Archived News - February 2013

ISGS News - Friday, February 22, 2013
 
ISGS Nominated for Best State/Provincial Genealogical Society
 
 
Great news! The Illinois State Genealogical Society has been selected as a finalist in the About.com Readers' Choice Awards for 2013 in the category of Best State/Provincial Genealogical Society!
 
Why ISGS? To quote the post at About.com:
 
A large number of genealogical societies have re-invented themselves in recent years, embracing social media, virtual education, digital publishing, and other tools to reach a far-flung audience. To highlight the vibrancy and necessity of some of today's genealogical societies, I've given them their own category in the About.com Readers' Choice Awards. To keep things on a somewhat equal playing field, nominations are being accepted for state (provincial, departmental, etc.) genealogical societies only. I think we already all know how great the national and regional societies are. 
Your vote is needed!
 
Between February 19, 2013, and March 27, 2013, you can vote for your favorite genealogical society (we hope it is ISGS!) Click here to learn more and vote!
 
ISGS News - Tuesday, February 19, 2013
 
Upcoming Webinars - March 2013
 
 
Join us on Tuesday, March 12, at 8:00 PM Central, when Lisa Alzo will present Back to Your Roots: Planning a Successful Heritage Research Trip. To attend this webinar, register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8438226523594802432.
 
Last week's webinar, Best Genealogy Present You Can Give Yourself: Citing Your Sources, presented by Harold Henderson, is now available to ISGS members in the Members Section of the ISGS website (http://ilgensoc.org/members.php).
 
Upcoming Webinars
For the complete list of upcoming webinars, including the entire 2013 schedule, visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=234. And don't forget to spread the word by printing out a few copies of our webinar flyer to hand out at your local society meetings. The flyer can be accessed at http://ilgensoc.org/upload/menu/2013webinarbrochure.pdf.
 
Support the ISGS Webinar program by making a financial contribution, which will help ISGS expand its educational offerings in a virtual manner. To learn why we need your help, or to make a contribution, please visit http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=345.
 
Please direct any questions to the ISGS Education Committee at isgseducation@ilgensoc.org.
 
ISGS News - Friday, February 15, 2013
 
ISGS Office Closed Monday, February 18, 2013
 
The ISGS Office will be closed on Monday, February 18, 2013 in observance of the President's Day holiday. The office will be open from 10am to 1pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013.
 
Regular hours will resume on Thursday, February 21, 2013.
 
ISGS News - Wednesday, February 13, 2013
 
ISGS January/February 2013 Newsletter Now Available
 
 
The January/February 2013 issue of the ISGS Newsletter is now available to both ISGS members and non-members. Visit the ISGS website at http://www.ilgensoc.org and click ISGS Newsletter to download the current issue (in PDF) and to view past issues going back to January/February 2008.
 
14 Soldiers Added to Illinois Military Certificates Database
 
 
ISGS has a Military Certificates database online that lists the certificates issued as part of the Military Certificate project that honors Illinois soldiers.  The database lists the soldier’s name along with their unit, county, and the ISGS Military Certificate number.  This searchable database is available to anyone under the Free Databases section of the ISGS Website
 
War of 1812 Soldiers Added Since December 2011
  • Jacob Crowley
Blackhawk War Soldiers Added Since December 2011
  • Brice B. Jackson
Civil War Soldiers Added Since December 2011
  • Stephen Wheeler
  • Irven Holbrook
  • Thomas Henry Edwards
  • Thomas James Jolly
  • Abner A. Batson
  • William Day
  • William Swartz
  • Moses Turner
  • Thomas Randall Storm
  • Christian Schrader
World War I Soldiers Added Since December 2011
  • Clarence L. Ervin
  • Louis Franklin Hagler
 
ISGS News - Tuesday, February 12, 2013
 
11 New Illinois Prairie Pioneers Honored
 
 
ISGS has a Prairie Pioneers Certificates database online that lists the certificates issued as part of the Prairie Pioneers Certificate project that honors Illinois pioneers.  The database lists the pioneer’s name, along with the county, the year they came to Illinois, and the ISGS Prairie Pioneers Certificate number.  This searchable database is available to anyone under the Free Databases section of the ISGS Website.
 
