Illinois State Genealogical Society Blog

We’re so excited to have Peg Kapustiak as one of our ISGS Fall Conference speakers! Peg is a seventh generation Illinoisan, genealogist and family historian for over 35 years. She has presented nationally and internationally and known for her enthusiastic and detailed practical “how-to” presentations. As our Fall Conference draws nearer, we asked Peg a few questions... Illinois State Genealogical Society: How did you become interested in genealogy? How long have you been researching? Peg Kapustiak: My Dad and I started researching family history in the early 1980s. He really wanted to prove my Mom's Revolutionary War heritage. Plus both my parents had interesting family stories about early Chicago that we wanted to prove were really true. ISGS: Why do you research your ancestors? Peg: As a child I remember my aunts and uncles and grandparents telling family stories. It was a long time before I realized that the people they were talking about had died, some even 200 years ago...

In celebration of our upcoming 2018 Fall Conference, we asked Melissa Johnson CG®, professional genealogist and ISGS conference speaker, a few questions about genealogy and the topics she’ll be sharing with conference attendees. Melissa specializes in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania family history research with expertise in using DNA test results and genealogical writing. Her ISGS conference lectures include “Go Paperless! Organizing Your Genealogical Research,” “Solving Problems Using Indirect Evidence,” and “No Response? No Problem! Learning More About Your DNA Matches.” Join us in Springfield where Melissa will share her talents with us! Illinois State Genealogical Society: How did you become interested in genealogy? How long have you been researching? Melissa Johnson: I became interested in genealogy in grammar school after my paternal grandfather showed an interest, and after two school "autobiography" projects that involved creating a family history. I sta...