Illinois State Genealogical Society
Previous Webinars
 
ISGS members have access to handouts and recordings of past ISGS Webinars. Below is a listing of our previous webinars. If you would like more information about joining ISGS to take advantage of this member benefit, please visit our Join! page.
 
 
2021 Webinars
TOPIC PRESENTER
Illinois Migration & Settlement Patterns Dr. David McDonald
Before the Vital Records Dr. David McDonald
1880 and After . . . Dr. David McDonald
Researching at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Meghan Harmon
Exploring Historical Dimensions for Detailed Storytelling Lauren Peightel
Why Were They There? Mergin Evidence to Explain Migration J. H. ("Jay") Fonkert, CG
Researching Pre-fire Chicago Ginger Frere, MLIS
 
2020 Webinars
MONTH TOPIC PRESENTER
May Early Jewish Settlers in Illinois Suzanne Hoffman
Sep Writing Your Family History: Mechanics & Fourishes Stephen Szabados
 
2019 Webinars
MONTH TOPIC PRESENTER
Jan Hidden Gems in the FamilySearch Wiki Peggy Clemens Lauritzen
Feb Revelers, Hogkillers & Disobedient Children: Early Illinois Laws Judy G. Russell
Mar The (Underground) Railroad Runs Through Here – Illinois Janice Lovelace
Apr Using Bureau of Land Management Tract Books Michael John Neill
May An Introduction to Researching Your Mexican Ancestors Colleen Greene
June From East to West: Ancestral Migration Through Canada Kathryn Lake Hogan
July Online German Church Registers, Duplicates & Substitutes James M. Beidler
Aug The Great Lakes and the Role They Played in the Years of Prohibition Jean Wilcox Hibben
Sep Telling the Story with Maps: Maps of Early Illinois & Where to Find Them Ginger Frere
Oct
Researching Your Illinois Catholic Ancestors
 Lisa Oberg
Nov Chicago Research: Planning is the Key to Success Jeanne Lazalere Bloom
Dec
Illinois Servitude and Emancipation Records
 Anita Boyd

 

2018 Webinars

MONTH TOPIC PRESENTER
Jan Finding Scottish Ancestors Online Nancy Loe
Feb Illinois Digital Resources Tina Beaird
Mar Finding Clues for Your Immigrant Ancestors in Ethnic Newspapers Lisa Alzo
Apr Friedrich Eiler in Illinois:  Fragments Fust to Identify One Individual Jill Morelli
May Want to Honor Your Revolutionary Roots?:  Resources for Applying to a Revolutionary War Lineage Society Bryna O'Sullivan
June Ohio and the Early Gathering of the LDS Church Peggy Clemens Lauritzen
July Museums Have Records Too! Locating Your Ancestors Behind Closed Doors Melissa Barker
Aug National Archives Resources at the Chicago Branck Jane Haldeman
Sep Researching Pre-Fire Chicago Ginger Frere
Oct
Chicago Rises from the Ashes: The Columbian Exposition Gives
Perspective to the Family Historian
 Jean Wilcox Hibben
Nov 1918: The Prairie State "Over There" Lisa Oberg
Dec
Some Followed the River, Some Took the Train: Finding Ancestors
of the Great Migration
 Angela Walton-Raji

 

 

2017 Webinars

MONTH TOPIC PRESENTER
Jan Finding Dirk: Records of Insane Asylums in IL Jill Morelli
Feb Freedmens' Bureau Records – Valuable to ALL Southern Research! Diane Richard
Mar Nurses, Matrons, Laundresses & Cooks. Documenting Women in the Civil War Angela Y. Walton Raji
Apr Tracing Slave & Slaveowner Ancestors with DNA & Genealogy Nicka Smith
May Cause of Death: Using Coroner's Records for Genealogy Lisa A. Alzo
Jun Preserving Old Family Letters Melissa Barker
Jul The Watchfires of a Hundred Circling Camps Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG
Aug Census Substitutes for the In-between Years Amy Johnson Crow, CG
Sep Luxembourgers on the Prairie: Researchings Your Luxembourg Ancestors Lisa Oberg
Oct Funeral Homes & Family History: They're Dying to Meet You Daniel Earl
Nov Illinois Gold: Hard to Find but Valuable Prairie State Resources Thomas MacEntee
Dec Ephemera: Genealogy Gold Sharon A. Atkins
 
2016 Webinars
MONTH TOPIC PRESENTER
Jan Organizing Your Genealogy Research Process Drew Smith
Feb Reconstructing Black Community Life Through Benevolent Societies Angela Y. Walton-Raji
Mar Researching in Archives & Libraries: Do's and Don'ts Melissa Barker
Apr Letters, Ledgers, Lodge Books: Finding Ancestors with Ethnic Resources Lisa A. Alzo
May Polish Immigration to America: When, Where, Why and How Stephen Szabados
Jun Using Social Media to Break Through Brick Walls Amie Bowser Tennant
Jul Special Delivery: Using US Postmaster Documents Jean Hibben, CG
Aug Misbegotten Children: Tracing Family Lines of the Illegitimate Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG
Sep Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker: Using Occupational Records Amy Johnson Crow, CG
Oct Midwestern Gems: Back Issues of Genealogical, Historical Journals Paula Stuart-Warren, CG
Nov Principles of Effective Evidence Analysis George G. Morgan
Dec Without the Hint – There Is No Story Bernice Alexander Bennett
 
