in the Members Section of the ISGS website ( http://ilgensoc.org/members.php ). Upcoming Webinars July 9 – Common Surnames: Ways to Identify Your Ancestors in a Crowd Presenter: Juliana Smith Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5387125736981834496 August 13 – Getting to Here from There: Following your Ancestor’s Migration Trail Presenter: J. H. "Jay" Fonkert Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8033182932596979200 September 10 – “To the Honorable, the General Assembly” – The Treasure Trove in Legislative Petitions Presenter: Judy G....

The Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS) will elect members to its Governing Board at the annual meeting to be held during the ISGS Conference on October 25-26, 2013 in Sandwich, Illinois. ISGS seeks to have its board represent the many diverse Illinois geographic locations as well as the many talents found within its membership. Membership in ISGS is required and candidates must be willing to attend quarterly board meetings in Springfield, as well as occasional conference calls and virtual meetings. Candidates should send contact information and a short biography to  isgsoffice@ilgensoc.org  with the subject line “Nominations” or mail the information to Illinois State Genealogical Society, PO Box 10195, Springfield, IL 62791-0195 by June 30, 2013. Join the ISGS Board and add your voice to the activities, projects, and efforts put forth by to further the work of “Honoring Illinois Ancestry”.

Since 1986, the Winnebago and Boone Counties Genealogical Society (WBCGS) has served family history researchers interested in the greater Rockford area. Members of WBCGS gain the opportunity to: Exchange information with others of similar research interests. Stay abreast of all the latest news in the genealogical community, including upcoming conferences and events. Have access to materials the Society has transcribed, purchased, or preserved. Their mission statement is as follows: The purposes of the Society are to bring together people of all ages interested in genealogy and family history; to discover, collect and preserve material from Winnebago and Boone Counties, Illinois which may be helpful for genealogical research in the area; to stimulate interest in the genealogy of our ancestors; to encourage the publication of family histories for future generations; to promote and publish genealogical material covering Winnebago and Boone counties, adjacent counties, neighboring stat...

Topics related to organizing and tracking genealogy research were among the most requested in 2012. One important tool for helping you stay on track is a research calendar (a.k.a. research log). On June 11 , Luana Darby will give us some valuable tips in her presentation The Research Calendar: A Resource You Cannot Live Without . Date : Tuesday, June 11, 2013, 8:00 pm Central Description : How many times have you run across documents only to realize that you had previously done the same research years before? Research logs or calendars are at the core of good research and are essential in documenting evidence. Come learn easy shortcuts and tips on how to make that job quicker and easier. Presenter : Luana Darby Luana Darby is a professional genealogist and lecturer. She graduated from BYU with a degree in Family History and received her master’s degree in Library Science in May of 2012. She is the owner of Lineages by Luana, a genealogical research company that focu...