Illinois State Genealogical Society Blog

We received the following press release announcing a new genealogy institute starting next year.  Carl Sandburg Institute of Genealogy (a.k.a. CSI-Genealogy) will be held from May 28 to June 1, 2015 on the Carl Sandburg Campus in Galesburg, Illinois. Carl Sandburg College is excited to announce that registration for CSI-Genealogy 2015 has started and will be held on the college’s campus in Galesburg, Illinois from 28 May through 1 June 2015. Attendees can choose one of four lecture tracks to attend over the 4.5 days of the Institute. The following tracks will be offered:  Advanced Methodology and Analysis with Michael John Neill  Germanic Research Sources and Methods with Teresa Steinkamp McMillin  Refining Internet and Digital Skills for Genealogy with Cyndi Ingle  The Advancing Genealogist: Research Standards, Tools, & Records with Debbie Mieszala Classes will be held in modern comfortable classrooms and attendees will have complimentary access to wifi to enhan...

The Illinois State Genealogical Society is looking for a new Education Committee chairman to start ASAP. The ideal person should have a passion for helping genealogists and family historians learn new things to make their research journey more exciting and successful. While the committee does a variety of things, the immediate concern is taking over the webinar program for the remaining 2014 schedule and working to build the 2015 schedule. Managing the webinars requires about two hours per month (this includes the one hour for hosting the actual webinar). We would also like to see the committee grow. In addition to the webinars, this committee either writes or solicits articles of an educational nature for the ISGS blog. There are other projects the committee would like to implement down the road including educational presentations/videos focusing on various Illinois research facilities. We have a list of ideas that perhaps a new chair and their committee members would like to take...

It has been another exciting year for the Education Committee, having produced another year in our monthly webinar series that we kicked off in January 2012.  We have now held 24 webinars to-date, all of which are available to ISGS members in the Members Section of the ISGS website. In case you missed our announcement in October , our webinar series will continue in 2014.  We have a fantastic lineup of speakers and topics and we hope you will join us next year. Our second year was incredibly successful, drawing in viewers from around the world.  We are grateful to have been able to fulfill one of ISGS’s many goals, that being education.  We’d like to take a moment to reflect on what we learned through the 2013 ISGS Webinar Series. Linda Woodward Geiger kicked off the year with Beyond the Draft Cards: Additional WWI Selective Service Records .  We learned the anatomy of WWI draft cards and the differences for each registration.  She provided an excellen...

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...

We probably all have at least one common surname to contend with in our research. Join us on July 9, when Juliana Smith will teach us some tips and tricks in her presentation Common Surnames: Ways to Identify Your Ancestors in a Crowd . Date : Tuesday, July 9, 2013, 8:00 pm Central Description : Techniques for finding your Smiths (or Kellys or Browns...). Methodology and some helpful reports and charts that can make your search easier. Presenter : Juliana Smith Juliana Szucs Smith has been working for Ancestry.com for more than 14 years. She began her family history journey trolling through microfilms at the tender age of 11 with her mother. She has written many articles for online and print genealogical publications and wrote the "Computers and Technology" chapter of The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy. Juliana holds a certificate from Boston University's Online Genealogical Research Program, and is currently on the clock working towards certifi...

Topics related to organizing and tracking genealogy research were among the most requested in 2012. One important tool for helping you stay on track is a research calendar (a.k.a. research log). On June 11 , Luana Darby will give us some valuable tips in her presentation The Research Calendar: A Resource You Cannot Live Without . Date : Tuesday, June 11, 2013, 8:00 pm Central Description : How many times have you run across documents only to realize that you had previously done the same research years before? Research logs or calendars are at the core of good research and are essential in documenting evidence. Come learn easy shortcuts and tips on how to make that job quicker and easier. Presenter : Luana Darby Luana Darby is a professional genealogist and lecturer. She graduated from BYU with a degree in Family History and received her master’s degree in Library Science in May of 2012. She is the owner of Lineages by Luana, a genealogical research company that focu...

Timelines are an invaluable tool for genealogists. Join us on May 14 , where Laura Prescott will give us some pointers in her presentation Timelines: Placing Your Heritage in Historical Perspective . Date : Tuesday, May 14, 2013, 8:00 pm Central Description : Match historical events to an ancestor's life, or synchronize one ancestor's life events to another's using genealogical software as well as everyday software programs to create a graphic profile and timeline. Presenter : Laura Prescott Laura G. Prescott is a researcher, writer, and speaker. She offers a unique mix of history, genealogy, and technology to find answers and ancestors. She graduated Dartmouth College, BA (History). Her specialties include manuscripts and online research. She is a professional genealogist, past president of APG, and a consultant at Fold3.com . More at lauraprescott.com . Register : https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6182542135328835840 Recording and Handout Avail...

