Educational Opportunities from NGS

If you're interested in increasing your knowledge of the how-to of genealogy, you might want to consider this new course for NGS or one of the other options available. I  did the American Genealogy - A Basic Course back in 2003 and found it invaluable.

News Release from National Genealogical Society:

NGS proudly announces the release of its newest American Genealogical Studies course, Guide to Documentation and Source Citation. This course joins The Basics in the series of online courses developed by NGS to help those interested infinding their family.

In this three-module self-paced course, Michael Grant Hait Jr., cg^SM, helps genealogists with one of the most confusing areas of genealogy research, “how do I cite my family information?” Knowing where we located our family information and keeping accurate notes, or citations, is the backbone of reliable genealogy. The course modules consist of lessons, examples, citations, and graded quizzes and cover topics on “Introduction to Documentation,” “Basic Citation Principles,” and “Applying Citation Principles.”

This NGS American Genealogical Studies course, Guide to Documentation and Source Citation, is available for $30.00 for members and $45.00 for non-members. For further information, to view the syllabus, or to purchase the course, visit the NGS website at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/guide_documentation_sourcecitation.

Guide to Documentation and Source Citation joins The Basics in the NGS’s online cloud-based learning management system. To take advantage of this system, you will need either a computer or tablet with an Internet connection.

NGS also offers several courses available in downloadable PDF files compatible for a PC or MAC. The courses are designed for both the beginner and the established genealogist to help busy individuals learn about a specific topic and to put the ensuing knowledge to work quickly. These courses include:

·         Using Federal Population Census Schedules in Genealogical Research

·         Introduction to Civil War Research

·         Genetic Genealogy, The Basics

·         Introduction to Religious Records

·         Working with Deeds

~ Becky Higgins

How I Spent My Weekend #2

The ISGS Conference, The Way We Were, was held Oct 25 and 26 in a beautiful facility, The Best Western Hotel and Convention Center, in Sandwich, Illinois. My only complaint (you always have to have at least one, right?) was the difficulty I had with phone and internet reception. I had no problems in our room but basically nothing in the conference area. For me, and some of my techie friends, it was like being stranded on a deserted island. However, I remembered back-in-the-day we managed to survive without even owning a cell phone or tablet/pc with internet access and I knew I'd make it through.

The choice of sessions varied from beginning genealogy to using various records to technology helps. Overheard conversations (no, I wasn't eavesdropping so much as standing near by) often mentioned the difficulty in deciding which session to attend. Whatever decisions were made, I'm sure the attendee found value in the lecture.

Even with my volunteer schedule, I was able to sit in on Thomas MacEntee's Evernote for Genealogists (Catch Thomas at Hi-Definition Genealogy), Nancy Loe's Managing Your Digital Environment and Cataloging Family Photographs (You can learn more from her at her blog http://www.sassyjanegenealogy.com), and George Morgan's Alternate Records You May Have Never Considered. I took something new from every one of these talks. Some things I'll put into practice right away, some I'll have to think on for awhile.

Our Friday night dinner talk by George Morgan (you may know him best from his work with FGS or his podcasts with Drew Smith, Genealogy Guys), When Ancestors Demand to be Found, followed his personal journey being led to and by one of his ancestors. It was heartfelt and funny, highlighting events we often call serendipitous.

All in all, I had a great time learning from others, conversing with old friends, and making new ones. Jim and I topped the day off on Saturday by stopping in Yorkville at the Lake View restaurant for a wonder dinner before making our final journey home.

Next year, the ISGS conference will be held in O'Fallon, Illinois in St. Clair county. I know that's a bit of a trek from our neck of the woods but, if you can, plan to go. I know you'll be glad you did!

~ Becky

How I Spent My Weekend #1

Our destination (me and my husband) this weekend was Sandwich, Illinois and the Illinois State Genealogical Society's (ISGS) Conference. We headed out early Friday morning so we could get there in time to help set-up for the 1:00 pm start time. Just imagine the volunteer hours needed to put on a day and a half event for 200+ attendees, not to mention the youth workshops! My kudos to Howard Manthei ,Joan Murray, and all the committee members for the outstanding job they did.

Before any attendees could enjoy the fruits of the committee's labor, the scurry of final touches needed doing. While the vendors prepared their assigned tables, the ISGS registration booth had to be organized and the volunteers for the weekend had to be identified and reminded of their schedules. In the beginning things looked something like this:

There were name tags to be arranged and bags to be stuffed and, as is always the case, everyone wondered if we would be ready on time!

But, at last, we were truly ready to put out the welcome sign:










and open the doors to the anxiously awaiting genealogists!

I hope each attendee found the weekend as enjoyable and educational as I did. In my next post I'll tell you more about my personal experiences.

~ Becky

EGS Executive Board 2013

The EGS Executive Board for 2013 was elected at our Annual meeting in December 2012 and began work for the Society in January 2013.

