Archived News - May 2011

ISGS News - Saturday, May 28, 2011
 
ISGS Office Closed Monday, May 30th - Open on Tuesday, May 31st
 
The ISGS Office will be closed on Monday, May 30, in observance of Memorial Day.  Instead, the office will be open from 10am to 1pm on Tuesday, May 31.  Regular hours will resume on Thursday, June 2.
 
 
ISGS News - Thursday, May 26, 2011
 
New Military Certificates Database
 
The Illinois State Genealogical Society is pleased to announce its new Military Certificates database at its website (http://www.ilgensoc.org). Just in time for Memorial Day, you can now search for your Illinois ancestors who served in various wars and military conflicts. Simply click Free Databases and then click Military Certificates (http://ilgensoc.org/cstm_militaryCerts.php) and use the search field to enter your surnames.
 
ISGS currently has several Military Certificate projects in progress covering various wars from the Blackhaw Wars to World War II. The purpose of these projects is to recognize the sacrifices made by the veteran's valiant efforts and to record and preserve material submitted in support of the certificates so that it will be available for future generations of researchers.
 
For more information on how you can obtain a certificate for your Illinois ancestor who served in the military, visit Military Certificates in the ISGS Projects section of the ISGS website (http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=125).
 
 
ISGS News - Tuesday, May 24, 2011
 
ISGS Notes the Passing of Elizabeth Pearson White
 
The Illinois State Genealogical Society notes the passing of long-time ISGS Board member Elizabeth White, and offers its condolences to her family and many friends in the genealogy community. Betty helped found ISGS in 1968 and  served as vice-President in 1976 and Associate Editor of the Quarterly Journal from 1977-1981.
 
Elizabeth P. White, FASG, FNGS, CG, died on January 3, 2011, aged 96 years, 8 months and 3 days in Wilmette, Illinois. Betty was a certified genealogist (certified in 1971), lecturer, and a published author in journals about Illinois and New England family history and books of documented genealogy. She was Chairman of the Howland Five Generations Project, John Howland the Mayflower passenger whose family became largest form those who landed at Plymouth in 1620. Betty was a life member of the Illinois Society of the Mayflower, Descendants (William Brewster and Stephen Hopkins) and honorary member of the John Howland Society. Betty was also recognized as a Fellow of the American Genealogical Society (selected in 1976 as their 86th member) and a Fellow of the National Genealogical Society granted in 1986 for contributions to genealogy in many different ways.
 
White was awarded the annual Lowell Volkel Medal of Honor by the Illinois State Genealogical Society in 1996. The late Dr. Volkel was for many years head archivist for the State of Illinois and the founding president of the Illinois State Genealogical Society at Springfield.
 
Here are some interesting highlights on the life and work of Elizabeth Pearson White (from Memorial Tribute – Elizabeth P. White FASG, FNGS, CG , The Mayflower Quarterly, Plymouth, MA, General Society of Mayflower Descendants March 2011, written by her son, Ronald White.):
  • “At Springfield, in the Illinois State Archives, she discovered that many letters in the Benjamin Godfrey collection had lost their signature. Who had written to our ancestor? She brought this problem to the senior archivist Lowell M. Volkel, and simultaneously they understood that the author was Abraham Lincoln.” (p. 25-26)
  • “Betty White was involved in creating the Chicago Genealogical Society (1967) and the Illinois State Genealogical Society (1968), serving as vice-President in 1976 and Associate Editor of the Quarterly Journal from 1977-1981.” (p. 26)
  • “For the Illinois State Genealogical Society at Springfield my mother arranged for the esteemed Milton Rubincam FASG to be the featured speaker about genealogical research. Arriving at the hotel she discovered her name and her topic posted on the hotel’s marquee. My mother felt embarrassed, thinking that publicity should have favored the renowned elder of the American Society of Genealogists. Good that Milton was a true gentleman and the audience offered their enthusiastic applause.” (p. 27-28)
For more information on Elizabeth Pearson White, please see the extensive obituary complete with photographs at http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Elizabeth-White&lc=2444&pid=147613854&mid=4502231. You can also leave your message for Betty’s family using the online Guest Book.
 
 
ISGS News - Sunday, May 15, 2011
 
Take a minute to check out a genealogy blog called Leaves on the Trudgian Tree. As described by its author:
Exploring the lives of one Trudgian family in Galena, Illinois through the eyes of their daughter, Lillian, during the years of 1913 through 1931. Lillian's authentic diary entries explore the family, neighbors, what is happening in Galena, as well as, national events and of course the weather and the crops!
The author Sherry Jones is the author[transcriber] of a non-fiction group of 7 diaries from 1913-1919 entitled "Lillian's Diaries: Whispers of Galena's Past" and a family genealogist for the Trudgian family who settled in Galena, IL in 1852 from St. Austell Cornwall, England.
 
ISGS News - Friday, May 13, 2011
 
Your Help Needed This Friday, May 20, 2011 in Springfield
 
ISGS is looking for volunteers to help move boxes of books (by vehicle) from the Illinois State Library to the Illinois State Archives this Friday May 20, 2011 at 1:00pm.
 
We anticipate finishing by 3:00pm. If you have a strong back and can help contact Janice at isgspresident@ilgensoc.org.
 
Thanks in advance!
 
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