We talk a great deal about the leaves and roots of our family tree, but how many of us venture into the tree, digging out lesser-known stories and hidden (or hiding) facts? In recent vernacular (ca 1960), “spelunkers” are the…
Locality research is key to making progress in genealogy research. Understanding the history, geography, records, and repositories for the research locality is the foundation for building a solid research plan and finding additional information about your ancestor. Diana Elder, AG®,…
Mark your calendar. Our next meeting will be held ONLINE on Thursday, January 11, 2024, at 7:00 PM (Central) via Zoom. Registration and topic details will be posted soon. We are busy planning another year of great programs for you…
This meeting is co-sponsored by FVGS and the Naperville Public Library. Your immigrant ancestors are the foundation of your roots in the U.S. Why did they come? The voyage itself. Entering the U.S. ports. How to find emigration, immigration, and…
Most of us know to look in cemetery records but miss a valuable resource: the funeral home. This lecture looks at the history of funeral homes and the records they kept. We will also look at a case study showing…
Our July meeting focused on linking media to multiple people in our Family Tree. In addition, we talked about how to filter media in the tree to find the file you need and add your own categories for media. This…
This meeting is co-sponsored by FVGS and the Naperville Public Library. With DNA making headlines as a key forensic tool, many want to know more about the science of crime-solving DNA analysis. What kind of DNA is this? How is…
Laura Kovarik reviewed the topic of working with media in Family Tree Maker. Topics this meeting included: How personal preferences impact the handling of media in Family Tree Maker and the need to be intentional and consistent, Why does media…
“We all have much to learn from our fellow writers,” says Barbara Brabec, who will lead this class and answer your questions. After a brief introduction about her current writing endeavors, she will ask for a show of hands to…
The Illinois State Archives was established in 1921 and is housed in the Margaret Cross Norton building in Springfield, IL. The State Archives serves as the depository of public records of Illinois state and local governmental agencies which possess permanent…