Front: Becky Higgins - VP, Sara Taylor - President, Judy VanDusen - Treasurer
Back: Larry Pepper - PM Secretary, Rita Gholson - AM Secretary

The Board looks forward to serving EGS this year and hopes to make it a great one for the Society!

~Becky

Illinois State Genealogy Society Volunteering Opportunities

If you looking for volunteer opportunities, there are some interesting ones below. Not only can you help out the genealogy community but you'll meet some wonderful people along the way. You'll be joining a vibrant group of passionate family historians.

ISGS Volunteer Alert Dear Members and Friends of ISGS, As we approach 2013, ISGS’s open positions list has grown due to various life changes we all experience, including a death in our “family,” and the creation of new positions.  ISGS fully supports its board members serving in capacities that interest them, which can necessitate moves to new committees, leaving vacancies. Please consider helping ISGS achieve its mission to preserve and disseminate Illinois historical and genealogical materials, and to educate and aid those researching their ancestry. ISGS 2012 Fall Conference Volunteers: The ISGS Fall Conference will be held October 19th & 20th at the Clock Tower Inn and Conference Center, Rockford, IL. Volunteers will help with monitoring sessions, the Youth Workshop, and other essential tasks. Save these dates, and please let us know if you can lend a hand and be a part of our great conference team! Contact Tammy Spearie,isgsvolunteers2012@gmail.com. Church Records Committee Chair: The Church Records project identifies Illinois church repositories by denomination and assembles files containing church history and record access information.  Contact Susie Pope, isgs2ndvp@ilgensoc.org. Newsletter Editor: The Editor of the ISGS Newsletter receives articles and information for publication via email, and produces a newsletter six times a year (bimonthly). Experience with page layout design and writing/editing is desirable. Contact Susie Pope, isgs2ndvp@ilgensoc.org. ISGS Quarterly Design and Technical Editor: The Design and Technical Editor works with the Quarterly Editor to produce a polished publication. A working knowledge of design and layout principles and the use of Adobe InDesign is desirable. Contact Judy Milde, Editor, isgsquarterly@ilgensoc.org. Membership Promotion Committee Chair:  This committee promotes membership with renewal notices and other communications and maintains the membership list. Contact Janice Fritsch, isgspresident@ilgensoc.org. Youth Creative Contest Coordinator: The Education Committee would like to implement an annual youth creative contest in 2013. The contest will have three categories (writing, artwork, and photography) and three age group divisions. The Coordinator will fill in the details, and help to implement it. Contact Julie Tarr, isgseducation@ilgensoc.org. Writers: Part of the ISGS mission is to educate its members and the public. The Education Committee needs volunteers interested in sharing their knowledge by writing educational articles and guides. We have a lot of ideas on the table, but we need your help to make them a reality. Contact Julie Tarr,isgseducation@ilgensoc.org. Website Committee Chair:  (This is not a webmaster position)  This position monitors the ISGS website for errors, ease of use, etc. and notifies the Webmaster of any needs.  Contact Susie Pope, isgs2ndvp@ilgensoc.org. Website Indexing Committee: Indexing projects are based on member submissions, ISGS holdings or other resources. Volunteers will scan images, and upload images and/or data to be indexed. Let us know if you would like to be involved! Contact Susie Pope, isgs2ndvp@ilgensoc.org. Honors & Awards Committee Chair:  The chair solicites nominations from individuals and societies for each of the ISGS annual awards.  The nominations are discussed in committee and finalists are presented with awards in the fall.  Contact Susie Pope, isgs2ndvp@ilgensoc.org. Illinois Society Liaison Chair:  The chair communicates with associate societies, and coordinates the annual Roundtable Events which are hosted by local societies.  Contact Janice Fritsch, isgspresident@ilgensoc.org. Long-Range Planning Committee Chair:  This committee considers plans for the improvement of the Society. They solicit suggestions from the membership, make regular reports to the Board, and present projects for action.  Contact Janice Fritsch,isgspresident@ilgensoc.org.

EGS Donates to War of 1812 Digitization

In memory of Chester A Bowser, the Elgin Genealogical Society (EGS) has donated $250 to the Illinois State Genealogical Society's (ISGS) $10,000 War of 1812 Pension Match Challenge. Our $250 will be matched by ISGS making the donation $500, then Ancestry will match that $500 to make it $1000. What a deal!!

Becky Higgins, EGS treasurer makes presentation to 
Janice Fritsch, ISGS president August 18, 2012

 To learn how you can participate in this worthy project take a look at the ISGS website here. As little as a $5 or $10 dollar donation can make a huge difference.

~ Becky

EGS Awards Scholarship

Chester A. Bowser Scholarship recipient, Madonna Davis Marks, attended the EGS evening meeting on August 16, 2012. Madonna told the attendees about some of her journey researching her own family history and of her goal to contribute to the community after completing her studies in Library Sciences through the University of Illinois Graduate School.

