Programs

The gates to many research “brick walls” may often be opened by a thorough analysis of the records. Using examples of typical research documents, this presentation will demonstrate how clues for further research are often found “between the lines.”

Maureen Brady, a former school librarian and computer educator, has forty years of experience with family history research. She has traced her Scottish roots back to the end of the 17th century and beyond and has also pursued Chicago and the Midwest, the trans-Allegheny U.S., Quebecois, Irish, and Swedish research. Maureen has made numerous presentations to genealogical societies, libraries, conferences, and workshops throughout the U. S., as well as presenting for the Brigham Young University Library family history webinar series.

She is a member of the Genealogical Speakers Guild and a life member of the Aberdeen and Northeast Scotland Family History Society and the Ohio, Chicago, and McHenry County (Illinois) Genealogical Societies. Maureen is also active in the Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, and Lake County (Illinois) Genealogical Societies, the British Interest Group of Wisconsin & Illinois, and the Chicago Scots Scottish Genealogical Society.

MEETING LOCATION:

Naperville Municipal Center – Room B (Lower Level)
400 S Eagle St, Naperville, IL 60540
(Park on the upper level of the garage and enter through the main entrance.
Take the stairs or elevator to the lower-level meeting room.) 

Contextual records are everywhere, not just in the National Archives!

Once you have established what units your service member was in and where they served, it is time to explore unit-level records.

In this program, you’ll explore:

• The second part of the research strategy to piece together your veteran’s story.
• How to add to your timeline of service and expand the narrative.
• Explore various histories, journals, photos, and maps for all the military branches.
• You will learn about the most valuable foundational records to put your service member into context and write a richer story everyone will want to read.

These records help you write the narrative to your stories. They will also help you understand why your veteran was who they were after service and probably bring up more questions for you to consider.

Jennifer Holik is a genealogist, and military researcher, spiritual coach, and intuitive healer specializing in inherited & war trauma, & ancestral healing. She has more than 25 years of genealogy & military research & writing experience. Jennifer helps people identify & release the beliefs, behaviors, & patterns in their lives & the lives of their ancestors that keep them stuck. Using a variety of tools, including writing, energy healing, research, & more, she helps you release the past & create the life you desire.

MEETING LOCATION:

Naperville Municipal Center – Room B (Lower Level)
400 S Eagle St, Naperville, IL 60540
*(Note we are back to our regular meeting location for this event)

All the records DID NOT burn. Have you ever wondered what dad or grandpa did in the war? What happened to your uncle, who died? What was training and combat like? How did Grandpa get wounded? What happened to the family during and after the war? Answers can be found. In this session, you will learn:

• Where to begin your research at home.
• What questions to ask.
• The first part of the research strategy to learn any veteran’s story from any 20th-century war and military branch.
• What records you need to establish the foundation, and where to locate them.
• How to create a timeline of service.
• How to begin writing the story.

I use storytelling along with the records to help you understand the deeper impacts of service. You might want a tissue for the story at the end of this session.

Jennifer Holik is a genealogist, and military researcher, spiritual coach, and intuitive healer specializing in inherited & war trauma, & ancestral healing. She has more than 25 years of genealogy & military research & writing experience. Jennifer helps people identify & release the beliefs, behaviors, & patterns in their lives & the lives of their ancestors that keep them stuck. Using a variety of tools, including writing, energy healing, research, & more, she helps you release the past & create the life you desire.

MEETING LOCATION:*

Nichols Library – Community Room (Lower Level)
200 W Jefferson Ave, Naperville, IL 60540
*(Note special meeting location for this event)

Learn about the many ways you can access cool details about your ancestors by using school records like yearbooks, school schedules, teacher’s registers, school newspapers, alumni directories and much more. This is one class you won’t want to ditch.

Tina Beaird is the owner of Tamarack Genealogy and is the Genealogy/Local History Librarian at the Plainfield Public Library. She lectures extensively on military research, Scottish records, and archival preservation. She is First Vice President of the Illinois State Genealogical Society and board director for the Oswegoland Heritage Association. Tina volunteers her time with several local historical and genealogical societies scanning and indexing historic records. Occasionally, Tina finds time to research her own family tree, which she has been pursuing for over 25 years. As many of you know, Tina is a rabid baseball fan; she and her family have visited 25 out of 30 Major League Ballparks and can’t wait to get back on the road to visit the last five!

