Illinois State Genealogical Society Blog

UPDATE : ISGS is pleased to announce that we are extending online registration for the Fall Conference until Sunday, October 18, 2015 , due to arrangements with the Oak Lawn Hilton. This is the last chance to sign up for the Friday night Banquet and hear Geoffrey Baer’s presentation “They Came to Chicago.” It is also the last chance to guarantee that you will receive lunch on Saturday with your conference registration. Illinois State Genealogical Society 2015 Fall Conference October 23rd & 24th, 2015 Oak Lawn, Illinois Co-host: Afro-American Genealogical & Historical Society of Chicago Two days filled with genealogy education, nationally-known speakers, and the opportunity to network with other genealogists and family historians, and meals. Featured speakers include: Paula Stuart-Warren, CG℠, FMGS, FUGA : Professional genealogist specializing in genealogical and historical research, lecturing, consulting, and writing. Her lectures, research, and con...

Illinois State Genealogical Society 2015 Fall Conference October 23rd & 24th, 2015 Oak Lawn, Illinois Co-host: Afro-American Genealogical & Historical Society of Chicago Two days filled with genealogy education, nationally-known speakers, and the opportunity to network with other genealogists and family historians, and meals. Featured speakers include:   Paula Stuart-Warren, CG℠, FMGS, FUGA : Professional genealogist specializing in genealogical and historical research, lecturing, consulting, and writing. Her lectures, research, and consultations for individuals, societies, law firms, and Indian tribes seeking records and advice has taken her to many states, courthouses, archives, historical societies, and libraries. Her Illinois research covers many counties. Geoffrey Baer : Multiple Emmy award-winning Public Television writer, producer and program host Geoffrey Baer is known for his masterful storytelling, conversational style, and contagious enthusiasm. Ton...

Plans are underway for the ISGS 2015 Conference. October 23 rd & 24 th 2015           Hilton Chicago/Oak Lawn 9333 S. Cicero Ave Oak Lawn, IL 60453 (708) 425-7800 Reservation Room Block (2015 ISGS Conferences) $119.00 per night

ISGS 2014 Fall Conference “Land of Opportunity” More information October 24 & 25, 2014 , at the Regency Conference Center, O’Fallon, Illinois J. Mark Lowe: CG, FUGA Full-time professional researcher & educator, formerly APG President. You will find him researching for clients including Who Do You Think You Are?, African American Lives or Biography’s uneXplained .   J. Mark Lowe’s  ISGS Fall Conference Lectures: · Early River Towns · Cheap Land on the Prairie (Or That's What the Railroad Man Said…) · My Taxes Were Due When? (Using Delinquent Tax Lists and Release Books) Conference Brochure Click here to download the Conference Brochure (PDF). Program : Click here for full program details.                      Dates : Friday, October 24th and Saturday, October 25th, 2014 Location : Hilton Garden Inn St. Louis Shiloh/O’Fallon 360 Regency Park Drive, O'Fal...

ISGS 2014 Fall Conference “Land of Opportunity” More information October 24 & 25, 2014 , at the Regency Conference Center, O’Fallon, Illinois Tony Burroughs, FUGA, Author A founder and CEO of The Center for Black Genealogy. He is author of Black Roots: A Beginners Guide to Tracing the African American Family Tree and is Vice-President of the Illinois State Genealogical Society.   Tony Burroughs’  ISGS Fall Conference Lectures: Farmers, Tenant Farmers, and Share Croppers Black Migrations Researching Pullman Porters: Railroad Records for African Americans Conference Brochure Click here to download the Conference Brochure (PDF). Program : Click here for full program details.                       Dates : Friday, October 24th and Saturday, October 25th, 2014 Location : Hilton Garden Inn St. Louis Shiloh/O’Fallon 360 Regency Park Drive, O'Fallon, IL, 62269...

Online Early-Bird Registration Discount Extended Online Early-bird registration the ISGS Fall Conference has been extended until October 6 th ! Early-bird Mail -in Registration Discount price for the ISGS Fall Conference ENDS October 1 st ! Hilton Garden Inn ISGS room block CLOSES October 6 th ! You won’t want to miss out on these discounts. Join J. Mark Lowe, Tony Burroughs, Patricia Stamm, LaDonna Gardner at the Regency Conference Center in O’Fallon, IL. Visit the ISGS website at www.ilgensoc.org for more details about sessions, speakers, meals and more.