EGS President, Judy VanDusen and Scholarship Chair, Lee Ellsworth, were pleased to award Madonna with a check to further her education.

Judy VanDusen, Madonna Marks, Lee Ellsworth

Genealogy's Star: Overwhelmed in the genealogical online jungle

Genealogy's Star: Overwhelmed in the genealogical online jungle:

An interesting story and some great advice.

'via Blog this'

Elgin Illinois Military Records

As we remember our military veterans on this Memorial Day, here's a little reminder for those searching for service men and women from the Elgin area. EGS has several databases on our website listing military personnel which may help you in your research.

Go to our records section to choose from the list: Servicemen buried in Elgin; Elgin Civil War Dead; Grand Army of the Republic; American Legion. The American Legion index is from the Elgin Post 57 Deceased/Transferred file.

We hope our efforts in posting these indices assist others in their research.

Ten Effective Strategies for Building a Family Tree

Ten Effective Strategies for Building a Family Tree:

This article provides some good direction for new genealogists and some excellent reminders for those who have been researching for a long time.

'via Blog this'

1940 Census Webinar

March 7, 2012 1:00pm central time from Legacy Family Tree Genealogy


Thomas McEntee will present:


Navigating the 1940 U.S. census. April 2, 2012 will be a busy day for genealogists in the U.S. as the images for the 1940 United States census are released to the public. Learn the strategies needed to find the images you want, especially during the first few weeks before the images are indexed. Besides tips and tricks, you'll also learn what information was collected during the 1940 U.S. Census and how it can help your genealogy research.


You must be registered (no charge) to attend. Go to Legacy Family Tree Genealogy to register. I did!!!

Bridgett Schneider of Random Acts Of Genealogical Kindness (RAOGK), R.I.P. - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Bridgett Schneider of Random Acts Of Genealogical Kindness (RAOGK), R.I.P. - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter:

Dick Eastman reports the passing of the founder of RAOGK. She will be greatly missed.
'via Blog this'

Bringing Genealogy Societies into the 21st Century 04/23 by mysociety | Blog Talk Radio

Bringing Genealogy Societies into the 21st Century 04/23 by mysociety | Blog Talk Radio

Turn up your speakers and/or put on your headphones. The link above will take you to a great radio interview (the first of the FGS radio weekly radio spots) with Curt Witcher. The topic addresses important issues for genealogical societies to ponder.

The program is an hour long so be sure you have the time to spare:)

No More Clues From Social Security Numbers

No More Clues From Social Security Numbers

I wasn't aware of the coming change to SSNs. Interesting blog post by Kerry Scott of Clue Wagon.

GenBlog: Kane County, Illinois Deaths, Pre-1916 Index Now Available Online

GenBlog: Kane County, Illinois Deaths, Pre-1916 Index Now Available Online

Updates for Kane county deaths, pre-1916, at Illnois Archives. Check out the above blog post.

Girl Scouts Earn Heritage Badge

Friday afternoon, Judy Van Dusen and Becky Higgins represented EGS by helping the members of girl scout troop 4192 of South Elgin achieve their Heritage Badge.
The girls showed their aptitude towards genealogy from the very beginning. They began their meeting by sampling ethnic treats and we all know if there is a genealogy meeting there will most likely be treats. :-) These delectables came from Scandinavia, Greece, and India.

 Kara, the troops capable leader, got things started by discussing the home assignments the girls had worked on. Just one more display of how technology has changed the way things are done: the completed assignments had been previously emailed to Kara so she had time to combine everyone's work into a nice document. Family quotations and traditions were just a couple of the items the girls collected.

Then, the genealogists got down to business. We explained two of our most significant forms - the Family Group Sheet and the Pedigree or Generations Report. With information the girls had gleaned during the past week, they began to fill in the blanks.

There were some great questions and we soon learned, even at this young age, they like to talk about their families as much as the rest of us. We encouraged them to take the time to listen to stories and gather information now while they have the opportunity.

It was wonderful to see the interest in their faces and great fun to help out.

DuPage County Conference

There were several attendees from EGS at the DCGS's conference yesterday. It was a fun-filled day.
I've posted some comments and pictures here: http://mygenealogypondering.blogspot.com/2011/02/my-day-at-dcgs-conference.html for anyone interested in knowing what my day was like!

RootsTech - Genealogy Bloggers Come of Age | GeneaBloggers

RootsTech - Genealogy Bloggers Come of Age | GeneaBloggers

If you're interested in what genealogy blogs, twitter and technology means to genealogy, check out this post. Well said, Thomas.

ISGS Business

In case you're wondering what goes on prior to a quarterly ISGS board meeting, just click here: http://t.co/CcyH8Bt.

in-memoriam-sandra-hargreaves-luebking.html from fgs.org - StumbleUpon

in-memoriam-sandra-hargreaves-luebking.html from fgs.org - StumbleUpon

We'll all miss Sandra Luebking. RIP.