Illinois State Genealogical Society Blog

Keep an eye on the Blog, our Facebook Page, and the upcoming ISGS Newsletter for more details! Registration opens mid-September! © 2021, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

"FamilySearch and...St Clair County" - Join St. Clair County Genealogical Society for their next Virtual Meeting on Wednesday September 1st at 7:00pm! Ever wonder how FamilySearch International (FSI) goes about identifying records for preservation and how a genealogy society might help? Are you familiar with MEMORIES? If so, Ellen Thorson and her husband, Gregory, volunteer representatives of FSI, will describe both topics this evening. Life-long genealogists and happily-retired late-in-life nurses, this team enjoys traveling to historical and genealogical societies, meeting southern Illinoisans with a passion for preserving records, and sharing their knowledge about FSI and the many facets of FamilySearch.org. CLICK HERE to register! "Using Historical Newspapers" with Laura Cubbage Draper- Join the Winnebago & Boone Counties Genealogical Society for their next Virtual meeting on Saturday September 11th at 1:30pm! Before Facebook and Twitter, the local paper w...

Great news for Illinois family historians- the Illinois Regional Archives Depositories (IRADs) will reopen to in-person visitors on Monday, August 23rd! You must make an appointment in order to visit, and face masks will be required regardless of vaccination status. To schedule an appointment, simply contact your local IRAD by telephone. CLICK HERE   to find IRAD contact information and hours! For the latest updates on IRAD in-person access, be sure to contact the IRAD ahead of time, or visit the IRAD home page HERE. What records does your local IRAD have to help you in your genealogy research? CLICK HERE to browse the list of IRAD holdings! ISGS Members- don't forget about our special Member Benefit - "Good to Know!" This video series will help prepare you for your visit to the IRADs and includes important information about parking, accessibility, what you can/cannot bring inside the repositories, and much more! Currently we have "Good to Know" videos for 5 of...

   Are you planning on visiting the Illinois State Fair this week? Make sure to stop by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum to take advantage of half-priced admission during the Fair! Special pricing runs through August 22nd. And make sure to check out the special ALPLM exhibits at the fair! CLICK HERE to purchase your ALPLM tickets online. Plus, ALPLM registrar Carla Smith shares a story about genealogy "rabbit holes"- CLICK HERE to read! CAGGNI will hold their next meeting on Saturday, August 21st at 10:30 am. Kathy Meade will present "What's New in ArkivDigital-" a must-attend if you have Swedish ancestors! ArkivDigital is an online service that provides access to newly photographed color images of Swedish historical records. Types of records include Swedish church books, military rolls, probate records, emigrations records and many more. The presentation will demonstrate the many new records and search tools that enable one to easily discov...

Mark your calendars for these August webinars presented by our Member Societies! Don't miss this GREAT opportunity to learn about the Underground Railroad in Northeastern Illinois! Dr. Larry McClellan will present "Freedom Seekers and the Underground Railroad in Northeastern Illinois" on Saturday August 14th, 1:00pm. This Zoom Webinar will be hosted by the North Suburban Genealogical Society and the Glenview Public Library. Dr. McClellan will lecture on the movement of fugitive slaves into Illinois and through the Chicago region, and the assistance given through the networks of the Underground Railroad. Dr. Larry McClellan is Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Community Studies at Governors State University. He has written extensively on the Underground Railroad in Illinois and on the history of the region south of Chicago and its communities. He was the principal author of applications that added sites in Crete, Lockport and on the Little Calumet River to the National...

ISGS President Candace Marx and Past President Laura Kovarik visited the ISGS Office in Springfield on July 15th. Did you know that the ISGS Office is located inside the Illinois State Archives building? Laura, Candace, and ISGS Office Manager Evelyn Edwards were treated to an exclusive tour of the Archives building by Dr. Dave Joens, Director of the State Archives! (from left) David Joens, director of the Illinois State Archives, ISGS Past President Laura Kovarik, ISGS President Candace Marx, ISGS Office Manager Evelyn Edwards and IRAD Coordinator Rochelle Joseph of the State Archives pose for the traditional group photograph in front of famed Illinois State Archivist Margaret Cross Norton before taking a tour of the Margaret Cross Norton Archives building in Springfield. Margaret Cross Norton was the dedicated and well-respected State Archivist who was largely responsible for the design and layout of the current Archives Building, which was completed in 1938. Norton served as Directo...