2015 Webinars
MONTH TOPIC PRESENTER
Jan Using Google Earth for Genealogy Lisa Louise Cook
Feb Basic Scandinavian Research Diana Smith
Mar Finding Your Femme Fatales: Exploring the Dark Side of Female Ancetors Lisa A. Alzo
Apr Using Evernote As Your Primary Tool for Capturing Notes & Ideas Drew Smith
May Need Direction? Try City Directories! Jean Hibben, CG
Jun Understanding Our Families, Understanding Ourselves Ron Arons
Jul Dissect Obituaries for New Clues George G. Morgan
Aug School Daze: Finding & Using School Records to Trace Our Ancestors Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG
Sep Using Tax Records for Genealogical Problem Solving Michael Lacopo
Oct Polish Genealogy: Four Steps to Successful Research Steve Szabados
Nov In-laws & Outlaws: The Bylaws of Talking About the Family Skeletons Janet Hovorka
Dec The US Federal Census: Good, Bad & Ugly for Genealogists Gary M. Smith
 
2014 Webinars
MONTH TOPIC PRESENTER
Jan 7 Habits of Highly Frugal Genealogists Thomas MacEntee
Feb Printed Legends & Missing Footnotes: Dissecting 19th-20th Century Compiled Genealogies D. Joshua Taylor
Mar Going Nuclear: DNA Discoveries to Trace All Lines of Descent Debbie Parker Wayne, CG
Apr Using Canadian Records to Find Your Midwestern Ancestor Kathryn Lake Hogan
May Organizing (or Reorganizing) That Family Reunion James M. Beidler
Jun Plotting, Scheming, and Mapping Online Cyndi Ingle
Jul Newspaper Research: More Than Obituaries Patricia Walls Stamm, CG
Aug Land Records in Illinois Michael John Neill
Sep Treasures & Hidden Secrets of the Illinois Regional Archives (IRAD) Luana Darby
Oct Hunting for Henry: A Case Study Using Collaterals Teresa Steinkamp McMillin
Nov Evaluating What You Have Found: The Third Stage of Research Barbara Renick
Dec HeritageQuest Online: The Ins and Outs C. Ann Staley, CG
 
2013 Webinars
MONTH TOPIC PRESENTER
Jan Beyond the Draft Cards: Additional Selective Service Records of WWI Linda Woodward Geiger, CG
Feb Best Genealogy Present You Can Give Yourself: Citing Your Sources Harold Henderson, CG
Mar Back to Your Roots: Planning a Successful Heritage Research Trip Lisa A. Alzo
Apr Digging Through Documents Word by Word Debbie Mieszala, CG
May Timelines: Placing Your Heritge in Historical Perspective Laura Prescott
Jun The Research Calendar: A Resource You Cannot Live Without Luana Darby
Jul Common Surnames: Ways to Identify Your Ancestors in a Crowd Juliana Smith
Aug Getting to Here from There: Following Your Ancestor's Migration Trail J.H. "Jay" Fonkert, CG
Sep "To the Honorable, the General Assembly": The Treasure Trove in Legislative Petitions Judy G. Russell, CG
Oct Up in Smoke!! What to Do When the Courthouse Burns Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG
Nov Little House on the Prairie: Midwestern Research Techniques Diana Crisman Smith
Dec Miracles, Mysteries & Mayhem: Online Family Trees Jeanne Larzalere Bloom
 
2012 Webinars
MONTH TOPIC PRESENTER
Jan 10 Ways to Jumpstart Your Genealogy in 2012 Thomas MacEntee
Feb Cool Tools for Publishing Your Family History Lisa A. Alzo
Mar Desperately Seeking Susan: Finding Female Ancestors Amy Johnson Crow, CG
Apr Going Digital: Organizing Your Research Files Electronically D. Joshua Taylor
May Some Great, Seldom-Used, Resources: A Genealogical Potpourri Timothy Pinnick
Jun The War of 1812: America's "Forgotten" War Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG
Jul Clue to Clue: Tracking a Family Over Time and Miles Jean Hibben, CG
Aug Major Midwestern Archives & Their Records Paula Stuart-Warren, CG
Sep Grandma Did What?: Researching Your Famous & Infamous Relatives Gena Philibert-Ortega
Oct Jumping Over Hurdles in German Research Leslie Albrecht Huber
Nov Sidestep Genealogy George G. Morgan
Dec Ready-Set-Plan! Developing a One-Step Research Plan J. Mark Lowe, CG