Meeting Archive

A Revolutionary War ancestor can be a goldmine of information if you know where to look. This lecture aims to examine types of service, compiled military service records, pension applications, settled accounts, and where other documents can be found.

Craig Scott, MA, CG, FUGA, is the author of The ‘Lost Pensions’: Settled Accounts of the Act of 6 April 1838 (Revised) and Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, Inventory 14 (Revised). His most recent work is Understanding Revolutionary War and Invalid Pension Ledgers, 1818 – 1872, and the Payment Vouchers They Represent. He has authored seventeen books and several articles in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, the Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, and other genealogical publications. He is the President and CEO of Heritage Books, Inc., a genealogical publishing firm with over 10,000 titles in print. A professional genealogical and historical researcher for more than thirty-eight years, he specializes in military records, problem-solving, Quakers, and publishing. He is a Company of Military Historians member and on the National Genealogical Society Quarterly editorial board. He is a former Director of the Association of Professional Genealogists. He is the Vice-President of the APG Writer’s SIG. He has coordinated research tracks at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research, Samford University, the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh. He is currently the SLIG Guided Research and Consultation Track Coordinator, helping students solve brickwall problems. He is the host of the YouTube@ Just Genealogy channel. He is a recipient of the Grahame T. Smallwood, Jr. Award and the UGA Silver Tray Award. He became a Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association in 2014.

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A case study identifying the mother of my adopted great-grandmother, born Helen Marley Johnson. Although no single record identifies her mother, indirect evidence and DNA testing make the case.

Blaine Bettinger, PhD, JD, is a professional genealogist specializing in DNA evidence. In 2007, he started The Genetic Genealogist (www.thegeneticgenealogist.com), one of the earliest blogs on the topic. Blaine is the author of The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy and co-author with Debbie Parker Wayne of the award-winning Genetic Genealogy in Practice, the world’s first genetic genealogy workbook. He also co-authored “Genetics for Genealogy” with Judy Russell in 2018’s Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards (ProGen PPS) (Elizabeth Shown Mills, Author and Editor).

Blaine is or has been an instructor for genetic genealogy courses at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR), Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), and Virtual Institute of Genealogical Research. Blaine is a graduate of ProGen Study Group 21, a trustee for the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, and a member of the DNAngels Board of Directors since 2022 (President since January 2023), and a member of the Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM) “Investigative Genetic Genealogy Working Group” since 2019. He is also the founder in 2017 of Genetic Genealogy Tips & Techniques, a very active Facebook group with more than 75,000 members.

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The program is for people who have not already used AI tools but want to learn about them and how to start using them, AND for those who are already using the tools to share ideas about how to be more effective and expand their use. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has already been used in the realm of genealogy, with major success in indexing records as well as colorizing and animating photographs. Learn from Dr. Margaret M. McMahon, a computer science, engineering, and cybersecurity professor, how AI products can assist you in your genealogical endeavors. Find out how to use AI in your research and writing, as well as its limitations.

Margaret M. McMahon, PhD has always collected family stories. She earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering and has amassed decades of experience as a flight test and systems engineer, and as a professional educator, teaching graduate and undergraduate students. Her experience includes speaking at international technical conferences.

When her son was born, family lines became more relevant, so she focused her engineering and educational skills and talents on her newfound passion to combine family stories with factual records. She researches, lectures, and writes about genealogy and military history and is the author of numerous books on those subjects. She is the Unofficial Historian for the 51st Pioneer Infantry Regiment. She has given over 130 lectures as an invited speaker at societies, libraries, and local conferences and was a presenter for RootsTech Connect. She is a graduate of the ProGen Study Group 46.

She is the author of “Researching U.S. WWI Military Members, Military Organizations and Overseas Noncombatants: A Research Guide for Historians and Genealogists,” “A Guide to the U.S. Pioneer Infantry Regiments in WWI,” “From Timeline to Young Readers Book,” and other books.

A Week of Genealogy Blog and information about her and her books can be found at: https://aweekofgenealogy.com.

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Do you have a unique family artifact that led you to seek discoveries about your ancestral roots? Did you discover a document or a photo that helped you solve a brick wall? Do you have a cherished heirloom that tells part of your family history? We’d love to hear about it!

Bring your family heirloom, photo, document, or other interesting item, and share the story behind it with other genealogy enthusiasts. Members and guests can participate in the ‘Show & Tell’ event. Be ready to share your family artifacts and take a minute (or three) to tell a story about it. If your item is too large to carry, you can still tell us about it and maybe show a picture if you have one.

Even if you don’t bring anything, we know you’ll enjoy seeing the heirlooms and hearing their stories. Come for the refreshments and stay for the great conversation with others who share your love for family history. We hope you will join us for this fun and inspiring event!

MEETING LOCATION:

Naperville Municipal Center-Room B (Lower Level),
400 S Eagle St, Naperville, IL 60540
*(Park in the upper parking lot and enter through the main entrance)

Over 46 million Americans have some German ancestry. The largest German immigration wave to America was 1848-1900, and the majority of those that came then settled in America’s Midwest. This presentation will examine the reasons why so many Germans were leaving their homeland during this period, as well as why so many settled in America’s Midwest. In addition, the presentation will cover:

• German immigration trends
• Ports of departure and arrival
• Midwest German hotspots
• A local example of German settlement
• Cultural influences brought to the Midwest
• Top sites for researching your German ancestors

Scott Norrick’s passion is connecting people to their past. While providing a list of names, dates, and places for ancestors is a start, Scott enjoys helping others discover the stories of triumphs and tribulations that defined our ancestors’ lives. He does this by assisting others with breaking down their genealogical brick walls and by helping them document the rich stories of their family history.

His areas of expertise include research in the American Midwest along with the immigration to the Midwest from Britain, Ireland, and Germanic countries.

He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and a graduate degree from Northwestern University. With over 30 years of family history research experience, he is familiar with all the latest and time-tested genealogical tools. Through his company, Ancestral Past, he welcomes the opportunity to assist others on their genealogy journey. He has presented to dozens of genealogical societies, history centers, and libraries. He also recently presented to the Association of Professional Genealogists.

NEW MEETING LOCATION FOR OCTOBER:

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

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