Over the next month ISGS will be traveling to different events with the ISGS booth. Next week Jane Haldeman, Janice Fritsch and Joan Murray will be  at the Federation of Genealogical Societies National Conference , “Gone to Texas” in San Antonio, Texas. The conference will include workshops, guest speakers, an exhibitor’s hall and special events. .ISGS  will have a booth set up in the exhibitor’s hall where we will provide information about ISGS membership and our upcoming 2014 Fall Conference and free ISGS Webinars .  In addition, ISGS has also been invited to exhibit at the  taping of the PBS television series, “Genealogy Roadshow.” The show is part detective story, and part emotional journey. Participants are chosen for the show and then genealogy, history and DNA experts use family heirlooms, letters, pictures, historical documents and other clues to hunt down information about their ancestors.  The answers are then revealed on camera before a local audi...

This is your last chance to get in on the Early Registration pricing for the upcoming ISGS 2012 Fall Conference , to be held in Rockford, Illinois on Friday, October 19, 2012 and Saturday, October 20, 2012. Save By Registering Before September 30, 2012 ISGS Members and Non-Members can save by registering on or before September 30, 2012.  Register and pay online using this link or print the registration form using this link (opens in PDF via Adobe Reader), pay by check and make sure your form is postmarked by September 30, 2012 to be eligible for the discount. Not a member of ISGS? Click here to join now! Individual membership is $30 a year. WANTED: Future Genealogists for Youth Workshops on Saturday, October 20, 2012 There is still room in the Youth Workshops, but sign up TODAY! The ISGS Youth Workshop will teach children from grades one through twelve the basics of genealogical research. Youth in 1st – 4th grade will: Learn how to complete a family tree and ma...

Thomas MacEntee wants to usher genealogy researchers into the world of the Internet. The Chicago resident who worked for more than 25 years in the information technology field before beginning his own business, High-Definition Genealogy, in 2008 will be sharing his expertise in Google, Facebook, self-publishing, and searching for living relatives during four workshop sessions at " Family History in Profile ," the Illinois State Genealogical Society’s (ISGS) fall conference Oct. 19 and 20 to be held at the Best Western Clock Tower Resort & Conference Center in Rockford, IL. "Many of us are intimidated by technology," MacEntee says. “We watch our children and grandchildren and are amazed at how easily they use smart phones and the Internet." He wants to raise the knowledge of genealogy researchers, the average person who is interested in finding out more about their great grandparents and great great grandparents, so that they can get more out of thei...

Whether he’s teaching about the workings of the National Archives or how to breathe life into ancestral records or how to overcome brick walls in genealogy researching, John Philip Colletta, Ph.D., can’t get away from using the word “fun.” “I do indeed have fun,” says the Washington, D.C.-based lecturer and teacher. “We have a ball. I feel enthusiastically about what I teach. My lectures are full of humor, and I teach through real, true stories. I present real examples, showing real documents. No matter what I’m teaching – about the Archives or problem-solving, I am using stories, and that’s what keeps it fun and entertaining.” The main speaker for the Illinois State Genealogical Society’s (ISGS) “ Family History in Profile ” Fall Conference to be held Oct. 19 and 20 at the Best Western Clock Tower Resort & Conference Center in Rockford, Illinois, Dr. Colletta received his advanced degree in Medieval French in the 1980s, but soon switched his career to genealogical research...

Everyone from novice genealogists to hobbyists to people interested in becoming professional researchers will find something of value at the Illinois State Genealogical Society’s (ISGS) 2012 Fall Conference scheduled for Oct. 19 and 20 at the Best Western Clock Tower Resort & Conference Center in Rockford. “There’s something for everyone,” says Stephanie Carbonetti, ISGS Fall Conference Co-Chair. “We want to provide a conference for all levels of interest, whether it’s someone who hasn’t started researching their ancestors yet and doesn’t know where to begin, to people just wanting to hone up on their research skills. There’s so much to choose from!” This year’s conference, entitled “Family History in Profile,” is being co-hosted by the Winnebago & Boone Counties Genealogical Society and will feature nine nationally and regionally known genealogy research experts who will lead more than 15 workshops on such topics as “Breaking Through Brick Walls,” “Facebook for Genealo...