Events

Free on the Event day. Funded by SCCGS. Last minute changes are on Facebook

 

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Genealogy and Artificial Intelligence; Trouble Ahead?
Postal Service in Early Illinois and Missouri

 
  What we shared and learned during Let’s Talk Genealogy   
March 28, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. (Central)

“Let’s Talk Genealogy”

This is the third session of “Let’s Talk Genealogy”, an in-person discussion group gathering at the Belleville Public Library (BPL), 121 East Washington St., Belleville, Illinois. Kindly call the BPL to hold your spot (618) 234-0441.

Sponsored by the St. Clair County Genealogical Society (SCCGS), please bring questions or documents for discussion on topics such as census data, deeds, immigration, methodology, naturalization, occupations, military, and vital records. Suggestions on how to avoid pitfalls or break through an ancestral brick wall may ensue. Please email sccgsoffice@stclair-ilgs.org if you have specific questions or to propose a different day or time.

 

 
April 4, 2024 7:00 p.m. (Central)

“The Happy Invention: History and Significance of Picture Postcards”

Register here for this virtual program (free).

The first picture postcards were published for the 1889 Paris Exposition, celebrating the completion of Katherine-Hamilton-Smith the Eiffel Tower. In America, the first picture postcards were printed for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago—making Illinois the birthplace of the American picture postcard.

Since those flowery Victorian originals, uncountable billions of postcards of every aspect of life have been printed, depicting train stations, street views and cartoons, ads, social history both whimsical and dark, and everything in between. An early mention of postcards is in the 1870 diary of a Welsh curate, who called them “a happy invention.”

This evening’s speaker, Katherine Hamilton-Smith, is the founding curator of the Teich Archives, the world’s largest public collection of postcards and related materials and a core collection of the Newberry Library, Chicago. Her presentation looks at the documentary power and significance of picture postcards. She touches on the role Illinois played in the history and development of postcards. Hamilton-Smith is a museum and archives professional with 30+ years of experience in public history, historic sites management, exhibitions and interpretation. She holds an MA in Art History from the University of Chicago and a BA in Art History from the University of Nebraska.

 

 
April 25, 2024, 12:00 p.m. (Central)

“Let’s Talk Genealogy”

This is the fourth session of “Let’s Talk Genealogy”, an in-person discussion group gathering at the

collaborate - people holding hands

Photo courtesy of rawpixel.com

Belleville Public Library (BPL), 121 East Washington St., Belleville, Illinois. Kindly call the BPL to hold your spot (618) 234-0441.

Sponsored by the St. Clair County Genealogical Society (SCCGS), please bring questions or documents for discussion on topics such as census data, deeds, immigration, methodology, naturalization, occupations, military, and vital records. Suggestions on how to avoid pitfalls or break through an ancestral brick wall may ensue. Please email sccgsoffice@stclair-ilgs.org if you have specific questions or to propose a different day or time.

 

 
 

Happy Birthday SCCGS: 48 years old in May

Check out our History

SCCGS will exhibit in the virtual Expo Hall at the National Genealogical Society Conference, 16–18th May. We hope you will stop by for a visit.

2024 Virtual Family History Conference: Expanding Possibilities

More about that Conference

 

 
May 2, 2024, 7:00 p.m. (Central)

“The Journey of Mollie’s War: WACs and WWII”

Register here for this virtual program (free).

Cyndee Schaffer discusses women in the military during WWII and in particular, her mother’sCyndee Schaffer experiences as a WAC (Women’s Army Corps) by taking you on a journey from inspiration to publication. Using excerpts from her mother’s letters written home, she traces the footsteps of her mother and her fellow WACs who followed the soldiers stationed in Europe from London to Normandy to Paris to Versailles and finally to Frankfurt. A nine (9) minute WAC recruiting film from 1944 rounds out this presentation.

Cyndee Schaffer is the published co-author of the award winning Mollie’s War and past president of the Midwest Writers Association.