Pioneers Added Since April 2012
  • Anton Panoch, Cook County
  • William Boswell, St. Clair County
  • Emeline Johnson, St. Clair County
  • Nicholas Warfield, Carroll County
  • James Deaton, St. Clair County
  • Jezreel Wellington Bean, Kane County
  • Demount Campbell, Winnebago County
  • Samuel Peabody, Christian County
  • Brice Bradley Jackson, Morgan County
  • George Bartlett Knight, Gallatin County
  • Harrison M. Rankin, Sangamon County
ISGS News - Friday, February 8, 2013
 
ISGS Volunteer Opportunities
 
As we approach 2013, ISGS’s open positions list has grown due to various life changes we all experience, including a death in our “family,” and the creation of new positions. ISGS fully supports its board members serving in capacities that interest them, which can necessitate moves to new committees, leaving vacancies.

Please consider helping ISGS achieve its mission to preserve and disseminate Illinois historical and genealogical materials, and to educate and aid those researching their ancestry.  For information on any of the positions listed below, contact Susie Pope:  isgs2ndvp@ilgensoc.org
  • ISGS Quarterly Design and Technical Editor: The Design and Technical Editor works with the Quarterly Editor to produce a polished publication. A working knowledge of design and layout principles and the use of Adobe In- Design is desirable.
  • Website Indexing Projects Coordinator: Website Indexing is a subcommittee of the Website Committee.  A coordinator is needed to manage various indexing projects.  Projects are based on member submissions, ISGS holdings or other resources. Volunteers will scan images, and upload images and/or data to be indexed.
  • Youth Creative Contest Coordinator: The Education Committee would like to implement an annual youth creative contest in 2013. The contest will have three categories (writing, artwork, and photography) and three age group divi- sions. The Coordinator will fill in the details, and help to implement it.
  • Writers: Part of the ISGS mission is to educate its members and the public. The Education Committee needs volunteers interested in sharing their knowledge by writing educational articles and guides. We have a lot of ideas on the table, but we need your help to make them a reality.
  • Honors & Awards Committee Chair: The chair solicits nominations from individuals and societies for each of the ISGS annual awards. The nominations are discussed in committee and finalists are presented with awards in the fall.
  • Church Records Committee Chair: The Church Records project identifies Illinois church repositories by denomination and assembles files containing church history and record access information.
  • Long-Range Planning Committee Chair: This committee considers plans for the improvement of the Society. They solicit suggestions from the membership, make regular reports to the Board, and present projects for action. 
 
ISGS News - Tuesday, February 5, 2013
 
February 2013 Webinar – Best Genealogy Present You Can Give Yourself: Citing Your Sources
 
 
 
Citing sources was one of the most highly requested webinar topics we received in 2012. We're listening and we hope you will join us on February 12, when Harold Henderson will present Best Genealogy Present You Can Give Yourself: Citing Your Sources.
 
Date: Tuesday, February 12, 2013, 8:00 pm Central
 
Description: Footnotes are not just for professors anymore. The secret is not where to put the commas—it's understanding the record you're looking at.
 
Presenter: Harold Henderson, CG Harold Henderson, CGsm, lives and works in northwest Indiana and on midwestroots.net. He has been a professional writer since 1979 and a professional genealogist since 2009. He serves on the board of the Association of Professional Genealogists and is a member of the publicity committee for the 2013 Federation of Genealogical Societies conference in Fort Wayne. He has published articles in American Ancestors Journal (annual supplement to the New England Historical and Genealogical Register), the NGS Magazine, Illinois and five other state quarterlies, and Archives.com. He blogs at midwesternmicrohistory.blogspot.com.
 
 
Recording and Handout Available to ISGS Members: For ISGS members who cannot attend the live webinar on February 12, a recording of the webinar, along with the handout, will be made available in the Members Section of the ISGS website at http://ilgensoc.org/members.php. If you're not already a member of ISGS, visit Join ISGS! at http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=8 for more information.
 
Spread the Word: Forward this email onto your friends and colleagues, post the information to social media sites and/or your blog/website, or print out a few copies of our webinar flyer to hand out at your local society meetings. The flyer can be accessed at http://ilgensoc.org/upload/menu/2013_Webinar_Brochure.pdf.
 
 
ISGS News - Monday, February 4, 2013
 
Irish Heritage Genealogy Workshop - March 7, 2013
 
 
Saturday, March 23, 2013
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
 
McLean County Museum of History
200 North Main Street
Bloomington, IL 61701
 
Join the Museum, the Irish Heritage Society, and the McLean County Genealogical Society for a day discovering your Irish roots! Sessions will explore Irish Genealogy resources, McLean County genealogy, and local history resources. Tips and hints on beginning Irish research will also be offered. Session details are noted on the back of this form. Registration begins January 14, 2013. Click here to register (opens in PDF).