Illinois State Genealogical Society Blog

The Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS) is happy to announce the continuation of its popular monthly webinar program in 2014. The 2014 ISGS Webinar Series would not be possible without the generous contributions received throughout 2013 and sponsorship provided by FamilySearch . Registration for the 2014 webinars is now open! You’ll find a fantastic lineup of presentations and speakers and we hope you will join us for a wonderful educational experience. The ISGS webinars, which are live lectures/presentations that you can attend via a computer with an internet connection, are held as a live broadcast on the second Tuesday of each month at 8:00 PM Central . The live broadcast of our webinars are free to the public. ISGS members who are unable to attend the live broadcast are able to access recordings of all past webinars through the Members Section of the ISGS website, to watch at their convenience. So what does 2014 have in store? Here is our amazing lineup! Jan

ISGS Fall 2013 Conference Special on New Memberships and Renewals Note: This membership special is available online as well as in-person at the ISGS 2013 conference! We're offering a Conference Special on ISGS Membership during the ISGS Fall 2013 Conference , Friday, October 25 through Saturday, October 26, 2013. The details are listed below. This special only applies to Individual and Joint memberships . New Memberships: Individual $25 (normally $30); Joint $30 (normally $35) Renewals : Individual $40 or Joint $45 for 18 month renewal instead of 12 months Visit us at at the Expo Hall at in Sandwich, Illinois or join online ! This is a limited time offer!  

Join us on Tuesday, November 12 , at 8:00 PM Central, when Diana Crisman Smith, will present, Little Houses on the Prairie: Midwestern Research Techniques . To attend this webinar, register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/848493470127452672 . Last week's webinar, Up In Smoke!! What To Do When the Courthouse Burns , presented by Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, is now available to ISGS members in the Members Section of the ISGS website ( http://ilgensoc.org/members.php) . Upcoming Webinars November 12 – Little Houses on the Prairie: Midwestern Research Techniques Presenter: Diana Crisman Smith Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/848493470127452672 December 10 – Miracles, Mysteries & Mayhem: Online Family Trees Presenter:  Jeanne Larzalere Bloom Registration:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8253902195291921152 Coming in 2014:  In a little over a week, we will announce the 2014 schedule. We have some great presentations in s

The ISGS Office will be departing from its normal schedule over the next few weeks. Normally, the office is open on Mondays and Thursdays, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Here are the changes: Monday, October 14th - CLOSED Tuesday, October 15th - OPEN Thursday, October 17th - OPEN Monday, October 21st - CLOSED Wednesday, October 23rd - OPEN Thursday, October 24th - OPEN Regular weekly hours will resume on Monday, October 28, 2013. © 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

ISGS President Jane Haldeman received FGS Award of Merit from FGS President Josh Taylor at the FGS 2013 Conference The Illinois State Genealogical Society was recently honored at the Federation of Genealogical Societies' annual conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana with the FGS Award of Merit. On August 29, 2013, FGS President Josh Taylor presented the award to ISGS President Jane Haldeman for our "tremendous leadership in paving the way towards online educational offerings." Congratulations to all the ISGS volunteers who help make the ISGS Webinar series possible. And thanks also to everyone who has contributed to the ISGS Webinar Fund and who have helped spread the word about this great educational opportunity. Click here to learn more about the upcoming webinars for 2013. And stay tuned for a HUGE announcement on Monday, October 28th about our 2014 ISGS Webinar series! © 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

The upcoming ISGS 2013 Fall Conference , to be held in Sandwich, Illinois on Friday, October 25 and Saturday, October 26, 2013, will be here in almost three weeks!  Here are some important updates: Registration Cutoff - October 10, 2013 Both online and mail-in registrations will not be accepted after 5:00 pm CDT on Thursday, October 10, 2013. Register and pay online using this  link  or print the registration form using this  link  (opens in PDF via Adobe Reader). Only walk-in registrations will be available after the cutoff date; just show up at the Timber Creek Inn & Suites, 3300 Drew St, Sandwich, Illinois on Friday, October 25 or Saturday, October 26 to register. ISGS Members Discount ISGS Members get a discount on all prices for the conference. Not a member of ISGS? Click here to join now! Individual membership is $30 a year. Additional Hotel Rooms We've been told that the Timber Creek Inn & Suites is sold out on Friday evening, October 25th

By popular demand, Peggy Clemens Lauritzen is back with us. Peggy will present Up In Smoke!! What To Do When the Courthouse Burns on October 8 , and we will learn some techniques for searching areas where disaster may have struck our traditional genealogy records. Date : Tuesday, October 8, 2013, 8:00 pm Central Description : War and natural disasters have taken their toll on many of our nation’s county courthouses. Let’s look at some helpful sources that may still exist. Presenter : Peggy Clemens Lauritzen Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG has been involved in genealogy and family research since even before she was born. Being born into an older family afforded her the opportunity to be around a generation that loved to tell stories and visit cemeteries. She is accredited in the Southern States, and is a frequent speaker at workshops and jamborees around Ohio. She is a former Family History Center Director, keeping a staff of thirty trained and up to date on current gene