 

 
May 23, 2024, 12:00 p.m. (Central)

“Let’s Talk Genealogy”

Come one, come all to this session of “Let’s Talk Genealogy”, an in-person discussion group4 older people collaborating courtesy of pexels.com gathering at the Belleville Public Library (BPL), 121 East Washington St., Belleville, Illinois. Kindly call the BPL to hold your spot (618) 234-0441.

Sponsored by the St. Clair County Genealogical Society (SCCGS), please bring questions or documents for discussion on topics such as census data, deeds, immigration, methodology, naturalization, occupations, military, and vital records. Suggestions on how to avoid pitfalls or break through an ancestral brick wall may ensue. Please email sccgsoffice@stclair-ilgs.org if you have specific questions or to propose a different day or time.

 

 
June 6, 2024, 6:30 p.m. (Central)

“Virtual Tour of the Midwest Genealogy Center”

Register here for this virtual program

Join the staff at the Midwest Genealogy Center (MGC) for a virtual tour of one of the United States’ preeminent facilities for family history, providing access to almost three-quarters of a million on-site materials.

MGC’s collections (www.mymcpl.org/) offer resources for genealogy research that span the United States and countries around the world, a uniquely expansive circulating collection, and almost completely open stacks. In addition to on-site access to databases you will find digitization stations, oral history recording kits, and microfilm reader scanners. MGC is located in Independence, Missouri.

 

 
June 27, 2024, 12:00 p.m. (Central)

“Let’s Talk Genealogy”

Join us for this session of “Let’s Talk Genealogy,” an in-person discussion group gathering at theFive people gather to discuss genealogy topics; Image courtesy of Pexels.com : 20 Jan 2024. Belleville Public Library (BPL), 121 East Washington St., Belleville, Illinois. Kindly call the BPL to hold your spot (618) 234-0441.

Sponsored by the St. Clair County Genealogical Society (SCCGS), please bring questions or documents for discussion on topics such as census data, deeds, immigration, methodology, naturalization, occupations, military, and vital records. Suggestions on how to avoid pitfalls or break through an ancestral brick wall may ensue. Please email sccgsoffice@stclair-ilgs.org if you have specific questions or to propose a different day or time.

 

 
July 4, 2024

No meeting

 
July 25, 2024, 12:00 p.m. (Central)

“Let’s Talk Genealogy”

Please join us for this session of “Let’s Talk Genealogy,” an in-person discussion group gathering at

4 people collaborating near cork board

the Belleville Public Library (BPL), 121 East Washington St., Belleville, Illinois. Kindly call the BPL to hold your spot (618) 234-0441.

Sponsored by the St. Clair County Genealogical Society (SCCGS), please bring questions or documents for discussion on topics such as census data, deeds, immigration, methodology, naturalization, occupations, military, and vital records. Suggestions on how to avoid pitfalls or break through an ancestral brick wall may ensue. Please email sccgsoffice@stclair-ilgs.org if you have specific questions or to propose a different day or time.

 

 
August 1, 2024, 7:00 p.m. (Central)

“The Genealogist’s Google Search Methodology”

Register early at this link! This session will NOT be recorded. Limited to 100 guests and members.

It’s a new decade, so if you think you know how to Google, think again! Technology changes rapidly and keeping our search skills updated and sharp is key to search success. Come learn the latestLisa Louise Cooke (headshot) Google Search Methodology for Genealogy. You’ll hear about the latest and best search innovations, and learn the process that will dramatically improve your genealogical search results. These skills can be used with all associated Google tools.

Presenter: Lisa Louise Cooke is the author of several books including The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox, 3rd edition, and is a columnist for Family Tree Magazine. She produces and hosts two podcasts and the Genealogy Gems YouTube channel. See her website for more information (https://lisalouisecooke.com).

 

 
August 22, 2024, 12:00 p.m.