Join us on April 9 , for an opportunity to learn how to effectively analyze the documents you use in your genealogy research. Debbie Mieszala will present Digging Through Documents Word by Word and show us how. Date: Tuesday, April 9, 2013, 8:00 pm Central Description: Proper scrutiny of each piece of information in a document is essential to understanding that item’s evidentiary value. Studying every word’s meaning and context ensures that evidence has been properly analyzed and comprehended. Presenter: Debbie Mieszala, CG SM Debbie Mieszala, Certified Genealogist SM , specializes in forensic genealogy, 20th century research, and the Midwest. She does genealogical research for the military to locate relatives of service members missing in past wars, and formerly did adoption-related research as a Confidential Intermediary in Illinois. A national-level lecturer and author, she has taught at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the Institute of Genealogy and Histo...

Want to learn how to make the most of your visit to an ancestor's homeland? Join us on March 12 , where Lisa Alzo will show us how with her presentation Back to Your Roots: Planning a Successful Heritage Research Trip . Date : Tuesday, March 12, 2013, 8:00 pm Central Description : Learn how to plan that dream trip to your ancestral homeland, including how and what to pack, book affordable travel and accommodations, how to create a workable itinerary, key tips for visiting archives and villages, and other secrets to make it your most memorable trip ever! Presenter : Lisa Alzo Lisa A. Alzo. M.F.A. is a freelance writer, instructor, and internationally recognized lecturer, specializing in Slovak/Eastern European genealogical research, writing your family history, and using the Internet to trace female and immigrant ancestors. She is the author of nine books, including the award-winning Three Slovak Women, and hundreds of magazine articles, and writes the blog "The ...

Citing sources was one of the most highly requested webinar topics we received in 2012. We're listening and we hope you will join us on February 12 , when Harold Henderson will present Best Genealogy Present You Can Give Yourself: Citing Your Sources . Date : Tuesday, February 12, 2013, 8:00 pm Central Description : Footnotes are not just for professors anymore. The secret is not where to put the commas—it's understanding the record you're looking at. Presenter : Harold Henderson, CG Harold Henderson, CG sm , lives and works in northwest Indiana and on midwestroots.net . He has been a professional writer since 1979 and a professional genealogist since 2009. He serves on the board of the Association of Professional Genealogists and is a member of the publicity committee for the 2013 Federation of Genealogical Societies conference in Fort Wayne. He has published articles in American Ancestors Journal (annual supplement to the New England Historical and Geneal...

Saturday, March 23, 2013 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. McLean County Museum of History 200 North Main Street Bloomington, IL 61701 Join the Museum, the Irish Heritage Society, and the McLean County Genealogical Society for a day discovering your Irish roots! Sessions will explore Irish Genealogy resources, McLean County genealogy, and local history resources. Tips and hints on beginning Irish research will also be offered. Session details are noted on the back of this form. Registration begins January 14, 2013. Click here to register (opens in PDF).

Did you know that there are more Selective Service records than the military draft cards we're familiar with? To learn more, join us on January 8, when Linda Woodward Geiger will present Beyond the Draft Cards: Additional Selective Service Records . Date : Tuesday, January 8, 2013, 8:00 pm Central Description : Explanation of the Selective Service process including discussion of the three distinct registrations; classification lists; inductees lists; appeals to the President; and records relating to delinquents and deserters. Presenter : Linda Woodward Geiger, CG, CGL Linda Woodward Geiger is an associate of the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG), holding credentials as a Certified Genealogist(SM) and as a Certified Genealogical Lecturer(SM). Linda is a professional historical and genealogical researcher, author, and lecturer. Although she specializes in Georgia's state and county records and a variety of federal records, particularly of the southeast...

The Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS) is happy to announce that registration for the 2013 ISGS Webinar Series is now open! We have a fantastic lineup of presentations and speakers and we hope you will join us for a wonderful educational experience. A webinar is a live lecture/presentation that you can attend via a computer with an internet connection. ISGS offers the live broadcast of its webinars to the public for free. The live broadcasts are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 8:00 PM Central . For ISGS members who are unable to attend the live session, recordings of all past webinars are available through the Members Section of the ISGS website, to watch at your convenience. Here's what we have in store for 2013: January 8 – Beyond the Draft Cards: Additional Selective Service Records Presenter: Linda Woodward Geiger, CG, CGL Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4690779734341377024 February 12 – Best Genealogy Present You ...

2012 seems to have gone by in a flash.  And for the ISGS Education Committee it has been a whirlwind of year.  One of our biggest accomplishments was the implementation of the 2012 ISGS Webinar Series, which we began back in January.  Each month we produced an educational webinar presented by some of the best genealogy speakers around.  The live broadcast of these webinars were open to the public for free, providing an educational opportunity for the genealogical community as a whole.  Each webinar was recorded and is available to ISGS members in the Members Section of our website. The 2012 ISGS Webinar series covered many topics, most of which were requested when we surveyed the genealogical community back in 2011.  We are grateful to have been able to fulfill one of ISGS’s many goals, that being education.  We’d like to take a moment to reflect on what we learned through the 2012 ISGS Webinar Series. In January, Thomas MacEntee kicked off the web...

