Upcoming Webinars - July 2013

Join us on Tuesday, July 9, at 8:00 PM Central, when Juliana Smith will present, Common Surnames: Ways to Identify Your Ancestors in a Crowd. To attend this webinar, register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5387125736981834496.

Last week's webinar, The Research Calendar: A Resource You Cannot Live Without, presented by Luana Darby, is now available to ISGS members in the Members Section of the ISGS website (http://ilgensoc.org/members.php).


Upcoming Webinars

• July 9 – Common Surnames: Ways to Identify Your Ancestors in a Crowd
  Presenter: Juliana Smith
  Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5387125736981834496

• August 13 – Getting to Here from There: Following your Ancestor’s Migration Trail
  Presenter: J. H. "Jay" Fonkert
  Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8033182932596979200

• September 10 – “To the Honorable, the General Assembly” – The Treasure Trove in Legislative Petitions
  Presenter: Judy G. Russell
  Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3615763026611679744

For the complete list of upcoming webinars, including the entire 2013 schedule, visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=234.

And don't forget to spread the word! Forward this email onto your friends and colleagues, post the information to social media sites and/or your blog/website, or print out a few copies of our webinar flyer to hand out at your local society meetings. The flyer can be accessed at http://ilgensoc.org/upload/menu/2013webinarbrochure.pdf.

Support the ISGS Webinar program by making a financial contribution, which will help ISGS expand its educational offerings in a virtual manner. To learn why we need your help, or to make a contribution, please visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=345.

Please direct any questions to the ISGS Education Committee at isgseducation@ilgensoc.org.

Illinois State Genealogical Society Wants You!

The Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS) will elect members to its Governing Board at the annual meeting to be held during the ISGS Conference on October 25-26, 2013 in Sandwich, Illinois. ISGS seeks to have its board represent the many diverse Illinois geographic locations as well as the many talents found within its membership.

Membership in ISGS is required and candidates must be willing to attend quarterly board meetings in Springfield, as well as occasional conference calls and virtual meetings.

Candidates should send contact information and a short biography to isgsoffice@ilgensoc.org with the subject line “Nominations” or mail the information to Illinois State Genealogical Society, PO Box 10195, Springfield, IL 62791-0195 by June 30, 2013.

Join the ISGS Board and add your voice to the activities, projects, and efforts put forth by to further the work of “Honoring Illinois Ancestry”.

Society Spotlight: Winnebago and Boone Counties Genealogical Society

Since 1986, the Winnebago and Boone Counties Genealogical Society (WBCGS) has served family history researchers interested in the greater Rockford area. Members of WBCGS gain the opportunity to:

• Exchange information with others of similar research interests.
• Stay abreast of all the latest news in the genealogical community, including upcoming conferences and events.
• Have access to materials the Society has transcribed, purchased, or preserved.

Their mission statement is as follows: The purposes of the Society are to bring together people of all ages interested in genealogy and family history; to discover, collect and preserve material from Winnebago and Boone Counties, Illinois which may be helpful for genealogical research in the area; to stimulate interest in the genealogy of our ancestors; to encourage the publication of family histories for future generations; to promote and publish genealogical material covering Winnebago and Boone counties, adjacent counties, neighboring states, and other areas from which our ancestors came; and to work towards the improvement of local genealogical libraries.

WBCGS currently has around 200 members. An individual membership is currently $15 and includes a subscription to their newsletter Footprints, as well as an electronic mailing list that notifies members of webinars, special events, and other topics of interest to genealogists.

Regular meetings are usually held on the first Saturday of each month, from September through May, at 1:30 PM, at the Spring Creek United Church of Christ, 4500 Spring Creek Road, Rockford, Illinois (exceptions apply). WBCGS meetings are free to attend and open to the public. In addition to their monthly meeting, the Society also participates in the annual Autumn Pioneer Festival held by the Boone County Conservation District. A list of upcoming programs can be found on the Events page of their website.

The Society has published several resources including census records, cemetery indexes, obituary collections, and many others. Most of these items may be purchased in either book or CD format. A full list of publications, including prices and ordering information, can be found on the Publications page of their website.

If you are looking for a way to preserve the history of your early Winnebago County or Boone County ancestors, consider participating in the WBCGS Early Pioneer Certificates program. Qualifying ancestors must have settled in either county prior to 1880; those settling before 1850 receive additional distinction. For more information, refer to the Early Pioneers Certificates page on their website.

Do you need research assistance in Winnebago County or Boone County? The Society offers research services for a small fee. Details can be found on the Research page of their website.

For additional information about the Society, visit their website, or contact them by email at wbcgensociety@gmail.com. You can even find WBCGS on Facebook!

June 2013 Webinar – The Research Calendar: A Resource You Cannot Live Without

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 focuses on US/Canada and Western European research. She has lectured at various genealogical conferences which include NGS. FGS, RootsTech, UGA, BYU and ICAPGen. She is current treasurer and past president of the Utah Genealogical Association and is working on her accreditation in Midwest research. She also owns Scan My Past, a digital scanning company.

Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1792803534084357632

Recording and Handout Available to ISGS Members: For ISGS members who cannot attend the live webinar on June 11, a recording of the webinar, along with the handout, will be made available in the Members Section of the ISGS website at http://ilgensoc.org/members.php. If you're not already a member of ISGS, visit Join ISGS! at http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=8 for more information.

Spread the Word: Forward this email onto your friends and colleagues, post the information to social media sites and/or your blog/website, or print out a few copies of our webinar flyer to hand out at your local society meetings. The flyer can be accessed at http://ilgensoc.org/upload/menu/2013_Webinar_Brochure.pdf.

Make a Contribution: Support the ISGS Webinar program by making a financial contribution, which will help ISGS expand its educational offerings in a virtual manner. To learn why we need your help, or to make a contribution, please visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=345.

© 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

Nominations for ISGS Board Now Being Accepted

The Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS) will elect members to its Governing Board at the annual meeting to be held during the ISGS Conference on October 25 -26, 2013 in Sandwich, Illinois. ISGS seeks to have its board represent the many diverse Illinois geographic locations as well as the many talents found within its membership.

Membership in ISGS is required and candidates must be willing to attend quarterly board meetings in Springfield, as well as occasional conference calls and virtual meetings.

Candidates should send contact information and a short biography to isgsoffice@ilgensoc.org with the subject line “Nominations” or mail the information to Illinois State Genealogical Society, PO Box 10195, Springfield, IL 62791-0195 by June 30, 2013.

Join the ISGS Board and add your voice to the activities, projects, and efforts put forth by to further the work of “Honoring Illinois Ancestry”.


© 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

ISGS Newsletter Now Available - May-June 2013

The May/June 2013 issue of the ISGS Newsletter is now available to both ISGS members and non-members.

Visit the ISGS website at http://www.ilgensoc.org and click ISGS Newsletter to download the current issue (in PDF) and to view past issues going back to January/February 2008.

© 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

ISGS Office Closed Monday, May 27, 2013

The ISGS Office will be closed on Monday, May 27, 2013 in honor of Memorial Day.

Regular hours will resume on Thursday, May 30, 2013.

© 2013, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society