“Let’s Talk Genealogy”

Come one, come all to this session of “Let’s Talk Genealogy,” an in-person discussion groupCollaborating around a table taken from above gathering at the Belleville Public Library (BPL), 121 East Washington St., Belleville, Illinois. Kindly call the BPL to hold your spot (618) 234-0441.

Sponsored by the St. Clair County Genealogical Society (SCCGS), please bring questions or documents for discussion on topics such as census data, deeds, immigration, methodology, naturalization, occupations, military, and vital records. Suggestions on how to avoid pitfalls or break through an ancestral brick wall may ensue. Please email sccgsoffice@stclair-ilgs.org if you have specific questions or to propose a different day or time.

 

 
September 5, 2024, 7:00 p.m. (Central)

“Following An Ancestor with a German Farm Name (Hofname)”

Register at this link for this meeting
Prior to the mid-1800s, parts of Germany had farm names or Hofname. Learn what a Hofname is and Carolyn Whitton where in Germany to expect to find them. Identifying an ancestor with a Hofname requires recognizing the clues in the records and then carefully and thoroughly following them.

Featured Speaker: Carol Whitton, StLGS projects director and German SIG leader

 
September 26, 2024, 12:00 p.m. (Central)

“Let’s Talk Genealogy”

Come one, come all to this session of “Let’s Talk Genealogy,” an in-person discussion group gathering

Hands-in collaboration

courtesy of pexels.com

at the Belleville Public Library (BPL), 121 East Washington St., Belleville, Illinois. Kindly call the BPL to hold your spot (618) 234-0441.

Sponsored by the St. Clair County Genealogical Society (SCCGS), please bring questions or documents for discussion on topics such as census data, deeds, immigration, methodology, naturalization, occupations, military, and vital records. Suggestions on how to avoid pitfalls or break through an ancestral brick wall may ensue. Please email sccgsoffice@stclair-ilgs.org if you have specific questions or to propose a different day or time.

 
 
October 3, 2024, 7:00 p.m. (Central)

“Researching Oregon Trail Ancestors”

Register for this lecture at this link. The Oregon Trail extended approximately 2,000 miles from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City, County map of Oregon Oregon, from 1840 to 1869. More than 50,000 people traveled to Oregon and a great number died on the journey. This talk will cover resources for conducting research on people and their lives along the trail.

Our featured speaker, Dawn Carlile, is a native Oregonian with a 30-year genealogy career that began when her dad asked if she had ever thought about researching their family history. She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the Genealogical Speakers Guild, and national, state, and regional historical and genealogical societies. Dawn teaches classes for the Oregon Genealogical Society and lectures at local libraries, societies, and cultural events. She enjoys teaching others how to research as much as she does doing research herself. She graduated from Bushnell University with a B.A. degree in management.

 

 
October 24, 2024, 12:00 p.m. (Central)

“Let’s Talk Genealogy”

Come one, come all to this session of “Let’s Talk Genealogy,” an in-person discussion group gathering

collaborate - people holding hands

Photo courtesy of rawpixel.com

at the Belleville Public Library (BPL), 121 East Washington St., Belleville, Illinois. Kindly call the BPL to hold your spot (618) 234-0441.

Sponsored by the St. Clair County Genealogical Society (SCCGS), please bring questions or documents for discussion on topics such as census data, deeds, immigration, methodology, naturalization, occupations, military, and vital records. Suggestions on how to avoid pitfalls or break through an ancestral brick wall may ensue. Please email sccgsoffice@stclair-ilgs.org if you have specific questions or to propose a different day or time.

 
 
November  7, 2024, 7:00 p.m. (Central)
Annual meeting, voting, and round table sharing.
 
December 5, 2024, 7:00 p.m. (Central)

“The Founders’ Collection”

Christina DeBoer, Supervisor of Archives and Reference at the Belleville Public Library, will tell us what The Founders’ Collection contains and how it came about. This is a look at Belleville’s early literary pursuits. (Link coming)

 

 

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