MEETING LOCATION:

Naperville Municipal Center – Room B (Lower Level)
400 S Eagle St, Naperville, IL 60540

I love timelines and tables! They correlate the evidence revealing gaps and overlaps. A timeline of the life of an ancestor can tell us about their movements, their relationships, and their life choices. If we look at the changes in a family, the progression of events becomes understandable. It is the only way one can analyze the pre-1850 censuses, the “tick mark censuses,” where only the head of the household is named. Explore the different ways you can learn more about your family by using timelines and tables.

Jill Morelli, CG, CGL, is a writer, lecturer, and co-founder of the online Applied Genealogy Institute, providing practicum-based educational opportunities for genealogists.  She specializes in Scandinavian research and is constantly honing her methodological skills. She lectures nationally and has written articles for National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Swedish American Genealogist, and many others. Jill is past president of the Seattle Genealogical Society, program director for the Puget Sound-APG chapter, and is writing a book about 45 orphans from New York City who came to Iowa in 1890.

REGISTER HERE

FVGS meetings are free and open to the public.
Programs are recorded. Access to the recordings is a member benefit.

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 folks who venture into caves for casual exploration but are not serious about getting in deeper (figuratively or literally). “Cavers,” on the other hand, are serious explorers who enter the cave well-prepared and are not prone to giving up at the slightest stalactite. Which are you?

Jean Wilcox Hibben, PhD, MA, former Southern California college speech professor (MA – Speech Communication; PhD – Folklore), is a national speaker and author. A member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), she is the former director and current family history consultant for the Corona, CA FamilySearch Center, has worked on background research for two genealogy television programs, and was a host for podcasts on social history. A former Board-Certified genealogist with over 45 years of research experience, she is a former board member of APG and past president of its So. Cal. Chapter; 1st Vice-president of the Corona Genealogical Society, as well as webmaster for that same organization; and participant on a number of other society boards. Jean writes the “Aunty Jeff” column for the Informer, the newsletter of the Jefferson County NY Genealogical Society. Her website: is circlemending.org.

REGISTER HERE

FVGS meetings are free for members and guests to attend.
Programs are recorded. Access to the recordings is a member benefit.

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®, AGL™, is a professional genealogist accredited in the Gulf South region of the United States and serves as a Commissioner for The International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen). Diana authored Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist’s Guide and co-authored the companion volume, Research Like a Pro with DNA: A Genealogist’s Guide to Finding and Confirming Ancestors with DNA Evidence. She created the study group and eCourse that teach the Research Like a Pro process through videos and learning modules. Diana and her daughter, Nicole, share research tips on their website, Family Locket (https://familylocket.com/), and host the Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast.

Diana regularly teaches at genealogy conferences such as RootsTech and the National Genealogy Society Conference. She also presents webinars and seminars to local genealogy societies across the United States.

REGISTER HERE

FVGS meetings are free for members and guests to attend.
Programs are recorded. Access to the recordings is a member benefit.

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. FVGS members, watch your inbox for news of the 2024 Program Schedule.

We hold nine monthly meetings on the 2nd Thursday of the month from September through June (except December) at 7:00 PM (Central).

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 naturalization records. Learn the interesting details of your ancestors’ journey to their new life here. List of more than 30 websites and other resources included.

Jacquie Schattner has been actively researching her family’s ancestors since 1996. She volunteered at the local Family History Center for 15 years and teaches genealogy at local high schools, and libraries and online at genealogy groups all over the U.S. She is active in several genealogy societies and has written several genealogy books. She currently works as a Publications Coordinator and as a freelance editor. Jacquie received her B.S. degree from the University of Illinois. She is a retired school secretary living in Palatine, IL. She is happily married for 40+ years and has 3 grown children, 2 sons-in-law, and 6 adorable grandchildren.

This is a HYBRID Meeting:
Join us in person at the 95th Street Library – Room A
(3015 Cedar Glade Dr, Naperville, IL 60564)
OR
Register HERE to attend ONLINE

FVGS meetings are free for members and guests to attend. Programs are recorded. Access to the recordings is a member benefit.