Meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 7:00 PM (Central)
(no meetings in July, August, or December)
Members can access the recordings and handouts from past meetings HERE
Download the 2023 FVGS Program Schedule
ONLINE-January 12, 2023 Meeting: How to Use Social History in Genealogy Research & Why You Should by Lisa Lisson
If your genealogy research is stuck or you’ve “lost” your ancestor, stop actually looking for that particular ancestor. Instead, turn your attention to the events happening around them and the social issues that could have been influencing their life and the decisions they made. Understanding the answers to questions about social history gives us better insight into the lives our ancestors lived.
Lisa Lisson is the genealogy researcher behind Are You My Cousin? a website where she has helped genealogy researchers around the world learn how to search for and find their ancestors. Through hundreds of genealogy blog posts, YouTube videos, and online masterclasses, she shares research strategies and how-to tutorials to take the overwhelm out of genealogy research. Find her at www.LisaLisson.com.
ONLINE-February 9, 2023 Meeting: What the Heck Does That Say?: The Challenge of Difficult Handwriting by Pam Vestal
One of the biggest hurdles to overcome in genealogy is the seemingly illegible handwriting in our ancestors’ records. Whether you struggle to navigate colonial penmanship that doesn’t even look like English or wrestle with contemporary documents that are poorly written, a few good strategies can make all the difference. We’ll look at more than 20 techniques to help you figure out what the chicken scratches on the page say, as well as what the style of writing might reveal about our ancestors.
Pam Vestal is a professional genealogist and speaker who turned her focus to her longtime love of genealogy after a 20-year writing career. Her articles have appeared in the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, FGS’s Forum magazine, and the National Genealogical Society Magazine, and her lectures take her from coast to coast. Pam specializes in conducting genealogical research and then transforming that information into illustrated stories that even non-genealogists can enjoy.
ONLINE-March 9, 2023 Meeting: Part 2: What the Heck Does That Say?: Overcoming the Challenge of Difficult Handwriting by Pam Vestal
March program update: Join us for Part 2 of “What the Heck Does That Say?: Overcoming the Challenge of Difficult Handwriting” by Pam Vestal. Pam is back in March to complete our handwriting workshop. Don’t worry if you missed the February meeting. We will use the same handout (available to all registrants) to learn even more strategies for deciphering documents. A new exercise sheet will be sent to registrants a few days before the session. Our February meeting had a record attendance – don’t miss Part 2 of Pam’s popular program – register today!
One of the biggest hurdles to overcome in genealogy is the seemingly illegible handwriting in our ancestors’ records. In this month’s interactive session, we’ll look at a variety of practical strategies that can help you overcome all kinds of difficult penmanship, whether the document was written yesterday or hundreds of years ago.
(All FVGS meetings are recorded. Access to the recordings is a member benefit. The February and March recordings will be available to members for 30 days after being posted on the website).
Pam Vestal is a professional genealogist and speaker who turned her focus to her longtime love of genealogy after a 20-year writing career. Her articles have appeared in the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, FGS’s Forum magazine, and the National Genealogical Society Magazine, and her lectures take her from coast to coast. Pam specializes in conducting genealogical research and then transforming that information into illustrated stories that even non-genealogists can enjoy.
IN-PERSON-April 13, 2023 Meeting: Unusual Places to Find Births and Naturalizations by Debra Dudek
Widen your search for birth dates and locations as well as naturalizations from a variety of underutilized resources such as military rosters, consulate applications, voter registrations, canceled passports, frakturs, and much more. This lecture focuses on both digital and physical resources, so bring your research checklist and see if these resources can help you fill in the gaps in your family tree.
Debra M. Dudek is Head of Adult and Teen Services at the Fountaindale Public Library District in Bolingbrook, IL. She holds a postgraduate certificate in Genealogical, Palaeographic & Heraldic Studies from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. Ms. Dudek is the Book Review Editor of the Illinois State Genealogical Society, a board member of the Illinois State Historical Society, and the author of the World War I Research Guide: Tracing American Military and Non-Combatant Ancestors.
IN-PERSON-May 11, 2023 Meeting: Finding Ancestors in the Land of Lincoln by Dr. David Joens
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 administrative, legal, or historical research values. Its collections do not include manuscripts, newspapers, or other nonofficial sources. The Director of the Archives, Dave Joens, will give an overview of the available records and discuss how they can assist genealogists looking for family records in Illinois.
David Joens is the Director of the Illinois State Archives, the state agency that is responsible for the preservation of historic Illinois state and local government records. He is a fifth-generation resident of Illinois, an army veteran, and a former newspaper reporter for the Sun Newspapers in Lisle and Naperville. Joens received his Bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, two Master’s degrees from the University of Illinois at Springfield, and a doctorate in Illinois history from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He is the author of three books on Illinois history and government, including “From Slave to State Legislator: John W. E. Thomas, Illinois’ First African American Lawmaker,” published by SIU Press.
IN-PERSON-June 8, 2023 Meeting: A Discussion on Writing Memoirs and Family Stories by Barbara Brabec
“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 learn what attendees hope to gain from this class. This will launch an open discussion where everyone will have an opportunity to ask questions, explain a problem they’re having, and/or share a tip or lesson they’ve learned the hard way.
Barbara has been self-employed at home since 1971. She is the author of six books published by the trade and another six published under her company imprint. Her experience also includes writing, editing, and publishing a quarterly magazine for five years and for twenty years a bimonthly subscription newsletter and a column for Crafts magazine. In 2010, the self-publication of her first biography and memoir, The Drummer Drives, launched her as a memoirist and storyteller. A second biography and memoir followed in 2017, and a third is now in progress. Her website is BarbaraBrabecProductions.com.
HYBRID-September 14, 2023 Meeting: Headline DNA: Helping to Solve True Crime by Laura Street Chaplin
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 it obtained? How is DNA used? What are the developing issues involving privacy, insurance, or personal control? Come explore this hot topic and hear some examples from recent true crime headlines.
Laura Chaplin began researching her family history when she was inspired by a professor at college. Since then, she has spent years researching, attending countless workshops, and traveling across the country on research trips. She is now the owner of Willowtree Research: Family History and Genealogy Services. Laura has a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University and is a member of the Genealogical Speakers Guild. She was elected to the Board of Directors of the Illinois State Genealogical Society. At the Town & Country Public Library in Elburn, she was the History & Genealogy Manager and helped them to open their Lawrence J. Martin Heritage Center.
ONLINE-October 12, 2023 Meeting: Funeral Homes and Family History: They’re Dying to Meet You by Daniel Earl
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 the value of these historic and unique records.
I got my start in family history at age 10 when my father took me to the grave of my great-grandfather; that sparked a lifetime of interest in family history. I have spent the last 25 years researching my own family history and helping others make history a part of their story.
I am associated with the following groups and organizations:
- Hungarian Genealogical Society of Michigan – President
- International Society of Genetic Genealogy
- Virtual Genealogical Association – Past-President
Daniel has experience doing research in the following regions:
- Great Lakes Region United States (Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin)
- Mid-Atlantic United States (Maryland, DC, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York)
- Central Eastern Europe (Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Slovakia, Serbia)
HYBRID-November 9, 2023 Meeting: Emigration & Immigration – The Story of Your Immigrant Ancestors by Jacquie Schattner
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, teaches genealogy at local high schools, and at 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.
