Special Guests and Special Topics- Don't Miss these Events from our Member Societies!

"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 was the place to get the scoop on your community. Historical newspapers are indispensable to genealogical research and to learning about your ancestors and their community. The growth of newspaper digitization has resulted in an incredible resource to team more about our family and provide clues for additional research. Visit  WBCGS' Facebook page to get your Zoom link, or email wbcgensociety@gmail.com.

Don't Miss Peoria County Genealogical Society's next virtual meeting on Thursday September 9th at 6:00pm. Friend of ISGS and Director of the Illinois State Archives, Dr. Dave Joens, will present "How the Genealogist Can Make Best Use of Illinois State and Regional Archives."

Learn the resources available and strategies to maximize your time at the Illinois State Archives and the seven regional Archives Depositories in Illinois.

Visit the PCGS Website to learn more and register!

Don't miss the next BIGWILL meeting on Saturday September 18th at 9:30am- featuring ISGS' very own Tina Beaird! Tina will present "Maps and Trails: common Migration Paths from the 17th through 19th Centuries." NOTE: This will be an in-person meeting at the Community Church, 5714 Broadway, Richmond, IL.

Our ancestors traveled as much, if not more, than we do today. She will help us explore what types of transportation and trails your ancestors might have taken to help us trace their whereabouts across the United States.

Do you have Chinese Ancestors? Don't miss this special virtual genealogy program hosted by the Naperville Public Library! Kelly Summers will present "Beginning Steps to Finding Your Chinese Ancestors" on Saturday September 18th at 10:00am. 

The Chinese culture is very family-centric and for thousands of years, records have been kept of family connections. To locate a family genealogy or Jiāpǔ in China, one must first gather information from family members in America. This class will demonstrate the steps to begin a search for Chinese ancestors. CLICK HERE to learn more and register for the Zoom meeting!

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