Do you want to learn how to make your research more organized and manageable? Join us on December 11, where J. Mark Lowe will present Ready-Set-Plan! Developing a One-Step Research Plan . Be prepared to walk away with some practical tips to help you focus your research when tackling those challenging ancestors. Date : Tuesday, December 11, 2012, 8:00 pm Central Description : Learn a simple technique for breaking down difficult research problems into manageable segments. Learn how to stay focused while getting more research done. Presenter : J. Mark Lowe J. Mark Lowe is a full-time professional genealogist, author, and lecturer and researches primarily in original records and manuscripts throughout the South. He also serves as a Course Coordinator for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) and Samford University’s Institute for Genealogical and Historical Research (Research in the South) and Director of the Regional In-depth Genealogical Studies Alliance (RIGS ...

Guest Author, Pamela Tremé Like many researchers, I’ve always used city directories as cross confirmation of the location of a family. I locate family members on each census, and then check for city directories. If they are available, I can do a spot check to confirm that the family is where I expect to find them. In an early city directory, you might find just a person’s name and address, which may or may not be useful. As city directories developed over time, the information they provided became more detailed. In later city directories, you can have any of the following information in addition to a person’s name and home address: The name of a person’s spouse The person’s occupation The name of the company where the person works The person’s business address along with their home address The location to which a person moved if they’ve moved since the last directory The first name of a widow’s husband The name of children when they are listed as students…childre...

On November 13, George G. Morgan will share some strategies for researching our ancestors' siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins in order to break down brick walls in his presentation Sidestep Genealogy . Date : Tuesday, November 13, 2012, 8:00 pm Central Description : Brick wall research blocks are inevitable. We strive to start with ourselves and work backwards, but sometimes there are impediments that stop us in our tracks. It is then that we must use our most creative research skills, and it is essential that we move to other family members. That means researching our ancestors' siblings, uncles, aunts, cousins, and the collateral lines with which they are connected. Sidestep genealogy means researching these alternative individuals, their records, the places that they lived, and other resources. This lecture will make you stop and think about what alternative research paths you might use, and point you to new resources you may never have considered. Presenter ...

ISGS member society, Rock Island County Illinois Genealogical Society announces a series of Summer Workshops for 2012: Saturday, July 21- "Let's Get Started" Saturday, August 18- "Federal Records and More" Saturday, September 22- "Genealogy Websites and Software" Saturday, October 27- "Writing and Publishing Your Family History" All workshops are held from 1-4pm at the Butterworth Education Center, 701 - 12th Avenue, Moline. Classes are FREE for current RI Gen. Soc. members. Cost for non-members is $5 per workshop. Space is limited! RSVP to Linda Polich (309) 236-1985 or Linda Walker (309) 786-6197. Visit the RICIGS website at  http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilbgsrim/  for more information. © 2012, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

The Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS) welcomes Family History Expos as it brings the Illinois Family History Expo 2012 to Springfield, Illinois on Friday, August 3 and Saturday, August 4, 2012. Held at the at the Crowne Plaza Springfield, 3000 South Dirksen Parkway, in Springfield, Illinois, the two-day Illinois Family History Expo will feature the nation’s top genealogists and researchers. The keynote address is free to the public, as is an exhibit hall filled with professionals demonstrating the techniques, tools and technology to trace family roots. “We are facing a whole new frontier and it is thrilling to be an explorer in this new age. Every day new technology evolves to help make the job of discovering our roots faster, easier, and more accurate,” according to Family History Expos founder, Holly Hansen. Professional presenters will offer courses throughout both days to paid registrants. Course materials are available for study as soon as registration is complete. ...

We are in for a treat with next week's webinar. You won't want to miss Some Great, Seldom-Used, Resources: A Genealogical Potpourri , presented by Timothy "Tim" Pinnick. Date : Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 8:00 pm Central Description : Genealogists are largely beholden to their peers for the introduction to marvelous resources that they may have otherwise missed. During this presentation Tim will share some of the unique and exciting resources he has come across with the potential to knock down one or more of the troublesome brick walls aggravating seasoned researchers. Presenter : Timothy Pinnick Tim Pinnick is an author, article writer, national speaker, and researcher. He has extensive lecture experience on a variety of topics and has been a presenter at over a dozen national and regional genealogy conferences coast to coast. An associate instructor in the “Researching African American Ancestors” course at the Samford Institute of Genealogy and Historical Re...